Brahmama

I really need some help with this.
We are arriving in London on 4th October for a stay of either 3 or 6 nights before flying on to Italy.
We are meeting some friends (their apartment in Mayfair is totally out of our budget) and will go to at least 3 shows - maybe 5 if we stay the full 6 nights.
We have stayed various places in London (Burns Hotel and last year the Darlington Hyde Park) but this time we will bite the bullet and pay more (gulp) and stay where we can WALK to the theatre. The first 3 he has scheduled are all matinees. (Mary Poppins, The Producers, and the Philanthropist and a Concert at St Martin's one night))
We are hoping not to pay more than 100 Pounds a night - with probably a ceiling of 125 Pounds.
Where do you suggest? AC not impt - lift not essential - clean, fairly quiet, but most of all - well located.
Can you help??
Carol

m_kingdom2

Try the Holiday Inn Mayfair in Berkeley St. I'm sure they'll give you a reasonable price.

Robespierre

Priceline to the rescue!

You can probably get a 4-star in that area for under $100. Bid $65 and you might get the Thistle Marble Arch (just off Oxford Street east of the arch).

Don't sweat the location. The difference between $65 and £125 will buy a LOT of taxi rides.

If you <i>insist</i> on paying &pound;100, bid on a 5-star in Mayfair/Soho or Kensington.

busterzzz

Go to http://www.lastminute.com/ nearer your departure date and take one of the Mayfair un-named 5* hotel deals. The most likely hotel it will be is the Radisson Edwardian - Mayfair for approx &pound;100 per night.

Kayb95

You'll get the most for your money with Priceline. Study the www.biddingfortravel.com website before bidding.

We've used Priceline several times for London and have been very pleased. And I wouldn't bid for anything less than a 4* in London.

degas

Will they accept a bid for 6 nights or is it usually limited to two or three? Still, one might move if the savings were right.

Kayb95

We stayed for 8 nights on a Priceline bid in London last February (Copthorne Tara in Kensington for $82/night.)

Brahmama

Thanks for the responses. I hate to admit it, but I've never used Priceline - I have looked at it but haven't read all the rules. I hate to book something that I can't cancel - but I'll take another look. Thanks for all the tips and suggestions and techniques!!!
Carol

janis

Brahmama: Priceline is great for London -- but DO NOT bid PL until after you have carefully studied biddingfortravel.com.

It will give you all sorts of info about which hotels in which zones are being won, and will also give you bidding strategies. Since you can't cancel, you must have all the necessary &quot;ammunition&quot; before you try to bid . . . .

Kayb95

And there are so many &quot;bad&quot; hotels in London (especially in the affordable range!) that using a Priceline hotel is generally less risky that picking one yourself off the internet.

Brahmama

Again, thanks to everytone for the good ideas. And I think that Priceline is something I will have to learn about. But since we aren't positive we are going to stay in London now (we may fly on to Italy) we can't use Priceline at this time.
But I did run across lastminute.com and found some tremendous prices - eg: it was supposed to be a *secret deal* but I&quot;m sure it was Thistle Kensington Gardens for something like 64 pounds PER ROOM. It was a 4* and didn't mention breakfast. But what a deal. AND there is a 48 hour cancellation policy. They even had a 5 * in Mayfair for something like 111 pounds.
I think London is the hardest place to research to find a hotel - I've never had such a miserable time. I 've even been dreaming about it!!!
Ah, what we put ourselves through to make our dreams come true!
Carol

WillTravel

The Thistle Kensington Gardens is a 3* on Priceline, but I think it has a good reputation. That's still a pretty good price on Lastminute, given the lack of cancellation penalties. You could book something else that is cancellable, and then try Priceline later when you know for sure you're going.

worldinabag

Hi

The B&amp;B Belgravia looks pretty funky at 95 quid with a decent breakfast but may be more of a walk than you want - http://www.bb-belgravia.com

Cheers