Budget hotel with low rates in East London
Private rooms with en-suite bathrooms, coffee and tea service, and flat-screen TVs
Six minutes by bus to Stratford Station (with tube to central London)
Free on-site parking
Free continental breakfast
Far from central London
Rooms are dated and show wear and tear
Wi-Fi costs an extra fee (per hour rate)
No air-conditioning
No on-site restaurant or bar
Few on-site features
Somewhere between hostel and hotel is the Viking, a 61-room budget property in East London. The hotel is directly across the street form a bus stop which can carry guests to the Stratford transportation hub in six-minutes. From here, most London hotspots are accessible in about 40 minutes via the London underground. Overall, guests find the accommodations “decent” and functional, though rooms have dated motel-style decor and show wear and tear. All rooms have en-suite bathrooms, coffee and tea service, flat-screen TVs, and hairdryers. Wi-Fi costs extra, but the hotel does offer a free continental breakfast and secure on-site parking. The nearby Westbridge Hotel is closer to the train and has modern decor and more property features, but it’s also more expensive.
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Scene
Budget hotel with generic decor and some wear and tear
The Viking Hotel is a budget property housed in a very average-looking brown brick building on a residential street in East London. The lobby strives to be pleasant and contemporary, with tiled floors, light pink walls, and wood accents. White crown moulding, a recessed ceiling, and decorative tiling in the shape of a compass create a little ambiance, but a giant wraparound pleather couch shows significant wear and tear, and the generic framed pictures that hang on the wall give the area a “waiting room” feel. The lobby extends directly into a large dining-hall-like eating area with basic wood tables and blue chairs lined up in rows. While this is a budget property, it’s a step above the quintessential hostel with private bedrooms and en-suite bathrooms. Access to venus in outer London as well within the city itself make this a prime spot for budget-minded travelers who don’t mind taking transportation to get to their destinations.
Location
Near Olympic Park, six-minutes to the tube, 40 minutes to central London, free parking
The Viking Hotel is situated on a residential street in the East London Borough of Newham, about five miles from the City of London. The hotel is in walking distance to shopping and eateries, but Newham itself isn’t a tourist hotspot, though it’s accessible to outer London attractions such as Olympic Park and The O2 arena. The hotel is in walking distance to a variety of public transportation, including a bus stop directly across the street which will carry guests to the Stratford transportation hub in six-minutes. This station has a plethora of bus and train lines, and connects to the London Underground’s Jubilee Line. Using public transportation, travel time to London hot spots is generally around 40 minutes. Those traveling by car can take advantage of the hotel’s free parking, which guests say is secure.- One-minute walk to bus stop (25, 86, N86)
Rooms
Dated but functional rooms with en-suite bathroom, coffee and tea service, and flat-screen TVs
Rooms, which can accommodate two to five people, are attached to the main building in motel-like strips and have exterior doors (no internal hallways). This motel-ambiance continues inside the room, with simple and dated decor. The Double Room, for example, has cream-colored walls, red-lattice patterned carpeting, beige-and-red polyester bedspreads, and light wood furniture. Basic blond-wood furnishings include a wardrobe, a roomy desk, and a headboard with reading lamps. Flat-screen TVs, hairdryers, and coffee and tea service come standard. Rooms have no air-conditioning, though they do have small fans, and Wi-Fi costs extra at an hourly rate. Most bathrooms are small and fully tiled with a toilet, sink, mirror, and shower stall. They come stocked with hand soap and towels, but guests must supply other toiletries themselves. Guests offer wildly different reports about the cleanliness of the rooms, though the average report is that rooms are “decent.” The carpet and furniture show signs of wear and tear, and a few guests complain of non-working outlets or TVs. Light sleepers should consider rooms at the back, which get less street noise.
Features
Free continental breakfast, but few other extras
As a budget hotel, the Viking offers little in the way of extra property features, but it does have a free continental breakfast. The breakfast room is connected to the lobby and features basic, dining-hall style tables and seating. Breakfast is average, with toast, cereal, yogurt, ham, cheese, and hardboiled eggs.
