Cheap Hotels in Houston

Cheap areas to stay in Houston

Packed with bargain BBQ brisket joints and down-to-earth cowboy saloons, the Space City of the American south is a great destination for those on a budget. Just take the range of affordable motels and extended-stay inns that line the freeways of Uptown. Or, go for the streets between South Main and the Old Spanish Trail – an area packed with bargain 3-star hotels that often have pools and gardens. Alternatively, there's a smattering of inns and express hotels in Downtown – just in case you want the Houston Aquarium, the Toyota Center and bustling Main Street on the doorstep.

Cheap hotels in Houston

Boasting an outdoor pool and plush, spacious suites, it's hardly a surprise that the Best Western Plus JFK Inn is one of the top budget hotels in Houston. It can be found just south of the George Bush Intercontinental Airport, offering free shuttles and bargain rooms. Next up is the Holiday Inn Express Hotel & Suites, which has an indoor pool and hot tub right in the midst of the downtown area. And then there's the Comfort Inn & Suites in Westpark – a clean and welcoming hotel with a pool, all just 15 minutes by car from the city centre.

Where to find cheap food in Houston

You'll have to head to the eastern fringes of the city to find the dim sum houses and chop suey joints of Houston's Chinatown. The trip is worth it though – these places offer soy-doused Oriental treats for next to nothing. Alternatively, there's the so-called Little India, located close to the Westpark Tollway, bursting with jalepi sweets and spicy pav bhajis straight out of Chowpatty beach. And let's not forget multicultural Montrose, where fast food establishments rub shoulders with Tex-Mex buffet houses, hip delis offer walk-in snacks and American grills sizzle on the sidewalks.

Cheap things to do in Houston

You won't have to worry about breaking the bank in Houston when it comes to things to do and see, because this cowboy town has oodles up its star-studded sleeve. Take the flamboyant hot rods and purring engines of the ArtCar Museum on Washington Avenue – the building's UFO-like metallic façade soon gives way to equally as alien mechanical creations. The city also runs regular boat tours down the winding bayous to where the Port of Houston meets the Mexican Gulf. It's totally free, and you'll get to see historic battlegrounds and war-worn frigates along the way. Meanwhile, outdoorsy types can take in the beauties of the Lone Star State with a bike excursion along the meanders of the Buffalo, or some hiking past the memorials and peacocks of Bear Creek Pioneers Park.

Cheap ways to get around Houston

Houston is too big to walk around – it's the largest city in Texas, after all. Instead of hitting the pavements, consider using a combination of the METRO and METRORail network. This comprehensive array of bus, tram and light train lines is the cheapest way to hop between the various districts of the metropolis, and even has some routes serving the outskirts. Be sure to get a Q Card, which allows hassle-free, contactless entry to the system and can be topped up at most supermarkets and city transport offices.