My fiance and I will be going to London for two nights in December and I have narrowed the choice of hotels down to 3. The Grange Holborn will cost a total of £345 (plus brakfast on 1 of the days), Blooms Town House a total of £260 (plus breakfast on one of the days)and The Academy £290 (includes breakfast on both days, bottle of wine on arrival). The rooms in both Holborn and Blooms are executive doubles whilst the Academy is a Town house suite. The reason for our visit is it is my fiances birthday so I would like things to be as nice as possible without spending a fortune. Any comments on which to go for would be helpful (I have already looked on Tripadvisor. Many thanks in anticipation.

Hi joxxx,

If you can and want to afford this price, I would like to make an alternate recommendation.

Check out this site:

http://www.brownshotel.com/offer_christmas.html

You can get a lot more luxury for less than you are quoting at the 3 hotels in your list.

That offer and several others at Browns are good all thru december and january.

The December special I book marked puts the executive double at 252 or 294 with vat, and even the suite at 280 or 327 with vat. Both still within your range.

And Browns is a full luxury hotel in a great area. Their superior room is in itself a luxury room, but their suite is to die for.

hope this helps!

I agree with erin, you can find better rates at much better hotels, like the Cranley, on www.londonnights.com. You can get a jr suite for 445GBP /2 nights,or on a week-end for 365 GBP/2nights

An executive double for 2 nights is 280 GBP, Vat service and breakfast included.

And it is a wonderful romantic small hotel in a great area.

We stayed at the Academy in September and found it to be fine, but we only paid 115GBP/night, including VAT and breakfast. This was for a room, not a suite. The room was small, (not unusually so for London), but very well decorated with lots of character. The staff was very helpful and the breakfast excellent. The location on lower Gower was also excellent, convenient to theatres and several tube stops.

Ok, totally useless advice if you are set on one of these hotels (which I have never heard of), but if you are willing to spend that, also consider the Capital in Knightsbridge (Basil Street). Absolutely top hotel, small, very English, delightful staff, and a two michelin star restaurant on the premises (50 yards from Harrods). I also really like the better rooms at the Franklin hotel, Egerton Gardens (Knightsbridge as well). These rooms look out onto the private gardens at the back. I lived in London for 9 years, and visit at least 4 times a year now that I have moved. Have a great time; I love London in December.

Thanks for all your feedback. Following the tip for The Cranley on London Nights that is the one we have booked, an executive double for £140 a night including VAT and Breakfast (and afternoon tea and evening drinks). I had looked at the Cranley before as will will be going to the LOTR exhibition at the Science Museum (birthday treat for fiance)but had discounted it because of the price. So thanks again.

I absolutely love Brown's, but it has just been bought out by Forte Hotels and is currently or about to undergo a major renovation. Just be aware of this when making a booking.

Good luck!

Is Browns bought by Forte who also owns De Russie in Rome? In that case, I'll definitely keep an eye on it for a future stay.

Stayed at the Cranley a year ago, the rooms are lovely, the have penhaligon's products in the room. The evening drink comes with some great hors dourves. The hotel is centrally located and on a QUIET street.