Lime Tree Hotel vs. Luna Simone

Hi Kerri. I've only stayed at Luna Simone and would definitely recommend it. I actually booked their quad room for my trip in April and they quoted me a rate of L165 which I calculated to be about $265 if $1.60 = L1. I then did a little more research and found apt listings for less than that nightly and with a group of 4, I decided to book a flat through airbnb.com instead. I just thought it would be more comfortable with a group to be in a flat where we can get up and have breakfast when we want and even save a little money by making some meals. I even have a washer in my flat. Luna Simone serves a great breakfast but it's only available between 730 and 830 am. I wanted to be more relaxed and not have a deadline for breakfast. Of course, I know I don't have to eat their breakfast but I figured if I paid for it then I should get my buns out of bed to get it.

Thanks Claudette. One of my friends also have us looking at homeaway.com.uk. I like the idea of having our own kitchen as well as a washer and dryer. The key for us will be to find a place for 8 of us. I'm thinking the Kensington area near Gloucester Road might be a good option?

I've only stayed in the Victoria area so not very familiar with the Kensington area so I'm afraid I can't give you an opinion there. Whatever you pick, make sure it's very close to a tube stop and a bus route. Also, if you're coming in from Heathrow, take into consideration how you will get into your hotel/flat. Although it takes twice as long, the tube is way cheaper then the Heathrow Express or Connect. I actually picked a flat in Soho because it's walkable to alot of areas and also the flat is very close to the Leicester Square tube stop on the Picadilly line so I don't have to transfer to a different tube line from Heathrow. Back to airbnb.com, they have a great feature that shows you the different neighborhoods and what they're known for. It's worth checking out. Good luck!

The only one of those you mention that I have stayed at is the Luna Simone. We were a party of two couples, and we were well pleased with it. It was convenient, comfortable, and the owners were very accommodating to our needs and to one of our party's special breakfast requests. We had rooms on two different floors, but that didn't bother us. We would stay there again. However, with a larger party of two families with 8 people, I would probably find an apartment to be a good choice.

Thanks to everyone for all of your great feedback. We now have reservations at Luna Simone since they are one of the few places that offer quad rooms and Lime Tree was already booked. We are currently looking at a flat in Islington for the trip back through London and it appears it is next to the Victoria line.