Finding great deals on London hotels: can it be done?

We take a look at the enviable task of finding good deals on London hotels in Knightsbridge

Finding a roof over our heads is not easy. Especially not during a recession, which has hit Europe – so accustomed to a general ease of movement and accommodation – harder than predicted.

As well as deeply affecting social housing programs and house prices, we also need to consider the costs of holidays and hotel accommodations, as many businessmen and hoteliers look to find ways to provide excellent service whilst running a business.

For many of us – hoteliers or visitors – the key is to think outside the box. Work off-season, shift your calendar, change perspective. Accommodation in the heart of London’s most exclusive areas – such as hotels in Knightsbridge from the likes of Millennium Hotels – can be booked for very reasonable prices, if you’re smart.

Alongside the last-minute sites and ‘hidden deals’ offers which allow you to book a cheap bed at a hotel with a hidden identity, it’s also worth going direct to hoteliers’ websites. Very often they’ll be the first to promote new offers and actually give you the deal upfront, rather than making you jump through a series of overwrought hoops.

Some good tips on general life in the city, finding your way around and alternative accommodation – such as a new crop of B&Bs, homestays and pub guestrooms – can also be sourced through major media outlets such as Guardian Travel or the Independent’s excellent travel section.

So, much like train tickets, the key to finding a good hotel deal is to combine the old price-comparison and ‘cheap deals’ sites with the company websites themselves. This will allow you to do some shopping around without getting slavishly caught up in the grind of click-refresh-click-refresh and losing a whole evening/weekend/workday (hey, we didn’t say where you were searching from).

The plain truth is, though, thanks to the internet’s ability to spread news far and wide, it’s definitely better to go online than over the phone for this one.

Photo Copyright: Harvey Nichols by wallyg on flickr