K.McLain

Help! We are four college students who will be visiting London from Nov. 17-23, and we are having a difficult time finding a reasonably priced (by poor student standards)hotel that we can all agree upon. Our only concerns are that we are safe and have a private bathroom. We will appreciate any suggestions! Thank You!

lisa

Just returned from 2 months in Europe, and stayed in London for four days with my husband and two children. We stayed in the Travel Inn - Putney Bridge. There are four within central London costing 59 pounds per night. If you stay a bit further out, eg Travel Inn Kenton, the price goes down to only 39 pounds a night. The great thing is they are really clean and modern and you pay the same price whether there is one or four in the room. I couldn't find better value in London. You must book as they are constantly full. You can find out their info on the Web and even book through the internet. Good luck. Lisa

jim

we stayed last month at the travel inn--county hall, right across the river from big ben and next to the waterloo station. great location, clean, big rooms. it was perfect. and the other writer is correct--reserve ahead.

K.McLain

Thanks, Lisa and Jim, for the suggestions. I will definitely check into to these!

sam

Just got back today and did not have a private bathroom. Thought it would be tough, but I will never do it any other way if I have to. As someone told me, London is a old city and most of the bathroom have been put in lately due to tourist requirements. They will have no ventilation and therefore one person can ruin your nights sleep if you know what I mean. I stayed at the Arron house in Bloomsbury 77 Garron?? Street. The room was very basic as all are, very small, yet the bathrooms and shower were right down the hall for 50 pounds a night for two small double beds. The Goodge Street (Northern Line) station was 2 blocks away. Although, not in CG or Pic., it was so easy to get anywhere and cheap. They offer a a very good breakfast. We would eat there and skip lunch. The people were great and nice. <BR> <BR>Trust me on the bathroom on the hall. I was not going to do it but will always travel this way in Europe when available from this point on. But please remember, throw out all concepts of Hampton Inns, Marriotts and Clarions Hotels. You pay dearly for that in London and you are never there, at lease you should not be. If you want to go to where are the cool, hip Londonites go eat, there is a restaurant in Convent Garden call (Belgo?, Belgro. It is Belgian, good, hip and a lot of young people from around the world. It can be fairly expensive. It is unlike many restaurants in the US.

sharon

Hope you found inexpensive lodging, when I was a student in England, many years ago, we always found reasonable lodgings in B&Bs in the area near Paddington Station, but also know that Bloomsbury & Earls Court also have afforable lodgings that is more student oriented; sometimes we opted for a bath - usually if there were 3-4 of us in one room & it was more economical. We never stayed in the London hostels, they didn't have a good reputation in those days although we did stay in those in Scotland. B&Bs in England & Wales were always more reasonable & we always felt safe. It was very different living & traveling in England & the Continent as a student than it is now 20 years later both as for business & for leisure - those years of sharing a bath are long over! <BR> <BR>The Belgian restaurant in Covent Garden is Belgo Centraal..before a certain time..6, 7pm?..they have a Special where you can order Mussels & you pay the time of day or something; its written up in Rick Steves London guide. I did eat there but not under the Special, had good mussels, frites & various types of Belgian beer in a very hip, techno environment (except for the waiters who are dressed as monks). A Belgo has opened in NYC. Also, many of the younger people from wthe office in London used to talk alot about going to Wagamama, a Japanese noodle place in the Bloomsbury area, I never went there, but they all loved it..cheap, too. Have a great time!

sabrina

I agree that Paddington is a good place for you to look. I stayed in Paddington at a place called the Hotel Niki, about a half-block from the tube. In January the room was about 40 pounds, which I think is something like $80US, or a little less. The rooms are very basic but they do have a private bath and the place is very safe. Family owned, free breakfast, great location, the whole bit. I can dig up the card for you with the number and address.

kristi

My brother in law recently stayed at the Travel Inn near Tower Bridge for L59 per night. It's a new hotel and they said they were perfectly comfortable there. Spend the extra few pounds a night to have a private bathroom. We've tried the bathroom down the hall places and its creepy if you have to use it late at night.

Deb

Just as a note...the Travel Inn group only allows 2 adults in a room (they will allow up to 4 people but 2 of them must be children). So you would have to have two rooms. <BR> <BR>