Hello!

I'm going to book Ibis Euston Hotel in London, which is just across the street of Euston Train Station. I want to know if the area/neighborhood is safe.

In most big cities I've been, the area around big train station is always a little bit seedy. Last summer I rented an apartment in El Raval, Barcelona and although its central location I was surprised how seedy it was and wasn't feeling safe walking in the night through the neighborhood.

I live in Sofia, Bulgaria - not the most peaceful place on earth, so I'm not a security freak.

The area used to be pretty seedy but it's better now. It's still not where I'd chose to stay. With people winning 4* hotels (in better areas) for $100 or sometimes less on Priceline.com, that's really the best way to get a hotel room in London. Info here
http://p070.ezboard.com/fpricelinean...abiddingfrm215
You don't have to be in the US to bid but evidently Mastercard and American Express work but not all Visa cards do.
http://www.betterbidding.com/index.p...amp;t=503&

Here are some previous posts on the Ibis Euston and the area
http://fodors.com/forums/threadselec...p;tid=35090156

http://fodors.com/forums/threadselec...&tid=94523

It's perfectly fine. Some wooses like to make a fuss about a few streets several blocks north-east of the station, but the hotel is on the station's west, and you couldn't possibly get to the allegedly (and incorrectly) dodgier area by mistake. A few excellent - and rather more really lousy - "Indian" restaurants close nearby. The non-veg ones are generally mediocre: the Bombay snack shops (all vegetarian) are excellent, though service can be, errm, quirky.

It's not an "allegedly" dodgy area, it is a bloody dodgy area. That is if you are a teen age involved in gang activity or the drug trade. For the rest of us it's no worse than any other area in London.

I would avoid the Tonbridge Square area and the Regents park Estate (the other side of the Hampstead Road).

There are some good places nearby - for pubs I would recommend the Exmouth Arms just behind the Hotel (which does decent pub grub) and the Head of Steam in the station building itself.

Has farce started early on the Christmas cheer?

There's no Tonbridge Square I'm aware of - and while I defer to farce's detailed knowledge of the seamier bits of London, I've been walking the streets round the North London railway stations almost as long as he's been on this planet.

There's a Tonbridge Street, which might well be dodgy - but that's way to the east, and south of Euston Rd anyway. By London standards, almost a different planet from Euston.

The layout of the streets round Euston makes it practically impossible you'd ever stray into those places where lowlifes dwell. And as farce hints, they really do keep their misbehaviour aimed at other lowlifes. They don't even try breaking into my car - and much of my expertise comes from the fact that the allegedly dodgy streets are the closest place to really central London I can painlesly park.

For Tonbridge Sq read Tolmer's Sq - I shouldn't keep relying just on memory alone. I am getting old.

Tolmers Sq is the blocks of flats just by drummond St that have the modern Young's pub in them. Very iffy at night.

I have been drinking in the area (and indeed used to work in robert St) for many years and have never had a problem (even when I was stealing the cannabis plants from the bomb site by the Exmouth).

In general if you don't wander around looking like a christmas tree (ie cameras, ipods etc hanging off you) you'll be fine.

Some Czech friends have just booked at the travelodge which I believe is opening in april it is supposedly close to Euston station, they got £29 per room.

How close is it to the station exactly?

Muck

You can see the map here. It looks pretty close to me:
http://www.travelodge.co.uk/find_a_h...p?hotel_id=344

The travel lodge is in Eversholt st (according to the webiste anyway). So it will be handy for the big post office depot and the shop for transvestites.

Despite that - it's OK.

angelthepep - We have stayed at The Ibis Euston twice when visiting London and found it clean, efficient but not very friendly staff at the reception. They do their duty very well and warned us that if we leave luggage for collection later in the day - there is no guarantee it would still be there. Store-room Not locked or monitored.
The restaurant is reasonable if you are tired and don't want to go out for dinner.

On the last occassion we had an outside-facing room onto Starcross street ( I think, not sure) and late at night the young Indian men came out driving Mercs & Beamers and generally making a racket in the street. That was the only downside of two stays in that Ibis hotel.

We like the fact Euston station & a large bus depot is so near.
This coming trip in May 2008 we were about to book the Ibis again when I saw a post reccommending The Jesmond Dene Hotel, 27 Argyle street. Nearer to Kings Cross than Euston but slightly cheaper & included a full English breakfast.
We'll give it a try - maybe revert back to the Ibis next time - who knows!

I saw a post reccommending The Jesmond Dene Hotel,>>>>

How times change. That used to be a knocking shop.

"How times change. That used to be a knocking shop."
"So it will be handy for the big post office depot and the shop for transvestites."
Cholmondley_Warner what an interesting life you lead... ;-)


Muck

Other people know their way around London by Hawksmoor churches, Michelen starred restaurants or listed buildings.

i know my way around by dodgy juicers, knocking shops, crack houses, drinking dens, spielers and doss houses.

I am living the dream.

You're really Amy Winehouse, aren't you? Go on, admit it.

I've walked along Cardington St and past this hotel quite a lot in the early evenings (I used to go to a gym in the Carreras building nearby, before you jump to conclusions), and though it's a slightly odd little enclave, it never struck me as dangerous or dodgy. A bit scruffy in places, with some buildings awaiting a bit of refurbishment. Good transport links though.

Whether you can get a better deal for the price elsewhere, I wouldn't know, but I wouldn't dismiss it as impossible.

Amy winehouse will be lucky to still be alive when she's my age - the lightweight.

Despite the impression I may be, inadvertantly, be giving the area is fine. It has a few "interesting" areas (google "transformation euston&quot and activities - but it's a lot nicer than it was once upon a time.

Camden Town is now the rough old bit.

as you can tell from the posts above - the Ibis isn't a terrible location and as long as you head south (towards the British Museum/Bloomsbury/Russell Sq/etc.) you will be fine.

But there are much nicer areas in lots of parts of London I'd personally stay elsewhere. How much are you paying - If it is a huge bargain, go for it. But if not, I'd keep looking.

I'm paying 54GBP per double room, and I think it's a bargain after I reviewed about a hundred hotels in London. I always prefer to stay in or near city center, because I love to walk and when most major sights are within walking distance is always convenient.

The cheapest en-suite hotels and B&B i found are around Victoria Station or Earls Court and they cost around 45-60 GBP, but the reviews about them at tripadvisor are awful.

Anyway, thank you all for your input. I booked Ibis Euston, of course if I find something nicer I'll cancel my reservation (at least Ibis has an excellent cancellation policy).

"So it will be handy for the big post office depot and the shop for transvestites."

Also one of London's few Nepalese restaurants. And the world's finest - and free - printed word and manuscript museum in the British Library. And St Pancras, which some claim is Britain's most beautiful station, and all would concede is just about the greatest Victorian architecture west of Bombay. And the Wellcome Collection, our most underrated new museum.

And. Well, I'd just go on. Anywhere else, the area'd be a tourist draw locals'd boast about.

I reckon it's a great area. And a great price. Wish I was going to be there soon.

At the current exchange rate, you may not realize that 54 gbp is over $100. I repeat, the best deals on hotels is bidding on Priceline. Why not give it a try or at least look into it. Or book the Ibis if it's cancelable and doesn't require prepayment and then see if you can get a hotel thru Priceline. Wouldn't you prefer to stay more central and nicer for the same money??? The location of the Holiday Inn Kensington is very good and that's being won for $100 (50 gbp) and less.