kswl

FYI: Londontown.com is offering the Millenium Gloucester at GBP 98, about $176, NOT including the 17.5% tax, which brings it to more than $206 per night. The same room can be had for $85 per night plus tax, for a total of under $100 nightly through priceline.

Robespierre

kswl - if you are basing your opinion on your experience of Days Inns in the U.S., you are sorely mistaken. I wouldn't consider staying at one over here, but the Waterloo property is one of the best accommodations I've had in the UK, and it ranks with the Grosvenor at Victoria Station (by way of comparison).

kswl

Hello, RP. I am not basing it on the Days Inns in the states, but purely on the ** star rating that puts it in the $50 category on priceline. Star ratings are very subjective, inconsistent and sometimes irrational, but a two-star rating usually means a much lower-end property. Ccarroga can get more bang for her buck, or more stars for her pound, than that.

kswl

ps, three comments/ratings on tripadvisor are glowing, I'll give it that, but the price range given is $70-$78 per night. At that price it is a better bargain and worth considering. The photos look a bit dull, though--sort of a tired Jetson's decor?

Robespierre

"Tired Jetson's decor?"

No - that's what passes for "modern" in Blighty. The rooms are smaller than what you get for £100, but plenty big enough to sleep in. I think it is a bargain (although the high season fare is a bit much for what you get.)

twoflower

$US100 a night? Presumably for 2 people? Easy. Try the Cardiff in Norfolk Gardens, or the Abbey Court or Westpoint in Sussex Suare. All 3 are near Paddington Station and Hyde Park - very handy location.

Kayb95

By far, the best deal you are going to get on a London hotel is by bidding on Priceline.com. You can normally get a 4* hotel in Kensington, Mayfair or Westminster for around $100 per night. Before you bid, do a lot of research on <b>www.biddingfortravel.com</b>

There is an element of risk, but no more risky than picking a cheap hotel at random. There are a billion hotels in London and most of the budget ones are truly &quot;budget.&quot;

kswl

RP, the 70 -78 price on tripadvisor is DOLLARS, not pounds. Did you mean 100 GBP for the Days Inn Waterloo? That's very high.

And that stuff was &quot;modern&quot; when I was in first grade!

Robespierre

One hundred three DOLLARS U.S.

And where are these $70 rooms, anyway? Please give URL.

twoflower

The ones I mentioned, I got for 35 pounds a night single, 49 pounds double - including breakfast. What's that? $US60-85?

tropo

ccarroga - after my reply to your posting, I checked our www.londonbb.co.uk again, and out in the suburbs, there were B&amp;B's with single rooms for 30 GBP per night. How does that equate with the American dollar? I believe some of those B&amp;B's supply a continental breakfast in that price.
If you look up their website, go for the B&amp;B's in their B or B+ bracket, there the ones we use, and they are very good. On our last trip to London, we stayed in a very nice B&amp;B in Archway, leafy street, and a short 10 minute stroll to Archway Station, to catch the train into the city.
The owners were so obliging, that on our last morning (early departure for an early morning flight back to Oz), the owners had breakfast provision laid out on the table, for us to have breakfast at 5am.

kswl

CC, remember that the bed and breakfast rate is usually PER PERSON, not per room. If you are a single, that would be economical. If not, you're paying over $100 for a room possibly in someone's home, probably without an ensuite. The &quot;continental breakfast&quot; costs nothing and--believe me----usually IS nothing. &quot;Full English Breakfast&quot; at least usually means eggs.

tudorprincess

I'm surprised no one has mentioned the Arosfa. Seems to be a favorite here. www.arosfalondon.com

OneWanderingJew

I've stayed in Bloomsbury, near the Russell Sq tube stop, a couple of times--it's not a bad location at all and is near the British Musuem. Mayfair is a great area, as is Kensington, but I've found hotels over there more expensive. London's not cheap but w/a little detective work, you should be able to manage.

Good luck!
Debbie

Daneille

Hi - we stayed at the Columbia Hotel in Paddington. A short walking distance from Paddington Station and right near the Lancaster Gate Underground Station. The hotel is opposite Hyde Park. The rooms were on the small side but very adequate - tea and coffee making facilities, tv etc. and very good bathrooms with shower and bath. The lounge area downstairs was nice to sit and relax.

This wasn't expensive, as we were travelling on a very tight budget - their website is offering double rooms at 86GBP per night including breakfast (so this should be within your $150US budget).
http://www.columbiahotel.co.uk

Many people on this forum tsk tsk at the Paddington area but I have stayed there on every trip to London and find it most convenient (especially as the restaurants etc around here are a little less pricey than other spots and there are some great pubs). You can catch the train from Heathrow to Paddington and then simply walk to your hotel from there. No expensive cabs or changing trains!

Robespierre

Okay,

You can pay $150 for a creaky old Victorian on Sussex Gardens (close to Paddington) with Edwardian plumbing, or $100 for a brand-new shiny Days Inn on Kennington Road (close to Waterloo) with a spacious bathroom and commodious commode. I've done both and will never go back to Paddington.

Your call.

kswl

Hello? Check recent (within the past month) hotel prices in London through Priceline:

$99 Waldorf Hilton Mayfair/Soho
$130 Millenium Mayfair/Soho
$85 Regent's Park Mariott Maida Vale
$110 Crowne Plaza St. James Westminster
$75 Holiday Inn Kensington Forum

All Four Star Hotels, all cheaper than $86 GBP per night in Paddington. Just take a peek at biddingfortravel.com. I don't work there or have any interest in it other than bargain-hunting. You can check the hotel list, the zones, work out a bidding strategy, and stay at a NICE hotel for what you'd pay for a room someone describes as &quot;adequate.&quot;

radiofanatic

I would recommend the cordova house hotel - we stayed there and loved it and it was abou 50 pounds a night - it was 2 blocks from Paddington station in a nice residential area.

nolwood

I just returned from England. We had a double ensuite room at the Winchester Hotel (recommended by Rick Steves) for 85 pounds per night (about $165) including a LARGE full English breakfast (cereal, juice, eggs cooked whatever way you want, 4 pieces of bacon, sausage, steamed tomato, toast, small muffin, croisant, coffee tea or hot chocolate). The breakfast alone would run about $12 per person in a restaurant there so you can deduct $24 from the approximate $160 ...That brings it down to $136. We had laundry done for nothing by the help....washed , dried, folded. The room was clean, medium sized, the help and proprietors great. And besides that one day returning from a day of touring we found a lovely bouquet in our room. It stayed there for 2 or 3 days...probably went to another room then but nevertheless a nice touch. The hotel is on Belgrave (rather noisy street) a couple blocks from Victoria Station.

Robespierre

Excuse me, but will you be my tax accountant? From $165 we get to $136 just by subtracting breakfast?! I would only deduct breakfast if I were going to pay $29 for it were it not included. More like &pound;2.90 for a Meal Deal at M&amp;S for me!

Sounds like a good deal anyway - especially the laundry service!