<p>Since the CC crew is so knowledgeable and worldly I’m hoping you can offer suggestions for a London hotel. DH and our middle-school-age son are meeting another dad and grade-school son for five nights in London in late July. These guys are adventurous and will be exploring the city and surroundings on foot and via public transit. Will focus on historical and WWII related sites. Both dads have visited London. The other dad has been looking for hotels but isn’t finding much that seems like a good fit. Target budget is $200 per night total (one room shared by two adults and two kids.) If you have any suggestions I’d love to hear them. Thanks very much.</p>
<p>Premier Inn is a chain in the UK comparable to something like the Comfort Inn here. It’s less expensive than a lot of the other hotels yet still decent but it usually isn’t going to have a lot of ‘character’ if that’s what they wanted. There’s one within walking distance of Kings Cross/St. Pancra train stations (which one can get to from Heathrow) and about across the street form the British Library - which has a Magna Carta, I think a Gutenberg bible, and a number of other historical documents on display.</p>
<p>Note that it can be difficult to find a hotel that’ll accept 4/room - for some reason many of them max out at 3 - unlike here. If the Premier Inn doesn’t work then try Holiday Inn - I think they have some hotels that’ll accept 4/room.</p>
<p>[Premier</a> Inn - Book Cheap Hotels in the UK and Worldwide from 29 pounds](<a href=“Premier Inn hotels | Book direct”>Premier Inn hotels | Book direct)</p>
<p>Apartment rentals can sometimes go for similar prices as hotel rooms, and they don’t have the 3-person problem. We’ve had luck in Kensington and Earl’s Court. Earl’s Court is actually better than Kensington, because it’s less expensive and has a lot of restaurants–more of a student vibe.</p>
<p>Three of us stayed at the Holiday Inn Kensington five years ago. It was the only hotel we could find that could accommodate a THIRD person (and she was on the fold out couch). We found that most hotel rooms in London were for two people…and weren’t big enough to even have another person in them. </p>
<p>We thought that if we go back, we would rent an apartment. It’s a LOT more comfortable, and much more room. Plus you can make breakfast in the apartment. Food in London is outrageously expensive, even breakfast. I would suggest you look into renting a flat for the week. You might find it is actually the same price as a hotel.</p>
<p>ditto the apartment idea…
better value and you can actually have breakfast etc in (so the kids can sleep)…
there is an AMAZING Whole Foods in Kensington on Kensington HIgh Street right by the tube stop…</p>
<p>trust me, just got back last week; YOU DO NOT want to eat out three meals a day; it will cost you a fortune…even at cheaper places</p>
<p>Also in London 5 years ago.
Had and loved the apartment through rentals dot chslondon dot com for 1 week;
the additional 3 nights at tavistock hotel -had to get an adjoining room too accommodate 2 adults and one teen</p>
<p>Thank you, all. I knew this was the place to get helpful information. Our friend (the other dad) is the one who has been working on lodging. I will pass along your tips to him. I really appreciate your taking the time to post.</p>
<p>We’ve stayed in the Novotel in Hammersmith (sort of on the edge of London), and found it quite comfortable, and reasonably convenient. This one will fit your budget, and they will permit 4 people per room, as long as the sons are under 16 (and it sounds like they are). There are other Novotels in London, which might be more centrally located, although they might also be more expensive–not sure. It is fairly difficult to find good accommodation in London that is not too expensive. Sometimes it is possible to get deals on hotels. I really like the Hilton Kensington, but it is usually more like 200 pounds per night, rather than $200.</p>
<p>It is very easy to get around London on the tube or on buses.</p>
<p>I had a business trip to London a few summers ago, brought my daughter and went over 4 days early. The 4 nights that we were on our own dime for lodging, we stayed in a dorm. It was great. Worth looking into. The room was just as big as the room we shared at the Hilton later in the week. [London</a> Summer Dormitory Rooms - Europe for Visitors](<a href=“http://europeforvisitors.com/london/articles/london-summer-dormitory-rooms.htm]London”>London Vacation Rentals | Europe for Visitors)</p>
<p>I’m busy on the web checking out all of your excellent suggestions. Thank you very, very much. If there are any other ideas – please keep 'em coming!</p>
<p>midwestmom, do you happen to recall which school’s dorm you stayed in? Very intriguing idea. I’m guessing there’s a range of quality and size, so would love to know the specifics of your location.</p>
<p>My D and I stayed in the Mentone Hotel (which is really more of a B&B) in Bloomsbury before D moved into residence at UCL for her study abroad last fall.</p>
<p>It’s not fancy but perfectly comfortable. On a quiet crescent a couple of blocks from the British Museum and the tube.</p>
<p>Full breakfast is included. They have rooms with 4 beds.</p>
<p>Info and rates:
[Mentone</a> Hotel, London UK](<a href=“http://www.mentonehotel.com/]Mentone”>http://www.mentonehotel.com/)</p>
<p>There are others also on this crescent…just google Cartwright Gardens B&Bs…a couple I remember are the George and the Avonmore.</p>
<p>Thank you Sequoia – and all.</p>
<p>I love the K&K George, located in the Earl’s Court area. Lovely, small, affordable, clean, free wifi, excellent breakfast included in the price, one block from the Earl’s Court tube stop. There are many inexpensive restaurants in the neighborhood.</p>
<p>Marriott Maida Vale might work well for your group. They often have good rates on weekends, and Marriott has a good frequent-guest program. You can get a room with two double beds, and the tube stop is close by for getting into the central city. The hotel is close to several things that the young guys will find interesting - the cricket grounds, zoo, little Venice, etc.
We have planned an extensive trip for this summer, and have taken out a new credit card that gives us a couple of free nights and 6X points at Marriotts, which is going to help quite a bit (over $500 in discounts) with hotel costs. Since your group has the time to plan, it is well worth investigating.</p>
<p>please keep in mind that London instituted a 20% VAT on hotel rooms as of March 1st…it really adds up!!!</p>
<p>ouch!!!</p>
<p>haven’t read all the way through, so apologies if this recommendation has already been made:
[London</a> Vacation Rentals by Owner, London VRBO®, London England Apartment Rentals, London Flats](<a href=“http://www.vrbo.com/vacation-rentals/europe/united-kingdom/england/london]London”>http://www.vrbo.com/vacation-rentals/europe/united-kingdom/england/london)</p>
<p>regarding the earlier suggestion
of Mentone Hotel, London UK:
I looked at the map. This is in Bloomsbury, very close to where I stayed last time, and is a great location. Tube and bus stops are close by, and the British Museum is an easy stroll.</p>
<p>According to the Mentone site, the VAT is included.
When I was there I did not pay a VAT either, it was included.</p>
<p>The present listed rate of a 4-bed room is 125GBP…$204…including full breakfast. Not bad and Op’s target.</p>
<p>Also when I was there with my D, they gave us a 3 bed room…it was huge.
The decor etc could use some updating for sure, but it was absolutely ok.</p>