Is this a good London location?

It is OK, not wonderful.

Talbot Sq is close to Paddington station and Lancaster Gate off Sussex Gardens.

It is north of Hyde park and not really walking distance to much except Hyde Park.

It is in 'Central London' but in the NW corner of central London so long-ish tube/bus rides to get a lot of places. To get there from LHR by tube would require line changes and a walk. Ignore what the website says about the Heathrow Express being so hunky dory -- that is the most expensive way to get to London. But a Car service would be easy.

It is 100,000% better than Thamesmede

Nothing wrong w/ it - just nothing terrific.

It wouldn't be my first choice of locations, particularly if I were a first-time visitor to London. As janisj said, it's not really walking distance to any of the major tourist attractions.

IMO, Covent Garden/The Strand/Trafalgar Square; Victoria/Westminster; Oxford St/Piccadilly/Mayfair; or Knightsbridge/Kensington are much better located. They are also more expensive,though.

If you choose this apartment, you will be able to get around central London pretty easily on the tube and buses. It will just take you a little longer to get to major attractions than if you were closer in.

In any event, it is much better situated than the apartment you originally rented in Woolwich.

It's a nice area, and very well connected. To anyone who lives or works in London, it would be regarded as central London. It's only about 20 mins on the tube to most of the tourist attractions. You're right near Hyde Park which is nice, it's more a location where real people live and it looks like a good price.

Lancaster Gate is only 1 stop from Marble Arch so for me that would be a central enough location. You can get anywhere you need to by public transport. The important thing is to be within walking distance of a tube station/bus stop which will take you to the main sights within 20-30 mins. Changing tube lines and walking is what people do to get around.

While not wishing to be critical of anybody else's opinion, let me pose a question. Let's say you get something in the Trafalgar Square area...yes you're walking distance to Picadilly, Leicester Square, much of the West End theatres, but how about shopping at Harrod's (if that's important)? Are you really walking distance to say the London Eye, the Palace of Westminster, Westminiter Abbey (well you are in a way but it's not a two or three block walk)...Sthe Tower of London? the London Zoo? Greenwich?

I could go on and on....there is no location in a city like London, or most any city, that is necessarily close to everything. So what you really need to be concerned about (or at least what I am concerned about) is proximity to public transportation. London public transportation is very good and very affordable with an oyster card (if you start out after 0930 on a weekday and all weekend, the most you will spend on a given day is £5.70 and if you stick only to buses then £3.90. If you go to a show in the West End, tube service is still relatively frequent at the central tube station even around 2200 2230 (in this way the London tube has the nYC subway beat by miles) as is the bus service. As long as the location is close to tube stations (and it is) and/or a main thoroughfare to pick up bus service (while I don't know the specific area, if it's close to Lancaster Gate tube station than on Bayswater Road right there you have the 94 bus direct to Picadilly via Oxford Street and Regents Street, the 148 to Marble Arch and then towards Victgoria, Parliament, the London Eye, the Imperial War Museum, the 390 all the way down Oxford Street to the British Museum passing by Selfridge's and Oxford Circus on the way (and where you can switch anywhere along Oxford Street to the 15 bus)...the London buses can be fun.

So while I agree the location is not central central central right next to an attraction, it is far from inconvenient and most importantly it is safe (as is much of London). You'll have a good time.

I think xyz123 pretty well nails it on this one.

Good transport is all, and bus is more fun for the visitor than the Tube, though obviously much slower. Last year, we stayed in a friend's wonderful new flat where Waterloo Road, Blackfriar's Road, and Waterloo Bridge Road all come together. Within a block, we had our choice of multiple bus lines to just about everywhere, and if we really needed to go a long way, it was a short walk to Elephant and Castle tube station.

When you are a tourist, being stuck in traffic on Oxford Street is like watching a play, with the added that you can rest your feet between museums!

thank you everyone! if anyone has suggestions on places to stay (apartment or hotel) for about $100/day i would love some recommendations!

http://www.holidaylettings.co.uk/rentals/central-london-zone-1/79166

found another one within the budget. i think i will be going with one of these two. still working with chris but the most affordable one he has found so far in in the bloomsbury area which i know is a good location but it is about $250 out of my budget. should i spring for it or would one of these two be acceptable? any of these would be better than the first apartment in woolwich!!!!

Bloomsbury would obviously be more convenient all round than either Talbot Sq or Pennington St, but I don't think Pennington St trumps Talbot Square. Though Wapping has a certain charm in its riverside centre, housing in the area is a mix of luxury rabbit-hutches for hard-driven commercial and financial types, and old-style public housing.

Pennington St is between the Highway, a main traffic artery into London, and Tobacco Dock, a shopping development which never really took off. More importantly, transport links into central London are not that convenient from that point.

As an area I'd much prefer Paddington to Wapping

<<< Lancaster Gate is only 1 stop from Marble Arch so for me that would be a central enough location. >>>

Let's put it this way, in all my years of visiting London - which are more than I care (possibly able) to remember - I've been to Marble Arch once because there was a specialist shop in the area that I wanted to visit.

"Let's put it this way, in all my years of visiting London - which are more than I care (possibly able) to remember - I've been to Marble Arch once because there was a specialist shop in the area that I wanted to visit."

It's right by Hyde Park and Speakers' Corner and at the end of Oxford Street and Park Lane....

Bloomsbury has been good for me. Easy access to Heathrow., different Tube lines nearby. From there I walked to British Museum, St Pauls, City, Blackfriars Bridge, Covent Garden, Trafalgar Sq,etc..

You can select from hotels or B&Bs.

Bloomsbury is probably out of the OP's budget

Go to Google Maps and Google Talbot Square. You will see a Street View. Very lovely location, nice square, north side of Hyde Park. I keyed-in walking directions to Buckingham Palace and it stated 42 minutes (9 minutes drive). Use that to gauge whether is right for you or not? Paddington station is so close; London metro is wonderful. If the price is right, you could do (much!) worse. That said, for a first timer to London, try stay closer. I stayed, and highly recommend, a B&B in Belgrade Rd, about 10 minute walk to Victoria Station, a mile from Buckingham Palace (walked it on a beautiful February morning!). At the time (Feb 2002), it was $90/double, breakfast included. A poster checked a couple of years back and noted that the prices had gone up considerably.

What month are you going? Time of the Year makes a huge difference in London hotels pricing!!

I've stayed at teh Crescent Hotel (years ago). it is a B&B in Bloomsbury. Singles start at 52 pounds. Single at the Jesmond is 50 pounds, single at Harlingford is 86 pounds.

There are a whole list of B&Bs under 100$...search "london hotel cartwright gardens"

I'm thinking she can find something in Bloomsbury for that budget.

Start saving now.

And don't use Oyster, use the two-for-one offers. I'm sure I shilled for that in another one of your threads. If not, I've done it often enough you can find a how-to from my name alone.

".there is no location in a city like London, or most any city, that is necessarily close to everything."

But Talbot Sq isn't close to anything but Hyde Park/Kens Gardens and the west end of Oxford Street. The other places you mention are between a 20 and 40 minute walk away. Transport is certainly OK from there. I explained that Talbot Sq is 'central-ish' - and there is nothing 'wrong' w/ it. And it is fabulous compared to where the KayDoll first tried to book -- long story from her other threads.

KayDoll: Other locations w/ budget accommodations like Victoria or Bloomsbury are more convenient -- to sites, to LHR, etc. But Paddington/Lancaster Gate are certainly OK. I used to stay in Lancaster Gate every trip to London - probably 15-20 times. I know the area VERY well. I lived near Oxford so Paddington was very easy whether I drove or took the train into the city.

But after a few years I realized the area wasn't as good as other neighborhoods for the things I wanted to see/do. Now that I have to fly to UK/London -- I wouldn't stay in Paddington because it isn't convenient to either airport except by expensive trains from LHR.

But if you like the flat and the price - that is certainly a decent area. What I'm trying to say -- is it wonderful - no. is there anything wrong w/ it - no. Would it be my 1st (or 2nd) choice - no. If the rates/flat appeal to you it is absolutely fine.

Everyone posting their personal favorites will be 'crazy making' after a while

There is no one perfect place and there are worse places than Lancaster Gate/Paddington (as you unfortunately already know )

I'm staying from march 24-31. I thought finding something would be easy being that it is off season but not so! Thank you so much for all of your help so far. I'm still doing a lot pf research.

Another suggestion--try the Park International Hotel on Cromwell Road about a block from the Gloucester Road tube stop. Their room rate includes breakfast, and we really like that area; however, as Janis says, more choices make for more confusion!

This area is in walking distance of the V&A, a Paul's bakery, a Valerie's Patisserie, a Richoux teashop, a big Sainsbury's grocery, a Partridge small grocery, and Harrod's. There are three tube lines at the G. Road stop, and the mini-mall over it has a Waitrose and an ASK restaurant. Directly across the street is the Dehli Brasserie, an Indian restaurant that we enjoyed.

Gosh, I need another London trip.

carolyn: thanks for the suggestion! would you like me to put you in my pack and bring you along? lol j'k

I'd also agree with recommending the Cromwell Road / Earls Court Stn area; stayed there last Nov. and loved it. Close and convenient to so many major attractions, and being on the Picadilly line for easy access to Heathrow if that matters, but think it might be out of your budget. Still... I'll take a look and see if I can find anything. Apologies in advance - didn't mean to confuse you further.
You've got lots of very good advice and opinions from reliable Fodorites in the foregoing posts for sure. If you're comfortable with what you've decided on, go with it.

KayDoll, yes, please. I'll go on a crash diet to fit into a really small pack. Seriously, I know you will love London no matter where you sleep.

Thanks again everyone. I think I will go with the Bloomsbury location ii figure we might save a little money on transportation staying there. I'll just have to start making my own lunch instead of going out from now until then. It's all about priorities. Lol

Update:: ended up finding a little B&B on Argyle street near St. Pancras and King's Cross. Got rave reviews on TA and found amazing rates on booking.com. mapped it, double checked it and booked it. this trip is coming together little by little!!

so after all your questions you don't even post where you found so others might benefit?

oh sorry! hehe it's called the Meridiana. Booked a double w/ a shared bath for the b/f and myself. total came out to be 396 pounds for 7 nights. hope this helps!