Hello - I will be traveling to London with my wife and 21-month old daughter in the first week of October. My conference is in the Docklands, but we would prefer to stay closer to the heart of the action since my wife will be a tourist while I work during the day! A friend recommended the Marble Arch area. Can anyone recommend an inexpensive ($200/night max), clean hotel in that area or perhaps suggest a better location to stay? Many thanks!

Thistle Marble Arch is good. Not sure if they will meet your budget, but they're not much more than 200.00 I don't think.

That's only about £100 so it may be tough. How about a B&B? There is the Lincoln House Hotel near the Marble Arch tube that might be less. Their web site is www.lincoln-house-hotel.co.uk.

I'm not sure you can get a triple room in a nice hotel in the Marble Arch area for your budget.

How about looking at some options for Novotel - http://www.novotel.com ? I believe they generally allow two children under 12 in the room for free.

Another commonly recommended option is Travel Inn County Hall which is very nicely located. http://www.travelinn.co.uk

Go to http://www.ichotelsgroup.com and look at the various Holiday Inn options (making sure to select 2 adults and 1 child). Several of them, including the often recommended and convenient Holiday Inn Kensington Forum, would be within your budget.

For sightseeing, perhaps it would be more convenient to stay near Trafalgar Square area: more centrly located to all tourist sites, better tube/bus networks, more restaurants around/plenty of shopping. Besides it is more convenient for you to travel to/from Docklands

I have just check www.Londontown.com, at the beginning of October, Hotel Thistle Trafalgar Square qoutes 66 pounds per room with breakfast, or you could try Thistle Charing Cross(similar location but better public areas)around 120 pounds. If you are interested in apartment, Citadines Aparthotel is around 100 pounds. I have stayed at all of them few times,all are quite clean and comfortable.

The prices in Londontown site changing all the time, you could play around for few times to get the better deals

But in all those instances, akash has to be sure to get a triple room, which probably means the cost is greater.

akash,

check out the hotel promotions for England on Visa, Mastercard, and AMEX sites.

they currently have promotions like 50% off (if available of course).

I didn't write out the ones for England spesifacally but here is what was for France:
Visa France site:
Sofitel 30% off
Mercure 30% off
Ramada 25% off

Visa USA site:
Meridian - stay twice - 3rd free
Libertel - 50% off
Mercure - 50% off
Novotel - 2 for 1
Radisson - 2 for 1
Ramada - 4th night free
Sofitel 30% off

Good luck.

PS I would suggest priceline and checking out biddingfortravel first, but the rooms are doubles, not triple like you need.