London accommodation recommendations - for families in a stellar location

We had a good experience with our ectended family at Basil Street Apartments. To give you an idea of location, we could see Harrod’s from our windows.

Vancouver Studio Apartments are fine. Clean, safe, quiet.

Not sure why some believe the Bayswater neighborhood is rundown. No it's not hip and happening. It's an ethnically diverse neighborhood with 3 tube stops, an indoor shopping mall and countless restaurants and cafes. It's near Kensington Gardens so you can easily walk to the Princess Diana Memorial Playground and on over to see Kensington Palace. Then walk over to the Natural History Museum and nearby V & A. Then up to Harrod's if those are of interest.

You can also walk over to Portobello road to Gail's Bakery in 20 minutes then enjoy the Portobello Road Market.

I think it's a great neighborhood to explore and if you took the Heathrow Express from Heathrow to Paddington Station and took the tube via the Circle or District line it's a 1 minute ride to the Bayswater Underground station and maybe a 10 minute walk to Vancouver Studios from there. Book those Heathrow Express tickets 3 mos out to get the cheapest tickets, otherwise far too pricey for a group as large as yours.

There's a Tesco Express Market on Queenways across from the Bayswater tube station so you can get snacks, water, sandwiches and chips ( look for the meal deals). There's also a Pret a Manger for sandwiches, salads, soups and if some one gets ill a Boots pharmacy. Lastly, if you need to do laundry there's a launderette within a 2 minute walk of the Vancouver Studios. Drop off clothes pick them up later.

In the early 90's when I first stayed there it was a recommend from a flight attendant. My single room with kitchenette overlooked the small garden patio in the back. Stayed there off and on over the years.

Always enjoyed my stays although wasn't very pleased the venerable Prince Edward pub went gastro pub look but that's a personal preference.

I stayed at Vancouver Studios last October and loved it. As a solo female traveler, I never once felt unsafe, even arriving back later in the evening. I thought the surrounding area was quiet and very nice, and having the two tube stations within easy walking distance was a huge plus. The outdoor garden/patio is a lovely place to have an evening cocktail or a morning coffee. Hanging out with the resident cat, Zeus, was an extra bonus.

We stayed at the Windermere on Warwick Way, near Victoria Station. Breakfast included, air conditioning. quiet area. We liked it a lot.

Or just select a Premiere Inn like the one near Victoria Station or the Waterloo one near the London Eye and be done with it.

Both are near “ must see” sites. Walkable to Buckingham Palace, Parliament ( just remember Elizabeth’s Tower with the Big Ben Bell is in scaffolding ) Horse Guards, London Eye, Westminster Abbey, Trafalgar Square, Churchill War Rooms, etc.

Yes the farther you stay out of the center you’ll find cheaper Lodging costs. However any savings will be eaten up by travel time and transport costs.

There are several major advantages to Premier Inns: They are reliably clean and functional, most are air conditioned, and you'll have multiple bathrooms for your group. Many rooms have a day-bed/couch that will be made up as a bed for sleeping if you book the room for 3 people (which you must do--you have to declare all room occupants). I slept on several of those beds this summer, and they had real mattresses; they were not sleep sofas.

Be aware that (when last I checked) the Premier Inn website is faulty and prone to changing your reservation dates as you progress through the process. You need to be careful about that and use the Change function to re-enter the date every time it appears incorrectly. It may work better if you book on a tablet rather than desktop computer.

The website is also not as clear as one would expect about the features of individual hotels. Heaven help you if you need to ask a question. The chain does a good job of delivering clean, well-located rooms at a very good price. It appears to minimize expenditures on fringe areas of customer service.

Check out some of the apartments rented by London Connection, especially near Covent Garden. I've rented from them five times and have been very pleased. Often there are several 2-bedroom apartments in one building which could work for multiple families with kids. I love the Covent Garden area for easy access to tubes, restaurants, museums, street performers, etc.

This house is in Lambeth, near the new US Embassy and across the river from Pimlico. I keep it on my list of places to stay if I ever travel with a group to London.
https://www.homeaway.com/vacation-rental/p920354

We were very happy renting a first floor flat through Airbnb in summer 2018 - family of five - in the Pimlico neighborhood. We were easily able to walk to the Pimlico tube station and several bus stops were half a block away - easy to hop on a bus to Westminster Abbey, etc. a couple grocery stores were close by in easy walking distance. We felt safe the whole time.

Last March we were in London again for a week and stayed at the Premier Inn County Hall by the London Eye. Great location and steps from lots to do, but the bustling location lacked the neighborhood feel (and quieter feel) of Pimlico.

Look at Basil Street Apts, Basil St. Near Harrods.

Here’s a different idea. We’ve stayed in student housing in two locations in the past booking through London School of Economics, LSE. https://www.lsevacations.co.uk/Home.aspx. They have a variety of room combinations but many come with a kitchen area to share, lounge and game areas, free breakfast, en suite and shared unisex bathrooms. Their locations can be wonderful and are convenient to bus stops and Tube stations. Look over their website and then call to get specifics if you are interested and have questions.

Thank you all for so many helpful responses.