Great British Rail Sale: the top reviewed hotels for under £50 a night for an ideal LGBT+ city break
Great British Rail Sale: the best hotels for under £50 a night for an ideal city break.
The Great British Rail Sale has kicked off today (19 April), with discounts on train tickets across the country.
It will see one million tickets reduced, with some to less than £3, targeting off-peak travel times.
The discounted train tickets will be available for travel between 25 April and 27 May, but won’t include the bank holiday weekend.
Customers can get their hands on the cheaper tickets in the Great British Rail sale between 19 April and 2 May at thetrainline.com.
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The government-backed sale is an effort to tempt travellers back to trains, after all coronavirus restrictions eased.
Train companies included in the sale are Avanti West Coast, CrossCountry, LNER, Great Western Railway, Northern and TransPennine Express.
Plus if you own a railcard you’re eligible to get a further discount on your ticket.
If you want to plan a city break around your cheap train tickets, then we’ve put together a list of 25 hotels for under £100 per night that you can book.
This is based on two people sharing a room between 6-8 May, with destinations including Brighton, Manchester, Cardiff, Edinburgh and Bristol.
Brighton
The Old Garage in Brighton. (Booking.com)
This cute space is named The Old Garage, and it’s a one bedroom apartment that five miles from Brighton seafront. If you want something different then this space is ideal, there’s also a terrace available on-site, while activities like hiking and windsurfing can be enjoyed nearby. To find out more go to Booking.com.
Other options that are less than £50 per person include Safe Haven, which has a 9.6 rating on Booking.com and Harbour View, which has an 8.9 rating on Booking.com. Both of these accommodations are just under 10 miles from Brighton centre, but they’re affordable and there’s transport links to get you into the buzz of the city.
Manchester
Boat & Horses Inn, Manchester. (Booking.com)
The Boat & Horse Inn has an 8.9 rating on Booking.com, with couples particularly liking the location of the hotel. It’s based in Oldham and is next to the canal so you can head out for some picturesque walks, while the city centre is a short trip away via public transport.
If you want something that’s affordable and closer to the city centre, then there’s Stay Inn based in Salford. It’s a 10-minute walk to the centre and only hundreds of yards away from the city’s arena. So you can be in Canal Street with a drink in hand in no time. To find out more go to Booking.com.
London
Golders Green, London. (Booking.com)
London is one of the most expensive cities for hotels, but we’ve found a few that will cost you less than £50 per person. So you can head to see a West End show or head out in Soho. This includes Golders Green, pictured above, which has an 8.5 rating on Booking.com and is less than a 10 minute walk from Golders Green tube station.
Other affordable stays include Kew Gardens National Archives, which has an excellent rating for its location on Booking.com or Charlotte Guest House, which is a short walk to West Hampstead station so you’ll have easy access to the underground.
Cardiff
Sleeperz Hotel Cardiff. (Booking.com)
If you want an affordable hotel right in the centre of Cardiff, then you can stay at Sleeperz Hotel, which has been described as “perfect” for its location on Booking.com. It’s less than a five minute walk to St Mary’s Street which is home to Mary’s, a popular LGBT+ bar in the city centre.
If you want some hotels with a little more character then there’s the Ty Mynydd Lodge, a bed and breakfast with a 9.5 rating on Booking.com that’s five miles from Cardiff Castle in the city centre. Another is Tanes Hotel, a family-run guest house that’s been welcoming guests for more than 40 years.
Glasgow
The Z Hotel, Glasgow. (Booking.com)
If you’re planning a cheap trip to Glasgow then you can stay in the city next to George Square and Queen Street Station with The Z Hotel. The hotel has an 8.7 rating on Booking.com and offers a modern and chic accommodation, and is highly rated among couples that have stayed there.
Another option with a little more character is The Hampton Court Hotel, a bed and breakfast which is situated in “the real heart of Glasgow”, according to Booking.com.
Edinburgh
ibis budget, Edinburgh. (Booking.com)
Edinburgh is another city where hotels are usually in the higher price bracket. But there’s a number which are cheaper than £50 per person. This includes the ibis budget which has great links to the centre, zoo and castle. It’s located opposite The Gyle Centre Tram Stop which leads to the city centre. It has positive ratings on Booking.com for its cleanliness and staff.
Other options include Leith House, a guest house which is great for two travellers according to Booking.com and Innkeeper’s Lodge which a rating of 8.0 on Booking.com from previous guests.
Newcastle
Holiday Inn Newcastle Gosforth Park. (Booking.com)
Newcastle has a hugely popular nightlife, so if you’re planning on staying over during those dates with cheaper rail fare, then you’ll have to stay a little outside the city centre.
This includes the Holiday Inn Newcastle Gosforth Park, which has an 8.7 rating on Booking.com. It’s located six miles from the city centre and is within reach of the coastline, so you can enjoy the nightlife and also escape for a chilled weekend.
Some other options which are a similar distance to the city centre include Village Hotel Newcastle, Grand Hotel Gosforth Park and Mercure Newcastle George Washington Hotel. All of these offer gym and spa facilities so you can truly relax on your mini break.
Bristol
Ramada Bristol West. (Booking.com)
Bristol is home to a number of LGBT+ bars and clubs, but it’s not the cheapest city for a weekend stay. So if you’ve got some discounted train tickets to the city there’s a couple of spots you can book.
This includes Ramada Bristol West, which is 15 minutes from the city centre and has an 8.3 rating for a two-person trip on Booking.com.
Birmingham
Holiday Inn Express Birmingham. (Booking.com)
Birmingham is home to some buzzing LGBT+ night life including Nightingale Club and you can stay in some well-known chain hotel right in the city centre. This includes the Holiday Inn Express which is less than £50 per person, and it has an 8.1 rating on Booking.com. There’s also the ibis budget, which is ideal if you’re looking for a cheap and cheerful weekend stay.
There’s also The Briar Rose Wetherspoon, which has a little more character. This one is situated 450 yards from Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery so you’ll still be right in the centre and it has an 8.2 rating on Booking.com from more than 3,000 reviewers.
