mama_mia

Family of 4 (parents and older teen boys) traveling to London in late June 07 for 5 nights. Please help with hotel choices listed below.

Background: Interests are history and art. Plans inc British Museum, National Gallery, One night at West End theater, Tower of London (by Thames cruise), Westminster Abbey, London Walks Beatles tour.

Shopping not a priority. Ensuite bathroom - yes. Willing to walk. On our Rome trip, kids loved Piazza Navona area and people watching in cafes.

Will be arriving by train from Edinburgh then picking up car at Heathrow

After research, here are our hotels in order of price (lowest to highest), all ensuite

Arran House quad, Bloomsbury (117 GBP)
Holiday Inn South Kensington (not sure inc breakfast (137 GBP)
Windermere, Victoria Station (149 GBP)
Citadines Trafalgar Square (179 GPB) no breakfast, but two rooms

Appreciate comments about room sizes for family with this age kids, what area has to offer for this group, anything else pertinent.

Thanks!

travelbunny

I would try Price Line (4*). read bidding for travel you can get 2 rooms of equivalent value for the price of the quad.

schmidtrossi

We also took our 2 teenage boys to Rome one year and London the next year. Since European rooms tend to be very small we usually try and get 2 so we get 2 bathrooms and can get out quickly in the morning and then again for dinner. We book a very nice hotel thru British Airways in a great location right across from the museums. Hotel Rembrandt. Inluded continental breakfast. Great short walk to very convenient tube line. Only 3 blocks from Harrods - they actually liked the food market on first floor. But the street along the way had restaurants and a good sandwich pastry shop we used quite a bit. Didn't really go the the museums right across the street. Things they really liked - British Museum - Egyptian section. Tower of London - Went to the Keys ceremony at night too. The War museum and Cabinet War Rooms were a hit too!
One of the museums had a reproduction of the World War I trenches including smells, sounds etc. Also one of the museums had a bomb shelter kind of "ride" to try a give you the sensation of the air riads in London in WWII. Also took a daytrip tour out to Windsor castle, Stonehenge (at older sons request) and stopped at a country pub and then on to Bathe with a tour of the Roman baths lit by torches at night (very cool trip)

janisj

I personally would not try to squeeze 2 teenagers and 2 adults into a quad almost anywhere in Europe.

Check out this site www.scala-house.co.uk/. A 2-bdrm 1.5 ba apartment w/ living room and full kitchen will run you £140 a night for 4 in June.

Apres_Londee

I haven't been yet, but my parents, sister and I (sis and I are late 20's) are going to be staying in a 2 bedroom apartment suite at the Morgan Hotel in Bloomsbury when we go to London this spring.

It's 190 GBP/night (breakfast included) for the four of us.

I've read nothing but good things about the Morgan on these boards and over on TripAdvisor. Also, my sister (who arranged our reservations) says that that the owners have been great to deal with, very pleasant and professional.

It's also in a wonderful location, especially for the British Museum and the West End.

http://www.morganhotel.co.uk/index.html

janisj

I was also going to mention the Morgan but thought it might be a bit too high -- but the breakfasts do mitigate the difference quite a bit.

Apres_Londee

Yes, we were originally *hoping* to find something that cost a little less, as we are on a budget. However, after looking into countless budget B&B's and even Priceline, we decided that the Morgan offered the best combination of price, space, facilities, location, and "security" (vs. "the unknown" with Priceline), at least for our purposes.

And yes, having breakfast included in the price does mitigate the cost even further

mama_mia

Thanks all for suggestions. Will try the 2 room route--although I agonized for days about the 4 I mentioned above. Oh well.

Scala House was the first place I looked at based on Fodors--however, their website said there will be construction going on next door beginning in June. Any thoughts?

Schmidtrossi--thanks for suggestions re War Cabinet Rooms and Tower Key Ceremony. They were already on my list, but nice to hear they appeal to teens

mama_mia

Sorry--the Scala site said the construction will begin next door in April and continue many months. We will be there in June. I was just wondering what the impact might be. Then again, this could happen anywhere one might book.

KathrynT

I've heard good things about the Holiday Inn Kensington but have not stayed there myself.

Have a great trip!

mari5

The Morgan sounds perfect and I have heard good things before about it. HOWEVER it does NOT have an elevator/lift.....if that makes any difference to anyone! but may not in your case.(and doesn't sound like it would)
It would make a difference to ME, as my husband I plan to taking our daughter and 13 yr. old grandaughter, at some point, to London,and the countryside.

mama_mia: perhaps you can check out your four ideas on "tripadvisor", and get some input into each of those hotels. Tripadvisor is good, but sometimes should be taken "with a grain of salt".