For lower budgets but still nice places look around Victoria train station - Belgravia tis called - well located for tube or walks to Parliament, Westminster Abbey, Trafalgar Sq - Buckingham palace, etc.

Thank-you for the suggestions PalenQ. I didn't know if 150 pounds would be the low end of the budget or not. I could up the budget a little bit if that would give me more options.

Do you have specific hotels in mind around Victoria station?

Check out www.londontown.com for lots of info and hotel ideas

Thank-you jamikins. That'll keep me busy for a few hours! It's a very helpful link. I'm looking at hotels in different neighborhoods now.

http://www.londontown.com/hotels/neighbourhoods

I spotted The Montague on the Gardens in Bloomsbury earlier. It's a little pricey and highly decorated but the location looks pretty good. Any opinions on that hotel?

Ms Post - you will find that this forum is all about value for the $$$ spent.

I start with Venere as a reference point, and then move on from there.

Try this. It's set for > $200 and all areas of London.
http://www.venere.com/uk/london/#p|1;f|venere_ranking-t|all-z|all_areas-r|r5-c|all_rate

If the link doesn't go through then start with www.venere.com and go from there

I love staying in Bloomsbury, and Londontown will be a great help to you in finding places in your budget. I stayed at the Holiday Inn around the corner from Russell Square station for ninety pounds, though that's been a few years. There are quite a few smaller b&b-type hotels in the area, too - depends on what amenities you're looking for. I also stayed at the Morgan Hotel around the corner from the British Museum, and I think it would fit in your budget; however, our room was pretty dark and small (though it's hard to find a big room in London!), so you might want something a little higher-end.

Thanks for the help. I have a lot of research to do.

We stayed at the Hyde Park Radnor B&B a few years ago, found through londontown.com. Our quad room and bath was too small, but very clean. They serve cooked-to-order eggs (hot English breakfast) plus continental breakfast, both included in the rate. I think it would be in your price range. http://www.hydeparkradnor.com/index.html

There were about three other little hotels on these blocks, and they each looked as nice or nicer than where we were staying.

This area is midway between Paddington and Marble Arch, just a few blocks from Hyde Park. We walked to Kensington Palace from there.

We liked this homey neighborhood feel, and there was an amazing Indian restaurant nearby, too.

That's a great place PeaceOut. Their website says they've gone through a recent renovation or refurbishment. It is in my price range.

Rastaguytoday, we're big fans of value for our dollars and poumds!

We like to stay in apartments and have rented through OwnersDirect and VRBO.

We have stayed twice in Notting Hill and like access to the Notting Hill Gate tube station. It's got three lines running through it, so it's easy to get just about anyway. You can take the Heathrow Express to Paddington, then take the Circle or District line to Notting Hill Gate.

It's a great neighborhood. We like to run so we can bop over to Kensington Gardens or Holland Park. Love the neighborhood and great restaurants. Close to nice shopping on Kensington High Street, if you're into that, or Portobello Road market on Saturdays.

Apartments are great. You can spread out, make a few meals and save some dough. Feels like you're living there.

Emily, here is the name of the Indian restaurant I mentioned in that neighborhood.. It is a nice, small place with amazing prawns and wonderful service. Noorjahan 2
http://www.noorjahan2.com/

Thank-you, PeaceOut. We both love good Indian food. Is it Southern Indian? I'll take a look at that link.

ksbeem, I don't want an apartment for this trip because I don't want to cook at all! We both love Notting Hill and the market on Portobello.

Northern Indian! Even better. Thanks PeaceOut. Noorjahan 2 looks great. Where's Noojahan 1 I wonder.

Hi Emily Post,


Every time this question comes up, I have the same suggestion – STRAND PALACE, only a 3-4 minute walk from Trafalgar Square. Within a mile: the Thames, Whitehall, Soho, British Museum, “the City,” Buckingham Palace, Westminster, Churchill War Rooms, and the National and Portrait Galleries right in T Square.


This is a large flagship hotel with simple rooms recently renovated and with an excellent breakfast. I was checking their website recently (why? I thought I said I wasn’t going back) and they have special rates coming up because they are now renovating the outside of the building and the rooms with “no view” that is, behind the scaffolding, will be substantially reduced.


Since cost is a concern for you (and most of us, eh?) you might look into this option. In my opinion, you could not be closer to the heart of London (without lengthy Tube rides to get everywhere) than the Strand.


If you click on my name, you may glance at my trip report last July (2011) in which I describe my experiences there.

Good luck – you will love London…

Thank you for that lead, late day traveler! I will take a look at the Strand Palace right now.

We do indeed love London and look forward to returning.

The Strand Palace looks very good. How are the beds, latedaytraveler? I was able to find rates of about $250.00 U.S. dollars a night on average for the Strand on Expedia. That's definitely in the budget but do you think this is the discounted rate? I put in dates around the Thanksgiving holiday in the U.S., third week of November.

I reviewed the www.londontown.com site and found SO much. I now have a MUCH better idea of things to do and how I need to get there, etc.

Wish I had know about this sooner. I know this will be a big help to tourists and hope those of you who regularly post on this site (The Forum) here will suggest that site for future visitors. Especially the helpful Maps.

Found a Diamond in the Haystack on this one. Many thanks.

Melaine

I'm also considering the new Premier Inn on Leicester Square. The price of the room is the same as the Strand for the November dates.

Melanie, where are you staying? The londontown.com site is really good, I agree.

This was my first post on Fodors and I want to thank everyone for being so nice and helpful. I got wonderful help and I will keep you updated as our plans begin to move beyond the earliest planning stages. Thank-you, E.P.

Have you checked the Millinnium Bailey's? It is just across from the Gloucester Road tube stop and should be within your budget. I just loved it; that's my favorite area to stay.

Hello carolyn, I think that's out of the budget but I will check to make sure. I really like that area too. Have you staiyed at NH Harrington Hall? Too bad about the beds because the rooms are massive, the bathrooms are great and the breakfast is substantial. We were hopeful the rooms would get a re-do once the lobby was finished but nothing doing, I guess.

ldt: Thanks for pointing me in the direction of your trip report to London. It made me nostalgic and ready to book a flight!

Hi Emily Post,

“I was able to find rates of about $250.00 U.S. dollars a night on average for the Strand on Expedia. That's definitely in the budget but do you think this is the discounted rate?”

Not sure – that price looks good to me. Guess I am old fashioned because I usually go through a travel agent. However, I was looking at the STRAND PALACE site the other day and plugged in 7 nites in early June 2013. Forget how much, but more than I would spend.
Then I emailed the hotel and they sent me much lower rates. However, I am going solo so my case is different.

Again, I love the location because you can just stroll out at any time of day or night and be in Trafalgar Square…

This is a non answer but it isn't meant to be sarcastic (which I'm sometimes accused of). There is no answer to the question. It depends on just what you want to do, of course. But if you're just doing the touristy things, London public transportation is excellent so most anywhere in central London should be fine. The only thing that's important to me, at least, is wherever I stay, be convenient to the Underground and/or popular bus lines. Unlike my home in NYC, if I go to the theatre and the shows let out between 2200 and 2230 usually, hop on a bus or hop on the Underground or walk back to the hotel, the Underground and buses are still running at fairly cdlose intervals. In NY, when the shows let out, the subway is already movng to an overnight schedule where trains run 15 mnutes or more apart. In London, they still run every 3 or 4 mnute well past 2300 when they start preparing for their overnight closure. As do the buses and then of course there are cabs (although I don't find them necessary but you might).

So if somebody suggests a B&B near Lancaster Gate, near Paddington, they are usually fine. You won't find your sightseeing compromised in any manner. My prme consideration as long as I'm in central London,s price (and I read the descriptions carefully) and cleanliness. Other than that, it's a great place to visit!

Hey Emily, I have booked the Premier Inn on Leicester Square in October. It's newly refurbed, apparently is very quiet for it's location. Smack bang in the centre of everything. And the "last minute/cheap ticket booth" for west end shows is across the square. I have "Matilda" and "Rock of Ages" booked....but can always fit another show or two in .... Liked the central location. Hope you have a great holiday. M

www.travellodge.com

Travel Lodge chain like Premier Inn offers IMO outstanding value for the price and they can be as low budget as most folks want in London - you get a modern place to stay with modern (hot) showers, etc - unlike older places like flats that may have old plumbing, etc - with Travel Lodge and Premier Inns you know exactly what you are getting - a clean modern room and many are in excellent locations. And they do have specials like 19 or 29 pounds sometimes for rooms - one Fodorite recently reported getting a 19 or perhaps it were 29 quid room at a Travel Lodge near Covent Garden - about the best location possible.

London Hotels - Book Cheap Hotels in London UK - Premier Inn
www.premierinn.com/en/london-hotels.html

Thanks for your replies. We have visited London in the past and enjoy it very much. We're looking forward to our next trip there.

I haven't used a travel agent in years but maybe I should! The rates for most of these hotels, from what I can see, are lower in November than in the summer months. We'll figure it out. Thanks again.

Thanks for the feedback, PalenQ. I'm still hoping Harrington Hall replaces their mattresses but when they do the price will also increase, I'm sure! My husband isn't too keen on staying in Leicester Square afterall. He does like the period atmosphere of the Palace.

We have plenty of time and plane tickets haven't been booked yet but this discussion is very helpful.

We stayed at Fraser Place Queen's Gate a few years ago, found it comfortable and with a very good breakfast. Just around the corner from Gloucester Rd tube stop, at Cromwell.
For some reason, their online calendar shows no availability after mid-October despite having an offer good until Oct 30. http://london-queensgate.frasershospitality.com/promo_display.php?promo=1043

Maybe an online kink?

I prefer Bloomsbury, but could be happy anywhere. Plan to stay at for the first time at Doubletree Hilton, around the corner from British Museum, and also and old family favorite the Arran House on Gower St. in coming months.

I have Hilton points! I'll have to consider that Doubletree.

We love The Russell Hotel; it is very close to British, near tube station, there are a lot of shops around, Bloomsbury is a safe and nice area.
I checked for you the price in the middle of January - is 147 pound, while in the middle of march is around 200.

I pressed too fast "Submit".
The rooms and bathroom are large enough, the breakfast is very good and in a beautiful room. The reception hall and the staircase are impressive.

Thank-you for checking, valtor. My husband stayed at the Russell Hotel years ago. I should ask him what he thinks.

Emily, I haven't stayed at Harrington Hall but did once stay at the Park International Hotel, 117-125 Cromwell Road, about a block away from the G. Road tube stop. Breakfast was included in their rate. My only stay in Bloomsbury was at the Morgan. It's a convenient area but I didn't feel "at home" there.