Lisa1

HELP SOON! My daughter and I are leaving May 29th for our trip to London. I currently have booked the Hyde Park Radnor Hotel in Paddington/Bayswater area. It was relatively inexpensive and the web site pictures looked decent, but I don't know much more than that. No web site reviews seem to mention it (and no one answered past messages on this site). I am now onsidering changing hotels to the Rembrandt Hotel in S. Kensington, because I think the location may be much better. It has received some pretty good reviews. The problem is it would cost about $380 more for our stay. My question is, is it worth the extra expense to go to S. Kensington, or would staying in Paddington be okay? Please respond soon, I'm running out of time. Thanks.

Lisa1

London
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isabel

I don't know anything about your hotel but I stayed in the Bayswater area and liked it alot. We were about a half block from Kensington Garden and about 2 blocks from Queensway - a busy street but with lots of inexpensive restaurants. There were two Tube stops within about a 3 minute walk. I don't know exactly where your hotel is but if it's close to the area I describe I would defiitly stay there again. That was two trips ago, on my last trip I stayed closer to Victoria Station and I think I prefer the Bayswater area. As long as there is a tube stop nearby you'll probably be ok. London is too big to be really completely walkable so you need to rely on the Tube. I walked plenty but also took the tube alot. Hope this helps a little.

Laoghaire

Hello Lisal...We have stayed in the Paddington/Bayswater area 4 times, and always found it very convenient to the Heathrow Express (main reason for booking in this area). The accommodations are quite basic, rooms small, bathrooms very small but with a full-sized bathtub. The tube station is a block or so away, inexpensive restaurants around, and we always felt quite safe there. Hope this is of some help...Helen

Laly

Lisa,

I agree with the other replies. Just be sure you stay within a comfortable walking distance of the tube. Remember you will be doing lots of walking as it is.

jody

If it were me I'd spend the extra for the area around the Renbrandt. I've gone for days and not ever had to use the tube there is so much to do within walking distance of the rembrandt. Sloane Sq, the V&A, national history Museum, King's Rd. with all kinds of neat shops and antique centers. harrod's Bromptom Rd shops and cafes, Beauchamp Pl., Brompton Oratory, you can walk to Hyde Park,..

No contest with the Paddington area IMO

janis

If these are your only two choices -- AND the extra cost won't be a hardship, I'd choose South Kens. The Paddington area is very convenient for the Heathrow Express -- but it is not really convenient for any other major sites except for Hyde Park and Portobello Rd.

S Kensington in much more convenient for sightseeing and is on the Picadilly tune line which is about the most useful one of all for most tourists.

But if the extra money would be cutting your budget too close, Bayswater is certainly OK. The Radnor is in Sussex place which is in the better part of Bayswater near Lancaster Gate tube station.

vmcenroe

Here I am posting a reply when I haven't been to London yet. I have done so much research that I feel like this will be my fifth trip to London instead of my first. You may have read the post suggesting the Rembrandt to me and yes I did book a room there and yes I still feel I made an excellent choice. No way to know for sure until I get there.

I just want to suggest priceline.com to you as it was to me. All the information I found indicated that priceline will accept a bid around $80-90 for the south Kensington area. The catch is that you can't cancel (for instance if you have to cancel your trip) and you can't select the hotel. If you go to biddingfortravel.com, there is a post that lists the hotels that frequently accept bids in that area. Then you can cross reference those hotels with tripadvisor.com reviews to make sure that they are all hotels you would be willing to accept. Then go to priceline and put in your bid. The vat and other fees will be added to your bid amount and that is an unknown amount of extra money. It may bring the total price to around $125. Not sure at all about that. Someone who has done it would have to comment. Make sure you understand the procedure 100% before you bid if you decide to do it.

The bottom line is that you can get into So. Kensington for the same price in a hotel of at least the same quality level, maybe a little better. I think I'll love the Rembrandt, but who wouldn't want to save money and I may try Priceline next time. I'm just too uptight about this being my first trip to London and I want everything to be perfect. I hope this will be the first of many trips to London. This will be the expensive trip, but next time I may attempt the "London in $100 a day" trip and stay somewhere cheap.

ron

I can only relate my experiences. For years I consistently ignored Bayswater as a hotel location, believing the arguments that Janis so eloquently states. But I have stayed there twice out of my last three visits and in the future, Bayswater will be given first consideration. I like the vibrancy of the Queensway, the proximity to Hyde Park/Kensington Gardens and I have found a pub I like going back to. To be able to stay there and to save nearly $400, which is a lot of money to me, sounds like a double win.

MelJ

Much prefer South Ken for ambiance, convenience and as a nice area to stroll.

I've stayed at several hotels in London and the Rembrandt is, so far, my favorite. Location is great, breakfast is wonderful, rooms are nice and not too small (by London standards).

I don't know where you got prices from, but check www.hotel-assist.com. They always run good deals on the Rembrandt.

Have a great trip!

Lisa1

Thanks everyone for your imput. I guess it just boils down to whether or not I can afford/want to upgrade, as the Rembrandt sounds like it would be a better experience. It is good to know though, that staying at the Hyde Park Radnor would work out fine as well. FYI, I did check out most of the hotel web sites for better pricing, and got pretty much the same quotes as what the Rembrandt itself charged.

m_kingdom2

Paddington/Bayswater is much more convenient to Mayfair, and Hyde Park, and Knightsbridge.

South Ken is a little out of the way to be honest with you.

Lisa1

m-kingdom2
Really? I thought Knightsbridge was right next to South Ken? Maybe I better study my maps more! This is also good to know because we plan on doing a lot of picnicing in the parks and I really like to be close to green spaces. It's more important to me than being close to lots of busy shopping areas.

MelJ

South Ken is, indeed, next to Knightsbridge. And the Rembrandt is IN Knightsbridge, FYI.

jody

I don't know what in the world m-kingdom is talking about! South Ken is 1 block from Knightsbridge and the rembrandt is 5 minutes from either South Ken or Knightsbridge tube stations.

m_kingdom2

When I refer to South Kensington, I refer to the Estate Agent's definition, which brings it miles away from Knightsbridge. Furthermore, Knightsbridge offers shops and shops alone for the tourist. If you were asking about property location, I'd say South Ken anytime, but you're here for a short time so I feel that having somewhere central is more convenient and saves you time.

Bayswater is much closer to Park Lane, i.e. Mayfair. This gives you access all the way down Picadilly, through Covent Garden, and down to the Thames.

As for it being "one block from Knightsbridge", South Ken is a large area, mainly residential with some excellent boutiques and eateries. The V&A and Science Museums are located nearby, but that's where the tourist attractions end.

4totravel

I've stayed at the Rembrandt in the past - yes it is conveniently located directly across from the V&A, close to the natural History Museum and other museums in the ara, easy walk to Harrods and even beyond to the parks, great shopping area. The hotel itself is fine - nothing "fancy" IMHO.
Bayswater is an area we stay in more often now because it is cheaper, very close to Kensington Gardens(for my daily jog) convenient tube stops - we rely heavily on the tube to travel and it is so convenient.
If this is your first trip to London however I would say try the Rembrandt...you can't go wrong there it's in a great neighborhood. If you do check out the area located behind the hotel - great little shops!

xyz123

I know I may be in a minority but I happen to like the Bayswater area especially near Queensway. Lots of good cheap restaurants, an indoor shopping mall (but not of course anything like American shopping malls) and very well serviced by 2 tube lines.

Also a couple of blocks away on Bayswater Rd. a great bus line the #12 bus which is almost as good as any of the tourist designed buses (without the commentary of course).

janis

Lisa1: You have to understand about m_kingdom2. m_k sometimes gives useful info -- but more often he delights in sending people up. Both of his posts about Bayswater vs. S. Kens. are just silly.

The Rembrandt is MUCH more convenient to Knightsbridge, the Hyde Park Corner end of Park Lane, and most tourist attractions, than is any location in Bayswater.

m_kingdom2

I offered my personal opinion. Knightsbridge is a mainly residential/shopping area, for the tourist, there are a few musuems, and that's about it. As I've said, if I was living in either location, I'd have to choose Knightsbridge, but for convenience to W1, what I see as the heart of the tourist capital, Bayswater is more central.