ibis London Blackfriars
by the TopOfHotel team
ibis Blackfriars is a dependable 3-star Accor a few minutes from Tate Modern — consistent quality on the Thames south bank at a genuinely central-London budget rate.
ibis Blackfriars is a dependable 3-star Accor a few minutes from Tate Modern — consistent quality on the Thames south bank at a genuinely central-London budget rate.
In-Depth Review
Rooms and decor
The 297 rooms follow the modern ibis template — bright tones, clean lines, full furnishings and the firm ibis Sweet Bed. Blackout curtains, free air-con and free Wi-Fi come as standard, and the bathrooms are a functional shower-only setup. The honest caveat reviewers repeat is size: rooms here run smaller than the ibis standard you would find outside the city, a direct result of building on a tight central London plot. The space is used efficiently and kept clean, but pack light and set expectations to compact rather than roomy.
Food and amenities
The onsite restaurant, Le Pub, serves classic French plates, and a buffet breakfast is available for around $14 a head — charged separately rather than included, though guests call it varied and fair for the price. Beyond food, a free gym covers a quick workout and the front desk runs 24 hours for late arrivals. What you do not get is much beyond the essentials, which is the ibis bargain in plain sight: no spa, no pool, no frills — but everything that matters works, and the streets around the hotel are full of British pubs and restaurants if you would rather eat out.
Location and getting there
This is the strongest card. The hotel sits in Southwark on the Thames south bank, a 5-minute walk from Blackfriars Station and its Circle and District Tube lines plus National Rail. On foot the culture stacks up fast: Tate Modern and Shakespeare's Globe in about 7 minutes along the river, St Paul's Cathedral roughly 10 minutes across the Millennium Bridge, and Borough Market around 15 minutes downstream. Few hotels put this much free, walkable culture within reach at a 3-star rate, which is the whole reason to book here.
Things to know before booking
Three honest flags. Rooms run small for the ibis brand, so do not expect generous floor space. Breakfast is not included — budget about $14 per person on top of the room, or walk to Borough Market instead. And this is a functional chain hotel, not a characterful one: bathrooms are shower-only, the decor is generic, and there is no river view despite the riverside setting. If atmosphere or a Thames outlook matters more than price, the larger riverside hotels on this list deliver that instead.
Our take
This is the budget art-lover's pick. For a rate opening near $115, you get the dependable ibis Accor standard, free Wi-Fi and a free gym, and a genuinely central south-bank address minutes from Tate Modern and Blackfriars Station. It is best for travelers here mainly for the south bank's culture, solo visitors, and mid-budget couples who already trust the ibis name. Trade a bit of room size and the separate breakfast charge for location and consistency, and at this price in central London it is a hard combination to beat.
Score Breakdown
Assessed by our editorial team from data and real guest reviews
The Honest Verdict — pros & what to know
- The location is the draw: it is a 7-minute riverside walk to Tate Modern, Shakespeare's Globe and the Millennium Bridge, putting the south bank's best free culture on your doorstep.
- You get the ibis Accor standard guests rely on worldwide — predictable cleanliness, the firm ibis Sweet Bed, blackout curtains and consistent front-desk service that does not vary by city.
- Blackfriars Station is a 5-minute walk, with the Circle and District Tube lines plus National Rail, so getting across London or out to Gatwick is straightforward.
- Free Wi-Fi, free air-con and a free gym come with every stay, and the 24-hour front desk covers late arrivals — useful inclusions at a hotel pricing this far below the area average.
- Rates open near $115 a night in a central postcode where most hotels charge far more, which makes it the cheapest sensible base for anyone here mainly for Tate Modern and the south bank.
- Rooms are noticeably small for the ibis brand, a direct trade-off of building on a tight central London plot; the layout is used efficiently but there is no spare floor space.
- Breakfast is charged separately at roughly $14 per person rather than folded into the rate; reviewers call the buffet varied and fair for the money, but budget for it on top of the room.
- This is a functional chain hotel, not a characterful one — bathrooms are shower-only and the decor is generic ibis; travelers wanting atmosphere or a river view should look at the riverside options on this list.
Who It’s For
Match Score by travel style
Amenities
Location & Nearby Spots
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Insider Tips
- Tate Modern is free to enter and open late on Fridays and Saturdays — walk the 7 minutes after dinner to see the Turbine Hall and the viewing levels without the daytime crowds.
- Cross the Millennium Bridge to St Paul's, about 10 minutes on foot, for the best free skyline view back over the river toward the City.
- Skip the hotel breakfast charge and walk 15 minutes to Borough Market, where the stalls and coffee are better value and far more interesting.