Going to London, no idea where to stay!!!

comping_cat

We are wanting to go to London on the 12th August, and return home on the 14th, so need to find a Hotel for the 2 nights.
I do not know London at all, so have no idea where to stay, and obviously, would like somewhere safe. We only need a basic room, with breakfast and i would guess it would be better for us (myself and my 2 children) to stay near a tube station, as i wouldnt want to be travelling the streets if we were out late. Of course, the cheaper the better!

Any help would be greatfully received!!!!

123oleary

st giles is pretty cheap on tottenham court road/oxford street and right next to the tube station. the rooms aren't the best though. soho and covent garden are near by

andyrules

Travelodge springs to mind immediately - they do family rooms for the same price as double, as do Premier Inn.

We stayed at the Megaro recently, literally at the top of the steps from St Pancras, but surprisingly quiet, despite a front facing room. It's worth ringing them rather than looking on the website, as they might be willing to oblige with a decent rate. (We paid £99 for triple) The rooms aren't basic - far from!! You get a fridge which would be useful with kiddies, for juice etc.

Holiday Inn have a 2 for one offer on - make sure you include that in your search.

Ibis have £10 off at the mo, but not sure if they have triple rooms.

I would ring if triple rooms aren't advertised, as some may put in a roll away bed or something.

Also, I wouldn't bother paying for breakfast as they tend to be overpriced everywhere, there are loads of places you can get it much cheaper.

Blue264

It depends on the ages of your children really, and your budget.

I booked the Corus Hyde Park for my friends and their young son recently for under £100 and they loved the location, straight facing Kensington Gardens and Hyde Park. Their son enjoyed feeding the squirrels and he plenty of room to run around and let of steam and the weather was good enough for them to have a picnic there. The rooms are small though.

I've also booked the Millennium Mayfair for friends with children aged 10 and 12. It's in a very quiet, safe location (the American Embassy is in the same square) yet a short walk from Hyde Park, Oxford Street and the legendary Hamleys toy shop.

That Strand Palace has a very central location, facing the Savoy, backing onto Covent Garden and a few minutes walk from the Thames and the West End theatres.

Can I ask the ages of your children and a rough idea of your budget please?

Blue264

andyrules wrote: »

Travelodge springs to mind immediately - they do family rooms for the same price as double, as do Premier Inn.

If you choose one of these chains, there are central Travelodges near Covent Garden and Euston station. The best Premier Inn is at County Hall, a brilliant location right by the London Eye.

richardw

Central London is enormous, depends what you want to do and which bit you want to focus on, don't forget the tube is roasting hot in summer and doesn't have air con, Travelodge farringdon is a long way from the science museum for instance.

comping_cat

My children are 11 and 10, and we are hoping to go to the Science museum, Harrods, Hamleys etc - also the normal touristy things like Buck House and Big Ben!!
I dont really have a budget, as i havnt a clue how much rooms go for in London, but would like to keep it as low as poss. i was hoping for about £50 a night, but didnt know if that was too low for London prices.

Edit!! Looking at the hotels mentioned, think im way off with my £50!!! So will prob have to increase my budget a fair bit!!!

richardw

http://www.imperial.ac.uk/conferences/index.asp?page_id=3

Edinburghlass_2

http://www.hydeparktowershotel.com/index.html

Stayed at the above hotel in January, £60 for two for bed and continental breakfast and the breakfast is superb! Quiet location but minutes from Queensway and Bayswater tube stations

lily_the_pink

There is a new youth hostel just south of Great Portland Street - you can get an ensuite family room that will sleep upto 4 for £84 per night. Not cheap but great location and you can save on some of your meals as there is a kitchen. have a look on the YHA site. You can pay with Tesco vouchers if you already have some spare. There is also availability at the Earls Court - £71 per night.

It is not easy finding a decent cheap room in August - you are competing with thousands of skint tourists. I cant recommend any of the plethora of non-branded hotels around the paddington area - some friends of mine visiting some years ago stayed in one which didnt have mildew/sweaty pillows but I cannot remember which one. Tripadvisor might be helpful here.

Easyhotel is safe - but alas not available for less than the youth hostel (where at least you have a kitchen and a window and space for a suitcase)

I checked Holiday Inn, Ibis and Travelodge - nothing available at less than the youth hostel (Travelodge is worth looking at out of the 3 as they do family rooms and some decent locations for less than £100 a night). I had a look on booking.com and cant find anything that I know would be ok for less than £100 a night (there are hotels for less money but check on tripadvisor for reviews before booking).

Holiday Inn Express Kings Cross/Bloomsbury = £119 (but does include breakfast)
Crowne Plaza Docklands = £85
NB if you are a member of pigsback you get almost equivalent of £20 cashback for each stay at a IC hotel (not sure what would happen if you did 2 bookings) - it is a bit fiddly but might be worth doing.

University accommodation is another option - though likely to be booked up. Although not overly cheap it is clean and safe.

Out of the centre:
Hilton London Kensington = Holland Park (2 miles from hyde park) = £92 per night
Hilton Docklands = £82 per night
Travelodge Docklands = £59 for one night, £29 for the second (although not central, this is pretty cheap)

Travelodge covent garden £105 per night, (far too much money for a travelodge imho)
Travelodge SOuthwark = £85 (this is a fairly nice location - cheap eats, close to London Eye, Westminster)

Good luck and have a great time when you get there.


Loads of cheaper options in Wembley and Docklands - but you have the hassle of travel and cost of transport.

susancs

Park royal travel lodge is 5 mins from the tube station and on the same line as South kensington (nearest tube station for Science Museum and Natural History)-8 stops so about 20-25 mins on the train. It has has family rooms for the dates you want. On a main road opposite a big leisure park with pizza hut, macdonalds, kfc, eat as much as you want chinese buffet. Also beside a petrol station for morning breakfast snacks. Click on saver rooms and book each night separate to get this rate.

As said previously holiday inn 2 nights for 1 is till on click on this link
http://www.ichotelsgroup.com/h/d/6c/1/en/c/1/content/dec/teaser/6c/1/en/lp/emea/twofor.html?rateCode=IDEX1
Kensington Forum (near museums is £87 per night). Earls Court £69.50 includes breakfast (again nearby).