London hotel bear the Marble Arch
 

Good location? Close to attractions, restaurants, trains? Anyone else stay at the Sumner Hotel?

Marble Arch is on the western end of Oxford Street. Not particularly charming or near specific attractions per se, but quite convenient as Central Line is usually fast and reliable. Also served by many bus lines. As for restaurants, close to Lebanese restaurants along Edgeware Rd or nice eateries on St. Christopher's Place.

If the new Sumner hotel is anything like it's predecessor , No 5, you have no worries! The reviews have been very good

Marble Arch is served by no fewer than twenty-one(!) bus lines.

You can get almost anywhere in London without changing buses. Here's the layout:

http://www.tfl.gov.uk/buses/spiders/...rchdr-2168.pdf

the Sumner is very good

Marble Arch has terrific transport links

But I still wouldn't stay there (just me personally). Nothing dodgy about the area or anything. But it is not close to anything except for the NE corner of Hyde Park and the madness of Oxford Street. If you are getting a terrific rate - go for it. But otherwise I'd want to be in an area w/ more character and closer to the river/center of things.

Also, there's a Pret a Manger right across Oxford Street from the Arch, and the food court at Selfridge's - a couple blocks east at Orchard Street - has everything you want.

Janisj, what would you consider to be an "area w/ more character and closer to the river/center of things." That's exactly what I'm looking for but can't decide. I'd prefer more of an apartment than a hotel or B&B. I've identified lots of accommodations but can't decide on the area. Any suggestions? Thanks.

What's your budget?

I've stayed at the Sumner. I usually stay in S. Kensington but stayed there a couple of years ago to try something different.

I wasn't too impressed, to be honest. It was nice enough, and everything was newly done, but they didn't give me the type of room I had gone to great lengths to communicate with them about in advance. And when I brought the topic up on check-in , the desk clerk just shrugged and said "we have no other rooms, so you have to take that one or try another hotel."

The design is very modern which caused some issues for me. The King bed was on a platform which was precisely the right height for me to whack my shin - badly - I bled for ages and 2 years later still have a scar. Also the duvet only reached the edges of the mattress with no overhang, so we had to sleep more toward the middle of the bed - which negated the benefit of having the King. The room was quiet even though it faced right onto the street, but it was really dark. The design was so trendy it didn't allow for proper lighting, I guess. That's partly why I walked into the bed platform - couldn't really see it clearly. The bathroom didn't have a tub (which was what I was trying to get when I discussed the room types with them, as some of the rooms DO have them and that's what I paid for!) and I need a tub when I'm travelling. You also had to be careful sitting on the loo because your knees would knock against a sometime very hot radiator. Some of the towel rails were already coming loose.

Breakfast was odd, to say the least. One morning they served weiners! But it was still nice to have it included.

I am glad we tried a different location, and we were doing a fair amount of Christmas shopping, so it was OK being close to Oxford St. However, that tube stop isn't really that convenient for most of the other things we were doing and we ended up doing much more transferring between lines than we usually have to. There were a few pubs in the area behind Oxford St but they weren't that cozy or welcoming, and we really didn't see too many restaurants that we were interested in. We MUCH prefer S. Kensington - way more amenities to choose from, less transient feel to the neighbourhood.

Also, the one of the reasons it probably has so many good reviews is that the computer in the lounge has Trip Advisor's Sumner review page as the home page, with a big sign asking everyone to please write a review.

My hope is to stay under or around 200 GBP, plus or minus.

lybern you have lots of good options at that price.

Personally, I like S. Kensington - somewhere with proximity to the Piccadilly Line, as that let s me come in from Heathrow on the tube. I also find, with the places I go, that I use that line more than the others. S. Kensington or Gloucester Rd stops have 3 lines intersecting so I find those stops are my favourites to stay close to.

For around 200 GBP you could get a great flat!

Take a look at the Trafalgar Hilton and Sanctuary Inn.