I am looking for ideas on hotels (and possibly places) to stay on the personal portion of my upcoming business trip to the UK. I fly into Stansted on a Saturday morning and need to be in Hassocks on Sunday night. I am free again on Wednesday evening and am flying out on Friday afternoon. I was thinking of staying in Central London for the extra nights and hoping not to spend more than $200 US. Ideas? Thanks in advance!

Priceline is one of the best options for getting a decent price on a London hotel. If you need help, biddingfortravel.com or betterbidding.com

2 recent threads with good info

http://fodors.com/forums/threadselec...p;tid=34885808

http://fodors.com/forums/threadselec...p;tid=34891651

I examine so many claims that no personal time is spent in the UK & that it is all business that it is refreshing to see that some business people do have time for non business activities.

There are inexpensive B&Bs surrounding Victoria Station! Prices are posted. Check your baggage at the station and then seek out a B&B. Ask to see the room...

Given that you're starting a few miles south of Cambridge with 36 hours to spare, and finishing a few miles north of Brighton with 48 hours to spare, I'd be tempted to spend some time in or near one or other of them.

London, after all, you can visit any day. Hassocks isn't quite the boring Sussex village it might sound. Its Saxon (ie, built before the damn French came and ruined our architecture) church at Clayton has some of the most spectacular medieval wall paintings in England (OK, some cynics might claim that doesn't put it quite in the same league as Assisi, but look at www.paintedchurch.org/clayton.htm). There's a chain of these churches along the South Downs, sometimes claimed to have been art-directed by a painting school at Lewes Priory. Clayton's undoubtedly the best.

The local walking's terrific (for an example, see http://www.theargus.co.uk/whatson/wa...hlingtoclayton)

I am intrigued with the reply about Cambridge and Hassocks (I only play at being a city girl). Does anyone have good hotel suggestions in these cities? (Btw, the $200 USD limit was per night and not totally set in stone). Thanks again!