Hotel in London
 

My 21 year old daughter is traveling to London July 2 to July 8. She needs to find a hotel that is nice and safe without breaking the bank. I don't really know what prices are like in London, but it would be great if she could find something less than $250 per night. She would like the Soho, Kensington or Trafalgar Square areas. It should also be close to a subway station if possible. She has a friend that will meet her there and stay in the hotel with her so she will need a double. Can anyone give me any suggestions?

Please see this recent thread:

http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...n-440529-2.cfm

After doing a little more research I think she will have to spend a little more money than she anticipated. Let's say under $300 per night. Thanks.

Assuming she and the friend can share a double bed the best deals will probably be Pricleine - and I would thing she can get a decent hotel centrally located for that budget. If they need separate beds, Priceline won't work - and she'll need to look more thoroughly.

Central Park Hotel has a double twin bed for 125 per night. Saw it on easytobook.com Kensington is walking distance

Why does she need a hotel? She can get a decent studio apt for far less than $1500.

Why stay in Kensington? It's far from most tourist sites.

There is no subway in London that transports people anywhere. There is the Underground, aka the Tube. Subways are passages to walk under busy intersections.

I was hoping for a recommendation from someone who has actually stayed somewhere. There are multiple sites with dozens of hotels and lots of reviews, but it is hard to narrow it down. What area of London would you recommend staying in for tourist activities?

many travelers here don't need two twins, they want a double, and are familiar with the ins and outs of PL for hotel stays.

MOST areas of london that a tourist has heard of have access to the tube.
London in July is expensive - she'll either have to give up location or comfort.

Mar2,
There are hundreds of hotels in London, and I know that trying to narrow your choices down can be daunting for a first-time visitor.

If you click on the link I posted, it contains firsthand recommendations from people on this forum. You can also type "London Hotels" in the search box at the top of this page. There are many, many recommendations.

If you find a few hotels you like, you can go to tripadvisor.com to read hotel reviews and see traveler pictures of the hotels. Not perfect, but you can get a pretty good idea of what the hotel looks like and what to expect. You can also go to google streetview, enter the address of a hotel, and take a "stroll" through the neighborhood to see what it looks like.

If your daughter wants to be central, I recommend Trafalgar Square/Covent Garden, Bloomsbury, Knightsbridge/South Kensington (if she's into museums), or the area near Victoria Station. I'm not a fan of Earl's Court because it's further out than I like to stay. However, transportation links to the tourist area are good, and it's not as expensive as the Trafalgar Square/Covent Garden area, for example, so a lot of tourists like it. Most tourist attractions are in Zone 1.

I always use Londontown.com o book hotels in London. SOuth Kensington area best and especially like the Millenium Gloucester or Bailey"S . Good transport, tube across the street and several bus lines, all kind of services nearby, and cafes and restaurants, walking distance to the V&A, Natural History , Kensington Palace Harrods and all the shops along the King'Rd. I have never paid over 100GBP a night and I book a Club Room to get free internet,club lounge privileges which include full English Beakfast buffet, snacks all day , canapes and drinks in the evening, all included in the room price

I like booking.com for travellers reviews and then I use londontown.com for booking anything.

<<I was hoping for a recommendation from someone who has actually stayed somewhere. >>

My first question was more important than this. Why does she need a hotel? Get an apartment in Bloomsbury for a week and she'll save a bundle whilst having the convenience of apartment appliances. Check aplacelikehome.co.uk or vrbo.com or similar.

I've enjoyed my two stays at the Morgan Hotel in Bloomsbury. The rate on their website for a double (twin-bedded) room is within the budget listed. It includes a full breakfast every morning, has a bus stop right out front and the underground station (Holburn or Tottenham Court Rd.) is a short walk away. On my second stay, I was traveling solo and felt very safe...

I have to agree with BigRuss. vrbo.com or flipkey.com are both sites I have personally used for accommodations within the US and France. Saved a ton of money, especially on food (having a kitchen is great!!) I know flipkey has plenty of studio and one-bedroom apts for rent all across London. Worth a browse across their respective websites.

I have to disagree...depending on how seasons a traveler your daughter is. Dealing w/ VRBO and flipkey means no guarantees unless you purchase the insurance.
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Londontown has several two and three stars (which are m ore like 1 1/2 or 2 stars here) IN Bayswater, So Kensington Russell Sq and Lancaster Gate, all decent areas near tube stops. None of them are over 125 pounds, so $250.

Of the hotels listed, I know the Lancaster Gate, Copthorne Tara Kensington are both decent.

Radisson Edwardian Vanderbilt might fit the bill. Tube station adjacent to the hotel.

I stayed at the Lancaster Gate last weekend for one night. The room was small, clean but updated and the staff was very helpful. Many choices for breakfast. There seemed to be a lot of young people staying at the Hotel and people in tour groups. There is a good Greek restaurant around the corner, and it is within walking distance of Queensway where there are many restaurants--some I'm not sure I would frequent. Hotel is between tube stations Queensway and Lancaster but I would prefer staying on the Piccaddilly Line. Once you decided on an area Londontown has a great inter-active map where hotels are marked with their rates. Then you can check Trip Advisor for reviews. http://www.hotelmap.com/hotelmap/

I meant to proof read before I submitted above comment. The other thing is you have to pay for Wi-Fi--forget how much. Our TV did not work in our room and after calling front desk they still did not come to fix it, but Hotel is good value for money.

My daughter and I stayed at the Copthorne Tara Hotel recently - a very convenient location just a few minutes walk from Kensington High Street tube station. The room was a good size and very comfortable, but you do have to pay for Wi-Fi. My daughter used the free Wi-Fi at Starbucks close by.

http://www.millenniumhotels.co.uk/co...ton/index.html

Hope that helps