I will be visiting London with my 18 year old daughter in September. I am able to use some air miles to stay at a really nice hotel, and my options are The Dorchester, Meridien Piccadilly, Chancery Court, 41, Montague Covent Garden, Park Lane, Royal Horseguards. Which of these is the best location for safety and convenience in walking (even at night) to Covent Garden restaurants and the Piccadilly Theater? I couldn't afford to stay at the Covent Garden Hotel, and it's not covered by my milage program.

Out of those listed, The Dorchester is the best one. It's a little too staid for me, and attracts a naff clientele, but the service is usually excellent, and the rooms will be luxuriously comfortable. Position is excellent.

Meridien Piccadilly isn't anything special, and the others aren't up there with the big names!

Absolutely ALL of them are in very safe locations (but then all of central London is safe)

The Dorchester is the poshest - but probably not the best located for sightseeing. It is across Park Lane from Hyde Park but is a fair hike to most anyplace else. Same goes for the Park Lane.

41 is near Buckingham Palace and is walking distance to St James and Green Parks, Whitehall, Big Ben, Westminster Abbey, etc.

The Royal Horseguards is in a GREAT location along the river near Trafalgar Square and Big Ben, across the river from the Eye, and a reasonable walk from Covent Garden.

The Chancery Court is close to the British Museum and Covent Garden.

Do you mean the Montague on the Gardens? if so it is also near the British Museum.

Of all of those choices (all are very nice hotels BTW) I'd probably choose eithet the Royal Horseguards or the Chancery Court. I really like theh Horseguards location. Ask for a river view room.

I agree the Dorchester is the poshest- but the location is predicated on your taking cabs everywhere.

I think the Royal Horseguards has the best location - and while not nearly as upscale as the Dorchester - is perferctly acceptable.

I live a five minute or so brisk walk from Park Lane, and I can assure you that you can walk to anything remotely central from there. It's ten minutes to Selfridges, or ten minutes to Harrods/Harvey Nichols, or an hour and a bit to The City.

Of all these hotels I've only stayed at the Horseguards, and would do so again, in terms of location, comfort, view across the river if you can get it, not to mention the great breakfast!

<<<but then all of central London is safe>>>

use the same precautions you would visiting any major city.

I don't think I'd give up a chance to stay at the Dorchester, but I agree it's not as convenient for tourists who want to walk to theatres, especially if this is a first visit to London. Based purely on location, I'd pick the Meridien or Montague on the Gardens.

Thank you, everyone. It sounds like all these hotels have something to recommend them--whether in location or amenities. Has anyone stayed at the Covent Garden Hotel? It sounds wonderful. (I stayed at the Dorset Square 5 years ago--it was really nice, and I think it has the same owners.)

I have never stayed at the Covent Garden Hotel but it has to have something very good because it is the number 1 in the tripadvisor.com list

Most of those you mentioned are LARGE hotels with many rooms..no matter how luxurious. I prefer small boutique hotels and for that reason I'd chose "41"!

I've stayed at Le Meridien Piccadilly last summer, it's supposedly a 5-star hotel but it was more like a 3 star.
The bathroom, oh the bathroom.. I don't even know how to describe how awful it was.
I can't believe you mentioned it along with the Dorchester!

I had planned to stay there for 3 nights ( saw Madonna at Earls court!) but after seeing my room, I went down to the front desk and canceled my reservation for the two following nights.

When I got back home, I found out that they had charged my credit card for three nights! so I called the manager ( French, nothing wrong with that) and he said he was going to make an "investigation" then would call me back.
He later called me back saying that he was going to call me tomorrow. Then he called saying that I had not canceled my reservation and that's why I was charged! so I insisted on that I had actually canceled it, so he asked me for a cancellation number, which I didn't have! so he said that he was sorry and that he had no way to verify that I had canceled my reservation! then he said: at least give me the name of the receptionist who canceled your reservation! and I thought to myself: looks like they are going to get away with it! I mean how often would you remember the name of the receptionist who gave you your room key?
Then I remembered that I asked the receptionist about where she was from, she was a cute dark girl, and she said she was from Spain! and I don't know how I remembered that, so I told him that she was a Spanish girl.
Then he said OK I'll call you back in a few days.

Surprisingly, he called me back after two days saying that he had found my calcellation# and apologized saying that the Spanish girl was new and he charged the money back to my credit card!

So I basically have all the reasons in the world to not stay at this hotel!

OK it's location is great though!