We are going to London in late May/early June and I'm wondering what the best area is to stay in? We want to see all the common attractions (Big Ben, Tower, Kensington, Buckingham, etc) and plan to use the tube and buses. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Specific hotel recommendations would also be GREAT! We are looking to spend about 50-60 pounds/night. Also, we have tickets to a kids show at Wembley. What is the best way to get there? Tube?
TIA,
Mindy

I was in London this month and stayed at the Kensington Close Hotel. It was my first trip so I have no other experience to compare it with, but it was fine for me and I don't think it's real expensive (I got a packaged deal over the Internet so don't know how much the plane tickets were versus the hotels).It's two blocks from High Street Kensington Tube which is close to Kensington Palace where Princess Di lived and I don't think a bad area. I used the Tube for all my transportation in London except when I flew to Scotland and had to take a taxi to Victoria Station at 0430 to get the Gatwick Express because the Tube is not running then. Cost me $30 with tip for that one way ride. The room was o.k. size (can't compare with US room size), clean, and the bathroom had a shower/tub and was nice. I'm not wealthy so I'm not used to 5 StarHotels.

Let's not namedrop here, Her Majesty lives at Buckingham Palace, although I would never choose to live in that location.

I'd always advise staying in Mayfair, this is near all the shopping, near Knightsbridge, and the most central place for a tourist to be based in London. It is my favourite part of London, thus I myself reside there.

Hello Mindy,

You'll have to do a lot of looking before you'll find a hotel in Mayfair for 50/60 GBP a night. It's a very upscale part of London.

You said you're going to see a kid's show. Does that mean you'll be travelling with one or more children? If so, an apartment might make sense for you. I think there are a number of apt options in the South Kensington area blondie talks about. Bloomsbury is also a good area to look in. I've stayed in both areas and would do so again.

Very recently someone mentioned the Oxbridge Apartments in South Kens (www.oxrg.demon.co.uk) although I can't remember which thread it was. There's a recent description of a fodorite's experience there at: http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34453077. It sounds very convenient, serviceable, no frills.

m_kingdom will almost certainly back here to announce that only the ignorant and unwashed let apartments on holiday. Please ignore him.

How predictable, I'm back here.

Holiday apartments are usually no different to having to be at home, doing your own cooking and cleaning. That's not my idea of an holiday. If it is yours by all means take it, but I feel they're a false economy after taking the drawbacks into account.

South Kensington - SW7 is a perfectly nice area, nothing wrong there.

Well at least she is predictable (if useless..)

I recommend the S. Keninsgton area also. I am staying in the Oxbridge Apts in May and while I doubt M_Kindgom would go beneath her imagined standard of living, it is very affordable.

Try www.easylondonhotels.com/ I have not used this site personally but friends seem to be satisfied with it. Frankly I doubt if my_kingdom "resides" in Mayfair . He is such a show off .

If I were to pick a hotel just on location (forget about price and I've never stayed there so can't say anything about the quality), I think Thistle Charing Cross would be one of the most central.

However, for that price range, I would definitely recommend Priceline. London is one of the best Priceline deals around.
See http://www.biddingfortravel.com and http://www.betterbidding.com

I recently did a bid for $64 and got the Holiday Inn Kensington Forum, which is conveniently located and has good reviews.

WEll...look at the times M_K posts and make your own guess....

Saturday nights out are so dreadfully common, I prefer to stay in. Much more fun.

Week-nights are the time for parties, and wildy sophisticated living.

So I bid you all a fantastic evening.

M_kingdom are you a man or woman? I really think you need to be in therapy. Why are you so mean and hostile to everyone? Is this your only form of entertainment? And you do not live in the Mayfair area. Dream on.

My dear, I live in Mayfair, and have done so for the past twenty years. It really isn't that expensive, the council tax in Westminster is amongst the cheapest of all the London councils.

Last time I was in London I stayed in the Notting Hill area, which I thought was very convenient. There's a tube line there, Hyde Park, Kensington Palace, etc. Also lots of shops and restaurants.

Martha

Don't worry, I think M_K suffers from sleep deprivation. After all she/he stays up all night posting these items so they we will have the "benefit" of imganiation. I mean it is 1 am in London. Maybe bed would be a good place for M_K?

m_kingdom.
my dear, why would an educated, sophisticated, well traveled, erudite individual like you even bother with the likes of us.Could you not find people of your own ilk to impress? You are not doing too well with us and I doubt we would miss you.

I must say that i am VERY envious of m_kingdom living in Mayfair. I have always stayed in Westminster and have been very happy with the location. Convenient to Victoria Station, the tube, and many walkable sites. I really don't know or care if m_kingdom is a he or a she but am curious as to why all the sarcasm and caustic remarks. I should start a thread on that and ask people for their theories. Mine is that he/she is passive-aggressive and lets people push her/him around and takes out that frustration on the people of this board. Much easier to be like that when it is annonymous!

Thanks for all the great info! I am having a hard time finding any decent hotels in my price range (50-60 pds), even by looking at various online discount sites. I have never done Priceline.com, and am a little nervous, because you have to go with what they give you. We were hoping to find a hotel with a restaurant (and one that included breakfast if at all possible), as we have a 2-year-old and this makes eating more do-able for us. Any advice? Any good sites you know of??
Thanks!
Mindy

UPDATE: We found a deal on travelnow.com for Americana Hotel in Regents Park for $95 USD per night, that includes a buffet breakfast. I thought this sounded like a good deal. (It's a 3 star hotel) Does anyone know this area? Is it an OK neighborhood? On the map it doesn't look too far out there...can anyone confirm that it's not? Thanks!! Mindy

Wesch,
There are some mixed reviews of the Americana Hotel at tripadvisor.com
People who have stayed there though seem to agree the hotel is in a fairly handy location.

Mindy, What neighborhood is the Americana in?