Booking Discount London Hotels
Whether you're travelling on a tight budget or ready to splash out on a holiday of a lifetime,
hotel expenses
in London are likely to take up a large proportion of your funds. In comparison to many cities in Continental Europe, choosing guest
lodging in London can be a hit and miss affair, not least because a good number of the city's hotels date from the
pre-Victorian era. Hence, in older properties you'll likely find huge variations in room sizes and amenities, as well as bathrooms
and plumbing that can leave much to be desired. Moreover, unless you choose carefully, accommodation in London is expensive and often
poor value, especially if you happen to be a single traveller.
That said, providing you do your homework, it's possible to stay (regardless of budget) in some truly
wonderful locations, where personal service and attention to detail match the best hotels anywhere in the world. Moreover,
in the run up to the London Olympics in 2012, the Government has pledged to increase lodging standards across the board.
Certainly, in our experience, a good number of hoteliers need to uprate their facilities (and, indeed, attitude towards
guests) quickly just to reach an acceptable standard.
It's not all doom and gloom though. Depending upon the area you choose, London's best hotels not only offer
comfortable lodging and decent food, but first-rate locations that allow both short and extended stay guests to enjoy the delights of
the city right away. Indeed, London offers every sort of lodging, ranging from deluxe hotels through to family run guest houses,
basic B & B's, hostels, short term rental studios and even the odd campsite.
A useful rule of thumb is that, in London, you generally get what you pay for.
Although, of course, there are genuine bargains to be had (for example we offer a 'Hot Rates' section on our site),
be aware that the cheapest lodgings are likely to be cramped with very basic shared facilities.
Our advice is to therefore research your options thoroughly before booking and to do so through a reputable
online booking service (such as Talking Cities) or travel agency. Surfing the Internet for information can yield good results,
especially if you check out the official site of each hotel or, if you've had friends/relatives who have travelled to London before,
take note of their recommendations. In addition, other travel guide sites such as Fodor's
and Frommers incorporate online forums
where readers make their opinions heard, while TripAdvisor is a particularly useful
resource for finding out what's good (and bad) in London.
If you've chosen not to pre-book a room in the hope of finding a bargain on arrival, it's best to use one
of a number of trusted booking agencies in central London (as they often have good insider information, not available to
your local travel agent).
Lastly, if you do head straight for a cheap hotel, ask to see a couple of bedrooms and the shared facilities
(such as kitchens and bathrooms) before handing over your cash. Don't be satisfied with viewing just one bedroom,
as it may have been kept empty on purpose, having décor and facilities that bear little relation to the rest of the rooms
on offer. Such checks should then ensure that you're satisfied with your choice of accommodation.
Chain Hotels in London
If you're keen to earn points as part of reward program, then London's wide-range of chain hotels include
highly-regarded properties from the likes of Sofitel (St.
James'), Marriott (County
Hall), Hilton (London
Tower Bridge) and Novotel (London
Euston). For those requiring decent connections to the rest of the city (and/or locations
outside of London), then the Premier Travel Inn (Tower Bridge) and the Thistle
Charing Cross (an elegant old railway hotel) are
well-worth considering.
Often overlooked is the immaculate Austrian owned K
& K Hotel George, while much improved (since being
taken over by the Danubius Chain) is the Hotel
Regents Park. Alternatively, with some of the best locations in town, Radisson's
offerings include the comfortable Edwardian
Grafton on busy Tottenham Court Road, or the more modern SAS
Portman, which lies
within easy walking distance of Oxford Street.
Cosy, Traditional Style London Hotels
If there's one question we're asked more than any other about London hotels
it's "We're after a memorable
stay in London, can you recommend us a quaint little hotel with lovely rooms and good personal service?". Well, in a nutshell, you'll
be hard pressed to find anywhere better in this category than 41
Hotel, 22
Jermyn Street, The
Covent Garden Hotel and Durrants,
while other sensible choices include The
Montague on The Gardens, The
Gore Hotel, and The
Beaufort.
Boutique and Stylish Modern London Hotels
While the 'boutique hotel' tag is often synonymous with higher rack rates, there's no doubting that some of the best
service in town is found at these luxury properties. Pampering your guests is the key to a successful boutique hotel and the following
properties are more than able to make even the most spoilt celebrities coo in appreciation.
First up is the Chesterfield
Mayfair which, as the name suggests, is located in the upmarket district of the same name. More traditional than most,
you'll find the most elegant rooms furnished with ornate, rich fabrics, while the smell of leather and wood panelling is
never far away. Number
Sixteen, which is regarded by many as an oasis in the heart of Kensington, not only features attractive guest rooms,
but a rather pleasant garden. Perfect in fact, for taking Pimms and Lemonade during the hot weather.
More recent openings include The
Zetter in trendy Clerkenwell, while a trend setter from several years back is
the ever popular Myhotel, Chelsea. Of course, we can't go without mentioning a perennial
favourite, The Sanderson (with its
rather famous and hugely impressive Long Bar), while the recently opened Sumner Hotel (which is conveniently located close
to Oxford Street and the West End) is one to watch out for.
Note: the majority of the hotels listed in our guide belong to major international hotel chains. If booking
online, we can offer significant reductions over normal 'rack rates'. What's more, look for our 'Hot Rates' which are only
available for a limited time! See also our useful guide to the London hotel ratings
scheme operated by the AA, English Tourist Council and RAC for smaller London properties.
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