Best London neighborhoods to stay

Belgravia is across the street from Buckingham Palace. If that's the neighborhood you want, save time and book The Ritz to live next to where the billionaires live, . But the extra money will not get you any touristic benefits.

I stayed near Paddington Station and enjoyed the stay. There was an easy walk to the Tube; There were restaurant choices and it was a little quieter. I stayed at the Colonnade.

Pam

We've always stayed in the Bloomsbury neighbourhood. It's close to train stations and the tube. We have stayed several times at the Jenkins Hotel on Cartwright Gardens ( http://www.jenkinshotelbloomsbury.com/). There are also a couple of other hotels near-by in a similar price range. I note that the Jenkins has gotten more expensive over the years... It's a quiet area with a number of pubs and restaurants. Close to the British Museum and near the University of London.

We almost always have stayed in Kensington - close to tube stations and also restaurants.

Randy,

The Victoria / Belgravia would be a good choice, as it's close to both Victoria tube station and Victoria Coach station (Natiional Express buses), and within walking distance to some of the major sights. There are some nice hotels and B&B's in that area, and one of the more popular ones is the Lime Tree Hotel. You could also consider the Pimlico area, which also isn't far from Victoria station and the hotels may be a bit cheaper. Have a look at Luna Simone Hotel for one example. There are also lots of nice restaurants in that area too, and one of my favourites is the Santini Italian Restaurant.

You might consider picking up a copy of the Pocket London guidebook, as it has listings for a number of hotels in various parts of London (or you could splurge for the full London guidebook).

Both Kensington and Belgravia are neighborhoods I have enjoyed. Both allow easy access to the tube and restaurants. Staying near Victoria Station (Belgravia) is an advantage if you are taking any tours as many tour companies pick up at Victoria. You can walk to many attractions (Big Ben, Buckingham Palace, Westminster Abbey, Churchill War Rooms. In the Kensington neighborhood you are within walking distances to Hyde Park/Kensington Gardens & Palace, Victoria & Albert Museum, Science Museum, Natural History museum, and Harrods. I am heading there this summer and will be trying out the Bayswater/Queensway neighborhood...which is north of Hyde Park. We're going to take the Heathrow Express to Paddington and walk or taxi to our hotel. Whatever you choose -- enjoy!

I've been to London in 2014 and 2012, both times stayed near Paddington Station/Hyde Park neighborhood. Easy walk from train station, tube stations nearby, restaurants and pubs all close. Reasonably priced hotels but be careful, check to make sure your room is "en suite", meaning it has a bathroom, otherwise you will be sharing with other guests or using one down the hall. Not all hotels in Europe have in room bathrooms (not like here). Also make sure the hotel has an elevator(lift), otherwise you may end up walking up several flights of stairs to your room(like I did last year). The Sussex Gardens neighborhood is very nice and relatively quite, just a five minute walk from the Paddington station. Hotels get more expensive the closer to central London you go. You mentioned the Victoria/Belgravia neighborhood, a good choice, on the south side of Hyde Park, very close to Buckingham Palace and Westminster Abbey, but more expensive, hotels on the north side of Hyde Park a little less expensive and the neighborhood is quiter. Either location is fine, just depends on how much you want to spend for a hotel. Taxis are very expensive, try to avoid them, you can get a visitor Oyster Card by ordering it online, it comes to your home pre-loaded with $$$ that you specify, that way you just swipe it when you enter a tube station and can go anywhere you like in the London area. It takes 2-3 weeks to get it so order it soon if you are going in May. Just google "Oyster card". They also work on buses, another fun way to get around the city. Enjoy your trip, bring comfortable walking shoes.

Randy, more thoughts for you. Since you are there for just three days, the "hop-on, hop-off bus tours of London are a great way to get oriented to the city, you pay one time when boarding, or you can purchase tickets in advance from your home, there are many locations throughout london where these specially marked buses stop, just hop on then when you see something that you want to spend time with, just get off, then when you are ready to move on, get back on the next bus, they run about every 15 minutes.
Finally, don't be intimidated by the tube or bus systems, they are easy to use, though the tube is probably easier and quicker. The lines are clearly marked in each station with the stops all named. It would be very hard to get lost on the tube, remember if you are going somewhere east of where you are, it's easy to get on an eastbound tube train, etc.

Everyone, thanks so much for your generous replies. I think I may have given one false impression, in that I have been to London before (in 2000). I stayed in Belgravia at the time, at one of the RS-recommended properties - I think it was Luna & Simone.

However, I wanted to try a different neighborhood this time, or a at least a different street (I remember being on a sort of "hotel row"). As a first-timer, I was seeing all the major tourist attractions, and didn't get much impression of the neighborhoods, or where the other hotel clusters were located.

I'm finding some appealing options in Notting Hill/Bayswater, and I think I'll check out Bloomsbury as well. I may be checking back when it gets down to particular hotels.

Thanks again
Randy

Don't overlook AirBnb.com for accommodations. I bet you and your friends can afford to rent a 2 bdroom flat with kitchen in your desired neighborhood for less than 2 nice hotel rooms - what a treat! I'm going solo so I'm only renting a room, but still it was fun to search. Have a great trip!

Victoria area is nice but will be similar to your Belgravia experience. Sussex Garden area and in particular the Darlington Hyde Park Hotel is a nice area and that hotel gets rave reviews. Last visit I stayed in The City and loved it. We were right across from Blackfriar Station. If you do your research any neighborhood you choose is the best as; you are in London!! If you haven't tried the London Walks (walks.com) by all means do so their City walk took you to all the places I had on my list to see but would never have found on my own. Have a great trip.

Let me put in one vote for hotels near the South Kensington tube stop, a short walk from Hyde Park and museums and RAH, and Harrods in another direction. Good restaurants. Stay at the Pelham if you can.

Hi Randy, I like the Holborn / Covent Garden area...There are a few hotels that are off a main street so you dont feel the pressure of being on a busy street. I appreciate that the hustle of Covent Garden is a short walk away with all that it has to offer. My preferred hotel (if you can get the right rate) is Kingsway Hall Hotel. Weekend rates are fairly inexpensive there.