Elizabeth

Is the Portobello Hotel terribly inconvenient to the Tube and the West End? (It's at 22 Stanley Gardnes). The hotel sounds quirky and kind of cool (as does Notting Hill; this is my first trip to London!), but it's so hard to tell from maps and guidebooks! Is it also worth 140 pounds (versus other places I could stay)? Would love your input -- thank you!

Rene

Elizabeth, I don't have any info on Portobello hotel. We just returned from London, I would recomment 5 Sumner Place Hotel in south kensington. Tube station 1 block away, quiet street, great shopping area. We paid 130 GBP/night, includes breakfast.

mimi

This is not the location that I would choose if I were interested in the theateror the museums. We have been to London a number of times and find that the area near the British Museum is an easy walk to the theaters and the West End. You can find hotels such as the Russell or little hotels around the squares such as the Thanet. There are all price ranges, check the quide books. This is also an easy walk to the National Art Gallery and Covent Garden. <BR>You are right next to the tube and surrounded by restaurants. You can even take the tube from Heathrow to your hotel.

xxx

Couple suggestions close to West End in Soho are the Charlotte Street Hotel (old building recently gutted, small but very cool rooms) or Hazlitts (three old townhouses linked - very quirky with great history and charm). Have heard the Portobello is cool, but would rather be walking distance to my main interests.

Kathy

My husband and I stayed at the Portobello two years ago and while the hotel itself (converted townhouses) is small and charming, it is NOT close to either the tube stop or restaurants. We found ourselves dreading the walk after a full day of being tourists. I would do a search on Fodor's and try somewhere closer to central London for about the same price.