Check out Nairn lino tiles if you have a good flat floor. They may over your budget, but come in a wacky range of colours, have a 10mm HDF subtrate so provide some useful insulation and allow bare-foot during cold weather without feeling cold, as cheap laminate will.
Being 'lino' they resist impact damage and unlike vinyl, if you do drop a match or candle or anything really hot on them, they just scorch and can be rubbed down and repaired.
I used cheap Wickes laminate in the lounge, but it's mostly covered with rugs and furniture so it doesn't really matter that it's a bit naff. As for skirting boards, I removed them before laying the floor - so much neater than having to fill gaps or fix a quadrant moulding.
Think if you want it to look like real wood, it's not going to be cheap.
True. Often too perfect. Real wood never is. Other giveaway is some form of trim where it meets the skirting, etc. I took mine off and ran it underneath. Not as difficult as it sounds here as the large Victorian skirting is more than one piece, and only the bottom had to come off, with the wood frame it fits to still intact behind.
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