kovsie

I suddenly (!) have to book an apartment or hotel near the University of London for November. I have never been to London and I am struggling to understand the addresses. From what I can gather I should focus on Bloomsbury or the area near Russel Square Station. Is this in Central London? I will need to reach the University fairly early in the morning, so I need to have a place near good public transport. I am also on a somewhat tight budget. Any recommendations will be highly appreciated!

flanneruk

The University of London isn't a campus university, and its colleges have buildings scattered over a few hundred square miles. Though many are in Bloomsbury, if proximity is important, you need to be absolutey clear with us what it is you want to be near to.

Mimar

Russell Square is in Bloomsbury, which is in very central London. There's a tube/subway station at Russell Square; you can get anywhere in central London from there.

How long will will you be staying in London? What is your budget per night?

stokebailey

I've recently researched lodging in that area for myself, so let us know how much you want to pay/what level of luxury, charm -- or not -- you are shooting for and maybe I can help.

stokebailey

OH, wait. Sorry. Tight budget. That's what I know about. Try these homey and breakfast included Bloomsbury places:

http://www.stmargaretshotel.co.uk/W_e_l_c_o_m_e.html right off Russell Sq.

or

http://www.jesmonddenehotel.co.uk/

or

http://www.ridgemounthotel.co.uk/

OR alternately

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

stokebailey

If you are shooting for a more business class hotel, we liked Doubletree West End earlier this year.
http://doubletree3.hilton.com/en/hot...BDI/index.html

I've also had good bargains with hotwire.com for short stays, specifying Bloomsbury/St. Pancras area and sticking with 3* or higher only.

MissPrism

As Flanner points out, the OP has not told us which college he or she is attending.

PatrickLondon

If someone's organising an event you're going to, don't they have any information or advice? Without knowing what they've told you about the address(es) concerned, it's impossible to offer any sensible advice.

stokebailey

I prefer to offer advice first, decide whether it's sensible later.

janisj

We need to know your budget? The precise location of your activities/college? How long you will be in London?

It is very VERY <B>VERY</B> late to be booking a flat for November -- it will be a lot easier/more efficient if you depend on the organizers of your program to recommend/find you a place.

kovsie

Thanks so much for all the info! Sorry for the incomplete post. Patrick, I have to attend a conference at the University of London, and the organisers did refer to Russell Square Tube Station. I worked out that this seems to be in Bloomsbury. When I try sites like VBRO, I get names such as Camden, Zone1, West End. When I try Booking.com, I get a list of London suburbs/areas that I do not recognise. Therefore the somewhat panicky post above! I want to stretch the time in London a bit, and stay for 8 nights. I do not know how realistic this is, but I am aiming for +- 175 pounds per night. That seems to give me a choice of perhaps 5 or 6 hotels in a long list organised according to price! If I have to pay more, I have to stay for a shorter time. My adult daughter will go with me, and she will just enjoy exploring the city. This means that we would prefer a room with twin beds - which also seems to be in short supply. Stokebailey - you are not the only one who thinks about being sensible afterwards

stokebailey

Ha, thanks Kovsie.

Try airbnb.com too, though lots slimmer pickings in the Bloomsbury area. Read reviews carefully; I have found them to be reliable. The map tabs allow you to locate the room or flat. For my money I'd put up with a less deluxe lodging for the joy of being in London longer, even to the point of getting a room in someone's home if well reviewed.

Besides those links above, try arranhotel-london.com
Not quite what it used to be, but the basic, shared bath rooms are just fine. Bring earplugs if you get a room on Gower St.

Dukey1

Kovsie, are you adverse to taking public transport to and from the conference site? If you aren't you will have I would think many many more hotel possibilities than restricting yourself to the absolute immediate area.

Dukey1

Sorry, meant to say many many more lodging possibilities.

stokebailey

I'm not normally so pushy, but happen to be in the market for similar place for myself and daughter who'll be at Regent's University this winter.

I have a room reserved at St. Margaret's, now Celtic Hotel just off Russell Sq and just near that tube stop. I peeked in there earlier this year and looked at a room, because we like this sort of sociable place with breakfast. After a spring break trip we'll stay a few more nights at an airbnb.com flat probably, though this time I'm looking south of the river for a change.

Selecting random dates for a week in Nov., several airbnb places come up, some more attractive than others. This one looks possible; says it sleeps 3 so presumably the couch can be made into a bed. The company charges 10% on top of the total you see, so you have to take that into account.
Both pretty easy to walk or take a bus up Tottenham Ct. Road to the University.

www.airbnb.com/rooms/543650
and this:
www.airbnb.com/rooms/411432

Seamus

Different sites use different approaches to their geographical indexing, and some descriptions are generous in order to make the location sound closer to a popular landmark than it really is. Best info is the actual street address or at least post code. Absent that, you can use landmarks.

Try www.londontown.com where you can use the map search to locate a property near Russel Square. That is near the British museum, a major landmark, and there are loads of places to stay in a wide range of prices/comfort level.

What dates in November are you traveling? Would you consider an apartment or do you prefer a hotel? Other than twin beds, any other requirements?

Seamus

stokebailey - that first place looks pretty grim for two people and I am betting the location would be quite noisy, but the one on Macklin Street looks great. We've stayed in that area and really liked it.

stokebailey

Yup, for sure. I just put those up as examples. The OP's dates would be different, and so would the available places. The secret is reading reviews carefully.

If a person were to search airbnb, putting "Bloomsbury London UK" in the search area would help narrow it down.

PatrickLondon

TfL maps will help you work out what's within reasonably easy reach of the conference by bus and tube (though I'd still feel on safer ground if the conference organisers had given you a more exact indication of which bit of the University it's in, e.g., Senate House, Institute of Education, SOAS, or whatever):

http://www.tfl.gov.uk/assets/downloa...itor-guide.pdf

However, their guide won't help much with neighbourhood names, and I wouldn't entirely rely on advertisers' choice of neighbourhood names either. You need to cross-refer an address of anywhere you're interested in to something like Google Maps as well, just to make sure.

kovsie

I am sure that I will find something TODAY with all your generous help. Stokebailey, I have mailed all three hotels in your first post, and am waiting for them to reply.
I am quite intruiged with the idea of Hotwire. They have a 4* that I can actually afford. Is there anybody reading this that had a real bad experience with sites like Hotwire??
Hi Ducky! You helped me earlier this year with advice for the opera in Verona. BTW - Aida in that theatre under the full moon in Verona will remain a precious memory! I am not adverse to staying a bit further out and travelling more. It is just, since I do not know how London 'works', I want to keep it simple.
Seamus - at this late stage I am quite flexible. A quiet room would, of course, be preferable. I am considering either a hotel or an apartment. In a perfect world? Free wifi, a nice breakfast, some space to move, a helpful manager / owner / front desk person, near a tube station, on a bus route, a good bed will all be very nice.