midwestgal77

I posted before needing help finding a hotel in London. I found one in Cricklewood..The Crown Moran Hotel. I think it is pretty reasonable with flight out of Chicago to Heathrow and hotel for 6 nights for $1186.50pp.

My question now is...someone responded to me in my last post that Cricklewood is not a very desirable area. Meaning what?? The distance from central London is too far or its just a bad neighborhood???

Also how hard is it going to be to get to the hotel from Heathrow Airport? The flight is supposed to get in at 10:40pm.

How close is the Crown Moran to the tube?

Please forgive me if I am asking silly questions! I have tried to look this information up, but its overwhelming to this small town girl..lol and I just need a little help.

Also, if anyone else has any ideas on hotels I would appreciate it a lot!!

Thank you so much for your help!!!!!!!!!

gertie3751

Well, from looking at the pictures, Cricklewood has certainly come up in the world. Here's the hotel website with explicit directions how to get to the hotel. http://www.crownmoranhotel.co.uk/
Arriving at LHR at 10.40pm you will be looking at midnight in Cricklewood if all goes well.

MFNYC

Read the reviews on tripadvisor. The hotel itslef gets decent reviews, but the nieghborhood is described as "inner city", and too far from the sites (about 40 min.).

Any particular reason why you picked this hotel and/or this neighborhood. London is big, but there are many great areas with good hotels, near public transportation. Was this an air/land package? If it was, are there other hotel choices?

Tulips

It's not a bad neighbourhood in terms of crime or anything like that, it's just not a place where tourists would stay. If you have to be in that area, and the hotel is 10 minutes walk from a station on the Jubilee line, you will have no problem getting into town; you can get to Bond Street (on Oxford Street, opposite Selfridges, lots of shops) or to Green Park (close to Buckingham Palace) without changing trains.
I would look into getting a car service from Heathrow to the hotel. Otherwise it's probably the Heathrow Express to Paddington and a taxi from there. You would probably be better off getting a car straight to the hotel.
As the previous poster said; the hotel's website is pretty clear.
Have a good time in London!

CotswoldScouser

Cricklewood isn't an area many posters on this board will know terribly well. It's a very long way out of the centre, and as you can see from its website, it's at least 15 mins walk from the nearest tube station - though it's only a hundred yards or so from Cricklewood station, which is on the Thameslink above-ground railway - say 15 mins from Kings Cross. And lots of buses stop outside.

As far as I'm aware (and my knowledge comes only from driving through the area, reading Allan Coren's columns about it - Google on them - and watching tne sales figures of Cricklewood branches of stores I've been responsible for), it's perfectly OK. The area's a road hub, and the hotel's handy for driving up the M1 (Britain;'s main north-south highway) and for the Wembley sport/exhibition/conference complex. So, depenmding what's on, the hotel might get boisterous.

At night, you're best prebooking a car from the airport (see posts on Just Cars). The hotel recommends you get a 10 or so mile taxi ride off the rank from Paddington (destination for the Heathrow Express). With a likely arrival at Paddington around midnight, I really wouldn't agree with that.

Can you realy not do better with a flight-only package and a bid on Priceline for a central hotel?

gertie3751

Cricklewood is an Irish part of London. Maybe that's the explanation.

midwestgal77

thanks for the quick replies!!!

It doesent have to be in that area, but that is where I'm going for a wedding. Hampstead, Marleybone, Islington, or the "West End." were areas I have been told to look into, so I wouldnt have to stay in Cricklewood. So any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

CotswoldScouser

Cricklewood "inner city"?

Codswallop.

It's not inner, it's not city and it's not dangerous. It's just a long way from anywhere you'd want to go unless you were at an exhibition in Wembley.

m_kingdom2

Cricklewood is a dump, and has lots of rough looking youths walking along the broadway (I think it's a broadway not a high street there), and "pound stretcher" shops where everything costs a pound. It is about a half hour drive into Central London.

On one side are lots of poor looking terraces, on the other are large houses with residents who have dubious tastes.

In short, you would be mad to stay there. The money you might save on accommodation will be lost through commuting, time, and overall enjoyment.

Alec

All parts of London have changed in recent years, but traditionally Cricklewood was very much a blue-colour area with a large municipal housing estate (social housing) and light industry and warehousing. But with high demand for housing anywhere in London, a lot of redevelopment has taken place, with new shops, restaurants and cafes opening to meet a demand.
It's no worse than staying anywhere in a non-descript, non-touristy part of the capital, and transport links are quite good. But, given a choice, I would look for a hotel much closer to the centre, or a more attractive and interesting part. If you go to www.laterooms.com and www.lastminute.com, you'll find plenty of choice in £50-£100/room a night range.

PatrickLondon

Recovering from the vision of MK2 in a Poundstretcher, I have to say it depends on how much time you're going to spend at the wedding, in relation to the overall amount of time spent in London. Unless you see yourself still partying in Cricklewood at midnight (a condition I never thought I'd have to imagine), it seems to me to make more sense to stay somewhere more central, as originally suggested, and travel out to the wedding.

PatrickLondon

If you look up the hotel on www.yell.com. it says it's 10 minutes from Kilburn and Willesden Green underground stations on the Jubilee Line. There's a map as well.

midwestgal77

I have tried to research into this all myself but its like me trying to read something in japanese...I'm not familiar with it so therefore I dont understand what I'm looking for.

I have came to the conclusion that I dont want to stay in Cricklewood. I plan to do a lot of sightseeing and would like to be in an area that is near or at least close to transportation.

So again I ask.....without staying in Cricklewood could you please offer me a little advice on a nice area that I can stay in. I know that this is probably a vague question..but i really need your help!!!!

Thanks

MFNYC

If you provide us with your hotel budget, and any other requirements you may have, people will be to offer more valuable advice. Is this a room for 1 or 2 or more? Do you need easy access to public transportation in order to get the wedding?

m_kingdom2

It's simple. Find a map of London, note where the attractions are centred - the centre.

Please advise a budget, forgetting the airfare (makes it too complex) and then people can suggest alternatievs. As for getting to the wedding, I doubt you'd want to turn up after using public transport, a minicab or taxi won't bankrupt you.

Mucky

Hi MK, Glad to see your back on form..

;-)

OB

janisj

Most of the info about Cricklewood vs. the rest of London was explained on your other thread.

Also we talked about you being able to get a better choice of (and cheaper) hotels if you book your hotel and air separately.

Why not just get the best airfare you can, and then we can help you get a good deal on a hotel - using LondonTown, Priceline, or booking directly through hotel websites.

Merseyheart

ttt

midwestgal77

First I just want to ask how many of you have had the chance to travel?? frequently?? I have not ever had the opportunity. I live in a small town in Illinois with a population of 1200 people. My extent of traveling was to Indianapolis every year to see family. I never have got to go on amazing trips to other countries. I barely get out of Illinois, so when I say I am clueless to this...I'm not joking.
I'm sorry it dosent seem like I am listening or paying attention to what you are telling me. Please just humor my stupidity and if you dont want to offer any advice then click onto someones elses question.

Here are my specifics:

I am traveling with someone, but am paying my own way. I am trying to book for 2 in hopes that it may be a little cheaper.

**Flying out of O'hare in Chicago into London Heathrow.
**Leaving Oct. 2 Returning Oct. 8
**As far as budget, I would like to stay below $1250.00pp for flight and hotel. If I book seperate the flight shows to be $767pp..which would leave around $483pp for hotel.

I have looked at doing flight and hotel seperate and I have not seen where it is going to save me any money. Actually in two cases it would be $250-$300 more.

At this point I dont really care where I stay at. I was told to look on the North side..Hampstead, Marleybone, Islington, or the "West End" and I have tried to look, but again I must just be stupid because sites I have seen just dont tell me what I want to know.

Once again I would appreciate any suggestions you can offer me. Thanks!!!

janisj

OK - just a few quick comments:

- You only have 5 nights in London (since you won't arrive until Oct 3 and leave on the 8th) so your calculation of 6 nights is off.

- $767 out of Chicago seems a bit high since I am getting that sort of fare from the west coast.

- If you and your traveling companion use Priceline you can get a very nice hotel for $80 - $120 per night. Times 5 nights that is approx $500 for BOTH of you - a LOT less than $483 per person.

So even IF you do have to pay $767 plus about $250 for 1/2 of a nice hotel you are barely at $1000. And this will be for a nicer hotel than the ones offered by the air/hotel package.

That's what I meant by getting better and cheaper if you book air and hotel separately. Not trying to confuse you.