Thursday, March 28, 2024

Tips for finding cheap accommodation in London during the Olympic Games

Hotel booking expert from hotelstoLondon.co.uk talks to In2town on how to find cheap hotels in London and around London and how to book quality London hotels at the fraction of the cost.

London is set to impress with the 2012 Olympics and excitement is building throughout the UK. With English film director Danny Boyle as Artistic Director of the Opening Ceremony, we are sure to have the eyes of the world on us (especially with Trainspotting and Slumdog Millionaire among his film credits!)

‘Hotels-London.Co.UK Says You Can Find Cheap Hotels In London’

However, as the anticipation grows so do hotel prices in the capital, with availability shrinking every day. According to a recent study by market research company Forward Data, flights booked to London have increased 13% on last year with 26th July – the eve of the opening ceremony – being the peak arrival day.

Whether your visit to London is games-related or not, summer 2012 is going to be busy in one of the world’s most visited cities. So to help you plan your stay and get the best value for money, we have used our insider knowledge here at Hotels-London.co.uk to compile this list of hints and tips for finding cheap accommodation during the Olympic Games.

1.Book a hotel outside of London

Booking a hotel in a city such as Reading or Brighton means you are still within easy reach of central London, but you will get much more for your money and much more choice. For example in Reading, there are 10 trains every hour from their main station into London, and the journey only takes 30 minutes.

2.Wait for last minute deals

It may seem like a risky strategy but if you’re willing to gamble, or if your trip to London is non-essential, then it could pay off. Research suggests that before big events such as the Olympics prices start off high then gradually drop in the months prior before shooting back up again within the last few weeks. Based on this logic and data from our website, the ideal time to book a hotel to get the best price would be any time from now until mid-late June.

Insider Tip: If you book a hotel outside of London with a flexible cancellation policy, then as the games draw near you can cancel it if any great last minute deals come up in the city.

3.Choose a hotel at the end of the tube line

Investigate hotels near to the end-of-line tube stations, which are likely to be slightly cheaper as they are situated on the outskirts of central London. Although the prices won’t be as cheap as booking in a different city, you will have excellent transport connections. An Oyster card will get you all over London for the duration of your stay but the price won’t fluxuate like train tickets are likely to do.

4.Book an independent hotel over a brand

It goes without saying that London will see an influx of foreign visitors for the Olympics, with Germans, Americans and Australians the main nationalities who will be travelling to our capital city. Visitors from outside the UK are more likely to book a branded hotel that they recognise, such as Radisson or Hilton, which means that hotels within a chain are likely to be more expensive than independent hotels.

Hotels-London are the London hotel specialists who aim to find their customers the right hotel in the right location at the best price. With over 600 hand-picked hotels to choose from, customers could save up to 55% off the standard room price.

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