Is the Thistle Piccadilly Hotel on Coventry Street in a safe neighborhood?
 

I have made reservations which are cancelable at the Thistle Piccadilly after reading positive comments at Tripadvisor. There was next to nothing at Fodors about the hotel but I have since come across a rant for the Thistle Piccadilly under a Priceline topic. The person said it was noisy but more important to me that prostitutes were a problem in front of the hotel? It's not my practice to judge an area from one negative comment but it did get me wondering just how safe is this area? I want to be close to the theatre, just don't think that's the kind of theatre I want!! Thanks for any information you can give me. Deborah

Coventry St is in the heart of West End, between Piccadilly Circus and Leicester Square. It's a very busy area crowded with people all day and evening. I doubt prostitutes would be a problem, except perhaps in a side street. Noise levels may well be high, esp in rooms at the front. But you are minutes away from many attractions, like theatres, National Gallery and restaurants, and Piccadilly Circus tube gets you to other areas easily. I wouldn't hesitate staying in the area.

I wouldn't worry about hookers. But that is a VERY busy area. It depends what you want - but that street plus Piccadilly Circus and nearby Shaftsbury are a zoo just about all day long. You would certainly be close to many theatres - bur so are a huindred other hotels that would be on quieter streets.

If you want to be in the middle of things and a 1 minute walk from the TKTS 1/2 price booth, and don't mind noise and crowds - then go for it.

But if you want a quiet location on a nicer street you might want to look elsewhere.

OK, second try posting, Alec and Janis thank you so much for your advice, I feel like I have considered so many hotels but can't seem to find the right one yet. Do either of you or someone else have suggestions for the area, the rate I have at the Thistle Piccadilly was 109 british pounds per night for a double room in early June. Is Bloomsbury convenient to this area? Janis, you state this neighborhood is noisy during the day, how about the wee hours of the morning. I just need a few hours of sleep!!Deborah

If anytinmg - it will be noisier late at night than during the day. This is the edge of Soho and is the center of lots of entertainment - restaurants, Theatres, Pic. Circus, movie theatres, arcades, etc.

But in the "wee small hours" things would cool down quite a bit.

Bloosbury is fine - from the southern (British Museum) bit of Bloomsbury you would actually be just as close to Covent Garden as Coventry Street is.

But don't fixate on being close to any particular theatre - just about anywhere in central London would be convenient to most of the theatres. Especially if you stay anywhere along the Piccadilly tube line you would have a straight shot to Piccadilly Circus, Leicester Square and Covent Garden. Consider hotels in So. Kensington, Knightsbridge, Green Park or Russell Square/Bloomsbury -- all are on the Piccadilly line.

OK..so the street outside will be noisey....are you assuming that all that noise will penetrate to your room?
And as to the "prostitutes"....what would make you feel "unsafe" if some of them were outside, and more likely INSIDE, the hotel...prostitutes are in lots of parts of London...sometimes people like Janis just don't recognize them.

JonJon, people like Janis are people like me, I live between Baltimore and DC and there are places here I am smart enough to stay away from in the middle of the night, and I admit I may or may not recognize a prostitute unless she was conducting her business in the middle of the lobby!! I don't think I have to fear for my personal safety in most areas of London like I do in the above mentioned cities but I want an area I can feel comfortable walking around at all times of day and night. Thanks for any hotel suggestions. Deborah

Years ago I got used to sleeping with earplugs and now I use them at home as well as for travel. My preference is the ones by Leight and I find them at Longs Drugstores. They're light orange in color. They also have some two-toned ones in shocking pink and yellow. Good luck!

Just to second Judy's suggestion...I NEVER travel without earplugs. I owe many a good nights sleep to them, particularly in London, where (in the small B&B's I stay in) one often has to leave a window open for the breeze in summer.

Why not try a nice Bloomsbury B&B like St. Margaret's in Bedford Place or the Avalon in Cartwright Gardens? Both a lot quieter than Picadilly...but don't forget the earplugs, nevertheless.