Any charming lodging close to Paddington Station?
Apr 8th, 2006, 02:52 AM
#1
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Any charming lodging close to Paddington Station?
Am researching our options near Paddington.
And it seems many don't like that area...
and not the Norfolk Square area either? (another option that seemed very close for our luggage hauling during transcontinental travel)
Is there any place w/some charm close-by...be it the lodging, or the neighborhood?
Or must we travel further to find this?
Price-wise, we're kinda mid-range.
I read about the Hilton...seems okay. Rates can be high but bargains can be had, I hear. But, many say it's pretty sterile & that the area really isn't so great.
Does anyone know if Norfolk Square (which sounds quieter at least) is perhaps a little less 'dodgy'?
Just would love a little bit of the charm factor, if you know what I mean? We only have 2 nights & 1 day in London...
and I'd just like to know that I am indeed in London wherever we stay.
Thanks!
And it seems many don't like that area...
and not the Norfolk Square area either? (another option that seemed very close for our luggage hauling during transcontinental travel)
Is there any place w/some charm close-by...be it the lodging, or the neighborhood?
Or must we travel further to find this?
Price-wise, we're kinda mid-range.
I read about the Hilton...seems okay. Rates can be high but bargains can be had, I hear. But, many say it's pretty sterile & that the area really isn't so great.
Does anyone know if Norfolk Square (which sounds quieter at least) is perhaps a little less 'dodgy'?
Just would love a little bit of the charm factor, if you know what I mean? We only have 2 nights & 1 day in London...
and I'd just like to know that I am indeed in London wherever we stay.
Thanks!
Apr 8th, 2006, 02:53 AM
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Ooo...and thank you for the BW Delmere recommendation. Sounds like it's the same area as the Hilton?
Reviews for it & everything on Norfolk Square are so mixed on Tripadvisor.com
So...am left wondering, if I'm just missing a little 'find'
or cute place or charming corner of the town, yet still close to Paddington. Thanks again!
Reviews for it & everything on Norfolk Square are so mixed on Tripadvisor.com
So...am left wondering, if I'm just missing a little 'find'
or cute place or charming corner of the town, yet still close to Paddington. Thanks again!
Apr 8th, 2006, 05:56 AM
#4
Dayfreamer: Just so you understand the geography a bit -- Norfolk Square <b>IS</b> in Paddington. No difference. It isn't in the station but basically just across the street. On your other threads when we say "Paddington" we mean a neighborhood that is around Paddington Station. As ackislander says, it isn't a very charming part of town. Don't let the "square" in Norfolk Square fool you. There are hundreds of squares in London - some charming, some seedy, some major tourist attractions, and some just busy streets.
The Hilton fit your original needs perfectly. But now that you are staying 2 nights you really can stay just about anywhere. If you want a small, charming, and moderately inexpensive place, you would do better to look in other neighborhoods.
As was mentioned - South Kensington or Bloomsbury/Russell Square have LOTS to choose from.
The Hilton fit your original needs perfectly. But now that you are staying 2 nights you really can stay just about anywhere. If you want a small, charming, and moderately inexpensive place, you would do better to look in other neighborhoods.
As was mentioned - South Kensington or Bloomsbury/Russell Square have LOTS to choose from.
Apr 8th, 2006, 06:11 AM
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I agree with your idea that the immediate vicinity of Paddington isn't the best. It's lots of little commercial shops and tabac shops, not fancy. And the Hilton did look very ordinary and unappealing to us.
But we stayed very close-by, at a little B&B called Hyde Park Radnor, in an area called Sussex. It is between Paddington and Hyde Park, an easy ten minute walk to Paddington. The Sussex Park area near Hyde Park is upscale residential, and the blocks around it had some very nice restaurants. It was very quiet and charming. We found the Radnor using londontown.com. Our family room was quite small, but it was very clean and they serve a nice hot and cold breakfast. I would definitely recommend it. There were other nice-looking B&Bs on the same block, but I didn't catch their names.
From the Radnor you can easily walk to Hyde Park. We even walked in the rain one day to Kensington. It's a great location, we thought.
In fact, we found a fantastic Indian restaurant very close to the hotel: “Noorjahan 2” at 26 Sussex Place. I had an amazing prawn dish with shrimp so big you'd think they were lobster tails, in this incredible sauce. (And this from someone who thought she didn’t like Indian food!)
Good luck with your search.
But we stayed very close-by, at a little B&B called Hyde Park Radnor, in an area called Sussex. It is between Paddington and Hyde Park, an easy ten minute walk to Paddington. The Sussex Park area near Hyde Park is upscale residential, and the blocks around it had some very nice restaurants. It was very quiet and charming. We found the Radnor using londontown.com. Our family room was quite small, but it was very clean and they serve a nice hot and cold breakfast. I would definitely recommend it. There were other nice-looking B&Bs on the same block, but I didn't catch their names.
From the Radnor you can easily walk to Hyde Park. We even walked in the rain one day to Kensington. It's a great location, we thought.
In fact, we found a fantastic Indian restaurant very close to the hotel: “Noorjahan 2” at 26 Sussex Place. I had an amazing prawn dish with shrimp so big you'd think they were lobster tails, in this incredible sauce. (And this from someone who thought she didn’t like Indian food!)
Good luck with your search.
Apr 8th, 2006, 06:17 AM
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Paddington is up and coming, Paddington Basin has certainly arrived...or so developers would like one to believe.
The Hilton isn't bad, at least you will be getting a relatively modern, well-kept room.
I'm not sure why you're worried about hauling luggage, surely you can afford a ten pounds taxi fare from another part of London to the station?
I'd always recommend Mayfair as it's very centrally situated and you'll have even more properties to choose from. That said, what is your budget? Priceline seems to be popular among posters here for getting 4/5 star properties at very advantageous prices.
And I'd never, ever describe Paddington as being "dodgy", that's far more east, and south London.
The Hilton isn't bad, at least you will be getting a relatively modern, well-kept room.
I'm not sure why you're worried about hauling luggage, surely you can afford a ten pounds taxi fare from another part of London to the station?
I'd always recommend Mayfair as it's very centrally situated and you'll have even more properties to choose from. That said, what is your budget? Priceline seems to be popular among posters here for getting 4/5 star properties at very advantageous prices.
And I'd never, ever describe Paddington as being "dodgy", that's far more east, and south London.
Apr 8th, 2006, 01:18 PM
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I stayed in the Paddington area on my last trip to London, like the others said, it's not fancy, but then neither is it slummy. We stayed at the Oxford Hotel on Craven Street, very cute, very clean, reasonably priced, very tiny bathrooms, no elevator. Our room had a small fridge & microwave which helped on the food budget. It was a very short walk to Hyde Park and the lovely Italain fountains (if you saw the movie Bridget Jones The Edge of Reason, this is where the fight scene between Hugh Grant & Colin Firth took place.) There were many modest restaurants & shops in the area and it was walking distance to Paddington train & tube stations, and to Lancaster Gate tube. I'd highly recommend the Oxford, we found it on the Smoothhouund website. (We never got to the Norfolk Square neighborhood so I can't comment on that area, the Oxford was west of Paddington)
Apr 10th, 2006, 01:15 PM
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Thank you all so very, very much!!
Had no computer access this weekend ,hence the delay in a reply from me.
And you're totally right...have had no clue about the neighborhoods never having been there before! So apologies re: that.
And, just now am receiving books from the library I work at on London. (but again, they've never focused on Paddington much) So your assistance
would have been needed, anyway.
A taxi would be fine from Paddington, I suppose, too. (if lodging further away) Are there always plenty lined up right there?
But...w/needing to be at Heathrow by 8am & me not being a morning bird, just was trying to reduce too many logistics issues the morning of our departure. Would traffic not be bad
on a workday morning?
How much extra time would we need to get from let's say Russell Square or Kensington area or similar via taxi to
get to Peddington Station? I mean...
do we have to factor in lots of time in case of traffic, or is it really not all that bad if staying fairly local?
Hmmm...maybe I should have posted this part of the question in a new thread since has more to do w/traffic & taxi's eh?
Again, many thanks for all the assistance! Can't wait to look up your recommendations, once I get home tonight. (am at work still)
Had no computer access this weekend ,hence the delay in a reply from me.
And you're totally right...have had no clue about the neighborhoods never having been there before! So apologies re: that.
And, just now am receiving books from the library I work at on London. (but again, they've never focused on Paddington much) So your assistance
would have been needed, anyway.
A taxi would be fine from Paddington, I suppose, too. (if lodging further away) Are there always plenty lined up right there?
But...w/needing to be at Heathrow by 8am & me not being a morning bird, just was trying to reduce too many logistics issues the morning of our departure. Would traffic not be bad
on a workday morning?
How much extra time would we need to get from let's say Russell Square or Kensington area or similar via taxi to
get to Peddington Station? I mean...
do we have to factor in lots of time in case of traffic, or is it really not all that bad if staying fairly local?
Hmmm...maybe I should have posted this part of the question in a new thread since has more to do w/traffic & taxi's eh?
Again, many thanks for all the assistance!
Can't wait to look up your recommendations, once I get home tonight. (am at work still)
Apr 10th, 2006, 02:18 PM
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Oops! Meant to offer a budget.
Probably thinking around $150 US...up to $200 range.
Saw some excellent reviews for the Rubens near Victoria Station.
Sounds convenient for sightseeing (for a first time visitor) BUT...
sounds like more of a match for someone going to Gatwick.
We're heading to Heathrow.
So...is it a poor option? Again, I have no idea how long it takes to commute between Paddington station via taxi & an area like this. Thanks again!
Probably thinking around $150 US...up to $200 range.
Saw some excellent reviews for the Rubens near Victoria Station.
Sounds convenient for sightseeing (for a first time visitor) BUT...
sounds like more of a match for someone going to Gatwick.
We're heading to Heathrow.
So...is it a poor option? Again, I have no idea how long it takes to commute between Paddington station via taxi & an area like this. Thanks again!
