We're in the process of planning a trip to London and are considering hotels in the Cartwright Gardens area. I recently spoke with a hotel clerk near Russell Square who warned me that the Cartwright Gardens area wasn't "very nice."<BR><BR>Should we consider another area?<BR><BR>thanks<BR><BR>

Hi Chuck,<BR>I would agree with the person who told you that Cartwright Gardens was not a very nice area. There are no major hotels in the area, just small, privatly own establishments, which are usually 2 star at the best. Nor, is it very convenient to sightseeing. If budget is a consideration in picking this area I would look towards Bloomsbury. That area has a range of hotels, including B & B's and is much more convenient to transportation and the West End.<BR>Have a great time,<BR>Cheers.<BR>Pat

Many budget travel guide books recommend Cartwright Gdns - and other equally dodgy areas. I wouldn't stay there for anything - too close to Kings Cross. It is close to the fab British Library - but you can visit that without staying there.<BR><BR>Just a few blocks farther south -- Russell Sq/Bloomsbury/British Museum -- is much better if you want to be in that general area.

Okay, maybe I just have low budget-traveller standards, but I stayed at the Jenkins on Cartwright Gardens last year and didn't have any problem with the area. Although within walking distance of King's Cross (an advantage for me, since I arrived by train from Edinburgh) it is not in the yucky area that people refer to as King's Cross, which lies in the other direction from the station. The hotels there, while not posh, are not flophouses, either -- they include the Morgan and the Jenkins. I don't mind walking a few minutes to the underground, so it was no problem to get to either Russell Square or to Euston, which offers a better choice of lines. You may want somewhere more atmospheric or right on top of the tube, but as far as I'm concerned the area is perfectly decent. BTW, it is considered to be in Bloomsbury, though rather on the outer edges of that area.

Catrwright gardens is not a terrible area, but you can certainly find equally inexpensive B&Bs in better areas where you would feel safer walking home alone at night.

Any thoughts on a good B&B closer to Russell Square?<BR><BR>thanks

I've stayed at the Harlingford in Cartwright Cresecent and liked the hotel and the neghborhood. But I don't know if it's close to Cartwrigth Gardens.

I think Cartwright Gardens and Cartwright Crescent are the same thing.<BR><BR>Does anyone have any thoughts on Russell Square B&B's?

Chuck, if they're the same, then I'd say that you could call it shabby genteel but not unpleasant. Of course I last stayed there in '94, but I read a travel piece a year or so ago(I think it was in the NYT but maybe the Washington Post) describing the hotels in Cartwright Crescent as the kinds of places that budget-conscious English stay when they come to London. Any Londoners who can comment?

I think Joe has hit the nail on the head with shabby genteel - it's a Victorian crescent with tennis courts in the middle and student halls of residence (for the University of London) on one side. There is quite a nice cobbled street nearby with sandwich bar etc that takes you on to Upper Woburn Place. Heading east you have the back streets of Kings Cross which are certainly not the nicest area. However all in all you'll probably find Cartwright Gardens bearable<BR><BR>Andrew