lunabug

We are starting our three week trip to Europe with a short visit to London.
Our flight from Canada gets in at 9:00 AM and we are planning a hotel in London the first night before meeting relatives in the suburbs the next day. Assuming we will take the tube or fast train into the city can anyone recommend an area and hotel to stay in? We are interested in a quick tour of some of the sights and staying in a 'mid range' hotel.

nytraveler

Who and how many are you? What specific amount do you mean by "mid range" - hotels in London are expensive and people have very different ideas of mid-range. (If the cheapest possible hotel is $100 and an upscale hotel is $1000 - than the middle is $500 - does that fit your needs?)

lunabug

Two of us and 'mid range' maybe $200.

janisj

Mid range / London might give you a coronary

What is your actual budget?

Also, at which airport are you landing? And where in the 'suburbs'? Answers to all 3 questions could definitely affect your choice of neighborhood.

nytraveler

$200 is 130 pounds - so in the budget/modest range. Agree it would help to know where you are coming from going to - since London is very large and at that price it might be better to stay near the suburbs you will be heading to - since very central will be difficult.

You might want to check out the Premiere Inns which are usually inexpensive - but without your dates can;t tell what it would be. there are a number so look carefully at the location.

janisj

Oh I didn't see your 2nd entry, we were posting at the same time. $200 / night is definitely not mid priced. But is doable.

Re nyt's post . . . Some Premier Inns are inexpensive but the best located ones may be over your budget. Their rates are VERY date-dependent so you might catch one at £90 and the next night it runs £150.

Travelodges are cheaper than Premier Inns, but again their rates fluctuate wildly.

Whether it makes sense to stay in the 'burbs' really depends on WHICH suburb you mean. You certainly can find a decent place in very central London in your price range but it won't be posh.

lunabug

We will be landing at Heathrow and room budget could be raised somewhat based on your posts! The second and third nights we plan to spend in the Carshalton area with relatives.

agedude

My wife and I were in London this past October 4 - 10. We stayed at the Mondrian London, a 5* hotel on the Southbank of the Thames. Got on the tube at Heathrow Terminal 5, 1 change at Kennsington, and then to Blackfriars in less than an hour. We walked everywhere, from the Imperial War Museum to the Churchill Rooms to the British Library.

I paid $188 per night for all six nights using Priceline Express. This is what the add looks like:

5 Star Hotel The City - Tower Bridge - St. Pauls Cathedral Area Amenities: Free internet, Spa, Pets allowed

A similar description with an Indoor swimming pool is the Hilton London Bankside

It was really a nice place and I'd stay there again. Not knowing your dates, I plugged in November 15 to 16 and it was available for $178 U.S. per night.

clarkgriswold

For 1 night I'd just stay near Paddington where the Heathrow Express will drop you. You're arriving early and most hotels there will store your bags if you're room is not ready. No use schlepping to another neighborhood if your itinerary is set, and quick, and you're just going to have a whirlwind tour and then a sleep. Stylotel is fine and a good bargain. Days Inn Hyde Park is surprisingly adequate and Best Western Delmere even nicer.

janisj

Me personally -- I'd never stay near Paddington for one night. It simply is not near any major sites (except Hyde Parks) plus it is not at all convenient to Carshalton.

Carshalton is out between Croydon and Epsom, But you can get there from Victoria station in 30 mins. So I'd stay somewhere near Victoria (easy access from LHR by tube) and you'd be walking distance to Buckingham Palace, the River, Tate Britain, and Westminster/Big Ben.

To get from LHR to Victoria (or Sloane Sq or St James's which are both nearby) you'd take the tube to Hammersmith, exit the train, cross the platform (about 30 feet) and jump on the next train which will be a District line train. About the easiest transfer anywhere in central London. There are a lot of budget hotels near Victoria.

Dukey1

I have to agree with Janis' recommendation of using the Tube. Last week we again used it vs. a car service or the HEX even though it was on a Sunday as opposed to a workday. We had Oyster cards from ouf previous visits which we simply keep some money on.
Plenty of people with luggage but I noticed folks did their best to keep bags out of other folks way. There was, of course, one couple who simply had to take up two empty seats with theirs;you know the type.
We did our cross-platform transfer since we were headed to a hotel near Embankment. And will do this cheapest way to get there action again, too.
Enjoy your trip.

clarkgriswold

The Z Hotel is a decent choice near Victoria Station. The Best Western Victoria Palace should be in your price range too.
Many of the "budget hotels" in the neighborhood should be avoided so you might want to check back here first once you've found something.

lunabug

I noticed both those hotels when I searched this morning. Thanks. I think I will look at booking in the Victoria Station area. The trip isn't until April 2016

lunabug

Is the Best Western Corona on Belgrave St. a good option? I can get this one on points.

janisj

I haven't stayed there (I usually rent a flat when staying in Pimlico) but I do know the street and the exterior very well. The location is good and its convenient for the trains to Carshalton. It is closest to the Pimlico tube station (one stop to Victoria) but is also walkable to Victoria.

For one night it would be fine -- especially on points.

(It calls itself 'elegant' . . . it ain't )

janisj

Just checked a random date in late November and it runs £169 non-refundable and £205 for a cancelable/flexible so getting it for points will really help your budget.

lunabug

Thanks

annw

If you do end up Bankside Citizen M Hotel opened up there. Cool hotel good prices when I've stayed in them elsewhere.

annw

Another long shot, if you have military service or reciprocal club privileges the Victory Services Club near Marble Arch is great and a short taxi ride to Paddington and Heathrow Express. Well within your budget.

ChgoGal

Hi, lunabug.

I just stayed at the Strand Palace Hotel in September, and the hotel was huge, well-located for my touristy needs (near to Trafalgar, Covent Garden) and reasonably-priced. Plus, if you book online, you get a 15gbp dining voucher that can be used for room service, which was so nice. The voucher covered a pizza one night, which was great.

http://www.strandpalacehotel.co.uk/?...FQuraQodNbUM2w

I plan to stay there again on my next trip. May be worth checking out.

Have a great time in London!