London B & B Question
 

Here I am once again - begging you all for feedback -

I am working on the last leg on my trip with my 11 year old daughter.

We will be arriving back in London on Oct 31 and spending 4 nights.

We depart back to LAX in the afternoon on November 4.

I have a few lodging options right now.

I can book the London hostel by the St. Pancras Station. Lots of great information on another thread. Thank you for that!

I can book the Le Meridian Picadilly for 150 USD a night plus Starwood points.

Or I found this B & B through trip advisor - Bay Tree House located in New Southgate. I have been very impressed with the reviews along with the emails. The rate would be 136.00 USD a night including breakfast. It indicates that they are:

We are only a 4 minute walk from the Arnos Grove Tube Station, on the Piccadilly line, which takes you directly to the city centre in only 20 minutes. The trains run regularly every few minutes from 05:30 in the morning to 24:30 at night and a night bus (N93) throughout the night. This location is very convenient to access from Heathrow (approx 75 minutes - direct line), Gatwick (approx 60 minutes), Stansted (approx 50 minutes), Luton or City Airports (approx 50 minutes) - please see our travel link on our website.


This is our first time to London. My plans are pretty typical tourist. Do want to be sure to visit:

World War 11 Museum
St. Paul's
Tower of London

I might want to take a day and go to Warwick & Warwick Castle (on the Monday before we leave).

Thoughts?

I would definitely not choose the B&B that is near Arnos Grove. First, it's probably more than 4 minutes walk. Second, it's never perfectly smooth in terms of timing to hook up with the train. Third, you won't be able to go back and forth between your room and your London activities.

You can double-check the timing accuracy using the Journey Planner at www.thetube.com .

I'm not familiar with Le Meridian, but the price is good, you'll get points, and certainly the location is better for visiting London.

Be sure to take a stroll down the South Bank, and visit Covent Garden. Ah, too much London, so little time! :)

willtravel - thanks for the feedback. I was afraid of that...

MH - I do not think I actually get points because I am booking with points - 8,000 a night I think plus the 150 USD - the location is good though?

The location is good! It's close to Green Park, Leicester Square, Covent Garden and Hyde Park Corner. The lowest price for that time period is 229 GBP, so the $150 with points is great.

Oh, I see, you're using some points to get this good rate. I checked the map, and yes, the hotel is right on Picadilly Circus. That's very central in London. The B&B at Arnos Grove might have some charm, but that's waaaay at the end of the tube line. You really will prefer to be more centrally located. Also, the Picadilly line will deliver you directly to Heathrow (assuming you're departing from Heathrow).

Is this the first time you'll be in London then? Oh, you'll have such a fine time. I'm returning there in June.

Have you considered trying Priceline? We booked a room last October for 4 nights at the Hilton Metropole for about $100 US. It was a 2 minute walk from the Edgeware station as well as the bus stop.

I would never stay at a B&B in Arnos Grove -- UNLESS I was driving into London from the north and needed to keep my car for some reason.

You would be closer to the M25 and Hatfield House than you would be to Big Ben/the Eye.

Plus you'd be in zone 4 so your transport would cost more. And it would take a long time to get anywhere.

A totally false economy IMO.

You seem to be leery of trying Priceline. I might give it a try - getting a full service, 4 star hotel for not much more than a private room in a hostel.

But - that deal the Le Meridien does sound like a keeper top me.

If you're not comfortable w/Priceline, you can take a look at hotwire (and check out betterbidding.com). I'm staying next week at a Holiday Inn at REgents Park thru hotwire. The total came out to just under $100/n.

I apologize and thank you all for pointing out Priceline again. So much swimming through my head I simply forgot about it. I am fine with using it. I have used it often in the states. Love it actually, when we are doing a fast get away in an area I know well so I know what area to bid ect. and what is a good value.

I might just book the Le Meridian, it seems that everyone agrees it is a good value.

I will email the B&B back and pass.

Yes, it is my very first time in London. Well, I will be there on Sept 26 for one night but it is only a "stop over" on our way.

I am VERY excited to finish our trip there.

If you take a look at the tube map, notice the yellow line, the Circle Line. That's central London. Anything much outside of that can be inconvenient for a hotel, although, with the tube, you can find your way around the city quite well. London is *huge*, and the tube makes it navigable.

I am quietly giggling to myself at the thought of someone going on holiday to Arnos Grove. It's a very funny idea.

Having said that there are a small group of Tube wonks who rhapsodise about the place because of it's station (an Art deco glory, and there's a little museum there).

In short - don't go to Arnos Grove.

Cholmondley_Warner - okay will NOT go there :-)

$136 a night for a B&B in Arnos Grove - seems a bit pricey for that downscale area

I stayed in a B&B once near Tufnell Park tube station and it was the worst B&B i ever stayed in, including some of the worser ones at Kings Cross.

this B&B, arranged thru B&B UK in Henley-thames i think was really a Bed Sit and not a B&B

A halfway house of some type - i had a lower floor room and it was during the hot summer a few years back and left the window open - i could see the stairs to the front door

around 3am there someone trying to get in became very very violent and i feared he would come in the window before i could close it - he went on raging and banging on the door for several minutes until the cops were called along with an ambulance that finally subdued him and carted him away

Be sure it's a B&B and not a Bed Sit - English name i believe for a halfway house or sort.

Tufnell Park is just a few stops from Arnos Grove i believe and a rather tacky area though i felt safe

no - a bed sit is not a "half way house". It is the equivalent of renting a room w/ shared kitchen facilities in the States.

But not to worry - the OP has already been convinced not to stay in Arnos Grove