London help with area to stay in
 

Myself and 2 friends will be flying into Heathrow, stay in London for 2.5 days, then take Eurostar to Calais early September. We are only planning the main tourist sites, I have no idea, other than close to a "tube" station where to look for a hotel. Our main concerns (other than cost-we're pretty much mid-range for price) is convenience in traveling to these sites, and nighttime safety.
Any help appreciated

I used to stay in Bloomsbury, specifically fairly near the Russell Square station. This is on the Picadilly line, which you can get at Heathrow airport.

Lately I've been staying near Victoria station, where I feel I get more value for my money. I still get the Picadilly line at the airport, but I change to the Circle Line at Hammersmith. This is an easy transfer, you just go to the other side of the platform. The Circle Line goes to Victoria station. There is also a National Express bus to Victoria Coach station, but I prefer the Underground.

From Victoria station, it's an easy walk to Westminster Abbey, Buckingham Palace, and several of London's parks. There are lots of budget hotels in the area. You can do a search on www.booking.com , stating your destination as "London Victoria station". Then you can sort the list by guest rating or by price. Pay attention to the guest rating, and read the guest reviews.

>>Our main concerns (other than cost-we're pretty much mid-range for price) is convenience in traveling to these sites, and nighttime safety.<<

"mid-range"really tells us nothing. What is your actual budget?

It would be hard to find an area of central London not near a tuvbe station so that isn't an issue.

All parts of central London are safe (just normal precautions) so that isn't an issue either.

For your situation the most convenient/central area would be somewhere along the Piccadilly tube line. Both Heathrow and St Pancras (for the Eurostar) are on this line. Some stations to look for would be South Kensington, Covent Garden, Holborn, Russell Square. Any of these are close/walking distance to several sites and convenient for transport.

Just a gloss on the above to say, don't trust what the promotional info uses as a neighbourhood name - these can be very elastic. Get an exact postcode (e.g., a hotel in Bloomsbury will be in WC1, and will have a postcode that looks like WC1B 5AA), and check that on Google Maps for proximity to transport and other services.

You really need to give us a specific amount - in $ or pounds - and assume this is a triple room with one double bed and another either single or double.

"Mid-range" might mean 200 pounds - or might mean 400 pounds (when hotels will go over 1000 for top properties). My guess is these are not your numbers - so do provide some guidance.

i like to stay anywhere on the piccadilly line because it makes getting around the city really easy. we used to stay in the russell square area (the small, family run Celtic-- good breakfast included). i liked that because it's right by the tube and a park, and near the British Museum and I could just stop by for a bit each day (it's free) and take it in slowly.

lately, we've been staying at the Millennium Bailey's (great breakfast if it's included in your rate). I like this hotel very much and one has to just exit the tube and cross the street. In london, I tend to walk until i can't walk any more... so i love my hotel to be right by a main tube stop.

both are in your budget, though the celtic is probably less (depending on the deal you get at m. b. )

Yeah, I knew budget was hard to determine. We would like to stay around 200 pounds, but could do 300 if it was a really special place.
Thanks again for any help

Is that for a triple room? You can plug your dates and number of people into booking.com and/or londontown.com and you.

On Londontown you can enter a site (like the British Museum) and it will find triple rooms nearby. That would be one good location for transport in from the airport and to the Eurostar. Not knowing your dates I just plugged in 3 random dates in Sept and there are some triple rooms from just over £200 to just over £300.

Especially on booking.com if you are wiling to prepay/non-refundable you can often get real bargains.

we love the Millenium Glouscester next door to The M.Bailey nice spacious rooms especially the club rooms whch include free breakfast amd drinks and appetizers in the lounge at dinner time. Next to the tube station and great bus connections Walking distance to the V&A, national history Museum and harrods ,lots on nearby restaurants and pubs near kings Road for shopping and several galleries.Very helpful staff too.

The Millenium Gloucester is a nice property -- but their triple rooms will generally be at the top of the budget or over. However the room rates are very date specific so some days are less/more expensive.