Thistle City Barbican

If the first thing you look for in a hotel is great spa facilities, then check out the pool at The Thistle Barbican, where you can enjoy a good jacuzzi-soaking or work up an appetite doing lengths before dining at the 120 Central Brasserie, which serves British and European dishes. Bar120 and the CoMotion Bar are decent pre-drinking pit stops before heading out to explore the Shoreditch nightlife (just a ten-minute walk from Old Street and Barbican tube stations). The decor in the rooms might be a tad outdated, but if it's cheap and cheerful you're after then this hotel is a good choice.