Thanks for recent posts. Janisj - your knowledge is amazing as your name pops up on lots of threads. It's so helpful to have your input. Will check out all options.
Have just dug up my itinerary from Dec 1996!!!! I stayed at the Vicarage Private Hotel in Kensington then. Has anyone stayed there recently? (Assuming that it still operates - guess I need to google that too!)

I was in London in October and stayed at the Tune Hotel near Paddington Station. I was really impressed with it and would stay there in a heart beat. It's a newer hotel, very clean and a very nice staff. It's short walk to the Paddington Station (three lines Bakerloo, Circle, District) and an under 15 minute walk to the edge of Hyde Park and Lancaster Gate Station (Central Line). I live about a 10 minute walk from public transportation I take every morning to work so the distance wasn't bad at all to me. The downside -- rooms are super, super small and you have to pay extra for things like towels or the TV. Very tight space for two people. The train can also get a bit noisy if you're trying to sleep.

>> rooms are super, super small and you have to pay extra for things like towels or the TV. Very tight space for two people. The train can also get a bit noisy if you're trying to sleep.<< . . . and near Paddington. All valid reasons to avoid the place IMO.

Glad you enjoyed your stay, but for me - to stay in Paddington it would have to be free or nearly so.


Aussiefolk: Glad I can help. The Vicarage is still there http://londonvicaragehotel.com/welcome

It is a little over your budget but @ £138 for room w/ bath inc. breakfast you could do worse. (or £110 w/ shared bath). It isn't the absolutely most convenient location w/ Notting Hill Gate and High St Kensington the only nearby tube stations. But there is excellent bus service along High St Kensington. And it is close to the park and Portobello Rd

Thanks for that Janisj. I have a couple of hotels on a list now. What would be a 'convenient location' in you view? Gowerr Rd Bloomsbury? We're in our late 60s - pretty fit though.

Bloomsbury is great. Near the British Museum, good transport in from LHR, walking distance to Covent Garden, Soho, etc.

Try londontown.com. You can search by budget, area, type of hotel, etc.

Other possible options:

Luna Simone, Victoria: http://www.lunasimonehotel.com/
Morgan Guesthouse, Victoria: http://www.morganhouse.co.uk/
Judd Hotel, Bloomsbury: http://www.juddhotelbloomsbury.com/

The websites on the last two posts have been most helpful, thanks. Still ploughing through the fine details.

Morgan Guesthouse is looking good. Has anyone stayed there or know of it at all? It seems fairly central, is within our budget and sounds good reading the website blurb (I guess they all do really!).

Where is it?
Check tripadvisor, too.

Oops, sorry. It's very close to Victoria station in Belgravia.

TA review for Morgan Guesthouse: http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Rev...n_England.html

Hi aussiefolk.

try this place:
http://www.arosfalondon.com/

I put in your dates and it will be 120 pounds per night. But I can recommend it.
My daughter travelled to London on her own, and she stayed here. Loved it. The people were really nice and it includes breakfast.

I also recommend Arosfa Hotel in Gower Street, Bloomsbury. Have stayed there twice and booked in again for June. Close to everything, tube, bus and Lots of food options in the surrounding area.

To voice an out of city option and of course this suggestion would be for a certain budget. Ross House B&B in Hillingdon near Uxbridge, with no more than a 5 minute walk to the tube. Double about 55 GBP and family room I think 65?
Travel cards to London and 20 minute ride to LHR via taxi or outfit called Village Cars in nearby Ickenham or with enough time you can take the tube to connect with the Piccadilly Line at Acton Town.
On LHR airport Jurys Inn offers the best value and is a short walk to the Hatton Tube stop on the Piccadilly Line

I'm sorry - but IMO Hillingdon or Hatton Cross would be a dreadful places to stay. An hour each way to most tourist sites w/ line changes.

That £55 doesn't include the extra transport costs nor the lost time.

Just to lay it out here, maybe another option you can look at are flats? Most of them are centrally located too.

We stayed at the Thanet Hotel in Bloomsbury. It's 120 gbp for a double. They call themselves the "friendliest budget hotel in London" We enjoyed our 9 day stay over Christmas 2011. Deborah