The Best Cheap Hotels in and Around Paddington, London

Next door to Paddington station, the Falcon Hotel is a B&B that offers charming budget accommodation for those looking to spend their money on exploring. The rooms are simply designed but have a light and airy atmosphere thanks to the pretty sash windows that allow you to take in the Central London location. There are a variety of room options, including singles, doubles, family rooms and suites, and though some will require you to share bathroom facilities (it’s clearly stated when booking if this is the case), each comes with unlimited free wifi and a free continental or cooked breakfast each morning.

Wander through Little Venice from Paddington station to reach this Regency-style mansion, former school and hospital. The birthplace of World War II codebreaker Alan Turing, it’s now home to the four-star Colonnade Hotel, where you can hole up among antique furniture and brocade fabrics after a busy day riding the tube around the capital. Rooms have Egyptian cotton sheets and free newspapers, and breakfast is generous – covering pancakes, pastries and a full English. There’s also a charming restaurant on site serving Persian food.

Just down the road from Paddington in Bayswater, La Suite West is an oasis right in the middle of town. The black timber, marble and Japanese-shutter-style screens used throughout add a sense of discretion and privacy, even in the public areas. Up in the rooms, anglepoise lamps and navy bedding add to the mood, and at golden hour, the slats in the shutters create dreamy light patterns. Book into one of the larger rooms, which have private terraces that look out onto the pretty Victorian street below.

Overlooking Kensington Gardens, Thistle is within walking distance of Oxford Street, Covent Garden and the West End. Rooms, including wheelchair-accessible options, are modern and functional, but what they lack in imagination, they make up for with unlimited wifi, irons and hair dryers. Down in the Brasserie, there’s a varied menu of fresh salads, comforting pub classics and stone-baked pizzas, while the Lounge Bar serves some unusual wines plus a great selection of craft beers and ciders.

The Pilgrm has done away with extraneous extras, including reception; instead, it focusses its attention on creating a beautiful but affordable space. You can check-in via your phone, although there’s always someone available to answer questions, should the need arise. With the use of reclaimed furniture from schools, hospitals and military facilities, but with an added contemporary flair, the interiors are cool but not try-hard. In addition to coffee and espresso, the street-level cafe, Workshop Coffee, offers teas and baked goods, and you’ll find a variety of dishes throughout the day and night at the Lounge. As it faces Paddington station, you couldn’t get any closer to the heart of the neighbourhood.