The Best Cheap Hotels to Book in Cardiff, Wales

Smack-bang in the city centre, this modern hotel is moments from Cardiff Castle, the National Museum and the capital’s main shopping thoroughfare, Queen Street. You’ll get complimentary access to the light and airy pool and spa facilities (hello, hot tub). If your budget allows, follow up a swim and soak with the glorious gin-inspired afternoon tea.

Travelling by train? You’re in luck – the Clayton is less than a five-minute walk from Cardiff Central station, making it ideal for late arrivals and early departures. Rooms include Kaymed pillow-top mattresses, snuggly slippers and robes, and you even get access to a gym. Here to party? St Mary Street – lined with cocktail bars, jazz clubs and pubs – is practically on your doorstep.

Craft ale and cocktails are readily on hand at this pub with rooms in a buzzy suburb beloved by young professionals. An inspiring menu embraces vegetarians, too: try the chickpea, squash and lemongrass Thai curry. Its 10 rooms are boutique rather than standard – think bold and brassy wallpapers, window seats and glossy white-tiled bathrooms. Venture out into the hip hangout of Pontcanna for cosy coffee shops and inventive restaurants.

Retro furniture and standout colours command this cosy-but-cool hostel, slap bang in the heart of the city centre. Wooden cabin bunk beds with curtains offer some welcome privacy in dormitories for four or six, while your own personal mains power point with USB socket is a big plus. A laundry room, common room and kitchen round off the must-have facilities available here for budget-conscious travellers.

A swimming pool and gym await culture vultures at this four-star city centre budget hotel in Cardiff. Rooms are clean and comfortable, with tea and coffee making facilities in the rooms for your morning cuppa. Fans of contemporary art should head to g39 on nearby Oxford Street for its cutting-edge art exhibitions and talks. Also close by you’ll find the New Theatre, dating back to 1906 and offering a mix of family shows, comedy, drama and dance, while the Moon, a 15-minute walk away, is a heavenly hub for live music and club nights.

A lofty position next to Cardiff Central train station makes this the go-to Cardiff budget hotel for car-free visitors. To trim down costs, rooms are compact but clever; offbeat bedding arrangements include small doubles and bunks. Bold strips of colour keep the furnishings fun, while less formal breakfast eaters can avoid the main restaurant and grab a seat on a comfy fireside sofa in the lounge bar instead.

This Victorian townhouse in a leafy Pontcanna street has been attentively restored into a bright and modern B&B with a clutch of awards under its cheery belt. For a taste of traditional Wales, try laver bread cakes at breakfast, made from the reddish edible seaweed found on the nearby coast. Later, pop into one of Pontcanna’s chic eateries – try the Smoke House for American barbecue belters. For a splash of decadence, book the four-poster suite or the four-person penthouse.