London Hotels
 

Hello, Newbie here as of today. I have been checking hotels in London for a one week stay in early
May but it's a bit confusing since there are so many to look up as far as prices, location, etc. My husband and I have never been to London and would appreciate a few hotels that anyone can think of which are close to major attractions, are in a safe area and moderately priced.
Is it better to check air/hotel packages rather than separately?

By moderate price I mean $200 to $250 per night.

I have found three that sound promising and they are.....

Kensington Rooms

Enterprise Hotel

Park International

Thanks!

Welcome andigrl!
I haven't calculated the dollar/pound ratio but so many folks on this board suggest bidding for a room at a nice 4star rather than reserving a small 3star with possibly no lift(elevator).

We play it safe and are doing so again on 30th April & 1st May and going the tried and tested Hotel Chain route - namely The Ibis Hotel Euston. This will be our third visit there and being familiar with the surroundings helps us.
Rooms are small but modern - being a chain you can complain with a chance you could be heard if things are not right.

The dollar/pound ratio is about 2/1 making London expensive.

I'd also suggest one of the bidding options.I've never used one, but I believe they usually offer the best deals. I recently returned from London and made my booking through BA where I got a room (priced on website at $ 350 a night) for about $570 for all three nights. A great deal. At least I thought so.

Have you considered staying in a Bed and Breakfast? I found that some gave price breaks for staying a week or more, and that prices were generally lower than moderately-higher priced hotels. There are several options for finding Bed and Breakfasts if you were interested. You may find options limited since it's only a few weeks away.

Get the room situation squared away and then have fun planning your possible itineraries! I strongly urge you to do as much homework and research as possible, read maps, check this forum often. Whether you want to "wing" each day or plan it by the hour, you will be more efficient and see more in this city which really you can just barely touch in a week if you do some pre-planning. But much of that will depend on where you are, so you can plan travel times and such, and your budget for food and sights and travel might be affected by how much the room actually is. (we're staying in a BandB near Hyde Park--Belgravia neighborhood--for 2 weeks in July for about $125 a night but I made reservations in January)

I really enjoyed the K&K George.

http://www.kkhotels.com

It was very close to a tube station, so easy to get around. Of course the rooms were on the smaller side if you are used to American Standards, but we had not problem.

There was a very nice breakfast buffett each morning. And our favorite thing about the hotel was there courtyard. After walking around London all day, it was very nice to grab a bottle of wine and relax in the courtyard/garden. I would highly recommend.

The hotels in your list are slightly out of the centre, but handy for the Kensington museums.

You could try the Fielding Hotel. It's small, well run, in a good location by Covent Garden, but no lift. It was a favourite of Graham Greene.

http://www.the-fielding-hotel.co.uk/

You could afford the Premier Inn County Hall or Premier Inn Southwark, both on the South Bank of the River Thames. County Hall has the most convenient location, just over the bridge from the Houses of Parliament. See the website: http://www.premierinn.com

The Strand Palace Hotel also has a good location, between Covent Garden and Trafalgar Square, but It's very large:
http://www.strandpalacehotel.co.uk/

The Grange Strathmore in Kensington is British in feeling and seems to be used by them far more than by American tourists, which I liked. I enjoyed my two stays there as did my teenage son. I posted a detailed review of it on trip advisor along with some pictures, if you would like to read it:

http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserR...n_England.html

The hotel is well located in a very safe area, even at midnight, and is not far from anything. An underground station is nearby, as are buses, and taxis abounded, so we could get around easily any way we wanted. I would suggest contacting them, or any hotel, directly to see if you can get a better rate than a posted rack rate. Ask for breakfast to be included as well. I see a rate of $127.67 posted today for it on trip advisor for quite a few days in early May. You would be hard put to beat that in any major city, if you can get it. Have a good trip!

I would suggest the NL Harrington Hall Hotel in South Kensignton. Very close to the Gloucester Road station on the Picadilly line for easy access to all of London as well as Heathrow. I have stayed there several times including a few weeks ago. Booked thru www.laterooms.com. Paid £110 for a superior room including VAT which would fit your budget.

I have stayed at the Park International and replied on the other thread.

Maybe I am missing something but why not try Priceline. We got our 4* hotel in Kensington for $97. And that was at the Hilton. Getting around London is not that big of a deal.

Thanks everyone for your suggestiins. We ended up booking at the Strand Palace in the theater district.......can't wait, this will be our first trip to London.

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