Georgeanne

Help Fodorites,
I am experiencing information overload!
I have read Rants and Raves and I have done searchs. I've looked at various websites.I realize this topic has been done to death ... but I'm hoping you'll help.

My husband, my 12yr old daugher and myself will be in London next June. I am looking for a hotel or B & B that meets these needs.

Within 5 minutes of a tube stop
small, quaint, cozy,quiet, chintzy ...
air-conditioned (don't ask)
convenient to restaurants
picture postcardish
will accomodate 3 in a room
$150 to $175 a night inclusive of taxes and breakfast

Can it be done? I would truly appreciate you hotel suggestions.

Thanks in advance

Wayne

It can be done, but probably not meet all your criteria. You would be probably looking at a 2 star, perhaps 3 star, hotel or apartment---and it would be rare indeed to find one that has A/C or needs it, for that matter. If you search diligently, you can probably find a hotel that meets your needs, and perhaps it would be on the outskirts of London (which is OK as long as you can use the Underground).

Several recent posts have mentioned the lower cost London hotels written up in recent travel magazines. Otherwise, just do your searches on the several sites that list budget hotels and B&B's for London. Good luck. This might not be much help, and I'm sorry I can't assist in your search right now; but if you seek, you shall find.

Lori

Check out the Dorset Square Hotel - it may be over your limit, but it fits most of your criteria I think. I say most because I do not think you are going to find picture postcardish in London. I think that is something you have in your mind that fits into the countryside, not crammed into a huge city.

There are a zillion hotels in London, just do a web search and bring up websites of each and every one (yes, it is time consuming, but you can narrow things down).

I would not stay on the outskirts of London (suburbs) because of the time and money it eats up going back and forth.

I think you will need to compromise a little on your list of "wants" because it is nearly impossible to get everything.

Grasshopper

I think your problem is going to be A/C. I looked at the websites of all my favorites and none mentioned A/C. It's just not a necessity in London (except for people who say don't ask). Otherwise, if you can do without that, check out the Montana Hotel in Kensington. http://www.hotel-assist.com/montana.html Friends just stayed there and liked it a lot.

janis

As the others say - the air conditioning will be the big proplem. Most of your othere criteria would be quite easy. But old, comfy, "chintzy" places are not going to have A/C unless they are refurbished and 4star or higher - and those will not be in your price range.

Why do you think you must have A/C in London in June?

bob

We were in London in June of this year, actually the first weekend for the Jubilee, and it was so hot! We were glad that we did arrange for a hotel with a/c. If you need a/c, don't let others tell you it cannot/will not get hot in London in June.

janis

bob, nobody said it can't get hot in London - only that the air conditioning makes her criteria pretty difficult.

And the chances of it being hot are much less than the chances of it being cool.

ajs

Here's my 'saved document' mini-review of the Chelsea Green. It meets all your criteria other than picture postcardish (though very nice).

We stayed at the Chelsea Green for five nights over two weekends. This place should be sold out every night, for the value alone. It is in a quiet neighborhood of Chelsea (really So Ken), less than five minutes walk from the So Ken tube. There are outstanding restaurants everywhere within a 10-15 minute walk. It is a 4****, with A/C and lift. We had a suite reserved for 150 GBP per night(which would have been a good deal), but then found the same room on laterooms.com for 110, a week before we left. They honored the rate! It is practically new inside, a beautiful conservatory for breakfast, free paper in the morning, and the suite was very nice sized for two. We arrived on my wife's birthday, and at my request, they had balloons strung up and flowers on the bed. Value like this in London is nearly impossible to find. Can't recommend it enough.

curt

Try the Morgan Hotel on Bloomsbury street. It should meet most of your criteria, except perhaps the AC. Wonderful hotel, family run, they have regular rooms and an annex just a couple doors down that has full flats available. Listed in many quidebooks, but last time I looked they did not have a web site. They are so popular that repeat and word of mouth keeps them pretty fully booked year round. My favorite small hotel in London.

Rex

Can you explain <<I am experiencing information overload!>> further?

I would take it to mean that you have found many, many hotels that meet your criteria (or come close), and you can't decide how further to refine the list.

Or do you mean that you have read dozens of hotel descriptions and none of them comes at all close? Maybe that should tell you something about how realistic or not are your expectations.

Perhaps if you listed the properties that seemed "almost" - - but not quite to your liking, then others can propose something cheaper, quainter, nearer or with features more to your liking.

Otherwise, the point of saying how much background checking you have done - - and yet you have shared none of your impressions or findings - - is lost on me.

Hope you find the kind of place you are seeking.

And here's one last suggestion: get out of town. When I am faced with a "budget-buster" city, I find it worth while to "dollar-cost-average-down" by pairing up with a different destination for a few days in the countryside outside that city. For example, two nights at $275 plus three nights at $105 is less than five nights at $175. and you can arrive early and stay late (bags not in the room; you out seeing the city) at the higher priced place - - and conversely arrive late and leave early from the lower priced place.

Best wishes,

Rex

Ban

Rex doesn't know ONE darn thing about London so he should respectfully BUTT out!

janis

Georgeanne: if you check back in to this thread, tell us which of the criteria are deal breakers. You seem to indicate A/C is very important - but if Quaint, or Picture postcardish, or triple rooms are more important we can give you better advice.

J T Kirk

I know no one has said that it can't get hot in London, and I am here to confirm that if you can get A/C, by all means, do it. The last two times I've been to London - once in September, once the end of May - I was very glad to have had A/C.
But I agree that getting A/C and everything else you're looking for may be beyond your price limit. London is a pricey town, particularly when it comes to hotels.