palace strand location
 

Several people have reported that the palace strand is a dump. However, the location is awesome. Does anyone know of another hotel in the same location that is relatively inexpensive?

I don't know that I would call the Palace Strand a "dump".

You might want to check Citadines Trafalgar Square.

Around that area, I have stayed at Strand Palace, Citadines Trafalgar Square,Thistle Trafalgar Square,Thistle Charing Cross(all within few minutes walk,about the same price range),the last one is the most comfortable. For some deals, please check:www.londontown.com, or www.laterooms.com.

I am afraid I would never stay at Strand Palace again.

JudyC...can you elaborate on the Starnd Palace? Friends recommended it to us.

We've been around the block many, many times on the pros and cons of the Strand Palace. A search should pull up many threads about this hotel.

We have stayed there about three times, the most recent in December 2003. I frankly don't get the negative comments and it certainly is not a dump. It is a very old hotel with over 100 rooms (some of which apparently aren't to some people's liking).

On two occasions we had corner rooms which were larger than most, had good bathrooms and worked fine for us. In December they were packed and we weren't able to get a corner room. Our room therefore was smaller, but certainly adequate. The worst of it was the looking out the window onto an airshaft, which I hate, but it didn't ruin our stay!

The lobby and public rooms had been redecorated and changed a bit since we were last there. I think our room had undergone renovation as well, as the bathroom was considerably more "modern" than I remembered in our other rooms.

There are two restaurants and a wine bar in the hotel. We ate at both and the food was okay. Was a blessing to have a place to eat when returning after a long day of sightseeing.

The location can't be beat as you noted. We do not stay in 5* hotels so maybe we are easily pleased, but I do know a dump when I see one and the Strand isn't one. It is clean and serves us perfectly well. We will continue to stay there on visits to London for the convenience and the fact that we know our way around from there.

To RonZ: Probably it was just my luck, the one time stay(10 nights pre-paid package)at Strand Palace,my single room was tinier than my bathroom at home, the small window opened to airshaft without any nature light,dirty and threadbare carpet and some stale smell all the time around the room and corridors.

Since there are several other hotels within same price range,but better located for tube/buses/galleries/SBC centre/restuarants around Trafalgar Square, I am afraid I don't see the reason to take another chance.

How is the breakfast at the palace strand. Does anyone know the nearest bus stop to hop on the Original Bus Tour?

I remember one discussion about the Palace Strand a year or so ago, where someone was raving on and on about what a dump it was. Then finally through the discussion is was discovered he was talking about a different hotel -- the Regent Palace(?) right off Picadilly?? Maybe others have confused it.

julieleigh: I can't help with the hop on/hop off bus as we've never used it. However, public transportation is easily accessible with three Underground stations within walking distance (Covent Garden, Charing Cross and Embankment) and many, many buses pass the hotel on Strand. I'm sure it would be easy to get to one of the hop on/hop off stops. For example, if Trafalgar Square is a stop, you can easily walk there from the hotel.

On our most recent stay at the Strand Palace we had a full English breakfast included. It was served buffet style and we could choose from the entire buffet. This ran from scrambled or poached eggs, several breakfast meats, tomatoes, beans, potatoes, cold cereal, yogurt, lunch meat and cheese, juices, etc. It wasn't the best breakfast we have had in Europe, but it was better than some. Gave us a good start on the day.