Looking for a place in London to stay plus some other info

The Grand has been open about 2 to 3 years. Its a strange setup as it shares the building with another hotel which operates as a kind of club largely for all the government people, all the main government offices are all around you.
My first reaction is that you may have fallen into the trap of a lot of first time americans looking for somewhere 'downtown'. The hotel is certainly central, right by Trafalgar Square but you normally pay a hefty premium for this. You'll get a lot more bangs for your buck staying in a district like Kensington, Bayswater, Bloomsbury, Paddington or Kings Cross. Public transport is such that it dosen't really matter where you stay in London,

I'd say get away from the Trafalgar Square area just because it's so touristy and crowded. I like the Bloomsbury area, only about a 10-15 min walk away. It's a quieter neighborhood with lots of real Londoners, and some leafy squares, plenty of neighborhood restaurans. I wouldn't stay at anything on Southampton Row though, too busy and noisy. Two nice moderate priced hotels are the Thanet on Bedford Place and the Morgan on Bloomsbury St. A more upscale hotel is Montague on the Gardens, not sure of the street. All these are 2 minutes or less from the British Museum.

You will love London. We do! We have been more than 40 times in 20 years. I'll give you a link to an article I wrote about basing in London and doing day trips by trains. I hope you find it helpful.

I agree that the Trafalgar area is probably not for you. We like to stay in the Victoria area. There are lots of nice hotels there. We splurge and stay at the Victoria Thistle, but lots of people on this board like the Lime Tree.

Here is the link- NOTE if it asks for a zip code use 28208 and if it goes to the current issues, click on the archives and select Jan./Feb 2008

http://www.aaacarolinas.com/Magazine/2008/Jan-Feb/britain.htm?zip=28201&stateprov=nc&city=charlotte

Great advice, Caitlyn, from Bob, Laura and Toni. I'm a Victoria area fan and though I've tried the Lime Tree, found my 2nd home at the Luna & Simone Hotel on Belgrave Road a few years ago. Thought the Lime Tree too many $'s for what you get while the L&S is the cleanest, best priced, most customer friendly hotel in central London IMO.

Ten minute walk from Victoria Station (shorter walk if you go one more stop to Pimlico), 24/7 bus in front of the hotel that'll get you to Trafalgar in 15 minutes (off rush hour)or less. Ample eating opportunities within a few minutes walk of the L&S, together with a Sainsbury's?? supermarket towards Victoria Station and a full shopping mall within Victoria itself. Downside, no elevator; solution, ask for a lower floor.

The L&S is not Marriot or Four Seasons but for a typical downtown London hotel it doesn't get much better. I agree with the previous posters about staying near Trafalgar Square; you pay for the privilege -whatever that might be. Have fun!

the Park Plaza properties have great rates from time to time. I have stayed at the Albert Embankment and Victoria properties and enjoyed both. The website has the best prices.

We stayed at the aforementioned Lime Tree. Enjoyed it immensely. We were there in June 08. No elevator or air conditioning (we didn't need it in June), but lovely breakfast, and wonderful helpful folks who run the place. Nice neighborhood, close to Victoria Station. Next to quiet nice wine bar. Bus stops at the corner. We would stay again.

Caitlyn,

I'm assuming the Guide Book you referred to is Rick's London book? There are lots of choices in there for accommodations in various parts of London in different price ranges. Although you've previously stayed in all-inclusive resorts, would you consider staying in a more "local" Hotel in London or do you want a five star?

I also really like the Victoria station / Belgrave area. It has good access to transportation, some nice restaurants in the area and walking distance to Buckingham Palace and other major sites. The Lime Tree Hotel is a good choice, but there are others in the area.

London can be very expensive, so if you want to try something a bit more basic but quite comfortable, you might have a look at www.cartrefhouse.co.uk for another choice. The owners are great and it's only a block or two from Santini's which is a fantastic Italian restaurant.

Happy travels!

Caitlyn,

If this is your first European trip and you are used to all-inclusive resorts & cruise ships and such, you could be in for quite a shock.

Yes, there are hotels that will treat you like royalty, but you will pay dearly for them. As a general rule in a large city like London, expect to pay double-triple what you would pay in the US for comperable amenities. There are many choices which are cheaper, but you would have to greatly adjust your expectations.

I suspect many Americans travel with the asumption that they ought to experience a level of comfort that is AT LEAST equal to what they have at home. And when you are spending what it costs to go to Europe, it ought to be even BETTER. But that is unrealistic, and a very non-"back door" expectation. I loved our little London Hotel, which could have been described as either full of character or shabby, depending on your point of view. We were able to talk them down to $200/night.

If you are used to fruity umbrella drinks poolside, you will find London dirty, confusing, exhausting and frustrating, unless you adjust your expectations before you leave. We loved it. You can, too.

Awe London! I want to go back! We were there for the first time in October, with a crazy 4 days (only) to sightsee. Well, our daughter was sick the first 12 hours of getting settled. So, we had practically no time at all. We stayed in the Bayswater Area at the Lancaster Hall Hotel. It is very affordable and modest, yet comfortable, clean with a delicious breakfast included. A ten minute walk to Paddington Station, a ten minute walk to Lancaster Gate Tube and a ten minute walk to beautiful Hyde Park! After one day, you'll be an expert at "Tube" hopping! Just read the signs and know where you're going. I am jealous! Have a wonderful trip!

Also check out the visitbritain.com website for great info and sometimes great deals on passes.

Karen

Caitlyn, I like the Morgan House B&B in the Victoria area also.

If it's your first 'sight-seeing' trip, it's best to choose a hotel with helpful staff/ customer service who can help you with sightseeing suggestions, transport options, local customs, etc, so read the reviews of all the hotels you're thinking of booking! Kensington, Bayswater, Bloomsbury, Victoria are good areas to stay in. The smaller London / European hotels (ie. the more reasonably priced ones) won't offer the same amenities as resorts or similar American hotels - sometimes no shampoo and soap even - and rooms / bathrooms are often small. For your first day, a Hop-on Hop-off bus tour might be a useful introduction to the city - the sights are spread out across different parts of the city, and you get a better sense of the geography of the city from the street than travelling on the Underground. Since you have 8 nights in London, you could also consider a day trip outside the city by train, eg. to Stratford Upon Avon or Canterbury or other towns. For a 'relaxing sit around and do nothing', if it's a sunny day, pack a picnic and head to a park, or Hampton Court, or Hampstead, or Richmond.

Hi guys! Thanks so much for the helpful tips. I still have a ton of research to do and will definitely consider some of the suggested places.

We like to stay close to the areas where we plan to spend most of our time. Last year we stayed in an apt about a block from Trafalgar Square. This year we are staying in an apt about a block from Leicester Square. We like being able to walk to most of the sights we want to see rather than taking the tube. The apt we are renting this year even has an Aquavision television in the shower! (I guess for those people who just have to have the TV on at all times.)

Caitlyn, we stayed at the Grand Trafalgar Square for about 6 nights in May, 2009. It was very good. We paid between 90 and 99 GBP per night( I believe a weekend rate was somewhere). I thought that price was very reasonable. The location was terrific...a minute from Trafalgar Square and all it's attractions and a few minutes to Charing Cross trains, tubes, or walk across the Thames. It was quiet, clean, and they were helpful and friendly. There was a glitch with our reservation but they handled it so courteously, promptly, and generously that we had no complaint. We will return there without hesitation.

I stumbled onto "LondonTown.com" resource from a magazine and booked the Jolly St.Ermine/St. James neighborhood. I have an April date and just needed a twin room but am paying only 116.33 pounds, including taxes. Get on the Jolly web-site and look over their place...I think it looks very elegant. The Hotel Jolly in Sienna, Italy is one of that city's very top hotels. Bob, from London, replied to my request for an opinion and said it was a good move. June dates may be more difficult to book but perhaps your window has some flexibility. Have fun making your plans and good luck.

It's been a couple of years but we like the Dukes - http://www.campbellgrayhotels.com/dukes-london?lang=EN#/dukes-london - very convenient to buses and the Tube plus an easy walk to Buckingham Palace. On a side street so its quiet. Not inexpensive though.