SJeanne

I am taking my mother (age 66) on a spur of the moment trip to London, Paris, and Prague. We leave July 31. I am looking for recommendations on several hotels. I've overdosed on research, so very much appriciate your thoughts. Looking for smaller, safe, very well kept hotels, conveniently located to transportation, sites, shopping, restaurants, etc. Looking for more that bare-bones but affordable - 4star range. Any thoughts on the following or others:

London:
The Claverly on Beaufort Gardens - Knightsbridge
Swissotel London - The Howard
57 Pont Street - Knightsbridge
Millennium Glouster

Paris:
K&K Hotel Cayre St. Germain
Villa Luxembourg
Relais St. Jacques
Melia Colbert Boutique
Hotel-Luxembourg Parc - Is it worth the extra $$

Prague:
hotel Constans
Hotel Pariz - may be full
motel Metamorphis
Hotel Le Palais

Thank you so much for your response.

Gratn

I can only comment on the Howard in London, which is a very nice hotel just off the Embankment - rooms facing the Thames have super views of the river, Millenium Wheel and Houses of Parliament. It is close to the Strand and not far from Covent Garden etc. Check lastminute.com for cheap deals - it often is available for less than £100 per night.

elaine

these are the comments I've posted before on the Claverley, I stayed there last year

From the Knightsbridge tube stop ( a straight run from Heathrow) the Claverley Hotel on Beaufort Gardens is about a 10-minute walk. There is a closer station exit next to Harrods, which cuts the walking time to the Claverley in half, but it is only open seemingly when Harrods itself is open. The tube ride from Heathrow was about 30-35 minutes and the train was not at all crowded. Beaufort Gardens is a pretty, quiet street of white row houses and a few small hotels. The one next door to the Claverley is the Knightbridge Hotel and it was undergoing a complete renovation. I'm going to keep my on it for the future, because it has since reopened and was mentioned in the June 2002 issue of Bon Appetit magazine which called it "a new kind of bed-and-breakfast."

About the Claverley, I don't have a strong opinion either way. The décor looks like your grandmother's or great aunt's house might look if she is British and hasn't redecorated for thirty years. It gives a cozy appearance, lived-in and worn in spots, but very clean.
The staff are young and eager, if a bit unpolished. Whenever I asked a tourist-type question they happily looked up the answer in a guidebook, even when the question was about the hotel's own neighborhood. I stayed in room #16, a very small single with en suite bathroom, for 85#, discounted from the usual 120 #. They also offer, for less money, singles with private but not attached bathrooms. My room had no view nor drawer space, but plenty of hanging space in a wardrobe. Bathroom pretty good, plenty of hot water, built-in hairdryer, towels thin. The front desk closes down at midnight--there is a door lock with a code if you come in late. One big bonus is the included breakfast: eggs cooked to order with bacon or sausage and toast, or, waffles, plus a buffet of pastries, juices, cereals, yogurt, and fruit. Vile coffee, but good tea.
If the price were right, I'd stay there again.

SJeanne

Thanks for the response. The Knightsbridge Hotel was one I was looking at also so I will definitely check in to it. I appreciate any other comments anyone has.

hadley

In recent years we've stayed at both the Hotel du Pantheon and its very similar sister hotel, Hotel des Grands Hommes which is right next door to it. They are both terrific and, for Paris, not terribly expensive (probably in the range you mentioned.) They are both very charming, well decorated, comfortable, nice bathrooms, etc. I'd take my mom there for sure.

The best thing about them though is there location - on the very quiet Place du Pantheon, a five minute walk up Rue Soufflot from the Luxembourg Gardens. Great neighborhood, full of good bistros, an easy and pleasant stroll to St. Germain, to the Seine, the Metro, etc. And best of all, the windows in the front of the hotels look right out on the dome of the Pantheon - unbelievable view.

I think they have a website that you can Google.

Bree

I haven't stayed at any of the London hotels on your list, but I can highly recommend the Basil Street Hotel, which has all the qualities you're looking for. It's a lovely, old-fashioned hotel that gives the feeling of living in a country house. It's extremely convenient to transportation, as it's just around the corner from the Knightsbridge tube station (if you come out the exit marked "Sloane Street", not the Harrod's exit that elaine mentioned). Harrod's is down the street, less than a 5-minute walk away.

I stayed at the Colbert in 1998, which was before the Melia chain took over the hotel and renovated it. I liked it well enough that I would have stayed there again, but after the renovation the rates went up out of my price range, so I haven't returned. I haven't seen the inside of the Colbert since it was renovated, so all I can comment on from first-hand experience is the location, which is great: set back from the street on a quiet side street, about half a block from a quai from which you can look directly across the river at Notre Dame. (It's also very close to one of my favorite restaurants in Paris, Le Reminet.)

rex

Can't comment on your particular Prague choices, but let me recommend the advice you can get (and timesaving, as they will do some availability checking for you) at www.athos.cz - - one neat feature (if you are computer "chat-savvy" is that they have staff on ICQ during normal business hours, and they will chat real time with you, if you have specific questions.

Best wishes,

Rex

SJeanne

ttt

suezanna

Stay at Le Madison in Paris. Your mom will love it and its incredibly comfortable and close to everything. It's 3 star with an inclusive breakfast that saves you alot of time and money. I learned about it from this board and it was a highlight of the trip.

Rod

The Pariz in Prague is an excellent choice; I don't know the others there.

For London, I agree with Bree's comments regarding the Basil Street.

francophile03

I have booked one of your Prague hotel choices, Hotel Constans, for next year. I got a great rate for a suite on the 5th floor with a/c and view of Charles Bridge. It's the only hotel that offered such decent rates with a/c and breakfast included. Location is between the castle and Old Town (Stare Mesto). I am told it is a 5 min. walk from the hotel to Charles Bridge and Stare Mesto a bit further on.

Bedar

We recently stayed at the Hotel Kampa in Prague. You can book through Best Western; we paid 110 euros per night. It's in Mala Strana, the most wonderful district of Prague and in a beautiful, quiet street. The hotel has an elevator (is a renovated baroque building, I believe) and a terrific breakfast but may not have air-conditioning. We stayed there from June 22 to July 10, but it was chilly, overcast, and rainy so we weren't bothered by this. We simply opened the windows when we needed a bit of air.

alan64

Here's a post I made in June about the 57 Pont Street in London. The hotel reminded me of a smaller, more personal version of a W hotel:

Message: Just a follow-up to let people know that I really enjoyed this hotel. Nice new tiled bathroom, huge basin sink, thick huge bath sheets, robes, modern furniture, super-comfortable bed w/ down comforter.

The location was great, 1/2 way between Knightsbridge & Sloane Square tube stops. Very close to Harrod's, and lots of great shops around.

Prices aren't the lowest but we found discounts through Smoothound so it was a good value for the comfort level (129-139 GBP for 2 people/night, under 100 GBP for single). Well worth the money IMO, and I'd stay there again...soon, I hope!