My husband and I are traveling to London for the first time this August/September. We'll be arriving via train from Paris and departing via Heathrow airport.
I'm having some trouble figure out which neighborhood to stay in, but I think I've got it narrowed down to Covent Garden or Victoria. Does anyone have any strong opinions either way? We're leaning towards staying at a Premier Inn in one of these areas...is one of these locations is better than the other?
It would help if you said a bit about your criteria for choosing a neighborhood (e.g., transit connections, proximity to sites, places to eat in the immediate area...) and what you found appealing about those two neighborhoods in particular. I don't think either of those areas is objectively terrible, but which one is better for you depends on what you're looking for.
Sorry yes, that would probably be helpful!
It's our first time in London so we'll be seeing all the usual sites, and also plan to take a day trip somewhere. We're in our mid-30's, so we like to go out and have a good time, but we also need our rest! We like to eat/drink as local as we can...we're not big fans of the chain-type places. We also like just walking around and people watching. I'm looking for a neighborhood with good pubs/restaurants, safe at night, and relatively close to transport. We're not big shoppers so that's not a major concern.
Sorry if that's still rather vague, we're still in the early stages of planning our trip. Thanks!
if it's the Premier Inn Hub in Covent Garden, bear in mind those hubs hotels have a reputation for small rooms
Personally i'd choose CG, but either will be just fine. Southwark (Bankside) PI is a cracking location also.
Covent Garden, for sure. It's much livelier than the Victoria area. I've stayed in both places and prefer CG. There will be tons of pubs and restaurants around you, as well as the theater district. Transportation wise, you can take the Picadilly line from St Pancras/Kings Cross when you arrive from Paris to get to CG. It's quite a walk though (you have to walk from one station to the next even though they're next to each other) so i just recommend getting a cab or Uber to your hotel when you arrive from Paris. The same Picadilly line will take you straight from the CG stop to Heathrow when you depart. I haven't stayed at Premier Inn in CG but stayed at one in a different location and found the hotel room clean and the bed very comfortable.
Thanks everyone! You've sold me on CG. We're really excited for our trip across the pond! :)
