My husband and I are going to London in May. We would like to stay near Victoria Station, Kensington, or Nottinghill area as Rick Steves (RS) recommend. At the same time, everyone on this website rec that we check out tripadvisor for hotel ratings, however, I have gotten email responses from several hotels from RS's London guide, but can not find these hotels / B & B on tripadvisor, eurocheapo or londontown, or expedia, etc for ratings? Has anyone stayed at any of the following, and recommend them? B & B Belgravia Studio or the Gate Hotel? We agree with RS's philosophy of staying at a comfortable and clean place, not necessarily 5 stars. We want a very safe and secure place. We have friends who have lost their laptops on trips, and we are taking ours with us. We would welcome any recommendations? Our budget is 100 to 160 pound.
Posted by
Virginia, USA
5514 posts
Selena, You mentioned that you had trouble finding either of B&B Belgravia or the Gate on tripadvisor. There are listings for a place called B&B Belgravia and the Gate. Are these the two you were looking for? I've put the links below: www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g186338-d253921-Reviews-B_B_Belgravia-London_England.html www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g186338-d210363-Reviews-The_Gate-London_England.html On my last stay, I stayed at the Base2Stay which is near Earls Court and particularly liked it. It would be in your price range. It has nice modern rooms including a fridge and microwave, good shower, and free internet.
Posted by
OP
LA, CA, USA
3 posts
Thank you! Will definitely check your hotel out.
Posted by
Leesburg, VA, USA
340 posts
You might want to look at the London Lodge Hotel. It's a 5 minute walk from Earls Court tube station, lots of restaurants nearby, great reviews on trip advisor, and breakfast is included. It was recommended to us by a friend, and we've booked there for this fall. BTW, I checked out the rates on the usual booking sites, found the best one then emailed the hotel directly and asked if they would match if I booked w/them directly.
Posted by
san diego, california, us
149 posts
With all due respect to Rick Steves, I would not choose Notting Hill for a first-time visit because it's not walking distance to any of the major tourist sites except Portobello Road, which IMO is overrated. Victoria Station is a good central location, but there are many areas in London that are good places to stay. Before choosing, check out the Bloomsbury area, which is near the British museum. Also Marble Arch/Oxford Street isn't bad, and the area around Covent Garden/Strand/Trafalgar Square is a great central location. For a bit further out, take a look at the Sloane Square Hotel, which is in the Knightsbridge/Chelsea area. Also the Knightsbridge Hotel, which I have stayed at and recommend. IMO Knightsbridge is also a better location than Notting Hill. It's quiet, but more centrally located. The Copthorne Tara in Kensington gets mixed reviews on tripadvisor, but it's in a good location, too . I realize you could search hotels ad nauseum, but I just wanted to give you some other options besides the ones you stated. You can sometimes get discounts on wotif.com as well as the websites you listed. Good luck!
Posted by
OP
LA, CA, USA
3 posts
Thanks everyone for your kind advice! Will check out these hotels.