Birmingham is a wonderful place to visit, but for those times when you’re on a strict budget, it can be hard to know where to start. Discover these cheap hotels, from the city’s oldest inn on Digbeth High Street to convinently located stays near the NEC, O2 Academy and Jewellery Quarter.
Not many people know that this historic pub on Digbeth High Street also has rooms for the night. Welcome to the Old Crown, Birmingham’s oldest inn, dating back to approximately 1368. Here, you’ll be able to find rooms for extremely reasonable rates. Stumble upstairs after a night in the bar, then head downstairs for breakfast in the morning. You’ll love this 14th-century mainstay.
Hatters Hostel is a great budget-friendly option in Birmingham’s bustling Jewellery Quarter. While there many bars, restaurants and local amenities on your doorstep, you’re also a short walk or tram ride away from the city centre. It offers a variety of accommodation options, including large dorms, private rooms and smaller shared spaces.
In the city centre, Birmingham’s ibis budget branch is ideal for shopping and concert breaks. Just a stone’s throw from the O2 Academy and a short stroll to top attractions, restaurants, bars and clubs. This budget chain hotel isn’t going to break the bank and is comfortable, too. The rooms may be basic, but who needs frills when you’ve got an entire city to explore?
For that upmarket hotel feeling without the serious deduction from your bank balance, Bloc is here to save the day. Another budget hotel in the Jewellery Quarter, it’s just a stone’s throw away from the leafy St Paul’s Square and its cathedral, which is the centrepiece of the neighbourhood. Room rates are low, so you better get booking.
In the city centre, you’ll find the Birmingham Central Backpackers (the clue’s in the name). This budget hostel is perfect for a night or two while passing through the city or stumbling out of one of Digbeth’s famous raves, which happen most weekends. Rooms are cheap and come with wifi and breakfast.
More of a gathering place than just a hotel, the hip Pentahotel attracts a party crowd and younger travellers to its location, less than a mile from the city centre. Action is centred around the lobby area, a sociable space that pairs loft living with bare brickwork, low-hanging pendant lights and distressed leather furniture. Naturally, there’s also a billiard table, a pinball machine, an upbeat soundtrack and a 24-hour bar serving craft cocktails and cold brew coffee to anyone looking to linger.
Heading to a concert or exhibition at the NEC or Resorts World Arena? Don’t stress about heading home afterwards, and check into the Moxy instead, a new design-led hotel with a music theme. Grab snacks at the hotel’s vending machines, or stay for dinner at the casual all-day restaurant. There are several big-name dining options at nearby Resorts World, too, including Gourmet Burger Kitchen and Pizza Express.
Prefer to spend your hard-earned cash in Birmingham’s bars and shops than on a bed for the night? The easyHotel is a great solution, especially if you only plan to use it to squeeze in some sleep. Right in the city centre close to the Bullring & Grand Central, rooms are small yet functional, and you’ll only pay for what you need. Wifi, breakfast and even a window are extra, so you can save your cash to splurge in the city.
Enjoy a little more space if you’re staying for a while or travelling as a group at these apartments near the Colmore Business District and Bullring & Grand Central. All 108 units come with a fully equipped kitchen perfect for whipping up meals at the end of a long day, and the larger one-bedroom apartments sleep four comfortably, making them great for families. You can also use the fitness centre, self-service laundry and dry-cleaning service.
Budget hotels don’t need to be beige and boring. The Selina Birmingham sits inside a former Victorian factory in the Jewellery Quarter and has the real wow factor, with hand-painted murals, experimental art and soothing, pastel shades. Rooms include mixed and female-only dorms, family rooms and stylish suites, and the hotel also offers a movie room, a wellness studio with yoga lessons, a shared kitchen and a coffee shop. Craft cocktails and zingy Latin-American dishes are served at the hotel’s vibrant speakeasy, La Mariposa.