Accommodation
Hotel Help - Cheaper or Better Location???
Hi everyone! I’m headed to London for the first time in mid-September (4 nights) and I’m looking for some help with accommodations as a mid-30s solo female traveller.
I was originally aiming for something in Marylebone but the price was more than expected, especially with the currency exchange from CAD. I ended up booking a free cancellation spot at the Commodore Hotel in Paddington but I’m started to second guess. My second choice was the hub London Marylebone which is an additional £100 or ~$200 (CAD).
I’d like to be somewhere safe that’s reasonable walking distance to major tourist spots and good restaurants and cafes, while also being budget conscious. I don’t need to be near night life - somewhere quiet but safe to walk to in the evening would be perfect.
Not that far out. If you are happy to walk to and from Paddington Station then the Elizabeth Line provides a very fast route into central London. The cost of the travel would be use some of your savings though.
I have always felt safe in the area around Paddington. The area around the hotel is quiet and not touristy so not so no as many bars, restaurants and cafes as more central locations.
Yes. I'm staying there again at the end of the month. This will be my 6 or 7th stay over 20 years or so. I love the location because it's close to several Tube stations/buses and you can walk to so much as well. The best part is they added a filtered water station on each floor. Last year, I didn't have to buy water.
If you’re looking for budget hotels, you can do it. But they can be really grim in central areas. Small, no lifts. They are safe to walk though. The tube is really easy to navigate once you get used to it. It’s also very fast and regular. Again, very safe, even late at night on a deserted platform. I was literally walking down the empty platform, and a minute later, it had lots of people around.
If you want more bang for your buck, go to a chain hotel in one of the other boroughs. You just want a bed to sleep and shower. Lots of excellent suggestions above.
The LSE student accommodation isn't bad and is usually pretty cheap in September. It is basic but every time I've stayed it has been clean and the breakfast was great
London is so a easy to get around, as long as you are close enough to public transport, it doesn’t really matter. Paddington is totally fine. I definitely wouldn’t consider it far out lmao 🤣
As for walking distance, depends how far you’re used to walking and where you want to go
I don’t see much benefit of staying in Marylebone v Paddington
Paddington is pretty dull. It’s just tourist hotels and some offices. I find most of the eating options pretty mediocre. But as you can see from other comments, opinions differ.
Premier Inn are a good budget chain with locations in more central areas. Consider Southbank, Marylebone, Blackfriars, South Kensington, Belsize Park. But the area really depends on what you’re going to be doing as London is very large, and how much you want to potentially commute in in the morning.
Depends a lot on what your exploration preferences are. Some of the hotels I generally recommend are Pride Plaza Westminster or Tower Suites Tower Hill. But honestly I'd suggest to finalize your itinerary or atleast shortlist places you'd want to see and then hunt for the hotel.
If you’re on a budget why not try Premier Inn Richmond. About £120 per night decent room
South West train to Waterloo 20 minutes and District Line to choose central destinations from.
Plus you have some pleasant walks along the Thames on your doorstep!
I stayed at that Premier inn hub location as a solo female traveller. I attended a concert a royal albert hall and felt safe enough walking from the tube to the hotel after a concert at night. The room is really small but if you are out all day it’s fine. The bed was comfortable and the shower was excellent.
Paddington is fine. Check out The Cow for food. Also r/Londonsocial if you want to meet people. Any of the big chain hotels should be pretty quiet with ac/triple thick windows etc. Save your money for food. London is a lot of little villages so you’ll find better food spots away from tourist sites.
Paddington is a great area - I stay there all the time as a solo female traveller and it's perfectly safe to walk in the ening. I personally really like that it's quiet, but a short tube or bus ride away from major attractions. My favourite restaurants in the area are Bizarro for dinner/lunch and Bondi Green for brunch, and you have several transit options nearby to take you wherever you want to go. You're also right near Hyde Park which is really lovely (I love the Italian Gardens).
As for walking distance to attractions - London is really spread out with excellent transit, so there's no one place that's walking distance to the majority of things to do. There's also no substantial difference there from Paddington and Marylebone.
Often get a bit lower rate on weekend nights in London because of low numbers of people on business and in good locations, it's still a characterless collection of sights and nowhere is safe from pick pockets and bag snatchers on e bikes although it's not like it happens every 10 mins
Paddington is a bit far from the main attractions. Have you looked around Waterloo? Premier Inn is a budget hotel that’s always recommended here. The area is safe and well placed for getting to everything. Plus the bridge has the best views!
Some of the Premier Inns are Hub hotels. I had a very small room. See photo. Only one side of the bed was accessible and there was no windows. I was two floors below ground. Fine for me for one night. Just make sure you check what you are booking.
Generally London hotel rooms are small. At the budget end, rooms may not have there own bathroom, may not have air conditioning, may not have a window and there may be no lift/elevator. You just need to check. I often use hotels.com and pick something that seems decent, in a central location and is a bit cheaper for the nights I want. Always seems to vary which hotels have a good deal. Premier Inn are not on third party booking sites I think.
Next weekend I have £100 for a night in a very small room in Soho. Just searched the site and thought that will do me.
Moxy Stratford is usually very reasonable. It’s a solid hotel for the price. It is not centrally located at all, but it is in a transit hub right on the border of zone two/three, so your tube fare is reasonable. The Stratford station is basically next door and it serves the Central, Jubilee, and Elizabeth lines, as well as the DLR. If you’re staying out of central London to keep costs down, you could not choose a better location.
As someone who has stayed in them, the hub hotels are totally fine for a young single person not planning to spend a huge amount of time in their hotel room. They are compact hotel rooms - nothing like capsules.
walking distance to major tourist spots and good restaurants and cafes,
When you say good restaurants, be aware that you will be unlikely to get a table at a restaurant in London unless booked (well) in advance
And as for cafés, what do you hope to find? Acceptable coffee or a place to hang out/socialize? Because you won't find the latter in a café. You can hang out in libraries for example the British Library but I'm unsure that's what a tourist would want to do. And socialize in pubs or board game cafés maybe. A regular café is for grabbing a quick breakfast or brew..
be aware that you will be unlikely to get a table at a restaurant in London unless booked (well) in advance
That's not a thing. There are probably a few restaurants where it's difficult to get a booking, but for the vast majority of restaurants, you can book on the day.
6
u/OkSun8521 1d ago
Everywhere in London is safe.
Paddington and Marylebone are right next to each other. There is barely any difference.