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My husband and I will be going to London in September and I was wondering which was the best neighborhood to stay in that is somewhat affordable and has close access to the tube so we can get along fairly easily?

elaine

Hi
If you do a search here on London Hotels, you will find that the most popular areas are (in no particular order), South Kensington, Victoria, Bloomsbury, Covent Garden. And others have their fans.

What do you consider affordable--price per night?
There are many budget hotels around Paddington Station for example, but I don't like some of the streets in that area.

Two good place to do some hotel browsing:
londontown.com, can browse by location and by price.
See a few that interest you? Come back to fodors.com, Destinations, London, hotels. See rants and raves comments from past guests. Then narrow down further, and ask for some additional comments here.

I have a file on London; if you'd like to see it, email me at
[email protected]

ben_haines_london

I see the Strand as best, and Victoroia as second best. Here are some notes

LONDON HOTELS, cheap, and centrally placed

HOTELS AT VICTORIA STATION

Notes quoted from messages to Fodors Forum for Europe in July 2001, with later additions, dated

Introductory. Be sure if you pick something from the web to make sure you can see pictures of the rooms - I was burned badly at a dud hotel, and don't want it to happen to you. In London especially you get what you pay for - so don't try to skimp too much. Be careful, for some of the small hotels in this location look a little seedy. But if you are saving, Ebury Street is quiet but right near Victoria Station and is a great place to start. You can walk to the street with your luggage on wheels. It's one B&B after the other. There's a good bar on Ebury Street (had dinner there the first night; I'd describe it as "world cuisine".. eclectic, some Thai touches, some French, some Italian) and there were several boutiques on Ebury Street that I didn't get to explore but looked promising. The street is near Buckingham Palace and a good walk to the West End. Tube stop nearby.

Arden Hotel. http://www.ardenhotel.com/. Basic, but clean, about 10mins walk to Victoria on a quiet street. 25 to 85 pounds or 36 to 123 dollars per person per night


Arden Hotel. I was there a month ago, clean and convenient. The rooms at the back "benefit" from the noise of the trains entering and leaving Victoria station. It's not a strong noise since the trains go slowly at this stage, but people with a light sleep should ask a room looking on the street.
12 St Georges Drive, SW1, phone 7834 2988

Astors Hotel. I cannot necessarily recommend the hotel (it was pretty worn, but the price was right), but the area was great. 110 Ebury Street, SW1, phone 7730 3811.

Cardiff House. I stayed there last time I was in London. Bernadette is the manager. After getting back to the states I found out my mother and her friends have stayed there several times. It's clean but not fancy. I shared the bath down the hall. I believe it was $35/USD in February. So the price would be higher in Aug/Sept. Not in the London phone book.

Cartref Hotel or James House. I stay there as often as I can as long as they have a vacancy. Both B&B's are owned by the same family and they are located directly across the street from one another. The facility is spotless and the staff are so friendly. Coming down for breakfast every morning was a delight! Good luck! Cartref Hotel, 129 Ebury Street, SW1, phone 7730 6176 and 7730 7637. James House Hotel, 108 Ebury Street, phone 7730 2511 and 7730 7338. Double 68 pounds or 99 dollars a night bed and breakfast. http://www.jamesandcartref.co.uk/htm/about.html/.

Cherry Court Hotel. Jan 2003. 23 Hugh Street, SW1. Phone 020 7828 2840.
I believe this is a 2 star hotel. We got a great deal at 45 pounds/night including tax and breakfast. This was a discount off the normal rate of 48 pounds/night because we stayed for 7 nights. If you decide to stay at this hotel, ask NOT to be placed in room 8-very, very small with an even smaller bathroom. The wall was literally falling apart and the comforter was very thin. Fortunately, the hotel owner called us and asked us to move to room 6 across the hall because someone was coming to inspect room 8 (no kidding!) in the morning. Ask for room 6! It is much better than room 8. It is still a small room (the bathroom door slides open because the room is not big enough for the door to open in the traditional sense). But having such a small room really made us laugh. If you sleep with your window open (if you have a room facing the street) you'll hear the "thunk thunk" of wheeled luggage in the mornings as other travellers leave the other hotels that line the street. The great thing about this hotel is that it is only a 5 minute walk (at most) from Victoria Train Station. This is not to say you'll find the hotel immediately (we walked around the exterior of the station a couple of times before locating the right street to take us to the Cherry Court Hotel). But then, like I said above, we really need a neon sign pointing us where to go.

Chesham House Hotel. We paid 55 pounds or 80 dollars for a double room without bathroom per night which included a full English breakfast. They also have rooms with bathroom. We found it to be quite adequate for our needs. Our room was not large or luxurious but we didn't go to London to stay in our room. 64 Ebury Street, phone 7730 8513, fax 7730 1845.

Collin House. We had a family room the summer of 1997 for about $125. We recommend it. 104 Ebury Street, phone 7730 8031. http://www.milford.co.uk/go/collinhouse.html/.
Double with breakfast, with en-suite 82 pounds or 115 dollars, without en-suite 68 pounds or 96 dollars

Ebury Court Hotel. My favourite. Not all rooms have private baths. Room #1 is particularly pleasant. Like staying at Grandma's house. No children under 6 allowed in dining rooms. 28 Ebury Street, phone 7730 8147.

Ebury House Hotel. In the late 1980's we stayed at this delightful small hotel. It was made up of a couple of Georgian houses and we had a room with a canopy bed and a fireplace. It was moderate price then and only a few blocks from the station. It had a full English breakfast which was served in the basement of the old house. We found this hotel in guide books but it is probably on the internet.
December 2002. Message: I have stayed at the Ebury House. It's quite nice and a Frommer's favorite. The B&B is around the corner from Victoria Coach Station, and within reasonable walking distance of Buckingham Palace. There is a wonderful fish and chips shop on the same street as Victoria Coach Station, and a very nice tea shop across the street.

We had two rooms at the B&B and they were well appointed. Each room has a tea kettle and television. You have the option to have a private bathroom or else share one on the floor. We opted for the private bathrooms. Breakfast was very good and plentiful. The B&B was very clean. The clientele is a mix of Americans, Aussies, Kiwis, and Brits. The owners are very nice.

I recommend the Ebury House and would definitely stay there again.
102 Ebury Street, phone 7730 1350. Double or Twin Bed and Breakfast from 55 to 75 pounds, 77 to 105 dollars. http://www.smoothhound.co.uk/a44192.html/.

Elizabeth Hotel was perfectly awful...We could not get into another hotel without paying over 200$ a night...we were there for 6 night, much too long!!!! The Rubens looked lovely and I wish we would have stayed there,,,,oh well, you live and learn!!!!! 37 Ecclestone Square, phone 7828 6812.

Grosvenor Thistle, the Victorian hotel right at Victoria station. I stayed there years ago several times. There is an entrance right in the hotel to the station which was convenient . The rooms were clean, the help, friendly, helpful shops and cocktail lounges.

Grosvenor Thistle, right there at Victoria, indeed over it and surrounding it, cannot be beat for location, location, location. It is huge, and it does lack the charm that smaller places can deliver. However, being right there at your train station and/or tube stop has huge advantages. Our room there was spacious, clean, and comfortable. Buckingham Palace Road , SW1W 0SJ, phone 7834 9494 and 0870 333 9120, fax 0870 333 9220. 148 pounds or 208 dollars a night for a double. http://www.thistlehotels.com/hotel_d....jhtml?id=4684
Summer 2002 offer of £110 a night for a double: https://www.thistlehotels.com/dbs/jh...questid=325356
Check http://www.Londontown.com: there are some good deals. I have just booked Thistle Victoria for 45 pounds. November 2002


October 2002: Message: Erin, we had a double room on the fifth floor of the Thistle Vic. It was a good sized room with twin beds, nice dresser with mirror, big closet (wardrobe type), small table, two chairs, a trouser press, and a TV, and nicely decorated. The bathroom was larger than other places I have stayed, too, with both tub and shower.

The area is convenient, but I like the Gloucester Road tube stop area better. I haven't stayed in Bloomsbury and would like to try that next time. (There is always going to be a next time for me; I love London.) What is particularly nice for people not familiar with the city is that there is a hotel entrance inside Victoria Station, so if you come from Gatwick by the express train, you are home when you get to the station.

We did hear muted train announcements during daytime hours, but they were not distracting and we did have the windows open all the time. I don't believe there is any air conditioning. Our room was through a priceline.com vacation package and did not include breakfast. We didn't eat breakfast in the hotel dining room since it was quite expensive when not included.

We stayed at the Victoria Thistle in 1998 and it was very nice. "Victorian" in no way implies aged or seedy--the exterior is quite Victorian, but our room was spacious and lovely. We could hear the announcements from the station drift up, but they were in no way interruptive or sleep preventing. There really aren't too many announcements later in the evening or through the night. (I think we were on the third or fourth floor.)

The location is perfect, of course, as it is right in the heart of things--walkable to Buckingham Palace, Westminister Abbey. It is convenient, obviously, to the rail station and to the tube, as well as bus stations. If you are flying in and out of Gatwick, it has the bonus of being right there where the jetlagged get off the Gatwick express! And if you are on Brit Air, you can check your luggage there at Victoria and not have to fiddle with it on your return trek to Gatwick. American Airlines used to have a check in there, too--I don't know if they still do.

If there is a down side, it would be that its sheer massiveness means it is not exactly cosy and charming. It is more regal and just plain large. The breakfasts we had there were not quiet moments to start the day, but rather clattery, bustling experiences. But given all its other advantages, that was a minor point.

Obviously we liked the place, and when the state of North Carolina gives its community college teachers a huge raise, we would stay there again! It is more affordable via airline package deals, I think.
I stayed at the hotel last month (November 2002), booked through Londontown.com for 45 pounds (VAT included). There are two wings. It is not very convenient to stay in the side wing, as you have to change elevator, and walk through Very Long corridors. The room was nice and clean, but nothing fancy.

Correspondence from Fodors forum, 29 March to 5 April 2003

Question from Judy
My travel agent has suggested the Thistle Victoria Hotel for my family of four's first visit to London. Does anyone know anything about this hotel and its location? How about the Harrington Hall or the Park International? These are other suggestions by my travel agent. Any tips about what to do and how to get about would be appreciated

Replies
RosemaryM: We stayed at the Thistle Victoria a few years ago when it was still the Grosvenor Thistle. It is old and rather Victorian, unless it has been refurbished with the new name. However I enjoyed it. It is so close to Victoria Station that there is an entrance to the Station concourse from the lobby. From our room you could hear the announcements from the station. It is very convenient if you are coming from Gatwick.

Carolyn: We stayed at the Victoria Thistle two years ago and it was very nice. "Victorian" in no way implies aged or seedy--the exterior is quite Victorian, but our room was spacious and lovely. We could hear the announcements from the station drift up, but they were in no way interruptive or sleep preventing. There really aren't too many announcements later in the evening or through the night. (I think we were on the third or fourth floor.)

The location is perfect, of course, as it is right in the heart of things--walkable to Buckingham Palace, Westminister Abbey. It is convenient, obviously, to the rail station and to the tube, as well as bus stations. If you are flying in and out of Gatwick, it has the bonus of being right there where the jetlagged get off the Gatwick express! And if you are on Brit Air, you can check your luggage there at Victoria and not have to fiddle with it on your return trek to Gatwick. American Airlines used to have a check in there, too--I don't know if they still do.

If there is a down side, it would be that its sheer massiveness means it is not exactly cosy and charming. It is more regal and just plain large. The breakfasts we had there were not quiet moments to start the day, but rather clattery, bustling experiences. But given all its other advantages, that was a minor point.

Obviously we liked the place, and when the state of North Carolina gives its community college teachers a huge raise, we would stay there again! It is more affordable via airline package deals, I think.

Ann: The hotel is OK. Not great but OK. Everything works. My only problem is the Victoria area. Horrendously busy, noisy, and covered in construction. They are currently redoing the front of Victoria Station which will be impossible to avoid. If you are only staying a few days then being dead central is key. If you are staying a week or so, go about one or two tube stops to the west for a more neighborhood London feel.

JoeE: We have just returned Sunday, March 30, 2003, from a seven-night stay at the Thistle Victoria on an American Airlines vacation package. We couldn't have been more pleased with it for our first stay in London. Access is so easy from the Gatwick Express. There are two short flights of stairs from the train station lobby up to the hotel lobby. One flight of about four steps and the second flight of about ten steps. The lobby and staircase are regal. The room was very nice. The towel warmer in the bathroom was convenient for drying our washables. While in our room, we weren't aware that we were near the train station. Many city busses depart from the plaza in front of the train station. The tube is just a few steps down from the station level. We didn't think the area was seedy at all, especially compared to the area around the Munich and Frankfurt train stations. There are several decent restaurants (including a pub) in Victoria Place two levels up from the train station. We would seriously consider staying there again.

In March 2003 people bought rooms at sixty pounds a night in the Thistle hotels at Victoria and Charing Cross via brokers:
http://www.priceline.com
http://www.lastminute.com.
http://www.londontown.com,
http://www.orbitz.com
Another traveller booked at the Thistle Royal Horseguards in March for 87 pounds a night incuding VAT and breakfast. She called the 800 number and asked for their best rate. When she was given a rate she asked if there was a better rate and there was.

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Harcourt House Hotel. Do not stay there. I stayed there a couple of years ago and it was awful. (5 nights there - I still can't believe we didn't just leave and go someplace else). 50 Ebury Street, phone 7730 2722, fax 7730 3998. http://www.harcourthousehotel.co.uk/...N/Catalog/3069

Holly House Hotel. reasonably priced and the rooms are okay. Nothing fancy but we only wanted a place to lay our weary heads at the end of the day. We got a 5-person ensuite family room for only 90 pounds, including a continental breakfast. reasonable. 20 Hugh Street, SW1 WOLU, phone 7834 5671, fax 7233 5154. 0870 333 9120. http://www.hollyhousehotel1.fsnet.co.uk/. Twin or Double Room: Basic 40 pounds, en-suite 50 pounds.

Lime Tree Hotel. I read about it on the Rick Steves board. The owner is delightful, our room was small, but cheerfully appointed, we had a stall shower, the area is quiet at night and has a pleasant boho feel to it, and an English breakfast is served. It was a little under 71 pounds or $100 a night. Most of the other guests were repeat customers, too.

Lime Tree Hotel. I stayed there two years ago and really enjoyed it. I booked one of the smaller rooms (only in London for two nights). It was cheerfully decorated in floral prints, had a stall shower, no bath, bring your own soap, big closet, and a desk. Breakfast was the traditional English breakfast and Dave and his wife and the staff were friendly and helpful. Compared to other dreary and threadbare places I've stayed in London, the Lime Tree was a welcome change. 137 Ebury Street, phone 7730 8191, fax 7730 7865. 75 to 115 pounds or 105 to 157 dollars a room. http://www.limetreehotel.co.uk/location.htm

Lime Tree. August 2002. I've stayed twice and really like it. The well-decorated rooms are small as are the modern bathrooms. A full breakfast is served in the dining room. Like many B&Bs, the Lime Tree has no elevator. Your hosts are helpful and friendly. The Ebury Street Wine bar is next door and is very good and very popular(eclectic menu). I like the area--good blend of B&Bs and small shops. Easy walk to Buckingham Palace. We also walked to the theatre area; a longer trek.

I have friends who stayed at the Lime Tree in 2001 and really liked it. They said it was clean and comfortable and would stay there again.

http://www.limetreehotel.co.uk/. In 2003 75 pounds to about 110 pounds, includes a full breakfast

Melita House. I stayed in summer 2002, a few blocks from Victoria. The rooms were very tiny (I had a single room) but comfortable and clean. I think I paid around $110ish so it was affordable. I have also seen posts on this board about a place called Lime something-lime tree? you might do a search for lime and see what comes up.

Quality Inn. I stayed recently. We decided that time to save money. Big mistake. It was not pleasant. The sort of place one questions the wisdom of taking off one's shoes. I think it was on Belgrave Road. Not in the telephone directory.

The Quality Hotel about 3 blocks from Victoria at your price. I stayed recently. I can't say it had atmosphere--just a hotel. I walked down Ebury Street --you'll find lots of postings about it--and it seemed like a good street of hotels in old houses. It starts about 2 blocks from the station so the distance would depend how far down your choice was.

The Quality Inn at 82-83 Eccleston Sq. August 2002. I have stayed twice ('99 and'00). It is a very comfortable hotel. I shared a twin and by no means was it spacious, but it was clean and comfortable. Breakfast was not included, though there is a restaurant and small lobby bar available. The price was right, the location close to Victoria Station.

Hotel Eccleston. I did not enjoy my one-night stay back in 1997 - for the most part due to what I considered to be the poor quality of the room (seemed unclean, broken tiles in the bathroom, etc.).

Rubens Hotel. We went with a sort of "family" outing and got three rooms there. They weren't near each other, but given the dynamics of travel, that was perhaps for the best. All age ranges--seniors, boomers, and teen--enjoyed the Rubens.

Rubens Hotel. My Mom stayed there and loved it - nice rooms etc.

Rubens Hotel. I highly recommend it. It is literally across the street from parts of Buckingham Palace. We stayed there twice, and liked it quite a lot. The first time we had a huge breakfast buffet option, and the second time, for unknown reasons, only a "continental" buffet, but both were good. We liked its smaller size and comfortable lobby.
Buckingham Palace Road, phone 7834 6600.

In May 2002 we stayed at the 4* Rubens-at-the-Palace Hotel. It is within a couple of blocks of Victoria Station and right across the street from the Royal Mews at Buckingham Palace. We got a great rate on www.londontown.com. Their English buffet breakfast is fantastic and everyone at the hotel was very friendly. I would definitely stay there again. Within walking distance to many major sights.

June 2002. We got a 99 pound rate including full breakfast and VAT at the 4* Rubens Hotel through http://www.londontown.com. We were right across from Buckingham Palace and within walking distance to most of the major sites as well as Victoria Station. It was a great deal for London.

Topham Belgravia Hotel. We were pleased with the accommodation. The restaurant was excellent.

Topham Belgravia Hotel. I second this. The public rooms are charming, particularly the breakfast room. The bedrooms were sweet and clean. The staff was friendly.
28 Ebury Street, phone 7730 8147. http://www.tophams.co.uk/. In August, double or twin, without en-suite, 110 pounds or 154 dollars. Otherwise, from 130 pounds or 182 dollars.

Victoria Inn off Belgrave Road, Victoria. November 2002. Website http://www.victoriainn.co.uk/. Within walking distance of Victoria Station (10-15 minutes), 5 minutes to Pimlico Station, it was about 60 pounds for a double, breakfast included. Very clean rooms, nice staff, quiet, the street is lined with B&B's and within a residential area. My sister and I walked back at night many nights and never felt unsafe. Nice stroll to Buckingham Palace. Good restaurants within walking distance. Have fun

December 2002. I have just returned from a few days in London and we stayed at the Victoria Park Plaza. The location is extremely good as it is very close to Victoria mainline train station and tube and also the bus station. Bombay Dreams and Grease are just around the corner and you're ten minutes on the bus (less by tube) from Oxford street. The hotel is modern and comfortable rooms. The one we had was facing into the central 'well' of the hotel so was nice and quiet. The breakfast was plentiful and varied but the only criticism was that, as with most hotel buffets, that it could have been hotter. However when I asked the chef he heated up my scrambled eggs no problem. There are many good restaurants in the area and a nice pub called the Jugged Hare in Vauxhall Bridge road where they do a great home made steak pie and chips. The room rate can be found at www.victoriaparkplazahotel.activehotels.com/NPZ.

Message: March 2003 I'm staying at the Victoria Park Plaza a 4* near Victoria Station for 108.23 euros a night, in May. Got the deal from All-hotels.com. Most of the other .coms were $189 a night.

Westminster House Hotel. My husband and I just returned (last week) from a fantastic 5 day London trip. A B&B (really a small hotel). Just about $100 or 72 pounds per night with full breakfast. Clean, quiet, with private WC and shower. Mr. and Mrs. Jones (proprietors) and their three daughters were nice. Walk to either Victoria or Sloane Square tube stop (we preferred the latter, as it took us right through our lovely neighborhood, Belgravia -- Mrs. Thatcher lives on the square behind, according to our host!). We would return - lodging is so expensive in central London and this was good value. 96 Ebury Street, phone 7730 4302. http://www.westminsterhousehotel.co.uk/contact.htm/.
Twin or double room with breakfast: standard 70 pounds or 98 dollars, en suite 80 pounds or 112 dollars.
4 April 2002.Stayed at the Westminster House Hotel in Nov 2001 and it was a dump. We checked out the next day. The shower was totally covered with green mold. If this is anyone's idea of a nice place to stay for $100 they had better look around. We went to the 4 star Holiday Inn Victoria and got a wonderful room for 99 pounds with a fabulous buffet breakfast.
We have stayed in the Windemere on Warwick Way. Adequate rooms, no elevator, food good and a nice lounge.

2003 I stayed at the Windemere a few years ago and will not stay there again. The room was clean and comfortable, but noisy. The walls were thin, and all night I could hear the plumbing from my neighbors.

Also, this hotel is a longer walk from the metro than I would have preferred. After spending all day walking miles around town, I was usually exhausted by the time I returned at night, and was not too happy about having the 10 or 15 minutes walk to my hotel. The Victoria Station area had several other hotels that were closer to the train station.
Ten minutes walk from Victoria Station


Message: We have stayed at the Windemere in the past and found it to be a great value for its location. It's the best moderately priced hotel we've found in London based on your criteria. They have a website at:
https://www.windermere-hotel.co.uk/index.php

Woodville House Hotel. nice: in Rick Steves' book

Woodville House Hotel. I believe the price was under $100 US, but I do not have it listed in my journal - it is probably listed in Rick Steves book. The room did not have toilet or shower, there was one on each landing. It did include a typical English breakfast - more food than we ever ate at breakfast but then we saved money on lunch! The owners were extremely helpful.
107 Ebury Street, phone 7730-1048, fax 7730-2574. http://www.woodvillehouse.co.uk/. Double or twin room with breakfast, and showers down the corridor, 62 pounds or 87 dollars.

In October 2002 we stayed at Woodville House near Victoria Station. The location was great, close to train, tube and bus terminal. The neighbourhood was also very quiet and we walked together and alone quite late at night and early in the morning. Lots of restaurants nearby plus a very reasonable Internet Cafe. 69 pounds a night with breakfast. The bad news - although clean, it's pretty shabby. And the breakfasts were your regular fry-up, fairly disgusting after the third or fourth day. Bathroom down the hall, very basic, and you didn't want to be the fourth or fifth person showering. Depends what you want. If we go to London (my husband and I) and want a real treat and real English hotel experience we'll stay at the Basil Street (which can be very expensive.) But if you're spending your time out all day and need a central place that's handy to transportation, we'd stay at the Woodville again.

In fall 2002 we stayed at Woodville House. Although it is a basic bed and breakfast with some charming touches, it is in a great location. Not far from Victoria Station but in a very quiet area. My husband and I walked the route many times during the day and night and never were worried. Around Victoria Station are lots of pubs (our favourite was the Duke of York), restaurants, internet cafe, grocery stores. Cost us 58 pounds.


Along Ebury Street from north to south.
28 Ebury Court, 28 Topham Belgravia. 50 Harcourt House, 64 Chesham House, 96 Westminster House, 102 Ebury House, 104 Collin House,
107 Woodville House, 108 James House, 110 Astors, 129 Cartref, 137 Limetree.

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HOTELS ON AND NEAR THE STRAND

http://www.travelinn.co.uk/find/search_frameset.jsp
Travel Inn County Hall.
2002: Mon-Thurs £79.95. Fri-Sun £74.95

http://www.royaladelphi.co.uk/index.htm
http://www.demon.co.uk/hotel-uk/adelphi.html#
Royal Adelphi Hotel. From £45 or 80 inc breakfast

http://london.hotelguide.net/data/h100241.htm
Strand Palace Hotel. 2002: £160 to £450
Also at discount £60 any date in August
and £70 Fridays to Sundays all year
on http://www.hotelsengland.com./
Discounts also on http://www.travelnow.com/hotels/
and on http://www.180096HOTEL.com
Many rooms are small, but not all, so it is good to ask
the room size before you book.
Discount to £100 for a double on http://www.londonnights.com/

http://london.hotelguide.net/data/h100316.htm
Charing Cross Thistle Hotel. £190 to 255
Double at £90 a night in summer 2002. See http://summerinthecity.thistlehotels...p?Offer_Id=271
Offers through brokers: see the entry above for the Victoria Thistle

http://london.hotelguide.net/data/h100486.htm
Waldorf Meridien. 2002: £210 to £495
Also at discount £165 any date in August
and £176 Fridays to Saturdays all year
on http://www.hotelsengland.com./

http://London.hotelguide.net/data/h100119.htm
Savoy Hotel. £265 to 1190.
On 1 December 2002 offered 149 pounds a night on an internet site special.


HOTELS ELSEWHERE. Notes from November 2002.

There follow some forum readers' comments on cheap hotels in Paddington and Bloomsbury, and student halls, all further from tourist attractions than Victoria and the Strand.

November and December 2002. For good deals check
http://www.Londontown.com
http://www.hotel-assist.com/
http://www.londonnights.com
http://www.smoothhound.com
http://www.londonrooms.biz

June 2002. The Cranley, South Kensington, which looks like a fabulous hotel (we're staying there in December). I used www.londonnights.com, and couldn't be happier. They offered an incredible rate at the Cranley. The rack rate is 180 GBP excluding 17.5% tax, no breakfast. The London Nights rate was 90 GBP, including tax and breakfast. I am absolutely thrilled - and they are very friendly and helpful as well.
November 2002. I stayed at the Cranley in November and it was lovely.

Balmoral House Hotel, 156 and 157 Sussex Gardens, near Paddington Station. Website www.balmoralhousehotel.co.uk. Clean, very convenient to Paddington tube and rail, good English breakfast and all taxes for 60 pounds double. I always stay there: owners nice and helpful. Plenty of inexpensive places to eat nearby? Italian, Indian, Greek, pizza, pubs, fish & chip and burgers. It is as nice as the website shows. Have fun.
I'll endorse the Balmoral House Hotel. We stayed there 10 to 15 October 2002: rates for a double with WC, shower and full breakfast were 65 pounds. The location is great - convenient via Tube to all sights, and near some great restaurants, a laundromat, internet cafes and pubs.

The Victoria, a small place near Richmond. Website www.thevictoria.net/ Friends stayed in 2002 and loved it. They said the food was great, room small but clean and bathroom private, and under 65 pounds. 10 West Temple Sheen, London SW14 7RT. Tel 020 8876 4238. Fax 020 8878 3464. email [email protected]. Waterloo station to Sheen

Arosfa in Bloomsbury. www.eurocheapo.com/london/listings/ selection/arosfa.asp. My wife and I stayed in 2001 and loved it. We paid 50 pounds a night for a large, clean room with bath down the hall. We were the only ones on the floor using the bathroom. The location was excellent, with two tube stops very close by. We could walk to the West End to see plays. The Arosfa is listed in Let's Go and some other guidebooks. I highly recommend it (We are fellow Canadians and too were on a tighter budget). 83 Gower Street. Tel 020 7636 2115. Fax 020 7636 2115. Tube Goodge Street

St. Margaret's Bloomsbury. www.stmargaretshotel.co.uk/ Went there and liked it very much. Bedford Place. Russell Square tube.

We always stay at the Celtic, Bloomsbury, within your budget and threadbare but very clean and plenty of atmosphere.
I've also heard good things about the Celtic, though it's a pretty basic place to stay, it is supposedly very clean, good breakfast and a super helpful staff. 63 Guilford Street, London, WC1N 1DD, Tel: +44 (0) 207 8376737

To be avoided. My experience with the Lonsdale Bloomsbury/Russell Square www.lonsdalehotel.com/info.shtml was that it seemed the management was always trying to screw us. They showed us a room and we booked it. When we returned later with our bags they took us to a room up 3 flights of stairs which had none of the amenities of the room they'd originally showed us. When we pointed this out they told us that suddenly the hotel was "full". I told them it would do for the night but if they didn't do better by the second day we would move on. Getting any help, information, etc. was like pulling teeth. The second night the room was better but still nothing like the "sample" that had lured us in. Breakfast was a "buffet" and most of the food was far from being either fresh or piping hot. There are too many places to stay in that neighbourhood that want your business to put up with such nonsense. I'm a cordial guest and not demanding but generally got the vibe that the management was experiencing a bad life and wanted to pass it along to everyone who stayed in the hotel. Who needs it? By the by, I've talked to others who felt exactly the same way. One was a friend of mine who'd booked two weeks there a moved out after the second day.
Again, there are just so many good places, why burden yourself with the Lonsdale? Of course you might choose to go there and have a fabulous stay, however that certainly doesn't seem to be the general consensus as I've seen negative threads about the Lonsdale many times before on several different travel sites. Bedford Place. Telephone: 0207 636 1812 Fax: 0207 580 9902. E-mail: [email protected]

Summer rooms in university halls in London. http://www.buac.co.uk
Universities and colleges offer good lodging in vacation. If your dates are flexible plan your stay around their vacation schedule. These rooms are available from 23 March to 23 April and 30 June to 28 September, 2003.

I have booked a single suite at Imperial College South Kensington in early April for a conference there. The universities let out their dorm rooms during college holiday and breaks and you can't find a better deal in a better location. I will be at the college for 43 pound a night and with that comes all of the campus activities and facilities that the students have. The rooms seem spacious and very comfortable. Website http://www.icsl.ac.uk/support/universityhalls.htm.

Message: I've actually stayed in Imperial College housing before, and been generally pleased -- be sure, though, to get either a room in one of the newer, purpose-built halls or one of the self-service mews near the IC offices. And ask about where breakfast is served; the first time I stayed at IC I had to walk three blocks and cross a busy thoroughfare to get to breakfast. Just precautions, and don't let them discourage you. Imperial College, like several other London schools, has gone into the tourist accommodation business in a big way in the last couple of years and is aggressively pursuing the budget traveller, so there are some excellent deals on offer.
I've stayed in Bankside House which is a university hall of residence for the London School of Economics. It is in an excellent position just behind the Tate Modern and within walking distance of the Globe, the Millenium Bridge and St Pauls. It is very inexpensive, but perfectly adequate with an en suite shower room. The breakfast in the morning was good and the service friendly. Website http://www.lse.ac.uk/collections/vacations/

ira

My Lord, Ben.

I am overawed.

My little contribution was going to be Bloomsbury.

ggnga

ttt for this informative thread by Ben Haines. It will hopefully help the recent posters seeking budget accomdations in London.

Travelpat

We always go in November for Thanksgiving. The Whitehall district is wonderful. Quiet, right on the Thames across from the London Eye. Location, location, location. Tube (Embankment is 1/2 black away.) Parliament and Big Ben is around the corner. You can walk to just about everything, including the theater district. We stay at Thistle Royal Horseguards. (not cheap, but a great hotel. We keep coming back because of the location.)

m_kingdom2

Mayfair/W1 is the most central area and will provide very easy access to all the major attractions.

Michel_Paris

Have you also considerer B&Bs? I've stayed Bloomsbury which I think is a good area. Here's a link to one web source:

http://www.smoothhound.co.uk/46.html

Mike

Merseyheart

I'm going to put in another plug for my regular hotel in London, the Georgian, a small B&B-type place on Gloucester Road. There are several other hotels in the neighborhood. It's up near Baker Street tube stop. All the resources you need are in the neighborhood. If you walk six blocks south, you're on Oxford Street.

rj007

If you are new to London, then I would recommend staying in Central London. But if you have made several trips then I would suggest the suburbs to save money. The Thistle Royal Horseguards and the Georgian are very nice centrally located hotels but they cost way more than I would want to pay. Even with the special the Thistle is running, the cost is over 100% more than what I pay at my B%B. The Georgian is 50% more.

I stayed in Central London on my first 5 visits, but never again. The money I have saved paid for my plane tickets. I am getting ready for my 4th trip to Europe in 12 months (from California).

flsd

ttt

MissZiegfeld

I agree with Michael. I've stayed in both Kensington and Bloomsbury, and while Kensington is a great area, I prefer Bloomsbury. It's far enough away from Leicester Sq, Piccadilly Circus, etc, but still within easy walking distance (about 20 mins-half hour walk). I stay at hotel Cavendish on Gower Street, a block away from the bustling Tottenham Court Rd. (and a tube stop)

fairfax

Hey Ben -

I am moving to London in March... Any recommendations on an inexpensive but safe neighborhood to look for a flat in?

thanks!