cparris

What area do you prefer to stay in when in London? "Which do you feel is the best located and which would you avoid? Thanks

MelJ

Prefer South Kensington/Gloucester Road area or Knightsbridge. Chelsea (same area) is nice, but has no tube stop.

Many people like the Victoria Station area, but I wasn't fond of it. I'd avoid Kings Cross.

coldwar27

Another vote for South Kensington area to stay in. I don't have a place to avoid thank goodness

Patrick

It depends on what you plan to do. Knightsbridge if great for shopping if that's a priority, but not much else. I'm a theatre fanatic, so I wouldn't stay anywhere but in Covent Garden or West End. I like being able to walk a few blocks early in the day to get half price tickets and be able to go back to my place between matinee and evening performances. Also to enjoy late night dining in Covent Garden or Soho and just walk a few blocks "home". But of course, that's only important if you're doing a lot of theatre.

WillTravel

Theatre is very important for me too, but the there are also several theatres not to miss on the South Bank. So I don't know if I would stay in Covent Garden or the West End just for theatre reasons.

One reason I like being near Victoria Station is because I come in via the Gatwick Express, and it is just easier to have a nearby place when you are coming or going with your luggage. Plus, there is convenient tube access to just about anywhere.

One factor I consider is whether there is inexpensive food nearby - cheap cafes, supermarkets, and so on. I wouldn't want to be in such an exclusive area that it did not have these things.

One place I would avoid - the City. Not much doing after dark and no cheap amenities of the type I mention.

One of the most important things - how close are you to a tube stop? Almost any location is bearable if you have a convenient tube stop.

travelinwifey

I love the West End/Trafalgar Square area. You step outside your door and are right in the middle of everything. Theatre, shopping, parks, dining and people watching. Have stayed in the above mentioned areas but really enjoy the closeness to so many museums and Leichester quare.

Patrick

I'm curious about the South Bank theatres you mention, WillTravel. We often go to the theatres at the National, but easily do the short walk from our Covent Garden flat across the Waterloo Bridge. Also there is a smallish theatre very close to Waterloo I've been to. Are there other theatres I've been missing?

janis

I also spend a lot of time on the southbank -- other venues there would include the Old Vic, the Southbank Centre (QE Hall and Royal Festival Hall, etc.) and the Globe.

I usually go to the theatre/concerts 6 or 7 times during a 7 or 8 day trip so Covent Garden, Soho and the Southbank are really important to me. There is one flat in Covent Garden I keep trying to book but it is usually full.

I don't really worry about the neighborhood - I like Pimlico (not quite as close to Victoria but still convenient) and S. Kens. But anywhere convenient to the Picadilly line will get you to most of the main theatre areas.

Sometines I think I live in the Green Park tube station since it is the junction of the Victoria, Picadilly and Jubilee lines.

JonJon

Mayfair and as close to the Green Park tube as I can get..which means either The Ritz or the Holiday Inn and I've stayed in both. All depends on what you are interested in and whether or not you prefer public transportation to taxis I guess.

erinb

Hi cparris,

Just wanted to chime in and agree with others on the s. kensington area.

I just spent 10 days at the Millennium Gloucester off of Gloucester rd in that area. You could not have asked for a more convenient location. The gloucester tube station was right across the road, the area had plenty of restaurants within a 2 block radius, a pharmacy, small shopping mall around the corner of the station, a full service pub, a 24 hour convenience store, and a grocery. Three main lines run out of the gloucester station, the circle, the district and the piccadilly. Victoria station is only 3 or 4 stops away from it. We arrived via gatwick express and took the circle line to gloucester station, arrived at the hotel within 15 minutes of getting to victoria.

The gloucester station also is only 1 level deep for the circle and district lines, in other words both trains arrive and you depart the train and immediately walk up a straight set of stairs and you are immediately on street level at the exit point. no long underground football fields to cross. the picadilly line is accessed via fast deep elevator and quick also. I think at the most, we had to change lines only one or two times during our whole trip. Waterloo is only one change and Paddington is on the same line a few stops away.

From Gloucester rd, right across from the hotel, over 6 different buses stop every few minutes.

If you are there for more than a week or two, about 10 blocks away there is a much larger supermarket on cromwell and several laundromats.

The number 49 bus runs every 5 minutes up and down that road and to top all of this off, there are 3 of the main museums within walking distance.

Unless I become filthy rich, I will never stay in any other area. This had to have been the best neighborhoods to stay in. There are several hotels within a block of the tube station to choose from. Millennium Baileys and Gloucester are both 4 1/2 star hotels and you can find some really reasonable rates in advance (I am taking under 100 pds for a double or twin) The rooms are appointed nicely and are american size hotel rooms. now the restaurants in the hotels are expensive so we decided to eat elsewhere, but there are many to choose from in the area. I heard that within a 3 block radius there are severel boutique hotels and I did notice several on cromwell also.

hope this helps!

WillTravel

Patrick - I was thinking of the National and the two others that are there (also near the IMAX, I think, but I haven't visited that). Is Covent Garden just a walk across the bridge? In that case, yes, Covent Garden wins as an ideal location for theatre-goers. I did not realize they were so close.

Of course there is the Globe also, which I think is perhaps 1 or 2 km away from that theatre complex, also on the South Bank.

Although I hoped to do so, particularly since I like small, cheap productions, I haven't gone to theatres in any other locations other than Covent Garden/West End, the South Bank complex, and the Globe.

cparris

Thanks, this is very helpful. We are a family of 5(3 teens) with varing interests...but everyone likes the theater. I also have to find a hotel that has triples...or maybe an apartment. Five is a hard number it seems. Any suggestions??

WillTravel

This might be too basic, but with 5 people you might be able to rent your own room in a hostel, with its own bathroom. I'd guess the price would be around 75-100 pounds per night. The drawbacks would be that you had to make up your own beds, the rooms would be very plain, you wouldn't have towel service, and you wouldn't have a private TV or phone.

SusanP

In Sept, we stayed at the Thistle Trafalgar Square. It's close to Covent Garden for theatre and lots of restaurant choices and very close to Leicester Square for the 1/2 price tickets. Also, there's always something going at Trafalgar Square. It's also the best possible location for catching a bus, there are stops at Trafalgar Square for a bus going in every direction (of course there's a tube stop there as well, not sure which line it is, as we always took the bus). We loved it!

cparris

Thanks, I emailed the Thistle. That sounds like a good location.

WillTravel

That location would be about perfect.

JudyC

After couple doznes London visitings, I perfer Trafalgar Square too for the location.

For 5 persons, perhaps you could try a two bedrooms apartment. Citadines Trafalgar Square Apartmenthotel is between Enbankment and Charing Cross Tube Stations. It is a nice and clean newly renovated building. I stayed there for one week last December. Usually you could find good deal on www.londontown.com.

Last May, I stayed at Thistle Trafalgar Square, it is quite convenient too.

Patrick

For the past couple of years I would have discouraged staying at Trafalgar Square -- one of the largest construction sites I've ever seen, with impossible traffic, both cars and pedestrians due to the construction. But things are done now (well, mostly) and the results are wonderful!!

wondering

here is another vote for mayfair...we have stayed twice at flemings on half moon around the corner from shepard's market...around the block from the tube, across from the park, walkable to the theaters if you are in the mood for a good walk, just a very desirable location..

vcl

If you're in the market for cheap digs, you might want to consider Oxbridge Apartments just a few blocks from the Gloucester Road tube stop, across the street from a supermarket and laundromat and reasonably clean. You could take a one bedroom and an adjoining studio which would give you a full kitchen plus a spare refrigerator and hot plate, two baths, and room to sleep six using the pullout couch in the living room of the one-bedroom. Decor is basic first flat out of college (one year our couch was red, our daybed was burgundy and our carpet was navy and red stripes, but management is helpful and the price can't be beat. Oxbridge has a website. Things look a bit better on the web than they do up close and the studios can be quite dreary, but if you have a one-bedroom to use as family headquarters that shouldn't be a problem.
We've been renting there for the last 10 years and plan to returj in spring.