star55

I'm booking a holiday in London between Christmas and New Year's and am looking for feedback on hotels. I usually stay in the Kensington area, but am interested in trying other areas. I plan to go to the theater, museums and take lots of pictures of the holiday decorations. Any suggestions?

Also, has anyone ever used the 'top secret hotels' feature on londontown.com? Were you satisfied with the hotel you got with this booking?

Thanks in advance for your help.

roodboy

i have used the 'secret hotel' feature on LastMinute.com to book for visitors coming to London and was very satisfied (ended up in Millennium Grosvenor Square for only £80) - but as I know London quite well I can usually work out the identity of the 'secret hotel'

Kate_W

I like (and used to live in) the area north of New Oxford St, east of Baker St and west of Tottenham Court Rd. You're close to shopping, the theatre and restaurants, with quite a few tube stops for different lines nearby. On my own coin, I stayed at the Holiday Inn on Welbeck St (nothing special, but perfectly decent 3* in a great location), Thistle Selfridge (didn't like it as much as the Holiday Inn but it was cheaper and ok, too). I had planned to stay at the Jury's Inn - Clifton Ford, but had to cancel: it looked like it might be a little nicer than the Holiday Inn but still reasonably priced. I'd love to stay at the Charlotte Street Hotel, but it's too expensive for my budget (so I just have drinks at the bar).

Just south of New Oxford Street, I've stayed at the Marriott Grosvenor Square on Duke Street (on an expense account, at a government rate - it was great and very convenient), the Westbury Mayfair (booked through cheaprooms.com - quite liked it although my room was quite small), and the Millenium Grosvenor Square (good deal booked through superbreak.co.uk - also liked it).

I've also stayed at the Thistle Charing Cross (fine - wouldn't have wanted to pay full price but got it for a bargain through Priceline) and the Renaissance Chancery Court (gorgeous, loved it, alas - very expensive).

Based on what you want to do, I would highly recommend the Marriott Grosvenor Square - and it's certainly the hotel I would choose to stay in if my expense account stretched to cover it.

star55

Thank you for the feedback - I can proceed with more confidence now!

fishee

I take it that you're not from the U.S. if you're fine paying in GPB.

With the horrible exchange rate, people in the U.S. would do better on Priceline, etc. so that one can pay in US dollars.

judybarnes

Staying at Russell Square is nice: close to the British Museum, and not a bad walk to Leicester Square, the theatre district, and Covent Garden. There are many hotels around there. My mother and sister got a laterooms deal on the Montague at the Gardens (or something like that) and we got a great BA deal on the lesser President Hotel, with English Breakfast.