London Travel Guidance Needed (Lime Tree or citizenM London Bankside?)

I would prefer The Lime Tree. Also you could check out any of the Premier Inn London locations; all good locations, and usually a good value.

Citizen M is on the opposite side of the river from the City proper. I'm not quite sure about the safety of the area - there are lots of people and cultural attractions on the river bank itself, but as you get away from the river things get a bit less frequented and grimier. Also it isn't especially convenient as far as transport to other parts of London go.

Huntsonthesound,

Just a comment about the CitizenM hotels.

They are cool in my opinion but they may not be for everyone(s).

They are cookie cutter rooms. the one i stayed in in Amsterdam was clean and safe, had Imacs to use along with a lounge and cafe. im not sure about where the one is in London so cant comment about the location.

One more thing is that the Shower and Toilet are in separate "pods" they have frosted glass and mood lighting which is the cool part. there is a curtain that can separate the pods from the bed. All of the beds are the same size. I believe they are King size. One large drawer under the bed for storage. There is a small desk in the room also. They did have HVAC too and you can really tell if they are working.

Everything is controlled via one remote.

i wanted to try one every since i came across their web site. they do have pics of them if you dive into the web site.

i liked their design and use of "toys". YOu do the checkin and checkout using magnetic cards. there are also people there to help.

happy trails.

I haven't stayed at the Lime Tree Hotel, but I have stayed in that area so that would be my suggestion. The Victoria Station / Belgravia area is wonderful! It's very convenient for rail or Metro connections at Victoria Station, and Coach (Bus) connections from Victoria Coach station (which is right around the corner from the Ebury Wine Bar and the Hotel). As I recall, it's also fairly easy to walk from there to the London Eye, Buckingham Palace and other sights.

If you decide to stay at the Lime Tree and like Italian food, you might try the Santini Restaurant, which is a bit further down on Ebury Street. I thought the food was great (although not cheap) and hopefully that hasn't changed.

Happy travels!

@ huntsonthesound,

If the Lime Tree is in the Victoria Station area, thats where i ploped down on my first time in London. I stayed at the EasyHotel a couple block down Belgrve road. I like the area since its close to Victoria and i try to use Gatwich to fly in/out of london.

ALso, in my opinion, the area is safe. I wonder around at night just to get a feel of the area when its dark. you can walk to the London Eye and area, but its about a 15+ minute brisk walk.

Happy trails.

Greetings,
The Lime Tree Hotel is in the very upscale area of Belgravia. It is about a 10 minute walk to Victoria Station. It is a very safe and quiet area with many choices of restaurants. We have stayed there several times. All the rooms are different but nicely kept and appointed. It is privately owned, and they are present for a big part of each day. The breakfast is nice and included in the price. We enjoy staying there.

This past May I stayed as a solo female at the Lime Tree Hotel. It is safe, comfortable, and close to transportation options. It’s a very nice residential neighborhood with some lovely shops and good eating options. You are also on the side of the river giving you closer walking and transport access to the main sights. At night I was and felt completely safe going out to dinner and taking an evening stroll.

I arrived at 6am on a Wednesday and took the HTR Express to Paddington Station, then a taxi to the hotel. Using just carry-on luggage, I arrived at hotel by 830am. They took my luggage & I refreshed in their WC. Then I had a nice breakfast at Tom-Toms across the street. My room was ready for 1pm but I was out walking around seeing the sights and getting over jet lag.

One rainy late afternoon I had a coffee and muffin there, too. Great place! One evening I ate at the Italian Wine Bar around the corner. I had the special of pesto chicken pasta with a side of greens, and a pleasant tasting glass of red wine, plus tip for 15 pounds.

The night before departure I used their free computer to check into my flight. My departure day was a Saturday morning at 7am. I used a taxi all the way to the Airport. The streets were empty and HTR didn’t get busy until 9amish. I had a hot breakfast at HTR and then went through security before it got busy. I spent the rest of the time browsing the shops until my Terminal was posted.

Hope this helps you

@Diane,

With your reference to "HTR", are you referring to London Heathrow (LHR)? I believe HTR airport is on Okinawa.

Cheers!

Ken, yes, and I’m glad you caught my error.

Thank you all so much for your responses and wonderful words of guidance! Much appreciated.

Hello Allyn,
This Sept I stayed at the Lime Tree for 7 days with RS tour of London. Lime Tree is easy to fine, area that it is in is safe. I had a room on the top floor facing the back garden, little street noise came through my open window. When booking ask for a room that looks out over the garden. The breakfast that is available is a great way to start your day. I plan on returning to London in 2015 and if the Lime Tree is still open I hope to stay there.

Enjoy your time there, Cathy

Allyn,
We, too, stayed at the Lime Tree on our RS tour of London in June a few years ago. Great place, yummy breakfast, VERY gracious and helpful folks, lovely neighborhood, near Victoria Station and bus stop. We had a lovely room looking out over the garden. Would stay again in a heartbeat. In fact, tried to get a room there before a cruise we are planning next year, and they were already booked up! Note they have no elevator or air conditioning, if that is important to you. Didn't bother us in the least.
Have a wonderful trip!