London Hotel Along the River? London Hotel walkable to sights?

Given your price point I'd focus on whether you're near available tube stops. London has so much to see and it's fairly spread out that you could walk yourselves to death. Lots of buses but you tend to get stuck in traffic especially near the main sights.

Years ago I stayed in the London Elizabeth hotel on Bayswater across from Lancaster Gate tube station and Hyde Park. It was easy to walk thru the park to Kensington, walk to Nottinghill, or catch a ride on the subway to everything else. Was fairly basic back in the 90s but looks a bit better now. Noisy though as Bayswater stays pretty busy til late.

Your best investment will be an Oyster card for using om the tube as well as your own two feet to get around London.

As far as close to the River ( the Thames ) see if you can get accommodations at the County Hall Premiere Inn. Couldn't get much closer to THE sites .....use Google maps satellite maps to see what I'm talking about.

Look at Premier Inn Waterloo or County Hall. These are both by the river and the London Eye, Westminster.
I don't know how far out your are looking at, but I had really excellent rates last spring at Premier Inn Waterloo that would match with your budget. I did purchase far in advance.

When are you arriving in LHR and when are you departing from St. Pancras? How many days will you be in London? If you only have a day or so, I would find a hotel in the St. Pancras area, get yourself an oyster card and see the sights via the Tube. If you have more time, there are hotels nearer the river depending on your dates.

"North edge of Hyde Park" - sounds like Paddington or Bayswater. Hotels there can vary tremendously.

London is often accused of not making much of the river, turning its back on it almost; this is probably true of much of the northern side in the centre, but as Emma has mentioned, the southern side with its development is much more open.

Something to consider about staying on the south bank when flying in from Heathrow is that you have quite the long journey to get to your hotel. Whereas if you stay at the Hyde Park location you can take the Heathrow express basically straight to your hotel.

US$130 is approx £101 today, sometimes can dip into the £90s so a low hotel budget for central London at short notice.

Your title asks about staying by the River but then you mention north side of Hyde Park, to me that location is too remote from the River, and not particularly central for easy walking, it would be fine to walk through parks in the warm, balmy summer evenings, with light still in the sky until after 10pm, not in the dampness, chill and early darkness of Nov/December.

I wouldn't use Winter Wonderland as a reason for location either, i once went with my nephew and wouldn't give it tuppence, couldn't leave quick enough.

Fwiw, the more iconic views of London are seen from the Southbank side especially impressive at night and for me Sea Containers hotel near Blackfriars Bridge, would be a riverside location and backdrop, but their room rate is about X2.5 your budget.

I agree with a previous post post, the Jubilee line via Green Park or Westminster station gives fast and frequent access to locations South of the River,

I appreciate everyone's responses! It's really helping me get a better idea of what I have in store for the trip. It's really a last-minute opportunity to go, when my husband has to go for business anyway, so that's why I'm clueless and have such a small budget! Thanks again for the recommendations!