The best B&Bs in town
What could be more elegant than the house in Knightsbridge where writer Virginia Woolf was born in 1882 and spent her childhood? Once also home to statesman Sir Winston Churchill and situated in a quiet close, it costs £75 per night for a double/twin room, including breakfast served in the sitting room. It's one of dozens of bed and breakfast properties on the books of B&B agency, At Home In London. It's one of several such agencies offering an en suite room (plus breakfast) for two or more guests in private homes for less than £95 per night. Depending on location and type of accommodation, the agencies' prices start from £19 per person.

The B&B is a particularly British way of enjoying good, comfortable accommodation with a home-from-home feeling. Many of these establishments provide a great contrast to the bustling city. Agencies such as Bed & Breakfast GB, Host & Guest, Uptown Reservations and Welcome Homes have lists of accommodation in small guest houses or with families. Some are centrally located and others are in accessible suburbs.

Home cooking
Self-catering apartments are ideal for those on a budget. West London's Clarendon House Apartments, 30 minutes by tube from Piccadilly Circus, has fully-equipped flats from around £475 per week. Westminster University Halls of Residence offer self-catering summer stays in central locations such as Victoria, Waterloo and the City (plus charming Highgate - one of London's 'villages' near Hampstead Heath). Prices start at £22.50.

Cheap chains
As in any big city, accommodation is cheaper if you're prepared to travel to the centre. Hotels are springing up in Docklands at amazingly good-value prices. They're near Canary Wharf where you can find waterside restaurants, a concert hall and plenty of shopping. Here, and in other easy to reach locations such as Greenwich and Kew, are hotel chains such as Etap, Ibis, Formule 1 (all part of the Accor Hotel group), Travel Inn, Travelodge and Holiday Inn Express. Breakfast may not be served in the traditional way: it could be in the cafe next door or from the bar, but for the budget-conscious these hotels offer a superb deal.

In the thick of things
Younger and young-at-heart travellers may find one of London's newer hotels ideal. The Piccadilly Hotel, by Piccadilly Circus, is a backpackers' dream, with dormitory beds available at £12 per night, including breakfast and linen. There are twin and family rooms, too; a lounge with 100-channel TV and an Internet suite. Fresh, smart and sunny, this hostel opened in 2003 and is getting to be as popular as the St. Christopher's Inns group with its flagship hostel on the South Bank, or The Generator. With booking online, beds available from £10 (£23 for a twin room), cooking facilities as well as a cafe, The Generator, near the British Museum, is definitely a fun place to stay.

Independent hotels
London has many small hotels clustering around main rail termini such as Victoria or King's Cross, or in Bloomsbury and cosmopolitan Earl's Court. Some are family-run, most fully accredited to the London Tourist Board (do check before booking) and therefore run to a good standard. In Hammersmith, just 15 minutes by Underground from Piccadilly Circus, are two excellent establishments. The Brook Hotel (Tel: 44 (0) 20 8743 2000) has a bar and sitting room for guests opening on to the garden and costs £85 for an en suite double/twin, including full English breakfast. The St Peter's Hotel (Tel: +44 (0) 20 8741 4239) not far from Shepherd's Bush and just 20 minutes from the centre, is justly popular with aircrew on stopover because of its delicious English breakfasts and its friendly and high-quality service. An en suite double/twin costs £75 per night including breakfast.