Five family members are visiting London for three nights in late July. Due to maximum of four in a room, we are looking for a 1 or 2 bedroom apartment. What areas are recommended. We are trying to stay close to $600 for the three nights. Have looked at an apartment in Kingston-Upon-Thames area. What other areas are good for transportation into London and for having restaurants and shops nearby. Realize this is late for planning, but was unavoidable. There are many apartments, just do not know where to look.
Posted by
Eugene, Oregon...Formerly Ventura, CA
2262 posts
Here's a wild stab on AirB&B, though there is only one review, looks like a brand new user perhaps:
Posted by
Forest Grove, OR
11799 posts
That can be a tough budget in high season in London! We have had great service from London Connection on two trips in the past few months. They have very nice flats and some of them can be close to your budget. Also try Booking.com, Homeaway.com, etc.
If you don't like the rates quoted but the quote is close to what you are willing to pay, you can try and ask for a better rate. I've done so off-season a few times. I wrote back and say "Thank you, but that's a little higher than our budget." I have had the owners offer me a bit of a discount.
Good luck!
Posted by
Seattle, WA
17563 posts
You might see if this two-bedroom apartment is free:
http://www.merryfieldcottage.com/coopers-lodge-london-se1/
Scroll down to Coopers Lodge to see the London apartment. We really love the area---just south of the river by Tower Bridge. Walking distance to the Tower of London, Globe Theater, HMS Belfast, and other attractions. There are good Tube and bus connections nearby.
Posted by
Tunbridge Wells
6113 posts
Unless you have 3 young children, also look at Premier Inns and Travelodges. Unfortunately, most Europeans holidaying in July (peak season here) would have booked 6 months ago, so your options are going to be more limited and more costly. Your budget is also a tad low for peak season.
Ideally, to avoid spending lots of time and money on travel, you should really be looking in Zone 1 or 2 of the tube. Places such as Islington or Highbury are worth considering.
Kingston is a nice but busy commuter town and travelling into London rush hour won't be a pleasant experience, as you won't get a seat and the trains will be packed like sardines.
Posted by
Seattle, WA
35 posts
Hi,
I agree that you should consider commute times, plus the tube is not where you want to be if it is a hot day! An option because they have family rooms, and its so inexpensive is The German YMCA's Hotel called Lancaster Hall Hotel (E-mail: [email protected]), Near Bayswater. A friend stayed there and said its no nonsense with very clean and a decent breakfast. Its close to Hyde Park, Paddington Station, the Lancaster Gate tube, and many busses on Bayswater Road. Get the local bus map at a larger tube station ,and take the bus, you see more, and the busses have their own lanes in many parts of London, so quicker than it used to be. I've stayed in that area many times, its very handy. It's also close to Notting Hill, nice to eat in that area. Don't bother with Queensway (main shopping street by the Bayswater tube station) its all tourist junk.
http://www.lancaster-hall-hotel.co.uk/dst/accommodation.html
Islington is great also. They pronounce the s like a z, fyi.
I'll write with more ideas if you like. What websites for apartment did you look at?