A rash of stylish 'no-frills' hotels at sensible prices are opening in London, designed to attract the 'Noughties' generation of young, image-conscious city-break lovers.

Hotels for as little as £99 per room per night, in trendy destinations such as Clerkenwell and Westbourne Grove, are making the capital more affordable.

'Hotels are starting to open in parts of London that aren't traditionally touristy so people get to see a more "real" London,' said Jenny Kite, spokeswoman for the capital's tourism body, Visit London.

'These up-and-coming areas appeal to the younger visitor. Clerkenwell, for instance, has a thriving bars and clubs scene, while thanks to Kate Moss and her gang, Westbourne Grove has a great reputation for its cool shops, bars and cafes.'

In Clerkenwell, the 59-room Zetter Hotel (020 7324 4444) opens on 1 April with rooms from £125 including Vat. In a former nineteenth-century warehouse, the hotel has been designed using sus tainable materials and the usual frills have been abandoned: guests won't find chocolates on their pillows and mini-bars have been replaced with vending machines on each floor.

Also in Clerkenwell, the Malmaison Hotel (020 7012 3700) opened in December and has rooms from £99 including Vat.

Meanwhile, in West London, the new Guesthouse West (020 7792 9800) has a set room rate of £99 at weekends and £125 week days, excluding Vat. Positioned as a contemporary B&B, its 20 bedrooms are simple but have all the latest technology - wireless networks, flat panel TV screens, digital TV and DVD players.

Prices have been deliberately kept low by the absence of a restaurant or traditional room service. Instead, evening meals are delivered from a nearby deli.

'For a long time London has been associated with luxurious hotels at high prices,' said Kite. 'But the arrival of this type of accommodation is set to change all that. It's no longer as expensive as people might think, but you have to know where to look.'

Visitors are advised to watch out for new hotels that run introductory offers. In addition, Visit London has launched an online booking facility on its website - www.visitlondon.com - which is backed by a best-price guarantee. If customers can find a lower price for the same hotel room, for the same dates at the same tax and board basis, they will be refunded the difference or can cancel at no charge.