Planning a trip to London in May. Trying to decide what part of town will work best for us and a bit overwhelmed by choice. We want to be somewhere walkable and neighborhood-y. We want to be comfortable, although not any where so posh that we'd have to be concerned with dress. It's not that money is no object, but we are ok with a bit of a splurge.
Suggestions welcome. Thanks so much.
We have stayed in two different areas of London that we enjoyed. One is the Kensington area near the Gloucester tube. There are several hotels near Cromwell Road and it is easy to walk to Harrod's or Kensington Palace or get on the tube to wherever you wish in London. Another area that worked for us was near Paddington Station at the Hotel Indigo Paddington. The Heathrow Express takes you to Paddington station. The train and tube from Paddington can take you to many places. It is great that you are planning well in advance. If you look at Booking.com or Hotels.com you can look at hotels and choose one that has free cancellation while you figure out the rest of the details of your trip. Have a wonderful time!
Thank you so much.
Your plans are so vague, you might want to purchase Rick Steves' guide book on London or England. This will help you choose the area you are interested in. This book is a must before your trip. Do your research.
JerriArizona - I like staying at Luna&Simone. It’s about a15 minute walk from Victoria Station and about a 5 minute walk to the Pimlico tube station. It is also on the 24 bus line. There’re are quite a few nice pubs in the area
Great suggestion. I'll definitely check it out. Thank you.
We also stayed in the Pimlico area a couple of years ago. Lots of small hotels and nice neighbourhoods. Good restaurants, and close to Victoria Station. Here's where we stayed = https://georgianhousehotel.co.uk/. No lift, but their breakfast selection was really good. We were happy staying there.
OP I'm bemused by your belief that anywhere in London you'd have to be concerned with dress.
Google "London Crowds," and click on images. You'll see Christmas shopping crowds pictures.....yes those were taken in cold weather so coats and sweaters but how many in the photo look posh????? Honestly, jeans are a norm or for Spring nice capris or light weight slacks. So unless you are invited to dinner with the Queen casual dress is what you will see throughout London. Flip flops wouldn't be wise though for a variety of reasons.
Secondly London is a very walkable city. Using Google Map's satellite overhead view, type in Big Ben. Note how close Buckingham Palace is to Parliament Square. Close by are Westminster Abby, The Thames Rive Path, London Eye, Churchill War Rooms, Horse Guards, Trafalgar Square, Leicester Square, Covent Garden. All easy strolls.
As far as hotels Premiere Inns are a good price and scattered throughout London. The Luna and Simone suggestion is a good one. The Jesmond Dene is also often recommended on this forum. Of course, read Trip Advisor reviews.
If you want a neighborhood-y investigate the Marriot Regent's Park. Hotel is a 5-7 minute walk from the Swiss Cottage underground station. Easy 10-20 minute tube ride to Westminster and the aforementioned Parliament Square.
From the hotel it's a 15 minute walk to Regents park through some tree lined residential streets. Even Less time to Primrose Hill and a nice POV of London not many tourists venture to see. Swiss Cottage has undergone gentrification in the last decade. Starbucks, Costa Coffee, Marks and Spencer Eats, KFC and Mickey D's line the nearby Finchley Road. I enjoyed sipping coffee in the teeny cafe in the Swiss Cottage Library but I'm uncertain it is still operational.
I've been to London many times so didn't need to be in the center of London so chose this Marriot as I got a Priceline deal which couldn't be beat. $99.00. Room had 2 double beds, flat screen TV, and sat in the back of the building. Extremely quiet. Good staff.
On a more recent trip met up with friends who through either HomeAway or AirBnb ( I forget which) had rented a studio apartment near Tower Bridge in the Butler's Wharf complex. That area has been transformed and revitalized as well and again easy walking to the Tower of London via Tower Bridge or stroll along the Thames Path past the Hayes Galleria (this area is very modern) and up and over to the Shard.
Truly depends on what you wish to spend and what is your idea of “neighborhoody.”
If you were to stay at a Premiere Inn Euston St Pancras or the Jesmond Dene you'd see what I'm talking about as you meander over to the newer Coal Drop Yards, then stroll along the Regents canal. Or stroll behind the Premiere Inn Euston and walk around Cartright Gardens then onto the Lord John Russell pub for a pint. Then out the door walking along Marchmont to Tavistock place, turn right and walk over to the Petrie Museum of Egyptian Archeology. A stellar non touristy museum.
Enjoy your May visit. Great city to explore.
2 years ago, we stayed at the Citizen M Bankside, and are considering the Citizen M in Shoreditch, this December.
https://www.citizenm.com
The rooms are smallish, like pods, but the bed was supe comfy, and we were out & about. What we did like was the common area, with a nice bar, breakfast options, and places sit & chat. Pretty trendy, and clean.
Bankside was close to the Burrough Market & Shard, and Shoreditch is near the Bricklane Market. Yes, we are foodies.
2 years ago, we stayed at the Citizen M Bankside, and are considering the Citizen M in Shoreditch, this December.
https://www.citizenm.com
The rooms are smallish, like pods, but the bed was supe comfy, and we were out & about. What we did like was the common area, with a nice bar, breakfast options, and places sit & chat. Pretty trendy, and clean.
Bankside was close to the Burrough Market & Shard, and Shoreditch is near the Bricklane Market. Yes, we are foodies.
Public transportation will get you to most of the tourist spots very easily.
Have fun!
In Spring 2018 we stayed at the Windermere on Warwick Way. Just a few minutes walk to Victoria Station. We also stayed at the Doubletree London Islington. About a 15 minute walk from Kings Cross station, with the Angel tube stop just around the corner. Also stayed at the Novotel Blackfriars. We loved it. And it had a pool! All of these were close to tube stops and were very nice. We would stay at any of them again.
I have stayed in a number of areas in London, but my favorite area is South Kensington. It is a nice neighborhood, close to transportation and it is a place that I feel at home. I love staying at the Aster House:http://www.asterhouse.com/. It is off of Old Brompton road, less than a 5 minute walk to the tube. The owner, Leoni, is delightful, she goes out of her way to make your stay special. They have a lovely garden and an an ample breakfast. There prices range from 180 pounds to 300+ during high season. They are a bit old-fashioned in their bookings. You need to send them an email and Leoni gets back to you quickly.
I am sure you will get a lot of recommendations with good options at different price points. I hope this helps.
Sandy
Take a look at Nadler hotels. I'm a regular at the Nadler Kensington. (I'm writing this from their lobby.) Excellent service, clean and in a residential area with plenty of shops and restaurants. Fifteen to twenty minutes to central London by tube. Five minute walk to Earls Court underground station. Piccadilly line from Heathrow to Earl's Court in under 45 minutes.
Don't worry about what you wear. It's not Downton Abbey.
Last year we stayed at The Bailey's Hotel in Kensington for a week and loved it. We found the location to be very good, it's directly opposite the Gloucester Road tube station.
As others have already mentioned you really don't need to worry about dress code in London :) As for somewhere with a neighbourhood feel, have you considered Blackheath Village? It has good transport links, wonderful green spaces (Greenwich Park is a must with marvellous views of London). Blackheath has a lovely feel about it with lots of great restaurants, cafes, pubs and independent shops.
Thanks again everyone for your kind advice.
I like staying around Victoria Station. Lots of hotels all around it and it is walkable to the Buckinham Palace/St James Park/Trafalgar Square/Westminster Bridge (Big Ben/Westminster Abbey) area.
Another area I like is around Waterloo Station.
Kensington is good too but it's further to walk to places except to the park/museums/Kensington Palace areas.
My last trip (and upcoming trip in March) is at Hub by Premier Westminster Abbey. The Hub chain is a group of hotels that are newly renovated/designed and have very tiny rooms. But the beds are incredibly comfortable and everything (wi-fi, shower, TV, climate control, etc.) is state of the art. There are several scattered around central London the Westminster Abbey one is literally half a block from the Abbey. It's not really a 'neighborhood' though. They all have various types of breakfast but he Westminster Abbey one has an amazing buffet breakfast. They are very inexpensive - so you could splurge on other things.
