Recommendations for mid-range hotels and B&B's in London

I wouldn't want to stay in an unairconditioned hotel in London in June. Odds are you'd be fine, but what if you weren't? A few years ago I very nearly needed air conditioning in June in Edinburgh, so I'm gun-shy about this.

I haven't stayed at any of the places you're considering--I stay in cheaper places than you're looking for or in Premier Inns, so I have no personal experience to call upon, but I don't think any of your three possibilities for the first part of the trip can be counted on to provide an airconditioned room. Now, I got this info by Googling, so it may not be totally reliable; you definitely should verify with the hotels themselves. Google says the Celtic Hotel and the Vancouver Hotel and Suites aren't airconditioned and only some of the rooms at Hotel 63 are so equipped.

One reason I so often recommend Premier Inns when people are traveling to London in the summer is that most of them have a/c when many other places in their price range do not.

acraven, Thank you very much for raising such valid points. I did not realize these properties do not have airconditioning. However, looking at the temperatures in London for the whole month of June, I would say it's still cool by my standards. The temperatures are similar to where I live at around this time (late April to early May). We can comfortably sleep by just opening the windows. I think we will require airconditioning if temperatures are already above 30°C/85°F.

I stayed at the Vancouver hotel and studios a few years ago. The photos look as though it’s been spruced up a bit since then. I found it fine, but didn’t get a sense of it being family run or particularly homely. I remember it as a small(ish), inexpensive (for London) hotel in a decent location but nothing special. To be honest on your budget I would go for Premier Inn every time. Clean, comfortable beds, good showers, and usually air conditioning.

I don’t think you’ll notice that much difference in hotel level for the extra £50 a night you’re willing to pay for part 2. For a 6 night stay I wonder whether an apartment-hotel might be a better bet. I know you want family run but in central London I’d be worried that ‘family run’ and under £250 a night is advertising code for a ‘a bit cheap, tatty and run down’.

I’d love to be proved wrong and someone comes up with a hidden gem for that price in London in June…….

Edited to add that I’ve just seen The Resident offers a 5 nights for the price of 4 deal. Might that make it a better deal for all 6 nights? Although their rooms looks pretty similar to, but much much smaller than a Premier inn, and it doesn’t look family run either either with hotels in several cities.

Thanks, Skyegirl, for the comment. I'm having a tough time looking for nice, family-run accommodations in London compared to Rome and Madrid where I can easily find TONS of them. Considering that Bath has a nice range of B&B's/small hotels, I guess London isn't really the best place to look for something "homely."

By the way, the £250 budget is not a strict cap and I'm willing to increase it further to £280, but so far, The Resident Victoria has a £259 double room so it works perfectly in my case.

I know you want family run but in central London I’d be worried that ‘family run’ and under £250 a night is advertising code for a ‘a bit cheap, tatty and run down’.

I 100% agree with this. I stayed a couple of nights at Vancouver Studios, and liked it, definitely one of the better budget choices, but my single room (with cooking facilities) was on the 4th floor and the final two flights of stairs were so steep and narrow that I actually needed to use hands as if it was a ladder. The hotel was generally pretty friendly but I nearly broke an ankle getting downstairs with my luggage. No lifts, of course. I’m pretty fit, incidentally, if a bit clumsy.

No air conditioning. I opened a window.

The front desk people were friendly and did say I could ask for help, but I was leaving to catch a Eurostar at stupid o’clock and I didn’t want to wait for someone to help with my luggage. But to be honest the friendliness of a front desk can only go so far to make a hotel worth staying at.

In my old working life I had to find London hotels on a budget and after a few too many “quirky” family-run hotels in the under £250 bracket, I very happily switched to Premier Inns for reliability, lifts and better room size.

Hi, I've stayed at Number 63 numerous times. It's fine, pleasant, and clean with a nice breakfast room on the lowest level but is showing a little wear around the corners. I never know how to describe it to people because we all have different ideas of level of quality. For 3 nights, you'd be okay and being next to the park is a plus. Note they have a small lift but some rooms require one or two steps to reach--not uncommon in the old townhouse hotels.

Am mostly there in spring or fall but was there in June a couple years ago and definitely needed the room tower fan. Even in cooler months, London can seem stuffy for a lot of us--close buildings, not a lot of air circulation, the Bayswater Road side can be noisy if you push the windows up. The rooms that face the back are quieter. If you're not planning to be in your room much, it's serviceable at a good price.

ETA: I've stayed in the 140 sq ft twin room and a single--the twin was close quarters for two people. If you can afford the bigger two single or executive double (205 sq ft), consider it. The photo with the Union flag and balcony--I think that room faces Bayswater Rd.

Unless you're someone who really can't deal with heat (and it sounds like you are not), I wouldn't be too worried about air conditioning. You will be lucky if it gets to 25C in June. Often in June I am still wearing a jacket. It's incredibly rare for any homes here to have air conditioning at all, tho I can appreciate if you're in a hotel where the windows don't open that's a slightly different situation. If the windows open I can't see why you'd need it.

I stayed at The Resident Victoria with two of my grandchildren in late March of 2025 and loved it! Here is my review I posted:

THE RESIDENT VICTORIA: I cannot say enough nice things about this hotel. I first heard about it from Frank II, and found it intriguing. At that time (August 2024), they were having a sale, so I booked it, paying around £215 per night for a room with 3 beds. This included the member's (free) discount of 15% off the total price. We arrived around 10 am so we couldn’t check in yet, but were able to drop off our luggage. And because I was a member, I could check in early at 1 pm. I was very happy to hear this! Members can also check out a bit later as well; 12 noon instead of 11 am. The staff took our luggage, checked us in, and later when we came back, we found out that the luggage was already been placed in our room. Such a nice service.

I found a complimentary bottle of wine in the room, along with snacks for the kids, plus a personal handwritten note from the hotel staff welcoming us. The room was spotlessly clean with a sink, dishes, microwave, a Nespresso coffee maker, an electric water heater, and a small fridge, with coffee and tea available. They also have air-conditioning and although of course we did not need it in late March.

Each evening, the hotel hosted a social hour for guests between 6-7pm, with complimentary wine and snacks. I really enjoyed this; not just because I met some interesting people, but it gave me a bit of a break from the kids.

The location was one of the best things about this place. It was a 7-8 minute walk to Victoria Station and/or Victoria Coach Station, a 5 minute walk to the newer Victoria Underground Station (Cardinal Place), which serves 3 lines (District, Circle and Victoria), and close to many sights (Buckingham Palace was only a few blocks away). More importantly, there were loads of restaurants, cafes, take-away places and groceries within a 5 minute walk, yet the hotel itself sits on a quiet side street with barely any noise.

One caveat is that they do not offer breakfast, but honestly, I didn’t miss it. My grandkids loved going to nearby Gail's every morning for their pain au chocolat or cheese croissant. Plus there was Pret a Manger for take-away, and Wagamama and Bill's for other meals. They even went to a movie one afternoon at a nearby theatre. They especially loved finding the Amorino Gelato place a few blocks away. There were numerous shopping options nearby, and we were minutes away from Westminster Abbey and many other historic sites. I can't say enough good things about this hotel and this location, and will definitely stay here again.

Please look who is telling you to get a/c and who isn't.

The locals, in most part, don't have a/c in their homes so they are used to not having it.

The American tourists, who are used to having a/c, tell you that it's needed.

You decide. If you can handle possible hot weather and keeping windows open, then go with the hotel without a/c. But if you need it, get it.

Remember, it's what you're used to and not what others think.

I'm not a local, and I certainly don't need air-conditioning in London in June (or any time, really). It's not likely to be hot. Just open a window. If it's somewhere the windows don't open, that's a different story.

The only time I've been a little uncomfortable was on an August trip, and even then it quickly cooled down overnight.

Hi Lucy,
I have stayed at Number 63 several times in June. I definitely used and needed the tower fan. It's already reached 87 degrees in April where I live, so I'm one of those Americans who require AC. I have only good to say about the staff, room, location, and breakfast at Number 63. However, when I visited last June I chose to stay at the Premier Inn County Hall because it has AC.

Number 63 is right across the street from Hyde Park & Kensington Gardens. I spent the warm evenings sitting in the Italian Gardens eating ice cream. Not a bad way to beat the heat in my opinion.

Enjoy London & Happy Travels!

Piling on about 63 Bayswater where I’ve often stayed during London sojourns. Can’t comment about AC because my travels are in November and December.

Last time at 63 for a few nights was 2024. I like it because it’s 10 minute stroll from Paddington, across the road from the Lancaster Gate into Hyde Park at the Serpentine, the Mitre is 1/2 a block away, a favorite restaurant ( Tudkin ) is 1.5 blocks away. Lastly the Lancaster Gate tube station is 1/2 a block away.

Ages ago I used to book the Vancouver Studio Apartments. Always got the room that looked out over the back garden. As I’ve gotten older the preference for an elevator reflects where I’m willing to reside. 63 has an elevator. VS doesn’t.

I don’t have AC at home and don’t need it, but hotels are entirely different. They get really hot. I wouldn’t stay in a hotel in London that didn’t have aircon. A small B&B (so basically the size of a home) would be ok, but any large building with lots of people, lots of lights and all of the rest of it gets hot. Windows rarely open more than a crack in this country as it’s considered a safety risk.

I spent 9-10 days at the Celtic Hotel in Feb ‘25. Obviously AC wasn’t a concern so I don’t know about that. I had a single room and really liked my stay, it was a good location and neighborhood for me and a great price for London. I will go back next time. But it is very bare bones in decor. I’m fine with that but I think a lot of people would be disappointed with the lack of polish. I didn’t have any breakfasts there.

I was once in England with my Mum in June and we experienced a heat wave with no a/c in the hotel. Luckily the windows opened and the hotel had fans & we survived the night. With climate change I don't think anyone can predict the weather at any time of year. I live in MN and we've just experienced light snow & a high in the 80s all in one week. You really know your tolerance for heat better than anyone. I survived that one night and have survived short stays in high temps in France in hotels with no a/c, but I wouldn't be happy with no a/c in a hotel for a stay of several days.

I stayed at Vancouver Studios (VS) in Sep 2022 and at #63 with my husband in Sep 2024. I have not stayed at the Celtic yet, but thinking of staying there in Feb 2027 when I want to be located in the Bloomsbury area, but that trip is still in the dreaming stage.

My stay at VS was the first trip to London after a couple of decades, and just as travel was opening up after COVID. I truly appreciated the friendliness of the front desk and their helpfulness, including calling taxis for me even at weird times at night. Good recommendations for eating near by, etc. I truly appreciated having the kitchen facilities - not that I was going to cook, but a refrigerator to store leftovers and heat it up next day. Room was a little dated but I believe they have been refurbished since then. A lovely garden in the back to hang out in. And laundry facilities in the basement (extra cost - about 5GBP if I recall). Easy access to Waitrose, other than the tube stations, Kensington Gardens, etc that you already know about. Generally pretty quiet, even facing the street, but can get noisy when the pubs let out. No AC and no elevators. I was on the third floor (UK) and the last flight of stairs was steep and scary, especially with luggage. And they don't help with luggage. However, they are pretty good about responding to emails, especially with special requests with rooms - lower floors, facing the back garden, etc. I enjoyed my stay here and would return.

I was not impressed with #63. They do have elevators, breakfasts and AC in some rooms. The front desk folks were friendly but not helpful. The location is good, right across the park, with access to the Central line and buses, but I missed having quick access to the Circle/District line. Rather noisy during the day with construction near by but that may be done by now. The room was clean but very tired and had some broken light switches, windows, etc. I don't know what the breakfast is like as we did not eat there. My husband says he does not want to stay there again, and I will probably not as I feel that I prefer VS or Premier Inns.

Do you have any deal breakers? I see your comment that AC is not a problem, but what about stairs? Or refrigerator/microwave?

Have a wonderful trip!

Lucy, we love the Celtic. We've stayed there three times, and are booked for 5 days this June. Our double with en suite bathroom is £175 per night this year, including a lovely hot breakfast. I just checked, and it's £145 without the breakfast. I like a hearty breakfast, but if you don't, the room price is even more attractive.

We've seen 2 of the rooms; our favorite is lovely. Small but very clean and comfortable. They put us in another room on a shorter visit, which we didn't like as well. It was set up for a family, and with 3 beds (!), there wasn't a lot of room left.

Our favorite room has big windows that bring in plenty of breeze. We don't use a/c at home, so we may not be the best to compare, but we've never been uncomfortable. And I think our room had a fan in the closet.

Edit to add: I did a review a few years ago. The price has gone up, but the other details hold. https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/england-reviews/the-celtic-hotel-in-london-comfort-and-convenience-at-145-per-night

The website timeanddate.com provides actual, historical, day-by-date weather data for most places of tourist interest. I like to look at the most recent five years' data for the appropriate month(s) to get an idea of the range of conditions I might face. To me, it's not the averages that matter; it's the extremes.

London weather -- June 2025

Reported daily high temperatures:

6/13/25: 82F
6/17/25: 81F
6/18/25: 82F
6/19/25: 88F
6/20/25: 84F
6/21/25: 88F
6/25/25: 81F
6/27/25: 81F
6/28/25: 86F
6/29/25: 84F
6/30/25: 91F

June 2024 was much cooler, but June 2023--at a glance--seems to have been similar to June 2025.

It will cool off at night, but it's unusual for tiny hotel rooms to offer cross-ventilation, and (as mentioned by others) noise can be an issue if you leave the windows open. In addition, there will likely be no screens; I don't know whether mosquitoes or other insects would be an issue in London at that time of year.

There really is very little point in looking at a previous year's weather to predict what might happen on the same date this year. The British maritime climate is much too unpredictable for that, it's why talking about the weather is a national pastime!
A temperature in the low to mid 20s would be most likely in June but who knows....?

If you do book a hotel without A/C and it is a heatwave you are best asking for a north facing room if you can, to avoid the direct sun, and on a lower floor because heat rises. Avoid attic rooms like the plague!

You are very, very unlikely to have a screen on a window, we simply don't have the insects to need them. You might get a stray mosquito but it would be unusual in central London.

We stayed at the Tudor Court Inn--an old home converted to an inn, just around the corner from Paddington Station.

I don't think it has air conditioning. (We were there in spring, so it wasn't something I looked at.) And it has stairs. But a lovely family owned and ran it, and they served nice breakfasts. It was convenient to the tube and the airport train, and we could walk to Hyde Park.

It's nothing fancy, and the rooms are small, but it's affordable and pleasant.

http://www.tudorcourtpaddington.co.uk/accommodation/

Having air conditioning in a hotel room is quite different than in a home or other building where you can get cross ventilation. Even when it is something I end up not caring about, I always appreciate when someone on the forum brings up something I hadn't considered.

A few years ago, we traveled to Europe in September. First stop, Harlem, Netherlands. Who would need AC in the Netherlands in September, right? It was 98 degrees F. Our room was miserable. We had the window open all night. We had a nice room overlooking a town square, a town square with a lot of activity on a Saturday night. And, per usual, no screen.

Lucy, I can sympathize with your struggle. We also like to stay in smaller, family owned properties. We couldn't do it in London. Prices were too high and we stayed at a well located, Premier Inn by the Waterloo train station (very close to the one Mardee stayed at)

I didn't expect this thread to delve so much into airconditioning. But I agree with Frank II; it's all relative. I grew up in the sweltering heat of Manila, where 85 degrees is typical and we normally sleep with only a fan.

I appreciate everyone's concern, but please, I would like to hear more about your experience in the hotels I listed. :) And of course, if there are other better places to stay at in June, I'd like to know about them.

I just did my research looking at Rick Steves and Lonely Planet guidebooks and reading through these forums, because I'm honestly overwhlemed with the choices I could see on Booking.com.

I stayed at The Resident Victoria with two of my grandchildren in late March of 2025 and loved it!

Mardee, thank you for this very detailed review of The Resident Victoria! I'm glad to know that service isn't too impersonal, as typical with chain hotels. And I really appreciate the tip about the 15% membership discount!

Lucy, we love the Celtic. We've stayed there three times, and are booked for 5 days this June.

Jane, I just read the full review you posted in another thread. I'm leaning most into Celtic Hotel for part 1 of our London trip. Right now, the rate for a double en suite in June is £165, plus £30 for a full English breakfast (still within budget). But if I don't take the £30 breakfast add-on, that means I need to get breakfast outside, right?

. But if I don't take the £30 breakfast add-on, that means I need to get breakfast outside, right?

Obviously no one knows what kind of breakfast you like. Personally I prefer to eat mine before I leave the hotel so I can clean my teeth. I’d be getting pastries to eat in my room with a coffee! A full English feels a bit much for a daily breakfast, personally.

The Celtic Hotel is near the cafes and shops on Marchmont Street and also the very useful Brunswick Centre, which has a Waitrose (nice supermarket) and a Gail’s (chain cafe/pastry shop) so you’ll have no trouble getting whatever kind of breakfast you want, whether it’s something you buy the night before or a cafe for something in the morning. It won’t cost £30… unless you go for a fancy full English somewhere but I struggle to see how you could spend that much.

I’ve not stayed at the Celtic but back in prehistoric times I lived nearby in student accommodation and it’s a great area.

Hi Lucy, jumping back in for a second comment.

I've mentioned the Star Hotel before in the England forum and don't like to always post the same stuff, but I'm sharing because I had a decent experience there, and the price is within your range. It's on Shepherds Bush Road so not as centrally located as the Celtic and the others; however, it's a small hotel in a neighborhood atmosphere that consistently receives high ratings. They no longer offer breakfast, but cafes and restaurants are available nearby. It's walking distance to Hammersmith and Shepherds Bush stations. You can look and read reviews, etc.
https://www.starhotellondon.co.uk/