Chris

Does anyone have any reports on the Montana Hotel in Gloucester Road (just across from the tube station) in London? <BR> <BR>The location is fantastic and the price is OK - 77 pounds per night for a double, but of course you never know what it's like without a first hand opinion! <BR> <BR>Appreciate your help.....

Beth-Ann

We stayed there in June. The rooms and the lift are very tiny. It is clean and convenient. The staff wasn't especially warm, but they were competent. The breakfast was tea and toast. A good home base all in all but not for someone to spend a lot of time in, <BR>

Chris

Thanks for your reply Beth-Ann. <BR> <BR>Are there any special requests I should have about room location? Lower floor etc. A friend mentioned that it may be quite noisy being right on Gloucester Road. Also was the breakfast adequate? <BR>We are cereal/toast eaters at home. <BR> <BR>Thanks for your help with my strange questions - trying to get the best value for our poor Australian dollars!!

Jeanne

G'day Chris: <BR> <BR>Stayed there a couple of years ago when they were doing renos. Staff were really helpful and friendly. I can't remember the noise being particularly bad but I can sleep through anything. Our room was just below ground level....got to watch peoples legs as they walked by. The room was spare but the beds were comfortable and they had CNN (I needed to hear the news in my mother tongue after a month in Provence with no TV!!!). I believe the breakfast was basically tea and toast (I'm a celiac so I skipped the breakfast), there were some small convenience stores a couple of blocks away where we bought yogurt and fruit. There was a Boots nearby as well as a Macs and Haagen Daaz and some small restaurants and I believe a croissant place. There was a good Indian restaurant attached to the hotel. <BR>We were there in July and the weather was great so we tried to walk everywhere, it's about 1/2 hr by foot to Harrods and about 1 1/2 hrs along the Thames to the Parliament buildings (done at a slow amble wandering around looking at everything). <BR>

Beth

<BR>Chris, I was fortunate to learn about the Montana Hotel via a new friend I've made from this Forum (a wink of thanks to M.W.) when traveling alone to London for the first time in June 1998 and concerned about not blowing the budget, but having a safe, convenient location. I would certainly recommend it if you are looking for budget accomodations and an excellentlocation. I agree with the comments of Beth Ann in an earlier post that the staff were not particularly warm, but the rooms were very clean and comfortable (though typically tiny). My tendency is to be a light sleeper, but the traffic noise did not disturb me at all (was in a corner room at Gloucester Road). Windows are double-paned glass and efficient at keeping out the noise. You won't find the big English breakfast here (unless you pay separately for it). In November I returned to London and stayed at the Elizabeth Hotel (slightly more expensive, but still budget) on Eccleston Square near Victoria Station. Though the Elizabeth had its own charm and a full English breakfast (which we didn't partake of every day), the location is not nearly as convenient, and there were no phones in the rooms, if that's of concern to you. I would choose the Montana location over the Elizabeth in a heartbeat. It was fantastic being right across from the tube. There's also a lovely grocery store right across from the tube where I often bought sandwiches, water, fresh fruit, etc. on the run and to take to the room in lieu of tea and toast breakfast. A fish and chips shop, Burger King (if you get desperate!) and pub are also right across from the tube, and there's a post office and many phone booths right across the street. My first day I decided to take a walk up Cromwell Street and found myself in the park looking at Kensington Palace quite by accident. Very convenient!