Hotel Possibilities for Best of London tour in Oct 2025

We took this tour in June, 2023, and our tour hotel was the Washington Mayfair. I thought it was a great location as it was close to the Tube and, of course, the Palace. Our room was large and very comfortable. The staff were very welcoming and helpful. As for the tour, it was our first City tour and, after taking 3 other RS tours, it was nice to be able to stay in one place for an extended period of time. I felt that, between the sites included on the tour and our free time, we were able to see just about everything on our London list.

Having done a group tour not that long ago in the UK, I can attest that it is a weird feeling when you are used to doing everything yourself. The advantage is the people you meet on the tour. The problem is essentially that you have your hands full with the group itself, and you don't really get to interact with anybody local. No idea about this tour specifically, sorry.

I'm taking that tour in June 2025 and we'll be staying at the Washington Mayfair. Unfortunately, the hotel only gets a 7 on Booking.com - you might want to read the reviews there. I'm sure it is an excellent location and tour reviews have reflected that, but the reviews on Booking refer to hotel being "dowdy." On the other hand, the tour itinerary indicates we'll be spending most of our time OUT of the hotel!

I'll go a few days early and stay in a more highly rated hotel for those days as my introduction to London. My preference is nothing lower than 8.5 on Booking.com.

Just completed this tour in December 2024. We stayed at the Washington Mayfair. The hotel's location is superb for the tour, very handy to Green Park tube station which is connected to so many other tube possibilities and is also very convenient for walking to local sites. The Mayfair/Shepherd's Bush location is filled with many, many interesting restaurants and a few take-out possibilities. Across from the hotel is a Marks & Spencer Express, convenient for snacks and libations. Also directly opposite the hotel is an Italian coffee shop. I believe the location is considered high-end. I would describe the hotel as eclectic: while they accept RS tours, among their clientele are numerous business-folk; it was not unusual to see guests in evening dress.

The hotel's location is easily walkable to Regent Street, Buckingham Palace area, Piccadilly, Fortnum & Mason, Hatchards and Waterstones bookstores and a Christopher Wren church along the way. Liberty is near by.

In October, you will have a few more hours of daylight than we did in December and warmer temperatures which may increase how far afield you wander in the evenings. Regarding the tour: our guide was an extremely knowledgeable Blue Badge London guide. The tour includes numerous London highlights that I appreciated seeing under the tutelage of knowledgeable guides even though I had been to a few of the locations on my own previously. I appreciated arriving early at sites like the Tower; I valued the East London walking/food tour as it is a change from typical tourist highlights. Our guide made sure we became familiar with the tube system. In the evenings, we often went our various ways.

Independent vs tour travel: the tour offered an introduction to places that would have taken me more planning to achieve - Christmas time at Windsor; tea during December (when everything is booked!); guides who help expand my knowledge. Sure, I like my independence, and not everything I want to see can be accomplished during a tour. That is why I typically book time before or after on my own. I found this tour to be good value; your October dates may be even more enjoyable without the Christmas crowds, which I did not like. PS, I enjoyed getting to know our group travelers and the guide!

We took this tour in February of 2023, and stayed at the Washington Mayfair. I didn't post a review of the hotel, but I did post a trip report.

Here's the section of the report that dealt specifically with the hotel:

Hotel: The tour stayed at the Washington Mayfair, a nice business class hotel. The public areas are many and spacious, and the décor modern. The staff was very helpful, the breakfast room staff being especially attentive.

Our room was on the third floor up (our 4th floor,) and was very nice.
It wasn’t as big as our room at the pre-tour Celtic, but was fine.
There was a queen sized bed, 2 small nightstands, an occasional table
by the window, a small desk, two chairs, and a bench. There was also a
tiny fridge tucked into a corner; we didn’t even see it for a day or
two. There was a large-enough closet with hangers and some cubby-type
shelves.

The window was large and double paned, and could be opened, but only a
couple of inches. We opened it at night for ventilation, but usually
closed it again about 5 or 6 in the morning, when it did get cold.

The bathroom was large enough, with a tub and shower combo. There were
several lotions, shampoos, and body gels offered, and plenty of towels
and wash cloths.

We did have two complaints: the room was dark! Even with all the
available lights on, it was difficult to read. It would have been
impossible to read at the desk, except during the brightest part of
the day. I moved my bedside lamp to the table near the window, and was
able to read and write that way. The only other problem as the door
from the hallway to the room slammed very loudly, sounding like a
gunshot. We soon learned to grab it as it closed, to not frighten the
neighbors.

Breakfast was a generous buffet, offering juices, cold cereals,
yogurt, fresh fruit, hot sausages and bacon, scrambled eggs, beans,
grilled tomatoes, a small selection of cold cuts, and several kinds of
bread and rolls. Hot tea and coffee were served by the attentive
staff. Oh, a minor bone to pick: specialty coffees such as espresso
and cappuccino were available, but with an extra charge of £5.60. For
some reason, I found that excessive, so we had regular tea and coffee.

The location of the hotel was good. It’s just a block north of
Picadilly road, an easy walk to Hyde Park, Park Lane, a useful tube
stop, and several bus stops. There are a number of eateries within a
couple of blocks as well, ranging from Pret a Manger to very high end
restaurants. I’ll mention our favorites as I go on.

I'm not sure how high your standards are, probably higher than mine, but I don't think you'll consider the Washington Mayfair "roughing it." (Although I do have a relative who probably would.)

Here's a link to the full trip report, should you be interested: https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/trip-reports/trip-report-best-of-london-february-19-25-2023