hikrchick

Hello Fodorites,

Our trip to Wales and taking a narrowboat on the Mon & Brec Canal is coming along, we are super-excited about this adventure!
I am needing a bit of help to find some good options for a hotel on our last night, Friday July 5, before we leave for Heathrow the next morning. We will be coming from Cardiff by train Friday morning to spend the day in London, and maybe go to the theater in the evening. We need a hotel in a convenient area to the Tube to get out to LHR the next day (our flight is at 1 p.m. Saturday July 6).

I live in the NYC metro area so I know about expensive hotels, but London seems on another level. Could someone suggest a hotel that could be about $300? Or even a neighborhood that I could concentrate on? For one night, I would be happy with a chain hotel.

Thank you!

bilboburgler

https://www.premierinn.com

ChgoGal

Yes, the prices in London are really high lately. Maybe the Hub by Premier Inn Goodge Street (you'll want a bigger room for 2 people), or maybe a hotel near Tottenham Court Road station, so you can hop on the Elizabeth line to LHR? I stayed at that Hub as a single, and found it a convenient location. And should be close/under $300. And in July, a fairly easy walk to and from many of Leicester Sq theaters.
A regular Premier Inn is also an option, off the Elizabeth or the Piccadilly lines for Heathrow.

ChgoGal

Also, with the Premier Inns, I've noticed the rates go up and down a bit further out. You'll maybe want to hold one of their 28-day free cancellation rates, and check back to see if you can get lower.

ChgoGal

I've also stayed near the Earl's Court station, which is further away from the theaters, but easy for LHR. There's a Premier Inn Kensington (Earl's Court) that would be reasonable, too. Good luck! Your canal trip sounds fantastic!

janisj

Staying at a place near any Elizabeth Line, Piccadilly Line or District line station will be the most convenient for travel out to LHR. That gives you a TON of options. But hotel rates in London can be very high -- even some central Premier Inns will be over £200 -£250 - though several say around Kings Cross etc will be cheaper.

Ya know though what I'd also consider if you can't find a place you like within your budget . . . when you hit London go to which ever train station is nearest the theatre you're attending in the evening, and leave the bags at left luggage (most likely convenient stations would be Charing Cross, Victoria or possibly Kings Cross). Sightsee, have lunch and a pre-theatre dinner, go to the play, and then around 10 or so when the theatre lest out retrieve the luggage and head out to LHR and stay at a LHR hotel. Terminal 4 has several inexpensive hotels waking distance to the terminal and then free transport to T-2, T-3, T5. Or along the Bath Road are about 15 decent hotels from very cheap to moderately expensive (but still cheaper than central London.

janisj

Meant to add -- you can likely get a Premier inn or Ibis at LHR for £85-ish to £120 per night. The two most expensive properties with be the Sofitel in Terminal 5 and Hilton Garden Inn next to Terminals 2/3 (there is another HGI off airport that is much cheaper)

hikrchick

Thank you everyone! We were last in London in summer 2018 for one night after walking the South West Coast Path in Cornwall -- just about our greatest hiking trip ever -- and I remembered we stayed that night at the Premier Inn very close to Kings Cross and it was perfectly fine. Hot shower, room to repack all the things, big bed. I think I'll just do that again. I've still got the email confirmation from them, and at the end of June 2018 it was 198 pounds all in, and with post-pandemic inflation, that's within our price range for sure,

Janisj that is a brilliant idea, but I think that might have to stay for another trip. This one will have the hiking poles and all the stuff, which might not work for Left Luggage. But I'm going to remember that one!

I'm going to start posting my possible itinerary in a couple days, we've been thinking it through and we've decided to stay 2 nights up in the Hay-on-Wye area after the narrowboat in the week after the boat. Still trying to figure out when exactly.

Thank you everyone!

janisj

Good choice. Kings Cross has improved GREATLYin the last few years. The Coal Yards a short walk from KX/St Pancras has tons of good restaurants, some interesting shops, a canal basin with narrow boats, etc.