The Affordable European Hotel Brands That Will Save Your Trip
By Jason CochranCitizenM London Bankside
CitizenM.com
Pictured: The Hoxton, Shoreditch, London
The Hoxton
Qbic London City
Qbic London City
Point A Hotels
EasyHotel
TheZHotels.com
The Z Hotels
Ibis Hotels
Ibis Styles
Ibis Budget
Hotel F1
Motel One
Nadler Hotels
hub by Premier Inn
Premier Inn
Travelodge UK
At Room Mate properties, breakfast is served until noon—a far cry from those fuddy-duddy B&Bs where night owls are punished with meals that wrap up by 9am. Although they're fairly inexpensive because most units are modestly sized and not packed with frills (rates are frequently in the double digits), you don't sacrifice amenities—properties may have cocktail bars, gyms, or even rooftop pools. Also cool: When you reserve, you can request a mini-router to tote around town with you; the hotel grants free "total Wi-Fi" up to 100MB all around the city, helping you navigate if you don't have roaming. Room Mate is expanding internationally, but it's particularly strong in Italy and Spain (this room is the in Room Mate Anna, in Barcelona).
www.Room-MateHotels.com
Moxy is actually American, but it's sweeping through Europe. It's Marriott's bid for millennial travelers. Rooms emulate the current trend toward simple yet modern (the bathroom may be a prefab unit and instead of in a closet, coat hangers hang on pegs, but the TV does all kinds of streaming tricks). The lobby is where the life is. Guests may spend most of their time in the lobby—the check-in desk may double as a bar for coffee and cocktails, food is usually served, and there are plenty of loungers, books, and games to arrest your development. There are downsides: there aren't as many freebies as there are with a brand like Citizen M or hub by Premier Inn (streaming movies, for example, are charged), and many of the Moxy properties are in somewhat inconvenient neighborhoods such as near airports or satellite neighborhoods. But they're much cooler and more relaxed than the standard Marriott product, and at least you can earn and redeem Marriott points here.
moxy-hotels.marriott.com