Where to find budget hotels in London, the most expensive city in the world?

Dana R ~

 

I assume you have booked one of the "Studios 2 Let" flats, yes? As I recall, they receive generally positive reviews on Tripadvisor, and although the flat itself may be quite small, it should be more than adequate. I haven't stayed in those flats myself, but I know exactly where they are located, and I would not hesitate to stay there myself if the need arose.

 

North Gower Street is perfectly fine, as is the surrounding neighborhood. It's a fairly quiet street lined with Georgian flats (including the building in which the Studios 2 Let serviced apartments are located), a few small shops, and a few more modern office buildings.

The location just off the northern edge of Bloomsbury is far more convenient for touring London than would be a location on the outskirts of town. Don't be put off by the couple of sentences you quoted re. the accessibility of the street--all that means is that you cross busy Euston Road between Gower Street and North Gower Street via a pedestrian underpass. Personally, to cross Euston Road (to get to Bloomsbury and points south--the heart of London) I would just walk a couple of blocks over toward Euston Square and cross at the crosswalk.

If you have watched any episodes of the popular BBC tv drama Sherlock (broadcast in the U.S. on PBS), you will have seen North Gower Street: The door of 187 North Gower Street is used as a stand-in for 221b Baker Street, and the exterior of Speedy's Cafe right next door to that is often seen in the program. Indeed, Speedy's is virtually a place of pilgrimage for fans of the show. It's a bit of an old-fashioned "greasy spoon," but a pleasant place to pop into for a cheap English breakfast or a sandwich.

 

Just around the corner from the Studios 2 Let flats is Drummond Street, where you will find a number of very inexpensive Indian restaurants.

 

If you plan to eat breakfast or supper at the flat, you can buy food at the Sainsbury's Local or at M&S Simply Food, both near the front of Euston Station, just a couple of blocks from the flat. There are also a few coffee shops and fast-food eateries in and just outside of the station itself.

 

A number of bus routes converge in Euston Square Gardens, just in front of the station, and of course there's an Underground station just beneath Euston station itself, and another at Euston Square. You are in easy walking distance of the British Museum, among other attractions (including the British Library on Euston Road).

 

Any questions? Do ask, & I'll answer them if I can.

Just booked the days hotel in Waterloo very reasonable. Went through trip advisor web site. Price is right looks clean with good bathrooms.

 

 

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Another bit of proximate naming in the London hotel trade :) Days Hotel (no idea why it's not a Days Inn, it's the same group) Waterloo is not really in Waterloo at all.

It's much closer to Lambeth North tube station and directly across the road from the Imperial War Museum. Their "10 minute" walk to Waterloo is a stretch, but it's an easy walk.

Colleagues have stayed there on unexpected overnights in town - it's fine, but don't expect too much for the price you pay.

 

 

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We stayed 5 nights at the Brook Green Hotel in Hammersmith last year. 650m to the Tube. Although they do not have a lift (and we were on the 4th floor) they have a great breakfast. There is a Tesco 100m away and a Tesco express at the Tube station. We ate well for 5 per night as someone further back suggested. Hammersmith is on the Piccadilly line from Heathrow and it is very easy to get anywhere from there. We would go back if booking in London.

I have a follow up question about how to get from heathrow airport to studio 2 lets apartments on north gower street via the tube.

 

I am looking up directions, and I get two different routes on Rome2rio and the citymapper app.

 

They both start off by saying to get on the picadilly line.

 

Rome2rio says to stay on picadilly line until till you get to Russell square underground station and walk 16 minutes to apartment.

 

But, citymapper says to start off on picadilly line and then transfer to another line like Victoria or northern and then walk 2 to 3 minutes to apartment.

 

Which route would you recommend?

 

I heard citymapper was the better choice for public transportation for big cities, but I wonder if luggage changes the recommended route.

 

I'm trying to minimize my luggage so it all fits on a carry on, but it looks like it will rain in London so i might need to use bigger luggage than a carry on as planned.

Personally, I'd get the Heathrow Express from Heathrow to Paddington and the the Hammersmith&City or Circle Line to Euston Square.

 

On the tube it makes much more sense to change to get to either Warren Street or Euston - I expect the apps will say change at Green Park, but that's an awkward change with luggage.

 

 

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Travelodge has several locations in Central London. It's cheap and cheerful and has a decent breakfast.

The nearest tube stations to the apartment are Euston (station) or Euston Square. Either is about a five-minute walk.

 

Russell Square or King's Cross which are both on the direct (Piccadilly) tube line from Heathrow are both a 15 minute walk. Simplest option, but means that 15 minute walk with luggage

 

I can't see where you mention your travel date, but if it's some months away I'd agree with the Eagle, take the Heathrow Express to Paddington, then tube to Euston Square. By far the quickest & easiest.

By booking several months out, the Heathrow Express costs just £5 per person.

But the walk-up fare is over £20 per person :eek:, and for two passengers you could pre-book a car door-to-door for the same total cost

https://www.heathrowexpress.com/

 

Alternatively, the direct Piccadilly tube from Heathrow to King's Cross, then the tube for a one-stop hop to Euston Square or Euston.

I suspect that the change at Kings Cross is relatively easy with luggage, perhaps a Londoner can confirm.

 

http://content.tfl.gov.uk/standard-tube-map.pdf

 

JB :)

Because someone asked (either on this thread or another on this board) I wanted to post my recent experience at hub by Premier Inn. There are several of these in London (and I saw another one about to open, I believe near Westminster Abbey). I stayed at the Tower Hill hub. I absolutely loved this hotel!

 

It's a super-modern hotel with small but ingeniously designed rooms with everything (heat/AC, tv, room lights in various configurations) controlled by a panel in your bed's headboard or by an app on your phone. I'm a solo traveler so it was perfect for me, but if you are traveling with someone you don't enjoy being VERY close to, keep in mind that the rooms are very small even by London standards, so you will probably want to spring for one of their larger rooms. The price was excellent compared to other hotels in the area. The hotel was almost brand new, impressively clean, had free excellent wi-fi throughout, and there was a sandwich-shop type restaurant in the lobby that I enjoyed. When you book you can also book a breakfast for 5 British pounds per person that includes a choice of oatmeal/bagel/cheese or bacon toasted sandwich as well as any of their coffee drinks (I had a mocha both mornings!) and a cup of fresh fruit.

 

The location was great--short walk to both Tower and Monument tube stops, lots of restaurant options very close by, Tesco and Boots close by, easy access to typical tourist sites, etc. The only drawback was that neither Tower or Monument are step-free tube stops and you will need to carry/drag your luggage up and down some steps.

 

I would very highly recommend this hotel chain for solo travelers as well as couples and it will definitely be my first choice in future trips to London. The only thing I wish it had that was missing from the room was a mini-fridge!

I have a follow up question about how to get from heathrow airport to studio 2 lets apartments on north gower street via the tube.

 

I am looking up directions, and I get two different routes on Rome2rio and the citymapper app.

 

They both start off by saying to get on the picadilly line.

 

Rome2rio says to stay on picadilly line until till you get to Russell square underground station and walk 16 minutes to apartment.

 

But, citymapper says to start off on picadilly line and then transfer to another line like Victoria or northern and then walk 2 to 3 minutes to apartment.

 

Which route would you recommend?

 

I heard citymapper was the better choice for public transportation for big cities, but I wonder if luggage changes the recommended route.

 

I'm trying to minimize my luggage so it all fits on a carry on, but it looks like it will rain in London so i might need to use bigger luggage than a carry on as planned.

I often stay in northern Bloomsbury, and always take the Tube (Piccadilly Line) from Heathrow to King's Cross/ St Pancras. This route has two major advantages: 1) there's no need to change trains anywhere along the way, and 2) you don't need to worry about stairs at King's Cross/ St Pancras--you can get from the platform up to the street level using lifts (elevators), which isn't the case at the Underground stations at Russell Square or Euston or Euston Square, where stairs are involved.

 

It's a shortish (15 minutes) walk from King's Cross to North Gower Street:

 

 

https://goo.gl/maps/Jp8yccr2eZ92

The only drawback was that neither Tower or Monument are step-free tube stops and you will need to carry/drag your luggage up and down some steps.

 

 

Is there any way to know which tube stops have lifts, ie elevators, and which tube stops only have stairs?

Is there any way to know which tube stops have lifts, ie elevators, and which tube stops only have stairs?

 

Yes, the Tube map: https://tfl.gov.uk/maps/track/tube

The only drawback was that neither Tower or Monument are step-free tube stops and you will need to carry/drag your luggage up and down some steps.

This needs some clarification.

 

Bank/Monument (which is all one station) actually has step-free access to the DLR (only), although that is cumbersome (three lifts to surface level, plus walks between the lifts, plus the top lift is not on an automatic call for security reasons, plus the dtreet level entrance is a well-hidden secret). I think that none of the other lines is yet step-free.

 

There is no station called "Tower".

 

Tower Hill station is now step-free; there are lifts to both sides of the station. This is a great boon to me personally.

 

Tower Gateway has always been step-free, with both lifts and escalators.

Is there any way to know which tube stops have lifts, ie elevators, and which tube stops only have stairs?

Yes, the Tube map: https://tfl.gov.uk/maps/track/tube

And from that page, you will want both the Step-free Tube and rail guide and the Avoiding stairs Tube guide in order to get the full picture.

This needs some clarification.

 

Bank/Monument (which is all one station) actually has step-free access to the DLR (only), although that is cumbersome (three lifts to surface level, plus walks between the lifts, plus the top lift is not on an automatic call for security reasons, plus the dtreet level entrance is a well-hidden secret). I think that none of the other lines is yet step-free.

 

There is no station called "Tower".

 

Tower Hill station is now step-free; there are lifts to both sides of the station. This is a great boon to me personally.

 

Tower Gateway has always been step-free, with both lifts and escalators.

 

Hmm, I believe you--maybe what I was thinking about are the steps outside trying to get between there and my hotel. I used both tube stops (and yes, I meant Tower Hill) in order to figure out which one would be better when I had to get myself and my luggage to Heathrow. I did look at the step-free etc. info on the official Transport for London site but I found it confusing because it didn't very clearly explain which entrances/exits to take to avoid stairs. I scouted all around the Monument station because the map on the TFL site said you could use a combination of lifts and escalators to get between the street and the platform for Circle/District Westbound, which is what I needed--unless I misunderstood the symbols--but I couldn't find where to do that and when I asked one of the employees there he told me there is no way to avoid the stairs.

 

The TFL site also says Tower Hill is lifts from streets to platform, but I did not see that at all when at that station.

 

http://content.tfl.gov.uk/avoiding-stairs-tube-guide.pdf

 

I'm sure if I lived in London rather than visiting once every few years I could figure all this out, but I think my best option is just to continue to try to minimize luggage when I visit London! :)

 

 

 

The TFL site also says Tower Hill is lifts from streets to platform, but I did not see that at all when at that station.

 

 

 

http://content.tfl.gov.uk/avoiding-stairs-tube-guide.pdf

 

 

 

I'm sure if I lived in London rather than visiting once every few years I could figure all this out, but I think my best option is just to continue to try to minimize luggage when I visit London! :)

 

 

The lifts at Tower Hill were put in last summer, so maybe that was after your visit?

 

TfL are spending a lot on step-free access, but some of the stations are so constrained it's hard to do much. It also means that Direct Enquiries, a website with detailed information on routes through stations is out of date, unfortunately, but I suppose it remains 'worst case'.

 

 

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The lifts at Tower Hill were put in last summer, so maybe that was after your visit?

I wondered that, too - hence using the word "now" in my post.

 

I think it was you, Cotswold Eagle, that first told us about those lifts finally being finished: http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?p=50712304#post50712304

 

I scouted all around the Monument station because the map on the TFL site said you could use a combination of lifts and escalators to get between the street and the platform for Circle/District Westbound, which is what I needed--unless I misunderstood the symbols--but I couldn't find where to do that and when I asked one of the employees there he told me there is no way to avoid the stairs.

Actually, the TfL site is technically correct on this one. But it isn't something that I'd recommend, hence leaving it out of my earlier post.

 

What you need to do is:-

• Find the street level entrance to the first lift down
  
• Call the lift
  
• Wait for a member of station staff to (remotely) activate the lift for you
  
• Lift down
  
• Walk
  
• Lift down
  
• Walk
  
• Lift down to DLR concourse level
  
• Walk to the opposite end
  
• Escalator up
  
• Walk
  
• Escalator up
  

 

At this point you will be on the westbound Circle/District Line platform.

The lifts at Tower Hill were put in last summer, so maybe that was after your visit?

 

TfL are spending a lot on step-free access, but some of the stations are so constrained it's hard to do much. It also means that Direct Enquiries, a website with detailed information on routes through stations is out of date, unfortunately, but I suppose it remains 'worst case'.

 

 

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No, I was actually there from April 29 to May 1st, but maybe I just wasn't looking in the right place for the lifts. If I get back there I'll check out Tower Hill station again and see if I can find a step-free (or close) route from there to the hotel. It just didn't look to me like a good place to try to drag my luggage through.

No, I was actually there from April 29 to May 1st, but maybe I just wasn't looking in the right place for the lifts. If I get back there I'll check out Tower Hill station again and see if I can find a step-free (or close) route from there to the hotel. It just didn't look to me like a good place to try to drag my luggage through.

To be fair, the lifts are not in the most obvious places, nor are they as well signed as they could be (possibly partly in an attempt to discourage their use by people who don't really need to use them). But they are definitely there, and they have been extremely valuable to me since they were installed - partly because Tower Hill --> Tower Gateway now provides a good route for Tube --> DLR connections with heavy luggage, and partly because it allows me step-free access to the Tube during the (fortunately, relatively rare) times when walking is painful.

 

Describing where the lifts are in words is a little cumbersome because Tower Hill station is a bit complex. There are two halves to the station. The northern part now sits underneath the Citizen M hotel. For the most part, this is exit only. The southern part (for the most part, the only entrance to the Tube) is set a little lower, on the other side of the footpath and beneath a circular viewing platform.

 

On the eastbound platform, the lift is about half way along the platform, and set into a little passageway of its own. The lift takes you up to street level in the northern part of the station. If you want to take this lift down, you have to go into this part of the station even though it is otherwise still exit only.

 

On the westbound platform, the lift is a little closer to the eastern end of the platform. At the top, it emerges into the ticket hall in the southern part of the station, but right at its eastern end by the entrance to the building. To get out, you have to walk ahead, then do a U-turn to get through the gates before walking out of the entrance. Similarly, to get in, you have to walk into the ticket hall, through the gates and then do a U-turn.

 

From the southern part of the station, you can exit by ramps up to the same level as the northern part of the station. As that is literally at street level, it should then be a step-free walk along the northern edge of the garden down to Byward Street, and then along the north side of Byward Street to Great Tower Street.

Actually, the TfL site is technically correct on this one. But it isn't something that I'd recommend, hence leaving it out of my earlier post.

 

What you need to do is:-

• Find the street level entrance to the first lift down
  
• Call the lift
  
• Wait for a member of station staff to (remotely) activate the lift for you
  
• Lift down
  
• Walk
  
• Lift down
  
• Walk
  
• Lift down to DLR concourse level
  
• Walk to the opposite end
  
• Escalator up
  
• Walk
  
• Escalator up
  

 

At this point you will be on the westbound Circle/District Line platform.

I was thinking about this on my way through Bank/Monument this morning.

 

It's such an awful route that I think that even if I had luggage, I would still take it at street level to the main entrance to Monument (the one on Fish Street Hill near the junction with Monument Street), and then walk it down the stairs to the District Line platform.

booking.com has cheaper rooms than either premier inn or travelodge so would start there, London is a vibrant city with cheaper dining options as well as street food vendors (some of which are beyond fabulous). It is possible to find accommodation for about £450 for 5 nights (approx $582)

 

http://www.queensparkhotel.com/?gclid=CjwKEAjw9MrIBRCr2LPek5-h8U0SJAD3jfhtsMBn-4vutpd-sGscEHet45SCX5tpmHwc7xRAhaNfOxoCKTXw_wcB

 

 

https://uk.hotels.com/ho608469/mowbray-court-hotel-london-united-kingdom/?rffrid=sem.hcom.UK.google.003.00.04.s.kwrd=c.99573417159.29075064519.183498639.1t3.aud-125833353923:dsa-189050821959.1006634..0.CjwKEAjw9MrIBRCr2LPek5-h8U0SJAD3jfhtbpViAjatK_84bNiT2JKBDQy61QhV_P_TTxJlf0CM6BoCyxnw_wcB.aw.ds&semid=29075064519.183498639.1t3.aud-125833353923:dsa-189050821959.1006634..0&gclid=CjwKEAjw9MrIBRCr2LPek5-h8U0SJAD3jfhtbpViAjatK_84bNiT2JKBDQy61QhV_P_TTxJlf0CM6BoCyxnw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

From the southern part of the station, you can exit by ramps up to the same level as the northern part of the station. As that is literally at street level, it should then be a step-free walk along the northern edge of the garden down to Byward Street, and then along the north side of Byward Street to Great Tower Street.

Subject to the usual need to find the location of dropped kerbs and such like for crossing roads, this is confirmed. I walked this yesterday, albeit in reverse.

Just to jump in on the hotels discussion.

I travel to London quite often on business and I always stay at the Holiday Inn at Brent Cross. Basically this is so I can drive right to the end of the M1 and park as that is where it is. But there is a free shuttle to and from the tube station - you just call the number and they come along and collect you. Its about 15 minutes into the city centre by tube, no hassle at all. The hotel is right opposite Brent Cross Shopping Centre which is a great mall.

If you spent time locally there one day, you could also pop along by taxi and see Wembley Stadium.

Anyway, the hotel is usually around £100 a night for a double room plus breakfast.

I would have thought that it was more like 25-30 minutes from Brent Cross to most of the areas in Central London like Embankment for the Houses of Parliment that tourists like to visit.

 

Still it's a good option that extend the budget, it just adds a little more travel time at each end, shuttle bus and then the tube.

 

When ever we drive into London on we park at Stanmore or Finchley Road and tube in,