First Time in London - Need Advice on Cheap B&B
Aug 6th, 1997, 07:04 PM
#2
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My husband and I visited London about four years ago. We stayed at a hotel called "The George" which was in the Theatre District. It was $55 per night and included a full English breakfast each morning.
It is in an excellent area with a rail station one block away. We stayed there on a recommendation from a friend and her husband and would stay there again on our next trip. Have fun!!
It is in an excellent area with a rail station one block away. We stayed there on a recommendation from a friend and her husband and would stay there again on our next trip. Have fun!!
Aug 8th, 1997, 02:25 PM
#3
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Hi! I go to London often and stay in the Glouster Road area which is very nice and loaded with small hotels. I picked up a card for one but did not look at the rooms, but the area is great, safe and the tube is right there. It is: The Cromwell Crown Hotel 139-141 Cromwell Road, South Kensington Tel:0171-370 12222/3/4/5 Fax:0171-373-0034. Also one time I stayed at a private Youth Hostel near Notting Hill Gate Tube stop. It was clean,safe, and they had a small restraunt in the basement it is: Palace Hotel 31 Palace Court. I don't have the Tel# sorry. If not look around the Glouster Rd area. Good Luck!
Aug 8th, 1997, 05:30 PM
#4
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I just returned from England about 10 days ago and believe me there is NOTHING CHEAP. Spent two days in a pleasant hotel in the Bloomsbury area called The Jenkins...clean and and the staff is friendly, (very near British Museum) close to several tube stations...shared facilities are very reasonable. We requested private facilities and the room was so small we, and our suitcases, could not stand at the same time. The other room (shared toilet and bath) was larger and more pleasant...in the front of the hotel. If you check out some travel books, you will find a number of hotels in this area that are noted as being "bargains." Another tip...buy passes for the tube that are good for more than one journey. What seems to be a deal can get pretty expensive, and the pass lets you go and go! Last tip, visit the Wallace Collection...one of London's best..and it's free.
Aug 11th, 1997, 07:00 PM
#5
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In Sep/96 I stayed at the St Georges Hotel, 107 st george's drive tel 0171 834 0210 fax: 0171 931 0704.
There is a room with a double bed and private bath, (wonderful shower) on the top floor. You have to climb about 4 flights of stairs, but it's quiet up there. It's immaculately clean, beds are not the most comfortable, real firm, a few lumps. A full english breakfast is included, and I thought it was real good. It cost 35 pounds. It is near Victoria Station. Pimlico is the closest tube station. There are other rooms there available without private bath, I think these were running 30 pounds. The room on the top floor with bath is priced low because you have to climb all the stairs. Have fun!
There is a room with a double bed and private bath, (wonderful shower) on the top floor. You have to climb about 4 flights of stairs, but it's quiet up there. It's immaculately clean, beds are not the most comfortable, real firm, a few lumps. A full english breakfast is included, and I thought it was real good. It cost 35 pounds. It is near Victoria Station. Pimlico is the closest tube station. There are other rooms there available without private bath, I think these were running 30 pounds. The room on the top floor with bath is priced low because you have to climb all the stairs. Have fun!
Aug 12th, 1997, 08:58 AM
#6
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A great B&B is the Westminster House. It is in the Westminster part of the city which is gorgeous, walking distance to Buckingham palace and Westminster Abbey.
Definitely a must. full breakfast is included in price. off season I think the prices are around $45 a night.
have fun!
Definitely a must. full breakfast is included in price. off season I think the prices are around $45 a night.
have fun!
Aug 16th, 1997, 02:05 PM
#7
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Just returned from London last night and I was quite unimpressed. If I had stayed another night I would have been broke. Every time I went to the currency exchange counter I felt sick. It cost me
$91 to buy 40 pounds and as of yesterday it was $1.55 to each British pound so literally I threw away 50 cents each time I walked up to the counter. I had to buy more British money to get to Gatwick and it cost me $80 for me and my 17 and 13 year old (and we told them he was 12) to take a taxi and then the Gatwick Express. The tour was boring, the only thing I really liked was the London Bridge.
The city is huge and the only thing to do is go to plays, shop, or take tours. Our tour was 3 hours and cost 40 pounds each person. Dinner the night before at a medevial show (Beefeaters, and it was great!) cost 40 pounds each also; so in 2 nights there I spent $700. I spend a week in Holland for about $800, everything included, so it was a real downer! It's could be fun if you like spending all of your hard earned savings or are just plain rich and can afford to blow it!
$91 to buy 40 pounds and as of yesterday it was $1.55 to each British pound so literally I threw away 50 cents each time I walked up to the counter. I had to buy more British money to get to Gatwick and it cost me $80 for me and my 17 and 13 year old (and we told them he was 12) to take a taxi and then the Gatwick Express. The tour was boring, the only thing I really liked was the London Bridge.
The city is huge and the only thing to do is go to plays, shop, or take tours. Our tour was 3 hours and cost 40 pounds each person. Dinner the night before at a medevial show (Beefeaters, and it was great!) cost 40 pounds each also; so in 2 nights there I spent $700. I spend a week in Holland for about $800, everything included, so it was a real downer! It's could be fun if you like spending all of your hard earned savings or are just plain rich and can afford to blow it!
Aug 16th, 1997, 09:24 PM
#8
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The Barry House Hotel is a great deal, 30 pounds without bath, 45 (I think) with. Good location, just across from Hyde Park and the staff are really helpful. They will also book theatre tickets for you ahead of time (and only charge a pound) and they have a web page with some good London links.
Aug 17th, 1997, 07:41 AM
#9
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You will find websites like http://www.accomodata.co.uk/ good starting points to poke around. Check Yahoo and I'm sure you'll find other sites. However, I've been to London a couple of times, and Scotland (!!!) and I've found their local tourist information centers INVALUABLE in helping you get good places to stay in. It is entirely probable for you to just book the first one or two nights of your stay in advance and then proceed to the tourism center (Victoria Station) to shop around for something else better, cheaper, nearer...whatever. (Since it's your first time to London...you should go to the center first anyway.)
Also, don't think that you have to stay in Central London (Zone 1), where everything is quite expensive. With the Underground and the bus systems, nothing is far. Look around in Zone 2 0r 3 and commute in and out of town...lots of locals do...it will cost less.
A tip...if you are taking short day trips in and out of London (Stonehenge, Bath, Oxford, Stratford-upon-Avon, avoid the lines at the tourism center and go to the tourist desk at the basement of Selfridge on Bond street. Don't let the location intimidate you, you'll find that the tours cost the same.
Transportation: get a day travelpass but if you are going to be staying five days or so, go get a photo ID and get a week travelpass -- valid on buses too (day and night).
Last tip: unless you're in London for the theatre and shopping...leave town. You'll find that your money will take you further and there's a whole lot of country to see.
Enjoy London.
Also, don't think that you have to stay in Central London (Zone 1), where everything is quite expensive. With the Underground and the bus systems, nothing is far. Look around in Zone 2 0r 3 and commute in and out of town...lots of locals do...it will cost less.
A tip...if you are taking short day trips in and out of London (Stonehenge, Bath, Oxford, Stratford-upon-Avon, avoid the lines at the tourism center and go to the tourist desk at the basement of Selfridge on Bond street. Don't let the location intimidate you, you'll find that the tours cost the same.
Transportation: get a day travelpass but if you are going to be staying five days or so, go get a photo ID and get a week travelpass -- valid on buses too (day and night).
Last tip: unless you're in London for the theatre and shopping...leave town. You'll find that your money will take you further and there's a whole lot of country to see.
Enjoy London.
Aug 18th, 1997, 10:24 AM
#11
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I lived in London for a few months this past spring. It's generally expensive there but prices are even higher around Kensington. You may want to try the Celtic Hotel in the Russell Square area. It's a cute little place, very clean, and only about 30-35 pounds per person per night. Plus, it's about a 2 minute walk to the Russell Square tube station and only 2 stops away from Covent Garden and 3 and 4 stops away from Leicester Square and Piccadily Circus, respectively. The Half Moon Hotel at Earl's Court is about the same price and equally charming, but is a little bit further away from Central London. Have fun in London!
