Pre RS London tour in Feb 26, I am looking for a 2 day stay near my art (Nat Gallery, Somerset House, etc.) Trafalgar, Covent Garden?
I'd like to pay only about $200 for 2 nights. Lots of Booking.com, Expedia, United air, etc. offers. Cheapest offers are windowless!! Not for me.
Any suggestions in this area? Transport is also a consideration.
https://www.premierinn.com/gb/en/hotels/england/greater-london/london/london-leicester-square.html?cid=GLBC_LONLEI Premier Inn Leicester Square
Okay, I will be honest. I think your budget just isn't going to cut it for what you want. Premier Inn is about as reasonable as you often find and it is showing two random nights in February as as total of 329GBP. (about $438).
That is not a realistic price these days for a hotel room in that area. But I have a suggestion if you’re willing to rough it a bit. Over forty years ago I had a great time at the Astor Museum Hostel right across from the British Museum. These days I stay at Montague on the Gardens a few doors down for a lot more quid, but I see that the Astor Hostel is still there, although a bit more than the 10 pounds a night I paid back in the day, and I wouldn’t mind staying there again. Might be fun for a night or two.
²You're talking £70, which is nowhere near realistic for central London, especially popular areas like Trafalgar Square and Covent Garden. You really need to up your budget to at least double that (and it will still be a small room in a budget hotel).
Id suggest £150-£200 a night for something reasonable. I stay in a club where the rooms are subsidised and it's still about that price range.
For £100-£120 a night you will find hotels near Kings Cross station, but the rooms will be tiny.
$200 for two nights is the equivalent of 75 GBP/night. Even in February, that's pretty low. London is a very expensive city.
I'd suggest looking at Travelodge (a very basic budget chain) and Premier Inn Hub (tiny room but cheaper than their big sister Premier Inn.)
Ibis (Accor Hotels) is another possibility. Looking at sample dates 10-12 February the Ibis Budget at Whitechapel and the Ibis at Earls Court are within the price bracket. Granted they are not in the Trafalgar Square area but are not that hard to get to on the tube.
Travelodge have a really handy Price Comparison Chart which you can set by date, location and increasing price. I hope this link works- it is set to London for 5 February, increasing price- https://pricefinder.travelodge.co.uk/?checkin=04%2F02%2F2026
One I keep looking at because it is often great value is Feltham. I accept that it is nowhere near Trafalgar Square, but is right beside Feltham Railway Station. That is in Zone 6 (so TfL fares, if on National Rail), a 24/7 bus ride from Heathrow, and is a fast and frequent train ride away from Waterloo.
If price is key that is not a bad location at all.
The biggest drawback to me about Travelodge is that you have to pay extra for WiFi after the first 30 minutes per day. And the breakfast (if you pay for it) is certainly inferior to that at a Premier Inn. Of the three (Travelodge/Premier Inn/Ibis) the Ibis breakfast is best to me personally. And we will all vary on that.
At least any Travelodge room has windows, and is en suite- likewise Ibis.
Can you clarify what you mean by ‘near’?
Your proposed budget is way too low for the central London area you’re interested in.
You might find something at that budget further out from the centre of town but you should then factor in a higher cost of travel and the length of time for journeys.
Check out Hub by Premier Inn Covent Garden. It won't be for everyone, but we really liked it. It is a small room, but modern and well-designed so there is room for everything. Best thing is the location, at the south end of St. Martin's Lane. And inexpensive. Turn right and Trafalgar Square is right there.
Reply to my post--Thanks for all the responses. I used some possibly unrealistic price figures to gather some useful info. Can always count on RS fans to get one thinking.
So so many "discount" choices -Booking, Expedia, United, etc. from which to consider.
Thanks to my son's reference search, I joined the Strand Palace direct site and gained a 20% discount from their regular price. 268 pounds or $357.14 ($178.57/night) for 2 nights in the area I most desired (near Nat Gallery/Somerset House/Courtauld Gallery, & neighborhood.)
Fancy, even posh, not necessarily inexpensive, But I'm only old once.
Then onto Washington Mayfair for the 6 day RS Feb 26 tour.
Alan, I am so glad you found something that would work for you and it does sound very nice. I must tell you that you have a good price for the area. I do like your thinking of spending a bit more because you are worth it. So many of us have spent our lives as savers, savers, savers that it can be a tough transition to spender.
"So many of us have spent our lives as savers, savers, savers that it can be a tough transition to spender."
Yes, yes, yes...to Carol's statement!
I’m spending a week at Page 8 Hotel next door to St. Martin in the Fields. I’m loving the area. It’s very walkable and very close to the theaters.
