marriott marble arch or hilton metropole for late night arrival/Brit Museum

3 adults, 3 kids, so we were going to get 2 triples. I can get a rate of $200 at either Marriott or Hilton. An "American" hotel works b/c of price for the triple, and space with good quality beds--but otherwise, we only need safe, clean, AC and easy/quick access to/from Heathrow via Express or other train and quick access to British Museum/Buckingham Palace next day. We will arrive at 10 PM or later and leave at 9AM or so to go to British Museum---just a 24 hr stopover with kids looking for a quick tour prior to flying back to USA, so we need central location and must also be able to leave luggage Sunday while touring. thanks, Elaine

They are very similar. But for convenience regarding the British Museum, I'd choose the Marriott. The closest tube stop to this hotel is on the same line as the closest tube stop to the British Museum. NO need to change trains. OR, you could even take a bus without a change. With the Hilton, it involves changes.

Do we assume that you are coming in and exiting on the Heathrow Express? If yes, you will be coming into Paddington Station. Paddington is near the Hilton but you will either have to take a taxi or a tube to get there. If you take the tube, you will need to walk through the lower Paddington walkways to the Bakerloo line and go one stop to Edgware Road. Expect lots of stairs. There may be lifts or escalators to help but I haven't taken this route.

With the Marriott Marble Arch, again, its a taxi or you are in the Paddington tube walking tunnels to either the Circle or District lines where you travel to the Notting Hill Gate station. Transfer to the Central line to get to the Marble Arch station. Again, expect lots of stairs with your luggage.

Better yet, go outside Paddington and take the No. 23 double-decker bus to Liverpool Street. It stops very near both the Edgware and Marble Arch tube stations. You have to buy you bus tickets before you get on. Yes you can take your luggage onto the bus. But with six people, it might be burdensome.

Finally, you are quite a bit closer to the British Museum from the Marriott. Just a few tube stops down the Central line to the Holborn stop.

Two axioms that we learned on the tube. 1) whichever direction you are walking in the underground tunnels, there are far more people walking in the oppposite direction. 2)there are over 400 escalators in the London tube system. Try and find them. Actually, you'll find a few but there are a lot of stairs.

I have a different recommendation for you - assuming the price works out.

Try the Renaissance Chancery Court (possibly the best of the Marriott chain hotels in London) which is right outside the Holborn train station and thus easily reached on the Piccadilly line from Heathrow. It is also only a 8-10 min walk to the British Museum from this hotel.

In the past I have had no problems with having 4 in a room at this hotel. Also, the rooms are vastly superior to almost any other Marriott hotel in London. Check out the price and if it works out I would say this would be a better choice for comfort and location.

I was thinking Chancery Court--but the reviews said the area is dead on the weekends, esp. at night--we would be arriving LATE Sat night and I didn't know if that would be safe if no one is around----so, how would it be getting from Heathrow--either express or (regular) train there--easy? safe to walk from station to hotel at 11 PM Sat night? Elaine

We stayed at Jurys Inn Heathrow this year and really enjoyed it. It is a fairly new hotel. Supremely quiet -- even tho it is under the flight path -- don't know how they are able to manage that feat. The rooms are very nice (not fancy) & the food is good. They usually have a VERY inexpensive weekend rate. It's a short walk to the tube to get to London, or you could even take a taxi back to the airport to catch the Heathrow Express and be in London in 15 minutes to see the Brit Museum.

Elaine:

Since Holborn is on the Piccadilly line, you can just take the tube all the way from Heathrow. Easy and cheap. The hotel is about 50 meters from the exit to the station and should take you about 2 mins to walk from the exit to the front entrance. I have walked in that area quite a few times late as night and never had a problem.

There is also a Citadines apartment hotel right across the RCC which may be an option - though if you can get a good rate, the RCC is an awesome hotel.

The words "quick tour" and "British Museum" dont really work together. I spent 3 foot aching hours in it and only saw a tiny amount of what they have. You might want to save that for a time when you can have time to see more!