London's Regent Palace hotel

jonesMUFCforever

I have just read that this hotel will close at the end of the year.
Apparently the cost of refurbishing far outweighs any benefit in doing so.

Shame really as a few years ago this was a good quality 2 star hotel, very cheap as London prices go, right in the middle of Piccadilly Circus.

I will miss it but the search goes on for a suitable replacement. Anyone with any ideas?
I know about Laterooms etc to get decent rates but are there any hidden gems around the Piccadilly area which don't cost the earth? We primarily visit London for theatre breaks so Piccadilly is a good location for us.

black-saturn

It's a pity that hotel is closing.

Last weekend I stayed in a B&B in Camden/Kentish Town called Michael's Guest House. It was very cheap but the rooms were REALLY basic. But it is a bargain if your just going to need it for sleep and will be out all the time. Breakfast was OK too:

http://www.smoothhound.co.uk/a43999.html

Raspberry_Ripples

Hi,

The reason the hotel is closing is because the lease has run out. I used to work for the operators years and years ago. It ran out in 1999 (I think) and was extended for another 7 years. Crown Estates - the owners, want to redevelop the site. It went through a partial refurb in 99-00 to include shower/toilet cubiles in the rooms. That's the reason it was so cheap, most floors had shared bathrooms and those that didn't had v small cubicles.
Did you ever see the dining room (currently a Marco Pierre White restauarnt - or used to be at least) truly magnificent!

gooismeid

Travelodge (if you're very lucky you'll get a £10 supersaver room!) have hotels in Covent Garden, High Holborn, Islington, Kings Cross and Docklands. If you book reasonably far in advance they're VERY cheap. I've stayed in several and in my experience they're reasonably clean, decent-sized rooms. You don't get any frills but for £10 a night who cares? https://www.travelodge.co.uk

jonesMUFCforever

Raspberry_Ripples wrote:

Hi,

The reason the hotel is closing is because the lease has run out. I used to work for the operators years and years ago. It ran out in 1999 (I think) and was extended for another 7 years. Crown Estates - the owners, want to redevelop the site. It went through a partial refurb in 99-00 to include shower/toilet cubiles in the rooms. That's the reason it was so cheap, most floors had shared bathrooms and those that didn't had v small cubicles.
Did you ever see the dining room (currently a Marco Pierre White restauarnt - or used to be at least) truly magnificent!

Yes the full english there in the mornings were fab! As you could help yourself to anything I certainly didn't need a big lunch!
It was known as the Welsh hotel a few years back as many welsh MP's used to stay there and I saw many of them in the piano bar (of course).
I think it will be difficult to redevelop as another hotel because of the shape of the building, but if someone like Travelodge were to take over - who knows?