All the rooms on this list are doubles with private bathrooms for less than £100 per night. Keep a few things in mind when choosing a cheap room:
- Breakfast may not be included
- There may be a fee or a slow connection for wi-fi
- Factor in travel costs to attractions
- Beware of super cheap offers which may be almost impossible to pin down.
1. Little Silver Country Hotel in Tenterden Kent
Beamed ceilings, several four-poster rooms and a family-friendly attitude are amongst the attractions of this country hotel in the Weald of Kent. The price of standard rooms is reasonable, as are the prices on the child-pleasing menu in the restaurant. The hotel is convenient for touring Kent, close to several National Trust gardens, castles and coutry homes as well as the beaches of Camber Sands.
2. Royal Albion in Broadstairs Kent
The Royal Albion was built in 1760 and was reputedly a favorite of Charles Dickens. He stayed and wrote at the hotel before buying Bleak House, nearby. Today, this 21-room hotel and Shepherd Neame Pub of the Year 2010 is at the center of festivities during the annual Dickens celebrations and it is also a venue for the Broadstairs Folk Festival. A £1 million refurbishment has put all the rooms in tip top shape. Sadly, only the town facing rooms are within our budget, but search on line - you never know when you might score an oceanview room at a bargain price.
3. Cathedral Gate Hotel in Canterbury Kent
Canterbury Cathedral has been a pilgrimage site since the early Middle Ages. Chaucer's pilgrims in The Canterbury Tales were heading there when they shared their bawdy stories. Generations of pilgrims have probably stayed at the Canterbury Gate Hotel which dates from 1438, older than the Cathedral Gate beside it. The Rooms, modernized as much as possible, are spread along twisting corridors with occasional views of ancient tiled roofs. Massive beams, sloped ceilings and low doorways are this medieval inn's undeniably period features. Some rooms have private baths, because of the nature of the building, others have shared facilities. It's a small price to pay for so much history on a budget.
4. Gullivers in Brighton
Gulliver's is a stylish Georgian townhouse conversion in central Brighton's New Steine Square. Brighton does boutique hotels an guesthouses very well and Gullivers is a local favorite. It's regularly included as a venue for music or art exhibitions in the annual Brighton Festival. Rooms feature simple but chic contemporary decor and rates include a choice of breakfast buffet or hot English breakfast.
5. New Steine Hotel in Brighton
Just up the road, the New Steine Hotel is another chic little guesthouse cum boutique hotel in New Steine Square. A five-story Georgian townhouse conversions, rooms are contemporary, and have recently been redone in tones of brown and cream with red accents and original artwork. The hotel has a French-bistro and styles itself as a "cheap" Brighton boutique with a French accent. If you're considering a visit to Brighton, London's "beach", keep in mind that this arty, urban town is great fun but may not be everyone's cuppa. Read more about Brighton, including more hotel advice.
6. Guest and the City in Brighton
An oddly named (well this is Brighton after all), seven-room guesthouse is yet another conversion of a period building - most of the best places to stay in Brighton are. Located in Kemptown, the stylish heart of Brighton's gay community, Guest and the City has rooms that are unusual and trendy. Front rooms have modern stained glass panels with Brighton themes. This inn is within a short stroll of clubs, bars, restaurants, Brighton Pier and the Lanes for shopping. A top floor Loft suite with two bedrooms, a wetroom and kitchenette (microwave but no stove) is more than £100 but very good value for four adults.
7. The Norfolk Arms in Arundel West Sussex
The Norfolk Arms is an imposing Georgian coaching inn on the High Street of West Sussex's prettiest town. It's a rather old fashioned place and could use a bit of refurbishment, but it has a 200 year history - the Arundel Society for the Prosecution of Thieves and Felons has been holding its annual dinner at the hotel since the 18th century. It also has a prime location beneath the battlements of Arundel Castle. There are 34 individually decorated rooms in the main hotel and arranged around a rear courtyard. Just don't expect the latest in decor from a hotel that still lists color television as a special room amenity.
8. The White Horse Inn in Sutton West Sussex
A charming country pub with five, nicely furnished rooms that were totally refurbished in 2008, the White Horse Inn is convenient for Goodwood and the South Downs. Popular with walkers (a number of local walks start from the pub), the White Horse will put together a packed lunch for walkers on request.
9. Stylehurst Farm in Surrey
Now for something completely different - a budget farm stay in the rolling hills of Surrey. If you thought that Surrey was simply stockbroker-belt suburban, think again. Some of England's loveliest rural landscapes are within easy reach of London in parts of Surrey. Stylehurst is a small working farm near Dorking. It's set on a rural lane between the tiny villages of Ockley and Capel. The guesthouse was converted from farm buildings in 2002. Rooms are modern and comfortable. It's a good base for touring, with several National Trust properties and gardens nearby. Dorking is known for its antique shopping and Denbies, the largest vineyard in the Southeast of England, is a short drive away.
10. The New Boathouse, Bosham on Chichester Harbor
Bosham (pronounced Bossum), is a tiny little settlement on one of the sea creeks that make up Chichester's multi-fingered harbor. At high tide, some of the streets are underwater. Despite it's size, it's a historically important - and picturesque - place. King Harold sailed to Normandy from their in 1064 (two year's before his fatal encounter with William the Conqueror) and King Canute and his daughter are said to be buried there. The New Boathouse is a stylish B&B about three minutes from the Bosham quay. Each room has its own ground level entrance and some of the rooms have fabulously expensive beds with memory mattresses, electrical adjustments (and they'll probably brush your teeth and give you a facial too).
