I'm spending way too much time dithering on the best neighborhood for a hotel in London for a family trip next year (we'll be there near the Jubilee, and rooms are already getting booked up). On our last visit, we stayed in Bloomsbury, and enjoyed that area very much. But I'm open to trying another area, and (selfishly) I'd like to be closer to a park, so I could go running in the mornings.

I've found small hotels/B&Bs with quad rooms in our price range in Bloomsbury, Belgravia (Ebury St.), Marble Arch and near Lancaster Gate. Looking for proximity to parks, interesting area, lively but not too noisy. Most of the hotel/B&B choices seem to fit that. We don't care about being close to shopping; seems like there are good restaurants (we'll primarily have Indian food in the evenings); and we're big walkers and public transport users.

Any suggestions for which might be the best for us?

I loved the Belgravia area; we were 5 minutes from Hyde Park Corner tube stop and about that from Hyde Park. It was very quiet in our little mews but was within 10 minutes walking of all sorts of live-li-ness and also very close to shops, groceries, restaurants, pubs (actully 2 minutes to a couple of those).

We've stayed near Kensington High Street/Kensington Church Street twice. Super quick access to Kensington Palace Gardens and Hyde Park for running, which I loved. Reasonably handy for everything else.

Lexma: I am trying to figure out an area also. I was thinking Bloomsbury because I am interested in spending much time at the British Museum and the British Library. Where did you stay and do you recommend it? I figure with all the walking during the day, I can lay off the running for a couple of days! ;-)

On our last trip, we stayed at Montague on the Gardens, a very nice 4* hotel on Montague St., right next to the British Museum. This time, with a family of four, I found somewhere (much) cheaper. If we stay in Bloomsbury, we'll probably stay at the Thanet Hotel. If it weren't for the price, we would definitely stay at the Montague again; it was luxurious.

Thanks! Putting it on the list.

Ttt, in hopes some Londoners will chime in.

" in hopes some Londoners will chime in."

Why?

We know nothing about hotels, except those in Tuscany and New York. We don't live in Bloomsbury, Belgravia, or Gloucester Rd, because no-one does. For reasons I've never understood, the prevailing orthodoxy here is that Islington, Fulham and Docklands are "just too far away" (never worried those of us who've done the journey each way five days a week, 48 weeks a year, but doubtless we're just insensitive). And we make damn sure that places that might meet the Orthodoxy's standards of accessibility (like Holland Park or Chelsea) are kept almost entirely hotel-free, and that their housing stock stays far too expensive to be turned into B&Bs

If you want a London hotel, ask an expert. By definition, they don't live in London, or within 100 miles of it

Thanks for the response.

As you'll note from my original post, I was asking about what neighborhoods are like; I don't want a (specific) London hotel. I, also, can't much recommend hotels in the cities and areas I've lived in, but I can usually tell people what neighborhoods are generally like, even if I haven't lived in them. I dare say there might be other Fodorites who can do that, as well.

I prefer South Kensington around Gloucester Rd tube, close to park and museums and shopping and cafes.
I find excellent rateson Londontown.com and it has excellent transportation routes nearby. I prefer buses to the tube and have no problemd s getting to where I want to go quickly. We've been staying in that area once or twice yearly for 40 years and love it!