With the economy in freefall and cost of living crisis about to enter full swing, we’re after escapes that aren’t going to break the bank.
From cosy cubby-holes in Snowdonia to bargain bedrooms in the Big Smoke, these brilliant budget stays offer affordable breaks in the UK this autumn and winter.
Plus, they’re packed full of fascinating sights and exhilarating adventures, ensuring you won’t be put off going on more post-pandemic ‘staycations’.
Get the London lowdown on the Strand
Be dazzled by the bright lights of London’s glittering West End for little more than a ton. Z Hotels has recently opened a smart new property next to the Adelphi Theatre on the Strand.
Within skipping distance of Covent Garden, St Paul’s Cathedral and the South Bank, the small but sleek rooms manage to still pack in comfortable hand-crafted beds, huge showers and massive TV screens with free Sky Sports and Sky Movies.
Stay: Doubles from £100pn (discount with free membership), from Z Hotels.
A wild weekend in Wales
Lying under the shadow of the great Moel Siabod mountain, this smashing dog-friendly hostel is just the spot for a weekend romp in Snowdonia National Park.
With hand-crafted wood furnishings, mountains of cushions and soft throws, and roaring wood-burning stoves, the Rocks at Plas Curig is very much a poshtel rather than a hostel.
Whether you hunker down in cosy cubby-style bunkbeds or book a romantic double with a view of Mount Snowdon, the Rocks makes a comfy base camp for all adventurers.
Stay: Double rooms from £77pn, from the Rocks.
Luck out in Liverpool
Smack-bang in the heart of Liverpool’s trendy Ropewalks quarter, Lock & Key is a glorious boutique hotel within easy reach of Lime Street station and Royal Albert Dock. Behind the Georgian facade is a hotel decidedly more fancy than the room rate suggests.
The 14 rooms are largely compact and bijou but all have a lovely flouncy interior – think tropical floral wallpaper, geometric carpets and delicious velvet scallop chairs. Downstairs has a cool cocktail bar and a ritzy little restaurant which knocks out a smashing breakfast, brunch and wood-fired pizza.
Stay: Cosy doubles from £94pn, from Lock and Key Hotels.
Go fancy in Fowey
Fall asleep to the sound of the sea in one of the oh-so-charming rooms in Havener’s, a waterfront restaurant with rooms on Fowey quayside in Cornwall.
Famed for its cracking seafood, here you can feast on fine Cornish mussels, roast stone bass or today’s catch before retiring to one of the five stylish rooms upstairs. All are decorated with a lovely seaside palette, many with views over the estuary.
Famous as the home of Daphne du Maurier, author of renowned novels including Rebecca and Jamaica Inn, it houses the Fowey Museum, where you can find out more about her life, as well as the town’s seafaring heritage (entry £1).
Stay: Doubles from £99pn, from Haveners Fowey.
Go the full Banksy in Leeds
Spread across a converted Victorian warehouse in the heart of trendy Leeds district Mabgate – which was recently named one of Britain’s coolest neighbourhoods – the Art Hostel is the latest social enterprise project by art charity East Street Arts.
Opened in March, the 12 rooms – which sleep from two to eight – have each been designed by local artists, with themes such as Ocean Galaxy, Rainbow Lodge and Snowstorm.
Stay: Private double rooms from £60pn, with dorm beds from £25pn, from Art Hostel.
Head for a hike in Scarborough
Outdoor types will have found their nirvana at the Bike and Boot, a dog-friendly hotel that caters amply for those who want to explore the nearby North York Moors on wheels or on foot (wild swimmers will find South Bay beach less than ten minutes’ walk away).
Quirky decor includes bike helmets on the walls, saddles arranged in arty shapes and a chandelier covered in wellies.
Rooms vary in size from the smallest (boot room double) to suites, with pops of colour including tangerine headboards, radiators and lamps, and retro postcards hung on the walls.
Perks include the in-house cinema, which shows three (free) films a day, and free cake and hot drinks at the Retreat cafe.
Stay: Double rooms from £77, from Bike and Boot.
Hop over to a Glasgow gem
Caledonian oak floors, hand-crafted beds, local art and lashings of free cake and ice cream on offer every day? Grasshoppers is a real Glasgow find. Pitched next to Central Station, this 30-room boutique hotel is near the Gallery of Modern Art and George Square.
Inside, there’s a quirky, modern vibe. Guests can borrow vintage cameras to take cool monochrome shots of the city and write reviews on the house typewriters.
Rooms are light and simply stylish – many have views over the vast glazed roof of the Victorian station. Downstairs is the Kitchen, a convivial space which serves a cracking cooked breakfast and comfort dishes for supper.
Stay: Doubles from £90pn, from Grasshoppers Glasgow.
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