Going to London in March taking my 60 year old Mom. I have been looking at all the posts re: hotels and I am on overload. I need a location close to the major tourist sites and am looking for something smaller and quaint. Mom will walk but I don't want to be to far out. We will want to be able to go back to the hotel in the afternoons for a break. We will be doing the "tourist" thing. No real shopping. Advice on area to stay and hotels you have loved would be welcome. Also you thoughts on the weather in March.

Alex, I did a trip to London with my mom a few years ago and we stayed at the Knightsbridge Green Hotel (there are several postings on the rants and raves section of fodors). The hotel is close to a metro stop, a block from Harrods and across from Hyde Park. We were there in April and we had all kinds of weather. Bring a coat, layer, always have your umbrella handy, and bring along a hat and gloves.

Alex - first, there is no one main tourist area. The "main" sites stretch from Kensington Palace in the west to the Tower of London in the east. Plus the outer sites such as Hampton court and Kew. Since everything is close by tube, there are many areas that are good for lodging. But based on your knowing your mother's stamina (60 isn't that old by the way) and talking about taking afternoon rest breaks - I would stongly recommend renting an apartment instead. Much more comfortable than small hotel rooms and having to eat every meal out. There are hundreds to choose from but convenient areas to look for affordable flats include Kensington, Bloomsbury, Pimlico, Covent Garden, and the Southbank/Southwark.

We stayed at Citadines Trafalgar Square, which is an apartment hotel. It was in a great location and we walked everywhere. It's also located near a tube station. It had a small range, microwave, and refrigerator and was great for a small family. Only complaint was no box springs under mattress on bed. Nice, updated property.

<BR>I like all the advice you've had so far, but would adjust it a bit to say you want accomodation near or on the District Line. This runs east and west, much of beside the Thames, and serves Tower Bridge, the Tower, the City, near St Paul's, the Temple, near Covent Garden, near Trafalgar Square for the National Gallery and National Portrait Gallery, Westminster, St James Park, Victoria (for Buckingham Palace), South Kensington (for the Victoria and Albert and the Science Museum), and Kew.<BR><BR>I have notes on small and friendly hotels near Victoria and the Strand (also near the District Line): I have copied it to you by e-mail<BR><BR>Please write if I can help further. Welcome to London.<BR><BR>Ben Haines<BR>

Sorry: my software didn't recognise your address. Would you tell me your e-msil address, if you'd like the note on small hotels ?<BR><BR>Ben Haines

As the tourist sights are all over London, why not use the Big Bus (or the like), at least for the first day or so? It picks up/drops off all day long at all the major sights, and gives you a good layout of the city.<BR>http://www.bigbus.co.uk/<BR>http://www.theoriginaltour.com/<BR><BR>A hotel within walking distance of one of the drop-off points would be the most efficient, and as Ben has suggested (good one, Ben, I never thought about the District line hitting all those places), near an underground stop for the District line.