London 3 or 4 nights-where to stay? Overwhelmed by the options!

Hi, was just in London a few weeks ago and met a friend (to then walk to coffee) in front of the Page 8 Hotel across from Natl. Gallery and next to St. Martin-in-the-Fields. Have not stayed there, but the Page 8 seems to have a high rating.

I have stayed at the following, and all are perfectly good hotels. I know you aren’t necessarily looking for corporate, but listing the Hilton properties anyway. No. 63 is small and more along the lines of a traditional, basic BnB and may not be everyone’s cup of tea.
No. 63 Bayswater Road
Hilton Hyde Park
Doubletree Hyde Park

Best of luck with your search!

And right across the river from the Houses of Parliament, Big Ben and Westminster Abbey is the PREMIER INN, LONDON COUNTY HALL HOTEL in a central location, just 7/10 mile from the National Gallery on Trafalgar Square.
In looking for accommodations, focus on those that are close to a tube station on the Circle Line because that’s where the majority of London’s attractions are located.

For me it makes sense to have a centrally located hotel and be particularly handy for your arrival and departure - that's when you have your luggage with you. Coming up from Brighton you can take a Thameslink train and look for accommodation near a station on that line - Blackfriars, Farringdon or St Pancras would work well. where do you go after London? If it's straight to Scotland then the fast trains go from King's Cross (Edinburgh) and Euston (Glasgow), both very close to St Pancras.

I have stayed at the Premier Inn County Hall and thought it was fine. The price is good, it's convenient and beds are comfortable, and it's about a 20 minute walk from the National Gallery (across Westminster Bridge).

However, my favorite hotel in London has been The Resident Victoria, which I loved. Rather than rattling on, I'm just going to crib a piece from my trip report so you can see how much I loved it. :-) The location was perfect. It's about a 20 minute walk to the National Gallery or a quick ride on the tube. The hotel is about a 5-7 minute walk from the Victoria tube station, which has both the Circle and District lines.

The Resident Victoria: I cannot say enough nice things about this hotel. I first heard about it from Frank II, and found it intriguing. At that time (August 2024), they were having a sale, so I booked it, which included the member's discount of 15% off the total price. We arrived around 10 am so we couldn’t check in yet, but were able to drop off our luggage. And because I was a member, I could check in early at 1 pm. I was very happy to hear this! Members can also check out a bit later as well; 12 noon instead of 11 am. The staff took our luggage, checked us in, and later when we came back, we found out that the luggage had already been placed in our room. Such a nice service.

I found a complimentary bottle of wine in the room, along with snacks for the kids, plus a personal handwritten note from the hotel staff welcoming us. The room was spotlessly clean with a sink, dishes, microwave, a Nespresso coffee maker, an electric water heater, and a small fridge, with coffee and tea available.

Each evening, the hotel hosted a social hour for guests between 6-7pm, with complimentary wine and snacks. I really enjoyed this; not just because I met some interesting people, but it gave me a bit of a break from the kids.

The location was one of the best things about this place. It was a 7-8 minute walk to Victoria Station and/or Victoria Coach Station, a 5 minute walk to the newer Victoria Underground Station (Cardinal Place), which serves 3 lines (District, Circle and Victoria), and close to many sights (Buckingham Palace was only a few blocks away). More importantly, there were loads of restaurants, cafes, take-away places and groceries within a 5 minute walk, yet the hotel itself sits on a quiet side street with barely any noise.

One caveat is that they do not offer breakfast, but honestly, I didn’t miss it. My grandkids loved going to nearby Gail's every morning for their pain au chocolat or cheese croissant. Plus there was a nearby Pret a Manger for take-away, and Wagamama and Bill's for other meals. They even went to a movie one afternoon at a nearby theatre. They especially loved finding the Amorino Gelato place a few blocks away. There were numerous shopping options nearby, and we were minutes away from Westminster Abbey and many other historic sites. I can't say enough good things about this hotel and this location, and will definitely stay here again.

Premier Inns are in great locations.

If you can get one of the Resident Hotels in budget, they’re very good. Soho or Covent Garden would be great. The kitchenette/fridge is so useful.

The Locke at Broken Wharf is our home in London every summer. Can't imagine staying anywhere else.

I'll add that Premier Inns, Ibis Styles and Motel Ones are also just fine. IMO better than the US chains at similar price points.

Rather than think of price in dollars, you might consider thinking in pounds.

At the current, terrible, exchange rate for US dollars, $300 equals about 225 GBP.

I looked at a couple of dates in mid-October at the Premier Inn County Hall and that's about what a standard room refundable rate will cost you.

London is not cheap. And neither is Edinburgh.