London Accommodation
Choosing a Hotel
London has a range of hotels to match any major city in the world. There is everything from grand hotels of international renown to family-run hotels, guest houses, self-catering flats and youth hostels. The choice of accommodation can make or break a visit to London; this is especially true from a budget point of view. The flip-side of the massive choice is the equally massive prices charged in too many cases. This is particularly prevalent at the top end of the range where prices appear to be aimed exclusively at multi-millionaires.
However, you can find bargain hotels in London, if you shop around. If a clean room and a hot breakfast are all you ask, a small hotel offer them for about a sixth of the price of a top hotel. The smaller hotels are often more friendly, making up in the welcome what they may lack in facilities. Just don't expect a lot of space - the cheaper rooms really are cell-like.
London hotel areas
There are hotels everywhere in London, but some areas have more than others. And don't necessarily expect to find a bargain two minutes walk from Piccadilly Circus. The main concentrations tend to be around Victoria, Earls Court/Kensington, the West End and Bayswater.
SW1 is London's traditional hotel district. There are some delightfully old-fashioned hotels in Victoria, in most price brackets, and the streets close to Victoria Station are full of terraced bed-and-breakfast accommodation. There are also streets full of terraced (or rather town-houses, for this is Kensington) hotels in the second big hotel area of SW5 and SW7. This zone, around Kensington High Street, Earl's Court and the Gloucester Road, is another major centre for medium range hotels of dependable comfort and, at least, some style.
The West End is the third area and the best-known zone. You'll pay more for budget or moderate accommodation here than you will in SW1 or SW5. W1 hotels at the bottom end of the price range can be very humble. WC1 is a clever choice: it's central and has reasonable prices, and there is still some dignity, even romance, in Bloomsbury (don't expect to find either of these qualities in Oxford Street).
Bayswater, or at least the area roughly between Edgware Road, Bayswater Road, Paddington and Queensway, is full of hotels. It does have a few large expensive hotels on its fringes but has a greater concentration of moderate and budget accommodation. Quality and prices vary enormously but the area is convenient for the West End and there is plenty of bustle around Queensway.
Prices and booking of hotels in London
In budget accommodation, you're not buying a view; if you get one it's a bonus. Almost all hotels offer special deals that are cheaper than the published “rack rate”, particularly at weekends and outside peak season, so it is always worth checking. Book ahead. London fills up in the summer months (May and September are particularly crowded because of conference traffic), but if you arrive without a reservation, you can call Visit London's Telephone Accommodation Booking Service on 7932 2020 and book by credit card.
Hotel bills usually include service and no extra tip is needed, but if you wish to repay good service, 10 percent split between the deserving is the custom. Equally, you can insist that service be deducted if you feel you've been treated less than impressively. Ensure when booking that the price quoted is inclusive, and isn't going to be bumped up by a mysterious “travellers' charge” or other extras.
If you reserve in advance, you may be asked for a deposit. Reservations made, whether in writing or by phone, can be regarded as binding contracts, and you could be prosecuted for breaching that contract by not turning up on the day. Rooms must usually be vacated by midday on the day of departure.
Finally, make the most of your hotel. Many of the larger hotels offer a wide range of services - free information, theatre ticket booking, etc, all of which are much harder to obtain once you're out and about.
Youth hostels in London
The English describe Youth Hostel accommodation as spartan. Visitors might regard it as extremely basic. You get a single bed in a dormitory with basic washing and cooking facilities. Most hostels also have restaurants. The price is low: around £22 for bed and breakfast in any of the seven London hostels.
You must be a member to stay in a hostel. To join, write to the YHA: Trevelyan House 8 St Stephen's Hill, St. Albans, Herts, AL1 2DY. www.yha.org.uk Or fill in a form at one of the hostels located at: 36 Carter Lane, EC4 5AB (City Hostel). Tel: 020-7236 4965. 193 beds. 4 Wellgarth Road, NW11 7HR (Hampstead). Tel: 020-8458 9054. 200 beds.
King George VI Memorial Hostel, Holland House, Holland Walk, W8 7QU (Kensington). Tel: 020-7937 0748. 201 beds. Set in charming Holland Park, it is the best London youth hostel. Book ahead. Details of other student and budget accommodation are free from the British Visitor Centre at 1 Regent Street, Piccadilly Circus, SW1, or on the internet at www.visitlondon.com.
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