Best area of London to stay

[Huebie]

You can't beat Mayfair for a great location. You're within walking distance of the parks, the Piccadilly area, theatres, and Oxford Street shopping. We really liked the Holiday Inn Mayfair. It's not like a US Holiday Inn but you do get frequent traveller points. For the area it's in, it's reasonably priced. It's directly across the street from the Ritz. We never stay anywhere but Mayfair.

[pacmom]

Murphysmum,

 

Can you give more info about the flat you rent. We are hoping to spend a week in London in Spring 2009. We want to book a flat. If you don't want to post here, e-mail me at momcooney@woh.rr.com Thanks, Pat

[CatherineL]

I prefer staying in South Kensington as quite a few of the museums - eg Natural History Museum etc are in that area.

 

We always use priceline to book rooms and save a fortune. Just bid for a four star and you can't go wrong. We never bid more than around £60 to £65 a night plus tax and charges - so $120 to $130.

 

If you're not used to priceline, it is worth checking out the bidding for travel dot com site first.

[boards]

Has anyone stayed at the Park Inn Hyde Park, London. It is near the Lancaster Gate? We are booked there for next May 2008.

[SheilaNC]

Although not related to rates, we're using Marriott points to stay at the Marriott County Hall. With high rates in London now, if you have points from any hotel chain, I'd highly recommend that. We will use the money saved to 'eat' and take taxis at current high exchange rate. And, as Bruin Steve, says, it's a great location. Walk to London Eye, Westminster, Parliament, Buckingham Palace, etc.

[auntdot]

Try the London Marriot at County Hall.

 

It is right by the London Eye and overlooks Big Ben, it is on the South side of the River but very central.

 

http://www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/lonch-london-marriott-hotel-county-hall

 

The hotel is in County Hall that used to be the building that housed the GLC ( Greater London Council).

 

I think the rooms would be around about your budget

 

Lowest rate I saw on the website was 299 GBP/night!! Way beyond our budget!!

[SheilaNC]

What nights are you looking for? The rates drop on Sept 5th and there is a 143L senior rate (if you qualify). I've found the best way to get a good deal is to use Priceline and be sure to search for 4 or 5 star hotels in Central London. Good luck

[auntdot]

What nights are you looking for? The rates drop on Sept 5th and there is a 143L senior rate (if you qualify). I've found the best way to get a good deal is to use Priceline and be sure to search for 4 or 5 star hotels in Central London. Good luck

 

Thanks for the info - I did use our dates (Oct 12-14/08) and seniors' rates!! I have never used priceline as I find it very complicated. Guess we have always wanted to know exactly what we are getting when we book as DH is a lght sleeper and we always ask for quietest rm etc. and I have some issues with walking.

 

Anyway, you and so many others have been very helpful and I will continue to research! That's half the fun of the cruise, right?

[handfordr]

Most Central District - The West End

For the leisure visitor to London the centre where you will be visiting much of the day is called the West End. Geographically the centre is Trafalgar Square. From here Big Ben, Buckingham Palace, Westminster etc., the shopping and theatre districts are all within 10-15 minutes walk. Close neighbours of Trafalgar Square are Leicester Square and Covent Garden the main theatre, film and restaurant area that teems with tourists at all times of night and day.

 

Just to the west of Leicester Square and Trafalgar Square is Mayfair, the most exclusive part of town. Full of gentlemen's clubs, embassies and top of the range luxury goods.

To the north west of Trafalgar Square is the main shopping area, Regent Street, Oxford Street, Bond Street and Carnaby Street are all here.

In short if you have a hotel in these districts you can walk to the majority of attractions and the main entertainment and shopping areas. But hotels in this area will charge a huge premium over hotels just a mile away for this privilege.

 

Hilton, Radisson, Thistle and Marriott chains have many hotels sprinkled around the West End and most brand name hotels will have their London flagship hotel here too. There is quite a lot of 4 star accommodation around Leicester Square and Charing Cross area, typically in the £150-£200 per night range. Similar accommodation is also found clustered around Oxford Street. At off peak times rates may come down £50 or so. Mayfair around around Green Park and Park Lane is an area of the most expensive hotels in London including The Ritz.

Three star accommodation is thin on the ground. Citadines Aparthotels at Trafalgar Square and Holborn and the Strand Palace Hotel are exceptions to the rule with rates £100-£150.

There is almost no budget accommodation in the West End under £100 a night. Just north of Oxford Street are a few cheaper Oxford Street Bed and Breakfasts, but you're still paying a hefty premium over their peers less than a mile away at Paddington.

 

Plus Points - Everything except cost.

Minus Points - Cost, cost and cost.

 

Cheap Accommodation - Less than £70 Double Room

Cheap accommodation in London in this price bracket is invariably in so called 'Bed and Breakfast hotels'. In London this phrase is really code for cheap hotel. You will not get a small family run Bed and Breakfast with the personal attention that this sector normally is associated with outside of London, not at this price anyway.

 

Standards vary enormously. The main areas for such accommodation is Kings Cross, Bayswater, Victoria and Earls Court. In our view the best place for such accommodation is currently Kings Cross. There is a cluster of cheap Bed and Breakfast hotels opposite Kings Cross St Pancras Stations, around Argyll Square.

These Kings Cross hotels as well as having some of the cheapest rates in London have some of best standards in this sector. Worthy of mention is the Wardonia, around £55 for a double room (but no breakfast), the Montana Excel, Meridiana and Crestfield Hotels. Slightly more expensive is the Alhumbra, recommended by many guide books and the California, a sister hotel to the Montana Excel. All of these can be found at our Kings Cross Bed and Breakfast page.

Bayswater and Earls Court are also great budget hotel areas to stay with restaurants and services geared to the budget travellers and a good buzz around their main restaurant/shopping strips. South of Victoria from the train and bus stations down to Pimlico there are also lots of cheap independent hotels.

 

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Bloomsbury, Euston and Kings Cross District

Many repeat visitors to London find 'their' district to stay is just north of the theatre district in Bloomsbury. Its very central, only a 10 minute walk to Leicester Square or Covent Garden.

 

The British Museum is sited here and the area is noted for its literary past and bookshops. A very pleasant place to stay, an area of garden squares, interesting small shops, atmospheric quarters.

 

In Bloomsbury itself, (around Russell Square and British Museum) its mostly large 3 and 4 star hotels. These hotels are very popular for theatregoers. Many theatres are within walking distance and rates are a step down from the hotels right in the centre, just half a mile away. Cheap accommodation, less than £100 is available but tends to be not of good quality. This really is a place for a mid range hotel in the £90 - £150 per night bracket.

Just north of Russell Square and the British Museum is the London University. You are entering the Euston area, known for its railway station. This area is not touristy and there is a faint glimmer of a community feel in parts. This area has a good cross section of accommodation. At the bottom end are some chain budget hotels where rooms can be found well below £100 at the Ibis, Premier Inn and Tavistock. There are also some nice independent hotels around Cartwright Gardens in this bracket too. Its really an area for those looking for good value accommodation in the 2 to 4 star sector, comfortable with being a couple of tube stops away from places they want to go. The Euston area tends to be used by UK people coming to London on business, so rates tend to be cheaper at the weekend when this market vanishes. Some of the 4 star hotels like the Hilton Euston, Novotel Euston or Thistle Euston can have very good rates at the weekend as will many of the cheaper hotels.

 

Just east of Euston and north-east of Bloomsbury is Kings Cross, home to both Kings Cross and St Pancras Stations from where the Eurostar trains run to Paris. This is currently 'the' place to come for cheap accommodation in London. You can find a choice of some of the the best double/twin rooms with breakfast between £40-£70 here, A decade ago Kings Cross had an unfortunate reputation, it has put this behind it and is now a very up and coming district with a lot of investment in the area. The simple, cheap Bed and Breakfast hotels around Argyle Square opposite the stations are arguably the best for cheap accommodation in London. Everything is clustered around the stations including cheap places to eat and Kings Cross is one of London's major public transport hubs.

 

Summary - Bloomsbury is a pleasant area of much interest within walking distance of the West End theatre district. Ideal for theatregoers and people who want a 3/4 star hotel very near the centre but don't want to pay the prices of Trafalgar Square.

Euston is for people more budget minded but who want a reasonable mid range hotel. More bland than Bloomsbury, but more competitive room rates, especially at the weekend.

Kings Cross is the current benchmark district if you're looking for cheap accommodation under £70 for a double ensuite room.

 

The Piccadilly Line Underground trains run direct from Heathrow Airport through Bloomsbury to Russell Square and Kings Cross. There are also frequent direct trains from Kings Cross to Luton and Gatwick Airports.

 

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Bayswater, Lancaster Gate and Paddington District

This area is just north west of the centre, straddling the northern border of Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens.

Nearest the central area is Paddington, you can walk to Oxford Street in 10-15 minutes from here and be in Hyde Park in half that time. Paddington is dominated by the railway station, the terminus of the Heathrow Express train, just 15 minutes to Heathrow.

 

The area is a bustling railway station area with lots of travellers passing through. By the railway station are lots of shops and restaurants geared to 'pick up and go' rail travellers passing through. Underground and local buses are very good.

 

Accommodation here tends to be biased towards budget independent 2 and 3 star hotels around £75 - £110 per night, there is a lot of it around the station. These are focused around Norfolk Square, a surprisingly calm garden square surrounded by cheap accommodation, but only 100-200m from the station. Sussex Gardens is a broad tree lined avenue just beyond Norfolk Square, where every building is a small/medium sized hotel. There are some grander hotels including two Hiltons hotels. The Hilton Paddington is part of Paddington Station, a true old fashion railway hotel. The very large Hilton Metropole is to the east of Paddington by Edgeware Road. This area by Edgeware Road is the Arab quarter of London.

Of the 2 and 3 star hotels, the Darlington Hyde Park hotel sets a benchmark for quality which you pay a premium for. There is a lot of competition though, mostly 10-20% cheaper than the £90-£130 charged by the Darlington. There is also some very cheap accommodation but anything below £60 is invariably poor quality.

Just 5-10 minutes walk south west of the station is Lancaster Gate, which has its own Underground Station, a district of wide tree lined avenues adjacent to Hyde Park. The hotels here tend to be more elegant and more upmarket from Paddington its close neighbour, there is no very cheap accommodation here.

West of Paddington is the Bayswater district, opposite Kensington Gardens, an extension of Hyde Park. The focus for Bayswater is Queensway, the main High Street. This is a budget hotel area and Queensway has a great choice of restaurants, services and shopping. One of the best areas of its kind in London for visitors on a budget. Queensway has two Underground stations, Queensway and Bayswater within yards of each other. Accommodation is price driven and rates are highly volatile. Room rates tend to be a lot higher at weekends than during the week.

 

Summary - In broad terms Paddington and Bayswater are both biased towards the budget hotels, most accommodation is between £50 and £120 per night. Paddington is a bustling major railway station area with the fastest transfer to Heathrow (15 minutes), Bayswater is focused on visitors, but also has a local community, making a nice mix with a great High Street (Queensway) for restaurants and services. Lancaster Gate is more relaxed, open and slightly upmarket.

If you are not arriving at Heathrow, connections are fine to all the other major London airports but will involve a short underground or taxi journey to the main airport transport.

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Kensington District

When mass tourism first came to London, Heathrow was the only main airport. Kensington is the area adjacent to the centre which you travel through going out westwards to Heathrow. It thus was a natural as a focus for hotels.

Kensington has several districts, Knightsbridge, High Street Kensington, South Kensington, Gloucester Road and Earls Court. The Piccadilly Line Underground out to Heathrow goes straight through the heart of these districts.

In crude terms the further west you go out of town the lower the hotel rates and the number of stars on your accommodation, but as always there are exceptions. Closest to the centre is Knightsbridge, home of Harrods department store. This area is one of the most exclusive areas of London. Hotels here tend to be top of the range with similar rates to Mayfair just up the road.

 

Once out of Knightsbridge you come to a very civilised part of town around South Kensington and Gloucester Road. This is a land of mostly 4 star hotels or top of the range 3 star hotels. The area around Gloucester Road Underground has several large chain hotels including Holiday Inn and Raddisson. There are some nice convenience stores and coffee shops as well as a quality supermarket, Waitrose, and a larger Sainsburys. The South Kensington Museums are in the area and you can easily walk up to Harrods, Kensington Gardens and Kensington Palace. In short a nice mid/upper hotel market area, a land of coffee shops rather than fast food with rooms focused on the £100-£200 area.

 

Past Gloucester Road and you come into Earls Court, a major budget hotel area. The hub of this district is the Earls Court Road that passes past the Underground Station. Earls Court Road has lots of fast food and other outlets geared to the budget traveller. There is also a useful left luggage facility. In terms of numbers this area is predominantly cheap bed and breakfast accommodation, much of it of questionable standard. However sprinkled amongst them are some notable accommodation options higher up the scale. The Ibis Earls Court, Premier Inn Kensington, K&K hotel and Base2Stay are some of the better buys in London. Unusually for London there are two very large supermarkets, Tesco and Sainsburys where food and basic necessities are much cheaper.

 

Summary - Knightsbridge is an exclusive location to stay, if money is no object its worth considering. South Kensington / Gloucester Road has some good middle of the road accommodation and a pleasant middle market environment. Earls Court is a budget hotel area, though take care when selecting cheap accommodation here and it also has some very good value for money hotel options in the 3/4 star category as well. Rates at the weekend are often cheaper than during the week in this district.

 

The Piccadilly Line Underground is the way you'll travel into and out of the area. Its about 15 minutes to Piccadilly Circus and 40 minutes to Heathrow. If you're flying into Heathrow this area should be considered. Even if you don't fancy the Underground transfer, its the shortest taxi ride from Heathrow. If you're flying into Stansted or Luton, Kensington is the wrong side of town, there are probably much better, more convenient districts.

Kensington Hotels

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Victoria and St James District

On paper Victoria is a great district to stay. Buckingham Palace is on your doorstep and Big Ben, Westminster Abbey and the London Eye just a 10-15 minute walk. There is even a couple of London's main theatres around the station. There is direct public transport from Victoria to all of London's four main airports and there is accommodation in all sectors of the market.

 

Victoria railway station is the focus of the district where all the major roads meet. To the south of the station its dominated by lots of cheap budget accommodation. This area is surprisingly sedate and low key, a very pleasant and central location to stay. Unfortunately some of the cheapest accommodation isn't up to the

 

same standard as the environment. Behind, (south) of the station is a mass of budget independent hotels less than £100 per night. Very cheap accommodation here, less than £65 for a double is almost certainly of low quality. There are also some cheap (for the area) 3 star hotels including 2 Comfort Inns.

 

Out front of Victoria Station and along the road to Westminster past St James is where you find the 4 star and top of the range 3 star accommodation. There is a sea change in prices here to the budget accommodation behind the station. Prices are highly volatile, Most of the time you'll be paying £150+ at these, but at off peak times and weekends prices can drop a lot. A very nice location to stay with airport links, proximity to the sights and theatreland and a fair choice of local shops and restaurants.

 

Summary - Direct transfers to all 4 major airports, within walking distance of many of the major sights and a nice environment. If you've a cheap flight with a low cost airline into Stansted or Luton you have the option of a cheap transfer with easyBus from Luton and Terravision to Victoria. The budget hotels behind the station near where the buses terminate can make an attractive, convenient and affordable package. But beware if the price seems to good to be true at the hotel. The Luna & Simone Bed & Breakfast in this area s one of the best received budget accommodations in London, but like all such gems you pay a premium, in this case approaching £100 per night and its often booked out far ahead.

For most other travellers its worth fishing around what's available, especially at the weekend towards the top end. Victoria has a lot going for it, but expensive rates at the 3/4 star end can daunt the cost benefit equation. However, sometimes you'll get a rate that makes the decision a no brainer.

Victoria Hotels

 

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The City & South Bank

The City Of London is the 'original' and the oldest part of London, around which there was once a city wall. Today it is the commercial heart of London given over to trade and commerce, predominantly the financial sector. Few leisure visitors will stay here, at least not mid week when the hotels are full with financial people paying top rates. At the weekend, parts of the City of London become a ghost town, a lot of shops don't even bother opening.

Consequently room rates become more attractive at the weekend, for leisure visitors some good quality hotels around the vicinity of the Tower of London can be very attractive.

On the other (south) side of the river its another desert as far as accommodation options are concerned. This area was once a drab area full of warehouses and little of interest to the leisure visitor. But gradually over the last decade the district has been rejuvenated, especially along the river bank itself. There are some major attractions like the Tate Modern Art Gallery and Shakespeare's Globe Theatre as well as the London Eye. Its now a very attractive area for the visitor, unfortunately hotels are proving slow to appear. Those that are here do not form a hotel district, just the odd hotel in isolation targeted at the business traveller.

 

Summary - On the face of it not a promising area for leisure visitors. The only area attractive for leisure visitors is around the Tower of London where there is a small cluster of mostly 4 star hotels that can have very reasonable rates at the weekend and holidays. If you're coming for a weekend break this a great place to look for a nice hotel at a sensible price. Otherwise hotels are very much geared to the financiers of the City Of London, so don't expect too much in the way of budget accommodation.

There are direct trains from London Bridge to both Luton and Gatwick Airports and the Stansted Express terminates at Liverpool Street. This area is the other side of London from Heathrow and very tedious to get to from there.

[auntdot]

Dear handfordr,

 

I am speechless! Thank you so VERY much for taking your time to lay this all out for us! You are incredibly generous to have done this and we truly appreciate it.

 

Although we are 'seniors' we have never been to Europe and this helps me tremendously with looking for accommodation that is central, affordable, and accessible from Heathrow. We have booked the Crowne Plaza St James, but perhaps after I look into your suggestions we may be able to find something less expensive and still have the benefits we chose that hotel for.

 

It is very daunting to be trying to find a place to stay in countries we are unfamiliar with; I have no problems doing this for USA and here in Canada, so I guess it isn't that much different!

 

 

Once again, thank you so much for your kindness.

 

Dorothy

[SuburbanMom]

Any thoughts on the Kensington Holiday Inn?

[Globaliser]

Any thoughts on the Kensington Holiday Inn?

That is just by Gloucester Road Tube, so it falls into the area described here:-

Kensington District

...

Once out of Knightsbridge you come to a very civilised part of town around South Kensington and Gloucester Road. This is a land of mostly 4 star hotels or top of the range 3 star hotels. The area around Gloucester Road Underground has several large chain hotels including Holiday Inn and Raddisson. There are some nice convenience stores and coffee shops as well as a quality supermarket, Waitrose, and a larger Sainsburys. The South Kensington Museums are in the area and you can easily walk up to Harrods, Kensington Gardens and Kensington Palace. In short a nice mid/upper hotel market area, a land of coffee shops rather than fast food with rooms focused on the £100-£200 area.