London Accommodation ~ Nice, Not Too Expensive, and Clean ~ Is that too much too ask?

[Negin]

I guess so ... :lol:

So, if you're not sick and tired of me asking continuous travel questions ... if you know of any good places to stay in London for a family of 4 for possibly a week, please do share.

My Rick Steves London Book is taking forever to get here ...

London is soooo expensive.

 

Here's what I'm thinking:

1. Staying in one of the London Heathrow Airport Hotels through Priceline. Airport hotels with PL are cheaper (MUCH cheaper) and they tend to be more nice with families - giving you 2 separate beds (I think and I certainly hope).

It costs a few pounds per person to ride the Tube, but it also takes an entire hour to get there. I don't particularly care for that. 1 hour each way. For about a week - can really drag on ...

I love the energy of London - the buzz and atmosphere. The Heathrow area is quite dull and depressing. Mind you, if we do go with this option, it's just for sleeping.

 

2. Apartment Rentals - all the ones I see are expensive. But I would love an apartment - having a fridge, a washer and dryer - I don't plan on cooking.

 

3. B&B - they can be quite expensive also.

 

4. University Accommodation - does not appeal to me. Reminds me of my teenage years.

 

If you have any suggestions or recommendations, please do share.

Thanks so much. :)

[MaMa2005]

I know you said you didn't like the university accomodations, but that is where we stay when we go to London. Just a couple blocks from the Tube and all the excitement of London right outside your doorstep. Plus, breakfast came with our room. Since we were only there for sleeping, it really was perfect.

[Harriet Vane]

We stayed at The Blades in the Pimlico area and loved it. Breakfast is included.

 

We also stayed at The Corbigoe across the street from The Blades. It was not nearly as nice, and no breakfast, but it was definitely cheaper.

 

There are others in the Pimlico area--you can compare prices.

 

The prices in London are ugly, there's no way around it. Another option would be to stay outside of London and take the train in to sightsee.

[Beth S]

My 18yo dd and I spent 3 nights in London in May. She was a bargain hunter, and we were pleased with the results. This was an economy trip.

 

We stayed at EasyHotel's Victoria, which is downtown, within walking distance of Buckingham Palace. We intentionally picked the cheapest room ($65), which was the exact size of our double bed + tiny bathroom. But it was new & clean & quiet (in their basement). They had more expensive rooms with windows & floor space, and there were quite a few hotels on the same street (Belgrave Road). (We walked & took the Tube exclusively.)

 

http://www.easyhotel.com/hotels/london_victoria.html

 

We also stayed at EasyHotel's London Heathrow ($48), which is a short bus trip from Heathrow to the hotel (then a 1/4 mile walk to the hotel). We were happy to walk to save $$.

 

We rented a car from here & drove into the countryside.

 

On the way back, we stayed down the street from Kings Station (the Chunnel train departs from here) at Kings Hotel. It was $65, but a bit noisy. Bathroom & Shower down the hall, run by a family. It was clean, but my dd had expected it to be nicer. There were also about 10 other small hotels on this road.

 

I must close, but will answer questions if desired, later this afternoon.

[asta]

Check out Good Night and God Bless.

 

 

a

[saw]

Here are few where we've stayed:

 

Airport hotel: the ones I've seen are not actually that close to Heathrow. When we stayed at one a few months ago we had to take a bus that came every 15 or 20 minutes and took about that long to get to the hotel. Heathrow is zone 6 so the tube ride will cost you.

 

Citadines. Can be pricy but you could get a good deal. The South Ken location has just been refurbished and is quite nice. There is a kitchen. We've stayed there a couple of times in a room that had a bedroom/bathroom upstairs, then a living room/kitchen downstairs, with a couch bed. The Trafalgar Square location is fabulous, but quite shabby and rundown, although it is clean and functional. Kitchens work, as does laundry.

 

Grand Plaza in Bayswater. Aparthotel. Not bad, my brother and his family got an upgrade to a huge two-bedroom apartment, while we got stuck with five of us in one room, for the same price! The location is good and you might be able to get a good deal on booking.com (although I don't think they always have the very best deals).

 

Gower Street in Bloomsbury has a lot of bed and breakfasts, like the Arran House Hotel. They're basic but quite nice.

 

There is another street whose name escapes me near King's Cross that also has a row of b&bs on it. I stayed once at the Mentone and it was fine, if a bit noisy.

 

Acorn Apartments. They have several locations throughout the city. We have stayed in the Gower Street apartment several times. It's huge, if somewhat rundown. The people we've dealt with are very nice and helpful.

 

Think Apartments. We've stayed at the Earl's Court and Tower Bridge locations, both very new and nice.

 

Someone just told me about Dolphin Square serviced apts in Pimlico, and I'll be checking those out soon.

 

You could also try one of the chains like Comfort Inn (?) and see whether staying a certain number of nights will get you a free night or two.

 

Good luck and have fun

 

Sophie

[prairiewindmomma]

George Hotel. The carpets are a bit shabby, but the price can't be beat. The free breakfasts are HUGE. You're in walking distance to the British Library, the tube, and a bus line.

[Negin]

Thank you all, so much.

 

I know you said you didn't like the university accomodations, but that is where we stay when we go to London. Just a couple blocks from the Tube and all the excitement of London right outside your doorstep. Plus, breakfast came with our room. Since we were only there for sleeping, it really was perfect.

Do you have a link or name? I hate to sound snobbish, but I only do this sort of thing, if we can have our own bathroom. I cannot, at the age of 43, stand to share bathrooms. Makes me feel like a teenager all over again. Again, sorry to sound snobbish.

 

We stayed at The Blades in the Pimlico area and loved it. Breakfast is included.

There are others in the Pimlico area--you can compare prices.

The prices in London are ugly, there's no way around it. Another option would be to stay outside of London and take the train in to sightsee.

I'll look more into the Pimlico area. I guess I have been truly spoiled. The last few times I stayed in London, it was so very central. I'm not even familiar with Pimlico.

Taking the train in will only be worth it if it doesn't take too long AND if the train fare for all 4 of us works out very reasonable. Unlikely. London is horribly expensive.

 

Good luck and have fun

Sophie

Sophie, I've taken note of all your suggestions and am going to look into them further.

 

My first choice right now (followed by whichever of your suggestions works out) are to just get 2 rooms on PL and be done with it. Last time we were there and the kids were smaller, we got one room through PL and were very happy with the hotels on both our arrival into London and our return. The kids were smaller, so it wasn't that big of a deal to stay in ONE king bed. But now ... we need to get 2 rooms. I'll see.

Youth hostels, are truly my last choice. Sorry to sound like a snob. Dh says that I am. I know that I am. Sorry ...

I wish there was a nice and user-friendly site for reasonable apartments in London. I have yet to find one. Paris, I guess, is just a more reasonable place to stay. London is shamefully expensive. :confused:

 

George Hotel. The carpets are a bit shabby, but the price can't be beat. The free breakfasts are HUGE. You're in walking distance to the British Library, the tube, and a bus line.

This looks like a good option.

Do you mind if I ask:

1. When you went, was it very crowded? What time of year did you go?

2. Did you have to RUSH down to bfast every morning? Some reviewers on trip advisor keep mentioning that. I mean, if I'm paying for bfast, I want to make sure that it doesn't run out if you KWIM. ;)

[Negin]

My 18yo dd and I spent 3 nights in London in May. She was a bargain hunter, and we were pleased with the results. This was an economy trip.

 

We stayed at EasyHotel's Victoria, which is downtown, within walking distance of Buckingham Palace. We intentionally picked the cheapest room ($65), which was the exact size of our double bed + tiny bathroom. But it was new & clean & quiet (in their basement). They had more expensive rooms with windows & floor space, and there were quite a few hotels on the same street (Belgrave Road). (We walked & took the Tube exclusively.)

 

http://www.easyhotel.com/hotels/london_victoria.html

 

We also stayed at EasyHotel's London Heathrow ($48), which is a short bus trip from Heathrow to the hotel (then a 1/4 mile walk to the hotel). We were happy to walk to save $$.

 

We rented a car from here & drove into the countryside.

 

On the way back, we stayed down the street from Kings Station (the Chunnel train departs from here) at Kings Hotel. It was $65, but a bit noisy. Bathroom & Shower down the hall, run by a family. It was clean, but my dd had expected it to be nicer. There were also about 10 other small hotels on this road.

 

I must close, but will answer questions if desired, later this afternoon.

 

Forgot to thank you also. Taking note of all your suggestions as well.

 

If anyone else has more suggestions, please, please share. Thanks so much. :)

[prairiewindmomma]

I went in May. It was a bit crowded, but not horribly so. We certainly did not have to rush to breakfast, nor did it run out.

 

Our room was not en suite (though they have en suites), but it did have a sink, a pack-n-play (we were travelling with a 6 wk old), a wardrobe, and the most beautiful single pane glass windows--about 6-8' windows--that overlooked a courtyard. The bedding was newer. The room was very clean. The hallway carpet was old and a bit shabby. You could just tell that it was a historic grade building and they hadn't quite decided to do all of the renovations to make it modern.

 

We chose the b&b because 1. it is dirt cheap for London, 2. It was incredibly conveniently located. There is a fish and chips place about a block one way, a small grocery around the corner, and a corner deli about two blocks away. In the other direction is the British Library, the tube, and the bus station.

 

There are a number of b&b's and hotels in the area, so keep looking there if the George doesn't work for you. The area *right* by the tube station (about 4?? blocks away) is a bit dodgy late at night, but we otherwise felt incredibly safe.

 

ETA: there is a coin laundry a couple of blocks away as well, but we did our laundry in the sink and hung it in the room. :)

Edited January 14, 2011 by kbeal

[StephanieF]

Check out this chain http://www.premierinn.com/

 

They are in expensive and are popping up all around London. If you find one on a tube line which links directly into London you should beable to stay about 20mins from the centre

Stephanie

[MaMa2005]

Do you have a link or name? I hate to sound snobbish, but I only do this sort of thing, if we can have our own bathroom. I cannot, at the age of 43, stand to share bathrooms. Makes me feel like a teenager all over again. Again, sorry to sound snobbish.

 

Not snobbish at all! DH and I are over 50 and we don't share bathrooms with others either! We stayed at the Imperial College (http://www3.imperial.ac.uk/) in Kensington. Each room had its own bathroom and everything was very clean. We felt quite safe in the area. My in-laws even stayed there for a week on their vacation and they can afford to stay just about anywhere they wish.

 

Imperial College will always have a special place in my heart because they went out of their way to help us. DH came down with an infected tooth one day before we were sailing out of Southampton on a 2 week cruise. The college went over and above and got DH into the dentist that cares for the students, DH was given antibiotics, and we went on to a wonderful cruise. Can't say that about many people these days.

[Catwoman]

No advice for you, but I just wanted to say that you don't sound snobbish at all! :001_smile:

 

You know what you can and can't tolerate, and it's your vacation -- there is no reason to apologize if you don't want to "rough it!"

 

Honestly, there's no point in asking for help if you don't clarify what you want and need, and I think you've been very polite to everyone and have been respectful of their suggestions, but if you don't want to stay in a hostel or a university dorm or a postage-stamp sized room without a bathroom, there's no reason to act like that would be ok with you. If you don't keep posting about what may or may not work for you, you won't get the help you need.

 

I hope you find a great place to stay! IMO, you're better off spending more money on a nice place in a central location, than looking for a bargain that's a bit out of the way, or that isn't very nice. If you're in a dumpy hotel, it can put a damper on your entire vacation, and if you're in an inconvenient location, it takes too much time to navigate your way to the places you want to go, and the cost of transportation can eat up any savings you thought you had on your hotel rooms, anyway.

 

I am a big believer in staying in nice places, because having a great room and excellent services can make a trip so much more fun. A wonderful concierge can direct you to places you'd never have discovered, and can also often get you better dinner reservations than you can get on your own. Friendly doormen make the place feel safer when you get in late at night, and can hail taxis for you, too. If you rent a car, valet service is such a great convenience, as well.

 

Cat

[Lucy in Australia]

We are in the same boat, except we have the 1 year-old as well, so university accom. is definitely out for us. We're struggling to find something as well, but this website seems to have the most choice:

 

London Choice

 

Good luck!

[Negin]

Thank you all so much. :) You are all such an incredible and wonderful help. :grouphug:

 

I went in May. It was a bit crowded, but not horribly so. We certainly did not have to rush to breakfast, nor did it run out.

Thanks so much for the very detailed and helpful review.

 

Check out this chain http://www.premierinn.com/

Stephanie, thank you for this reminder. Had heard of them. Will look them up also.

 

We stayed at the Imperial College (http://www3.imperial.ac.uk/) in Kensington.

This is wonderful. Thanks. Will look them up right away.

 

You know what you can and can't tolerate, and it's your vacation -- there is no reason to apologize if you don't want to "rough it!"

Honestly, there's no point in asking for help if you don't clarify what you want and need, and I think you've been very polite to everyone and have been respectful of their suggestions, but if you don't want to stay in a hostel or a university dorm or a postage-stamp sized room without a bathroom, there's no reason to act like that would be ok with you. If you don't keep posting about what may or may not work for you, you won't get the help you need.

I hope you find a great place to stay! IMO, you're better off spending more money on a nice place in a central location, than looking for a bargain that's a bit out of the way, or that isn't very nice. If you're in a dumpy hotel, it can put a damper on your entire vacation, and if you're in an inconvenient location, it takes too much time to navigate your way to the places you want to go, and the cost of transportation can eat up any savings you thought you had on your hotel rooms, anyway.

I am a big believer in staying in nice places, because having a great room and excellent services can make a trip so much more fun.

Cat

Cat, thank you for reinforcing how I really feel deep inside. Thanks for being so sweet. :grouphug:

 

We are in the same boat, except we have the 1 year-old as well, so university accom. is definitely out for us. We're struggling to find something as well, but this website seems to have the most choice:

London Choice

Good luck!

Lucy, thanks for the link. Will look into it.

[Harriet Vane]

Thank you all, so much.

 

 

Do you have a link or name? I hate to sound snobbish, but I only do this sort of thing, if we can have our own bathroom. I cannot, at the age of 43, stand to share bathrooms. Makes me feel like a teenager all over again. Again, sorry to sound snobbish.

 

 

I'll look more into the Pimlico area. I guess I have been truly spoiled. The last few times I stayed in London, it was so very central. I'm not even familiar with Pimlico.

Taking the train in will only be worth it if it doesn't take too long AND if the train fare for all 4 of us works out very reasonable. Unlikely. London is horribly expensive.

 

 

Sophie, I've taken note of all your suggestions and am going to look into them further.

 

My first choice right now (followed by whichever of your suggestions works out) are to just get 2 rooms on PL and be done with it. Last time we were there and the kids were smaller, we got one room through PL and were very happy with the hotels on both our arrival into London and our return. The kids were smaller, so it wasn't that big of a deal to stay in ONE king bed. But now ... we need to get 2 rooms. I'll see.

Youth hostels, are truly my last choice. Sorry to sound like a snob. Dh says that I am. I know that I am. Sorry ...

I wish there was a nice and user-friendly site for reasonable apartments in London. I have yet to find one. Paris, I guess, is just a more reasonable place to stay. London is shamefully expensive. :confused:

 

 

This looks like a good option.

Do you mind if I ask:

1. When you went, was it very crowded? What time of year did you go?

2. Did you have to RUSH down to bfast every morning? Some reviewers on trip advisor keep mentioning that. I mean, if I'm paying for bfast, I want to make sure that it doesn't run out if you KWIM. ;)

 

Just saw this post and wanted to add two bits of information for you:

 

--The Pimlico area is really close to the city center. It was soooooo easy to hop on a bus or tube train and be wherever we needed to be quickly. The bus stop and tube stop were right at the end of the block.

 

--We had a private bathroom at both The Blades and at Corbigoe. It was a need for us too. Not a snobby thing at all--it was important and I was willing to pay for it.

[lailasmum]

Either travelodge or premierinn

 

You could try staying a little out from central london. I used to live in Barnet which is a fairly pleasant area. If for example you stayed At the Travelinn Whetstone and took the overland rail at oakleigh park (short walk away) you would be max half an hour from kings cross and significantly cheaper price per night than central london. It takes a long time if you take the underground from there into central london, up to an hour and its unreliable so definitely overground is a better option ( uses the same travel cards).

 

Jeanette

[LibraryLover]

Not snobbish at all! DH and I are over 50 and we don't share bathrooms with others either! We stayed at the Imperial College (http://www3.imperial.ac.uk/) in Kensington. Each room had its own bathroom and everything was very clean. We felt quite safe in the area. My in-laws even stayed there for a week on their vacation and they can afford to stay just about anywhere they wish.

.

 

Am I correct in assuming these accommodations are only available during school breaks? We are planning a Sept visit.

[Laura Corin]

Am I correct in assuming these accommodations are only available during school breaks? We are planning a Sept visit.

Here are the Imperial (for example) term dates: they don't start until early October, so accommodation might still be available when you are there.

 

Laura

Edited January 15, 2011 by Laura Corin

[Negin]

This London thing is driving me out. of. my. mind ... :lol: I'm beginning to look a bit funny - stressed look where everyone keeps asking, "Are you okay?" :lol:

 

I just really do appreciate everyone's helpful input, however. :grouphug: Thank you all so much.

 

We stayed at the Imperial College (http://www3.imperial.ac.uk/) in Kensington. Each room had its own bathroom and everything was very clean. We felt quite safe in the area.

Their site doesn't seem to have any info for the summer.

Although this is just one of many options, and probably not our first choice, quick question if you don't mind : are there TVs in the rooms? Doesn't look like it. I would hate to visit the U.K. without TV. After all, British TV is my absolute favorite thing. I hardly ever watch any other TV. ;)

 

We had a private bathroom at both The Blades and at Corbigoe. It was a need for us too. Not a snobby thing at all--it was important and I was willing to pay for it.

I checked out The Blades, but the cost is a bit ridiculous, I think, for a family of 4 anyway. $254 per night :confused: ... I know breakfast is included, but with such a high rate, we'd be better off going with 2 rooms on PL or renting an apartment if we can get a decent one. Some of the apartments seem to have ridiculous cleaning fees, which I'm not thrilled about. :glare:

 

You could try staying a little out from central london. I used to live in Barnet which is a fairly pleasant area. If for example you stayed At the Travelinn Whetstone and took the overland rail at oakleigh park (short walk away) you would be max half an hour from kings cross and significantly cheaper price per night than central london. It takes a long time if you take the underground from there into central london, up to an hour and its unreliable so definitely overground is a better option ( uses the same travel cards).

Jeanette

Thanks, Jeanette. That would likely be one of our last options, since we would really prefer, as Catwoman mentioned earlier, to be close and convenient. I guess the last time we were in London, five years ago, we were so spoiled and stayed in two very nice PL hotels ... excellent locations ... we can't imagine being demoted ... ;)

I'm copying and saving your post just in case.

[Laura Corin]

http://www3.imperial.ac.uk/accommodation/visitingimperial

 

Laura

[Negin]

http://www3.imperial.ac.uk/accommodation/visitingimperial

Laura

 

Thanks, Laura. Doesn't work for me. Either I'm inquiring too far in advance OR they just don't have anything available.

[J-rap]

We stayed at a little B&B a few blocks (so walkable distance) from Victoria Station. It was called Surtees Hotel. There are many, many similar old B & B's in this neighborhood, all within the same price range. We were able to cut the price a little more by sharing a shower with another room.

 

Nothing fancy at all, but perfectly clean, friendly staff, breakfast (though it was very, very basic), and safe neighborhood. Rooms were VERY small, but if you're just there to sleep, it was just fine.

 

It was one of the cheapest places I could find for my daughter and me apart from the student/backpacker's route!

[MBM]

We have a reservation at the Premier Inn Kensington Olympia for the end of March, beginning of April. Friends of ours who stayed there liked it -- clean, comfortable, private bath, not too pricey and not too far from all the sites of London.

 

Wherever you stay, you'll want to make sure you the Tube stop near your accommodations runs on the days you'll be there. Some don't run on weekends.

 

http://www.premierinn.com/en/london-hotels.html

[Alicia64]

I LOVE Priceline, but if that's not working for some reason. . . have you looked into vrbo.com? (Vacation Rental by Owner)

 

I also love this site for good info.: FamilyVacationCritic.com.

 

I'm jealous -- I want to go to London!!!

 

Alley

[LibraryLover]

Any particular budget recommendations for the Chelsea area? There are 3 of us, and we would really like a small kitchen.

[Laura Corin]

Any particular budget recommendations for the Chelsea area? There are 3 of us, and we would really like a small kitchen.

 

I would look into other areas, if possible.

 

Laura

[LibraryLover]

I would look into other areas, if possible.

 

Laura

 

 

Help me.

 

PS. :) I'm being a baby, you have helped me.

Edited January 16, 2011 by LibraryLover

[Laura Corin]

Help me. That is where dd is wanting to take a class, and I need ease.

 

 

Where will your daughter be taking classes? If you don't want to say publicly, then PM me. Once I know where she will be, I can help you look at the tube map and think about other areas.

 

Laura

[Laura Corin]

I just looked at the website of the place you mentioned, and it's close to the Pimlico tube. Pimlico is safe and pleasant - many MPs have their small London flats there. It's going to be cheaper than Chelsea.... maybe have a look around there.

 

Laura

[LibraryLover]

I just looked at the website of the place you mentioned, and it's close to the Pimlico tube. Pimlico is safe and pleasant - many MPs have their small London flats there. It's going to be cheaper than Chelsea.... maybe have a look around there.

 

Laura

 

 

Thank you!!!

[Negin]

Thank you all so much once again. :)

Still looking. Trying to debate whether to - they all, so far, cost about the same ...

get 2 rooms on PL - lovely 4-star or maybe 3.5 stars

B&B - full English bfast - not as nice rooms, but fine - will only go if we have our own shower and TV - most of the ones I'm looking at do.

an apartment - washer, dryer, fridge included, most are fine - some have sneaky cleaning fees, so I need to be careful

Premier Inn, etc. - not as nice as PL hotels, and some either cost the same OR maybe even more

 

That's where my brain is at at the moment. Right now, given that B&Bs give a full bfast (some give continental, but most give full, such as the George Hotel that prairiewindmomma suggested), that maybe be a better option. One less meal to purchase ... This is a bit overwhelming and I don't have much time to prioritize all this for at least the next few days.

[choirfarm]

We will be in London with our family of 5 in May. Here is an apartment I really liked, but it wasn't available for our entire stay:

 

http://www.holiday-rentals.co.uk/p439545

 

 

We are going to be staying at the Rhodes hotel:

http://www.rhodeshotel.com/london-hotel-rates.asp

 

You may be able to find two doubles somewhere for a better rate. This was the best I could do with all of us in one room with a bath. Otherwise, it is a double and a triple if I want two rooms and that just seems to be really expensive.

 

Christine

[Hedgehog]

Youth hostels, are truly my last choice.

 

I also like my creature comforts :D but seriously, English Youth Hostels, especially the ones in London, are pretty good. Have you checked the websites? I'm not sure when you're going, but there's a great deal on:

 

http://www.yha.org.uk/special-offers/winter_londonland.aspx

 

My personal favorite is London St. Pancras.. it has some good reviews, too..

 

http://www.yha.org.uk/find-accommodation/london/hostels/london-st-pancras/index.aspx

[Negin]

Will be looking into the most recent links, but right now, we're leaning towards getting 2 rooms on PL. Tried and true. You can't go wrong with PL, particularly 3.5 and 4 stars and I'm a pro at PL bidding and have been doing it for years. At least with PL, you know that you're getting a particular standard. And interestingly, when I sat down in the past few days and compared costs - 2 rooms with PL can actually work out cheaper or about the same - as many of these B&Bs, apartments, and other hotels. Yes, I know that a B&B gives breakfast ...

I was "this" close to booking a B&B for $153 US for the 4 of us per night, when dh reminded me to go on trip advisor. Some of the reviews and pictures were really not good, quite bad actually. I mean I could imagine paying $50 US for some of those dumps, but how on earth do they get away with charging that much for those sorts of places? That's London for you, I guess ... :confused:

Last time we were in London, during both our stays in London, we got 4-star PL rooms - really nice hotels with fabulous locations - at around the $75 or so range per night. Yes, it was only for one room - and we had to pay extra for 2 beds. This time, dh and I are willing to pay for 2 rooms. So just thought to share where we're at. If anyone ever needs tips on how to bid on PL, let me know. I just go to biddingfortravel.com - you get to see all the hotels listed AND the winning bids. Love it.

Please feel free to keep sharing and sending in stuff to me, however. Just thought I'd update everyone. :)

[annabanana1992]

I use http://www.betterbidding.com to bid on PL. We used it for London two years ago and stayed at the Grosvenor House, JW Marriot for $65 + tax. WE LOVE PL!

[Dolphin]

We go to England every other year as dh is from there, we have stayed in all sorts of places, they can be really hit or miss. 2 of my favorites are:

 

If I have extra money I stay at the Strand palace.

http://www.strandpalacehotel.co.uk/index.html

 

It is right around the corner from Trafalgar Square, right in the heart of the West End and everything. They run specials a lot. We sometimes have the kids sleep on the ground. It is nice, clean, central and you feel like you are on vacation. I just did a search and it would be 210 for 3 nights there.

 

The other place when we are not as rich is

http://www.imperialhotels.co.uk/royal-national

You each have a bed, a bathroom in the room and it includes breakfast. It is clean, but very bare bones.

 

The place that I have had the worse luck with hotels, and is a lot harder to get to places from than you would think is Paddington.

[Negin]

I use http://www.betterbidding.com to bid on PL.

Yes, I used to visit them also. Thanks for the reminder :). We also LOVE Priceline. In the U.S., unless we're staying in a big city (NYC, San Fran), we've always been very lucky with 1 room for the 4 of us.

For Europe, we'll just do 2 rooms. Yes, we pay more ... but in many of these cases, we're actually paying the same or even less - and they're for far better places in better locations.

 

We go to England every other year as dh is from there, we have stayed in all sorts of places, they can be really hit or miss. 2 of my favorites are:

If I have extra money I stay at the Strand palace.

http://www.strandpalacehotel.co.uk/index.html

It is right around the corner from Trafalgar Square, right in the heart of the West End and everything. They run specials a lot. We sometimes have the kids sleep on the ground. It is nice, clean, central and you feel like you are on vacation. I just did a search and it would be 210 for 3 nights there.

The other place when we are not as rich is

http://www.imperialhotels.co.uk/royal-national

You each have a bed, a bathroom in the room and it includes breakfast. It is clean, but very bare bones.

The place that I have had the worse luck with hotels, and is a lot harder to get to places from than you would think is Paddington.

Thanks for these. Saving them for future reference.

Yes, the Paddington area was never that good. Even when I was growing up back in the early and mid 70s.

[lmrich]

Thanks for the information. Dh is traveling to London in Feb. and he has enough frequent miles for us all to go. AND it happens to correspond with President's Day break so the kid won't miss a thing in regards to dance, drama, or co-op classes!!! His company owns a flat, but it is most likely too full for even him to stay, so his room is paid for; is there any luck finding a room for the five of us? My son is the size of an adult now, but my girls are small. thanks and cheerio!