Hi again, The Madrid leg of my trip is settled and now I am looking at 3 hotels in <i>easy distance of Tate Britain, please</i>. If you have any first-hand experience with any, or know one I've missed, I'd appreciate your feed-back. I already have looked at online reviews and rates.

Park Plaza River View: It's directly across Thames from Tate Britain.

Double-Tree by Hilton Westminster: 4 minutes walk but the most expensive.

Double-Tree by Hilton Victoria: a little further away but less expensive.

I've ruled out Grange, Mad Hatter but haven't looked at Morgan.

Many thanks as always, TDu

Stayed at the Park Plaza River view on the Albert Embankment a couple of years ago. Very nice hotel within short walk of Vauxhall station. Not much in the area though. Like the Chino Latino restaurant.

I don't like the Victoria or Westminster area and as has been noted Park Plaza has nothin gmuch inthe area. We always stay near South Kensinggton at Millenium gloucester or Bailey;''s, have stayed at a few hotels there including the one right across for S,Ken tube it is newly remodeled but I can't think of the name!!Aster House and No, Sixteen are great small ones but the price is high! Lots of restaurants and services nearby and good transpotation options.

Thanks, OReilly.--just what I wanted to know. The views from PPRvu were pretty enticing but the other side of Thames might be more efficient. Chino Latino? Now that's a combination!

<I don't like the Victoria or Westminster area>--That is, however, the area in which I wish to stay this time, although I appreciate your input, Avalon2.

Vauxhall has nice views but is on the 'wrong' side of the river and inconvenient to lots of places. And the 'Westminster' is in John Islip Street and not near any tube station.

The only one i'd stay at personally is the Victoria. By far the most convenient for transport to other sites in London.

Thanks, janisj, you make sense, even though I am on a "mission" in this area of the city.

I'm checking bus routes as I prefer to be above ground!

There are buses along John Islip street -- I haven't ridden them myself but when walking through there I seem to remember smaller sort of neighborhood buses so maybe they are 'feeder' buses to the main routes.

A year or so ago someone asked about staying there w/ her slightly disabled mother. I advised against it simply because of the transport options and distances. they booked there anyway. She came back and said in retrospect she would have been happier staying in a more convenient place.

Have only looked at bus from PRRvu--most efficient a walk to Vauxhall and bus there.

Victoria beckoning!

THanks again, all.

TD - unless you are planning to camp out at Tate Britain for the entirety of your 3 night stay, wouldn't it be better to stay somewhere more central and better placed for the rest of the trip?

LOL, annhig. This will be my third trip to London and I do expect to give the Tate much time. When time grows nearer, I may be able to arrange a private look at papers not on view.

I was leaning toward the Victoria Double Tree but saw there is a #88 bus that is a straight shot to Trafalgar Square from the Westminster hotel. St. Martin's in the Field was another place I missed before. Hopefully, I can catch a concert there or something during the day.

Also, I just read there is a boat between Tate Britain and Modern!

Well, doing a switch to Trafalgar, the only place in budget was the Strand. Confusing reviews.

Anybody know about it? Thanks, TD

TD:

I stayed at the hotel, because I got a staller rate from Lastminute.com (?) "secret hotel", and it is a very good hotel. It would not be my favourite location - Vauxhall is pretty skanky.

I love the 'Millennium' chain, but please avoid the Copthorne off Kensington High Street. I have stayed there several times, because it was a cheap Four Star, and it was generally unsatisfactory. Worse, Westminster is now apparently housing its homeless there.

If you are open to moving your area, then I generally prefer Kensington/Chelsea. If you are in London over the weekend, you can get great deals in the City hotels as they are empty at the weekend.

If you are willing to stay south of the river, accepting the transportation problems, then this is the very best hotel I have stayed in, for the price, in Battersea - South of Chelsea(bus transportation mostly). I LOVED it! but it was probably my 50th visit :

http://www.pestana.com/en/pestana-ch...ages/home.aspx

sorry if I have made your task harder, not easier, TD - only trying to help!

Thanks OReilly. Off to read and warm up dinner. Back to this tomorrow.

annhig, your message was not up when I signed off. No apology needed. I'm just wedded to the area.

Anyone ever go to St. Martin in the Field lunch time activities?

Heck, what got deleted?

>>Heck, what got deleted?<<

A spammer advertising a sleazy website

TD, are you asking about The Strand Palace? I stayed there a couple of years ago. It is large and somewhat commercial, not much charm, but quite comfortable. And I thought it was priced correctly. I had a room overlooking The Strand but up a few floors, and could sit at the window and watch the crowds below rushing to work and across the road going in and out of The Savoy.

Yes, cynthia_booker, The Strand Palace. Thanks for the info. As I mentioned above, it got mixed reviews but a good location for my trip desires.

Latedaytraveler just stayed at the Strand Palace. Here's a link to her report.
http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...literature.cfm

Lee Ann