I will be London for four nights in late May, 2011. I have been there before.
I have often stayed in bare bones hotels in London, and when traveling solo I find them a bit depressing. Places like that for me include the Arosfa, and the Claverly. "Clean" isn't enough this time.
My favorite areas to stay in are Bloomsbury, South Kensington, or Knightsbridge.
I would like either a comfortable single (as in, larger than a prison cell)) or a double for single use. A good breakfast either included or available is a plus.
I would like to spend under $250 per night; $175-$200 would be even better.
Am considering the Knightsbridge Hotel or the Beaufort Hotel, both on Beaufort Gardens (once stayed on that street, at the Claverly), about two blocks from Harrods, but would love to learn about another gem.

Well, I really liked the hotel Millenium Baileys right across from Gloucester tube stop and I know you can get that for around US$200 in May (I checked on londontown.com) and that's for a double room. Their rooms are very large there. That isn't really S Kensington, though, I don't think, if you mean something next to Harrods.

We liked the Academy in Bloomsbury, well-located near the British Museum. It has a nice little garden in the back and is within your budget. As I remember, a nice breakfast too, though nice to me means yogurt and lots of fruit, not a full English breakfast.

To clarify, you do not want a B&B? There are some nice ones in Bloomsbury.

My last stay was in Bloomsbury, at The Academy. Very nice place, upscale and classy, great location. But...single was a bit small, breakfast is add-on.

The Tavistock works for us..not fancy, but clean and convenient, and steps from all the good stuff..google it to be sure.

Elaine:

The Knightsbridge, one of the Firmdale hotels, is wonderful-stayed there last April and would not hesitate to return. You might also want to consider their sister hotel, Number Sixteen, which is located in S. Kensington.

Number Sixteen on Sumner Place was one of my first choices, but current price quote is $300+ per night. LOVE that location.
100 years ago I stayed across the street from there in a little hotel called the Alexander. Then that closed, was renovated, and became the Sumner. Now the Sumner relocated, so to speak, to Marble Arch area, and the location at 5-7 Sumner Place is no longer a hotel, I believe.

Took another look at the Claverley on Beaufort Gardens. Hard to tell, but per website, it looks spruced up since I was there last. I already liked the Beaufort Gardens location. The Knightsbridge Hotel, and Beaufort Hotel are on that same block; Beaufort Hotel a llitle cheaper, but Knightsbridge Hotel probably has more services. I've considered that hotel on previous trips.

Others have suggested some of the Grange hotels--there several in and around Russell Square and Bedford Square in Bloomsbury. The appeal of that B'bury location is a straight Tube ride from Heathrow.

thanks for the input; additional comments welcome.

Elaine:

How about The Kensington Hotel which was formerly a Jury's. I spent a weekend there last year and it is very nice. Close to No. 16.

Here is the info:
http://www.doylecollection.com/locat...ton_hotel.aspx

I stayed in the Knightsbridge Hotel some years ago on a business trip and absolutely loved it; great design, comfort and service. Not cutesy "English" but far from minimalist. I dropped in just a month ago to see if it was still as charming as I remembered and it was. I'd stay there again in a heartbeat. But I'm surprised it meets your budget target, I must say. I remember it being pricier.

You might check out the Radisson Edwardian Bloomsbury - there's a AAA rate range of 122-145 pounds over a 4 night weekend the third week of May (i.e., different rates on different nights).

I have three other suggestions:

1) Get a AAA membership (or use it if you have one). You can often get a decent discount (usually at least 10% and sometimes more - in this case about a 15 pound per night discount - on the lowest available rate).

2) Make a reservation now that you can cancel at a hotel you're happy with. Then, as you get close to the date of your trip, when you know for sure that you're going, try Priceline. You sound like you know London enough to know where you want to stay, and that you want a very nice hotel but exactly which hotel isn't critical. That's the right time to try Priceline. Bid for at least a 4* and bid on the low end. You could end up with a great deal - and the fact that the hotel doesn't match all of your criteria (which you can manage if you were picking the hotel in the regular way) is made up for by the fact you'll be staying at a hotel that's probably at least 1* nicer than what you'd normally stay in if you were making a regular reservation.

3) Have you considered staying at Canary Wharf? You can stay at some very nice hotels for a low price, especially over the weekends. This option isn't great, however, if you expect to be coming home later in the evening. While I don't mind making the commute from Canary Wharf into the West End etc at least once per day for sightseeing etc, I don't think I'd want to come in, go back to my hotel to relax, and then go back out again at night and come home late.

I haven't been to London in awhile, but used to go frequently, and always stayed at Bloom's Hotel, which backs up to the British Museum on a side street. It is now a Grange hotel, so I'm not sure if it's changed any. It's a lovely 18th Century townhouse, and was classy, but not too expensive (you could get good deals, which included a great English breakfast). I LOVED the location, near 3 tube stations, and the airport bus stop at Russell Square. I had debated between staying there or Number Sixteen (which was more expensive) and was so glad I discovered Bloom's (from a guidebook). My single room was very small, but so well decorated (and the bathroom was great) that I didn't mind the smallness at all!

Because I like that location (Blooms's) also, I looked into all the Grange hotels around Russell and Bedford Square. Blooms quoted me a price of 160 or 225 per night for a single (depends on weekday vs weekend) excluding breakfast and VAT rate +20%. All the Grange hotels in that area were within 10 pounds or so of that price for a single ensuite room.

For a few reasons, price, availability, etc I narrowed it down to the Beaufort (on Beaufort Gardens, I've stayed on that street before) or the Morgan, which though a budget hotel is always highly-rated. The Beaufort is almost twice as expensive (Morgan double 100 pounds including breakfast and tax, Beaufort about 195 pounds including tax but not breakfast). Though I've been burned by London budget hotels before, I'm very tempted by the Morgan's offer--over four nights, it's a large difference in price.

My daughter and I stayed at the Morgan and liked it. The room was small, as was the bathroom (shower only), but the location is great. It's just off Oxford Street, right next door to the British Museum, walking distance to Covent Garden theaters, and the owners are just super.

good to know, thanks
I'll be on my own, so I have requested a double room for single use. Too many single rooms are like cells.

Just returned from a trip with my nieces, they stayed in the Beaufort. I stayed at the Knightsbridge. While I love the Knightsbridge the Beaufort actually has more services...free wi-fi, complimentary wine, tea and coffee all day, breakfast or afternoon tea inclusive in rate sometimes). Knightsbridge charges for all those things, including $20/day wi-fi. #16 is fab...I've stayed there too. Have you tried the Pelham in So. Ken, right across from the south Ken tube stop? it used to be a Firmdale and was very nice. That was about 6 years ago...not sure now

PS - I think the Claverly might be closed...

Thanks, but the Pelham quotes 300 pounds and up, excluding VAT.
The Beaufort still strongly appeals, but on the other hand, the double room at the Morgan is about half the Beaufort's single price.

my update is that I stayed at Aster House in South Kensington, and it was a great choice.
Since Fodor's doesn't list it, I posted my review at tripadvisor. Here are excerpts:

Their rooms range from singles to superior “suites” –the suite is still a bedroom plus bathroom, but a large bedroom. I stayed in the Poster Suite, down one staircase from the ground floor. The place is spotless, and for a B&B, there are lots of thoughtful extras: free wifi and a/c in the rooms; a generous and good-quality cooked and cold breakfast served in a charming “Orangerie” breakfast room; room decor that is traditional and comfortable; a firm mattress. My bathroom offered a towel warmer and convenient hooks; hair and body products, tissues, and wash cloths. A computer is available for use at the rate of 1 pound per hour. All was in spotless and well-kept condition. Leonie and Simon Tan run the place with courtesy, helpfulness, kindness, and rightful pride in their establishment. Aster House is on pretty and very quiet Sumner Place, a 3-minute walk from the South Kensington tube stop. No elevators. There are some ground floor rooms. Book far in advance. Mind the ducks in the garden. www.asterhouse.com