Please help with London hotel choices.... I'm torn

If I had unlimited funds, on all my visits to London I would have liked to stay in a hotel in the Leicester Sq. area, because it's so convenient to the theatres. But these hotel are some of the most expensive in the city, so I'm forced to stay in other cheaper neighborhoods, farther away. So if money is no object, by all means stay at the Radisson. As a bonus, most evenings there is typically a red carpet movie premiere at one of the many cinemas surrounding the square...great for celebrity spotting.

It would be worth paying the extra for the Radisson Edwardian. You would be within a short walking distance of most of the theatres and there are a number of good restaurants in the area. I'm not crazy about taking the tube late at night (you'll have various opinions on this) and a taxi isn't always available when you need one.

Thanks very much for your quick reply. If it's that convenient, I'll try =-)

Jay: I don't know that you really need to be in walking distance of Leicester Square or extremely close to an Underground station to enjoy the theatre. Granted, it would be inconvenient to be farther out than the Circle Line, but really any hotel inside that general boundary will be pretty useful for theatre-going. You can walk quite a dsitance in 15 minutes or so. Given Tube closures for renovations as well as the issue that plays can sometimes run pretty close to closing time for the Underground...why not think about simply taking a taxi back to the hotel after the play? You might be able to save enough on a hotel slightly farther from the center (as compared to the ones you listed) to pay for 7 taxis.

Hi Roe, thanks for your advice. I always thought that taxi fare in London is way too pricey. Could you give me an idea how much they charge? Like, from Leicester Sq to Harrods for example? Big thanks!

Just south of Marble Arch is pretty posh stuff including the US Embassy and all its bomb proof everything, but Marble Arch isn't a part of Oxford Street I'd want to be in late at night. Maybe just me, but that's just me.

Jay: I have never taken a cab with the precise route you suggest, but I have taken taxis from Euston to Paddington and the Paddington area to the Waterloo area, and as I recall with tip it wasn't but about 5 pounds. In case my memory deceives, you might try this link which lets you input specific trips and get a cost estimate. http://www.worldtaximeter.com/london Have fun!

Roe and all, you guys are awesome. Thank you very much!

I've stayed at Millennium Baileys and it is not a bad location for theatre. It is on the Piccadilly line so it is a direct tube ride of about 20 minutes to Leicester Square. It is directly across the street from the tube station. Is 900 GBP for a single room (one single bed) or a larger room with a double or queen bed? If it is for a single room, I think that is too much for 7 nights for what you will get. They constantly adjust their rates up and down. I have paid as little as 56 GBP for a room and as much as 100 GBP for basically the same thing; last April, I paid 72 GBP plus VAT. I now only stay at the Baileys in a single room when I can find it for under 90 GBP including VAT; be careful as their website displays room rates without VAT. The single rooms are absolutely tiny, some of the showers don't have the best water pressure and it is an old creaky hotel. It does have some character and the location is really convenient because it is so close to the tube station and an easy trip from Heathrow. Another plus is that they have let me check-in early. I've stayed at this hotel 8 or 9 times in the last 10 years. On my last trip, I stayed at Base2Stay at Earls Court and I preferred it to the Baileys; it has much better amenities like a refrigerator in the room, free internet, a great walk-in shower, etc. It is about a 5 minute walk to the Earls Court tube station and it is also on the Piccadilly line so it is a short tube ride to Leicester Square. This place has singles for around 100 GBP a night. The room was still tiny, but modern and very efficiently laid out. I've stayed in the Marble Arch area and it is not my favorite location. I actually find it less convenient for theatre. I go to the theatre most nights when I am in London and have no problem taking the tube back after a show. The Gloucester Road and Earls Court areas are quite busy at night.

Hi Laura, Thanks very much for the details. If it's quite convenient then I'd be happy to save some money. The rate 900 pounds is for 6 nights in a double/room. About 140 pounds before tax. Where did you get that attractive rates from? Normally i look up on their own website, agoda and booking. And prices are pretty much the same. Please let me know then. Thank you.

We did not stay at Millenium Baileys but at a hotel nearby which we got on Priceline for $100-not bp. MB looked great and lots of people do get it on PL but from our experience you may have to bid higher than we did. Gloucester Rd Tube station is right there which also is handy if you need to get to LHR. It will depend on how much you are willing to pay in London but we always appreciate a **** hotel for a great price. Look at biddingfortravel.com to see what others may have bid on hotels.

Jay, I've normally booked the Baileys on the hotel website although the very first time that I stayed there, I bought it as a "Top Secret" hotel on the UK site lastminute.com. One thing I have noticed in the last couple of years is that they will change their prices from week to week (I guess it depends on occupancy). I checked a couple of my old confirmations and the type of room that I booked was a "standard single" room. They were a lot cheaper than the regular rooms because they were really small. However, I just did a search on their website for random dates in June and I don't see any rooms of this type listed. I wonder if they no longer offer these rooms.

I would rather stay near Leicester Square, but Marble Arch is not "too far" from the theatres, comfortable walk in the evening or late at night. Marble Arch tube station is fine. We have walked home from theatre a comparable distance (south of Mayfair rather than North) GFloucester square you would need the tube, but as you pointed out- on Piccadilly Line which takes you to bi=oth Piccadilly and Leicester square as i recall. However, after theatre you cant dawdle dont want to chance the "last" Tube of the night- usually extremely crowded

"after theatre you cant dawdle ..." I don't agree; I always "dawdle" after the theatre. I usually go to the theatre then head to dinner somewhere in Soho where restaurants are open late and then take the tube back to my hotel. You are usually out of the theatre around 10pm. The tube in zone 1 shuts down around 12:15 to 12:30 am (check tfl.gov.uk for your route). The tube can be crowded at any time. And in the very worst case, you can catch a night bus or cab. While Leicester Square is convenient, you really do not need to limit yourself to only that area. Just about anything in zone 1 would work if you would like to save some money.

In 2008 we stayed at the Russell Hotel in Russell Square (near the British Museum) upon the recommendation of a well traveled friend. We got a terrific deal on Hotels.com. It was a great place, around the corner from the tube so it was quick and easy to get to all the locations on our agenda. (we also used the hop on hop off bus to get around -they parked across the street and the staff gave us very helpful advice. Happy Travels!

Laura, thanks for the info. Will check the website too. i just look at the rates at Best Western Premier Shaftesbury on Shaftesbury road. The price is around 190 pounds a night. While the rooms at Radisson are much better and for the price of around 200 pounds. Brian and Pamela, thanks for info about marble arch and russell square. and i will also look at hotel.com.

Should I book early or just a few weeks before I fly? What are hotel strategies like these days?