Why stay in Birmingham?
Birmingham is England's second largest city, and is historically important to the country as the center of its industrial revolution. It hasn't traditionally been a tourist center, but visitors today will be rewarded with an unexpectedly pleasant city (well, unexpected if you assume it's still all industrial) with lots of green spaces and pedestrian zones.
Birmingham's center is largely pedestrian-only now, which is nice for locals and tourists alike. The city is also full of canals (not the Venice kind), which break up the usual concrete jungle of a big city. You can visit Cadbury World to get a peek at where the famous chocolate is given life; the Sarehole Mill, one of more than 50 water mills that once were in Birmingham; St. Philip's Cathedral; and the city's nice selection of art galleries. It's also a good base for exploring nearby Shropshire and Stratford-Upon-Avon. Birmingham is becoming known as quite the shopper's paradise, as well as a great nightlife city. So save some energy (and money) for both.
There are only a couple hostels in Birmingham, but there are other budget accommodations which round out the menu nicely. Remember that "hostels" are not just for the young backpacking crowd (even if the property has the word "backpacker" in the name!) - they're ideal for any budget traveler who's interested in meeting other travelers. A few Birmingham hostels worth mentioning are highlighted below.
Birmingham Central Backpackers is in the city center within easy walking distance of Birmingham's main sights. Birmingham Backpackers at The Merry Maid is close to the city center.
Central Guesthouse is a family-run guesthouse four miles outside Birmingham which includes a full English breakfast with your stay. Premier Apartments Birmingham has 56 one bedroom apartments and 11 two bedroom apartments in the city center.
If none of these hostels sounds like it's the right one for you, don't worry. There are other Birmingham hostels listed here which you can choose from. Just keep browsing the descriptions until you find the one that suits your needs.
Need anything else for your trip? You can look for the best deals on international airfare to England and book your ticket now. You can also learn more about the area in our Birmingham Travel Guide.