Best Area to stay in London

Limetree Hotel near Victoria Station. Ease of arrival - from Gatwick via rail to Vitoria Station. Heathrow by bus to Victoria Coach Station. Close Big Bus for sightseeing; to Tube for getting around London; to Buckingham Palace, etc.

Natalia,

I also like the Victoria Station area. Some of the benefits for me:

• Close to Victoria Station, so good access to not only the Tube but also the Gatwick Express as I usually prefer to arrive at Gatwick rather than Heathrow.

• Close to Victoria Coach Station. The Hotel I prefer on Ebury Street is only about a one minute walk from the Victoria Coach (Bus) station.

• Nice area! There's a Wine Bar on the corner and small Deli's and some nice restaurants as well (such as Santini's - great Italian food!).

• Fairly easy walking distance to Buckingham Palace and the Westminster Bridge.

Cheers!

We stayed near Trafalgar Square, and liked the convenience of nearby transportation options, restaurants, shops, and attractions. Also enabled us to easily take advantage of nearby museum late evening hours and still a short walk back to the hotel.

Thank you all!
When I asked this question I didn't know which where the possible London areas to stay in, not even the names. Now, I've done my homework and researched a bit, :)

I am traveling with my boyfriend and we want to stay in some residencial area, so that we can have some neighbourhood feeling of the city. We really like what we saw of Notting Hill, for example. We are also very attracted to markets such as Covent Garden's and Camden's. Of course we want to stay in some place conveniently localized so as to visit the main attractions (near train stations, or bus stations, and not too long trips). But we are limited by our short budget, so we have to choose something cheap. However, we expect to stay in a double room with private bathroom, even if it is the smallest in town!

Some of the hotels that I found that I liked are in the Kings Cross St Pancras area, in Paddington (Sussex Gardens), around Hyde Park (across Cromwell St.), in Belgravia and in Victoria(Warwick Way, Belgrave Road and Ebury St).

I'd like to hear your opinions on this particular areas! And any kind of advice you may have!

Thanks!!

Natalia,

Victoria station area is the most central but probably the most expensive of those areas as well. So I guess I'm saying that if you can find a hotel there that fits your budget, then it may be your best bet.

Last time I was there we stayed at a B&B on Gower St. It's very central, close to the Tube, but reasonably priced. There are a number of B&Bs on Gower, and I don't remember where we stayed. But there are lots of options in that area, and they might work out for you, esp. if budget is an issue.

My suggestion is the King's Cross St. Pancras area; the best B&B in that area is The Alhambra Hotel at 19
Argyle Street, well worth it, quite reasonable, and a very good English breakfast; there are others in the area that may be cheaper.

The area is well served by buses and the Tube; it's the area I will stay at when I go back to London. Argyle Street and Argyle Square is the location of several B&Bs.

Many areas of London are just great, and there certainly is plenty of choice. You could have a look at this series of blog articles about London neighborhoods here: http://www.nyhabitat.com/blog/category/london/london-travel-guide/london-neighborhoods/

Personally, I'd probably go for Hampstead Heath or somewhere in the area of St James Park, it's my favorite London park.

Bayswater, Notting Hill and Kensington are nice, with a mix of tourists and locals, lots of cafes and restaurants, and convenient for sightseeing. They're within striking distance of Kensington Park and Hyde Park which are lovely places to visit especially on weekends - great for relaxing and people-watching. The entire area around Sussex Gardens is full of hotels at different price ranges. One great convenience of that area is that you can easily get to Paddington Station for the Heathrow Express (very useful if you have lots of luggage and don't want to lug them up and down the staircases in the Underground stations on your way to / from the airport). Notting Hill and Kensington are posher, and Notting Hill is very lively on weekends because of the street market. Gower St is in a university neighbourhood, full of B&Bs and it's likely you'll find one that suits your budget. Because of the Underground, getting around the city is pretty easy, no matter which area you stay in.

Earls court is my favorite. It is a residential area very near the V&A museum, Natural history museum, Kensington High Street, Kensington palace, Hyde Park, and up the road is Knightsbridge, home of Harrods, etc.

Off the Kensington High Street is Holland Walk which leads into Holland park and also towards Notting Hill. It is a fun, posh celeb infused residential area with cafes, shops and pubs, and quite nicer than central areas in my opinion. It is also only a few stops on the district, piccadilly or circle lines into other central London areas, maybe 10 minutes on the tube to get to Westminster (Big Ben), for example.

I tend to take the road less traveled when I go to London. For example, if you are going to the Museum of London from St Pauls tube stop, there is a small park near an old church on Angel street (few minutes before you reach the museum itself) with Victorian plaques of common people who died while saving someones life. It is called Postmans Park and was in the movie "Closer". These side streets can be just as interesting and fun as the main attractions. I have been to London 3 times and still havent seen Buckingham Palace!

We recently stayed with friends in Highgate (near Hampstead Heath) - it was great, but the distances on the tube each day added up (even with a pay-as-you-go Oyster card). We've also stayed on Ebury St near Victoria Station, Notting Hill area, and Kensington - they were all great - for a first trip, Belgravia (Ebury) has a variety of options - budget and up - and is most central.

We are planning a trip to London in March and have booked a flat in a row house in Bloomsbury, near the British Museum. It has 2 bedrooms and a full kitchen. Not bad prices either. That might be an option for you. I can give you details if you're interested.