how safe is the area around paddington station to stay?also in the tube map it shows all 4 lines comes to paddington.does that mean we can go on any from there?

Safe enough, if not particularly exciting or attractive. The Hilton is arguably the best place to stay in that neighborhood, if you got a really great rate...but why do you want to stay in this neighborhood? Easy travel to Heathrow by the Express is the reason most people give.
Re the Tube, yes, you can get to all four lines from the station. Our personal experience has been that the Bakerloo line is the most reliable. The Circle/District line tends to get the "hiccups" more than we like. And I believe the Hammersmith line is out in the boonies near tracks 12, 13/14 (which, alas, are the same tracks we usually have to use for trains to Maidenhead).
Don't forget the bus options near Paddington as well. The #15 bus starts its route right outside the station and goes by or near many of the top tourist sights in London.

Firstly I'll address the tube question. You only have two lines (in effect) that will be of use to you: The Circle/Distric/Hammersmith & City appear to be three separate ones, but for most Central London journeys i.e. in zone 1 they run on exactly the same route. The Bakerloo line is the other one and stops as shown on the map. But you can change etc. and take buses so you certainly won't find it difficult to reach anywhere in the capital.

As for Paddington. Why do you want to stay there? The area itself is as safe as most other places in London really, some nice ethnic restaurants, close proximity to Hyde Park, can walk to most places. But if you could advise a budget, then alternatives can be suggested.

I suggest you look in the Royal Park Hotel if you are seriously considering staying in that part of the city.

Frankly there are better areas to stay in that have better connections to the tourist areas of London. Don't book purely on the basis "that the HEX stops there".

When I used to travel regularly to London on business, I liked to stay within walking distance of Paddington. For me it was very handy just because of the Heathrow Express and the fact that several tube lines stop there (plus I could get the Central line from Lancaster Gate nearby). Another advantage in those days, which however sadly is no more, was that I could check in at Paddington for my flight home, & drop off my bag before going to work.

mk2 is forgetting that the Jubilee line also stops at Paddington, & it is useful for Bond Street, the South Bank & Tate Modern, amongst other things.

I liked the Thistle Hyde Park hotel (the old White's Hotel), especially when I could get one of the big rooms with a balcony facing Hyde Park.

The Jubilee line stops in Paddington? Since when? Because whenever I want to catch the Jubilee line (if I'm starting at Paddington), I take the Bakerloo to Baker Street and transfer there. My Tube mousepad doesn't show a Jubilee stop in Paddington (but it is 2 years old).

Apologies, of course I was thinking of getting the Bakerloo line & changing to the Jubilee line. (I used to live in Maida Vale.)

And the Bakerloo line south is very handy for changing to the Victoria line south at Oxford Circus - the platforms are right next to each other. (Or am I remembering that wrong too ? )

The southern bit - along Hyde Park/Bayswater road is fine. Not my preference but I have stayed there lots of times for various reasons. Most Londoners would call that "Bayswater" even though it is close to Paddington. The hotel Caroline mentions is in Bayswater.

&quot;Paddington&quot; is really the area right around the station itself. Except for an early morning departure (or a late night arrival) from Heathrow I would not stay in Paddington - <u>ever</u>.

Some properties are too dodgy, it is too far from the major sites, and despite the multiple tube lines it isn't all that convenient to get most places a tourist wants.

Paddington’s alright – and there’s loads of hotels there. It’s just not the most glamorous of areas. Bits of it are quite dingy, other bits just fine (put it this way – it’s both a red light district and where the Blairs have bought their family home).

I suspect you can do better for your money though.

I agree with peoples’ condemnation of the area as not the best choice, but disagree with the idea that some properties are dodgy. What properties, and in what way, I wonder ?

Ben Haines, London
[email protected]

Ben: I didn't mean Dodgy in the criminal, scary, red light sense. Just that many of the B&amp;B hotels around Norfolk Sq and such are pretty down market and a bit seedy.

Actually Ben I could give you the addresses of quite a few crack houses and brothels in the area. (Really).

It was my patch until the beginning of May. (Mind you, these were all in areas that tourists wouldn’t go – ie the big estates).

I am now in Kings Cross, and while Paddington has its problems…….

There are several rows of hotels in converted residences around Sussex Gardens that offer good value.

Seven bus lines from Paddington are direct routes to most tourist destinations, as shown here:

http://www.tfl.gov.uk/buses/spiders/pdf/paddington.pdf

...five of which will take you to Marble Arch, whence no fewer than twenty-one routes will get you virtually anywhere.

Sussex Gardens has pretty much the same &quot;issues&quot; as Norfolk Square . . . .

Matter of opinion. I've had very good luck there. In my experience, the properties are clean, well-maintained, and ~150 years old.

But the 4* Thistle Marble Arch is by far the best deal up in that corner of London. One bidder on biddingfortravel.com reports just nailing down 8/8-8/15 for $55/night.

We stayed at the Quality Crown Paddignton Hotel for 70 GBP for a night on our long layover out of Heathrow. This was our first time in London and Paddignton seemed to be a normal working calss type neighborhood. Nothing fancy but nothing at all scary. It was an easy 10 minute ride to anywhere on the Underground.

The hotel was new and clean but the rooms were tiny although the bath was big. I hit the wall a couple of times when I rolled over. We checked our luggage through, if we hadn't I don't think we would have had any room for it.

&lt;&lt; Actually Ben I could give you the addresses of quite a few crack houses and brothels in the area &gt;&gt;

Could you mention a few so I'll know where to - cough - avoid?

There is a long thread about recurring Theft cases occurred in Hilton Paddington, posted on Flyertalk.com under Hilton Forum, started May 1, 06.

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showt...n+police+theft