Hotels in London

We usually come to London between Christmas and New Year and it’s lovely but this year was extremely busy so we couldn’t do as much. We gave up on madame tussauds even though we prebooked our tickets as the queues were 3hrs long! Instead we got a cab to Covent Garden where we ambled around listening to street opera and magicians which always make it worth going there. This time we visited a restaurant called Tuttons and only waited 10-15 minutes for a table for five so pretty good. Beautiful carpaccio starter but I chose badly the main course and should have kept it Italian! They make some lovely cocktails which I recommend! Cable cars over the river were a thrill as they’re much higher than we imagined. Our accommodation was the Sunborn Yacht Hotel at Canary Wharf which I’ve reviewed also. Fantastic place to stay instead of a normal hotel and will return for a romantic weekend next time, leaving the rest of the family at home 😆. The only way to travel is by cab as they know everything and you rarely get ripped off especially if it’s a real Londoner driving. River taxis are also a great ride for sightseeing and they certainly do move fast. Of course everywhere you go there is something to see especially when it comes to beautiful architecture through the ages. The new Lego store is awesome!!! All in all a great visit.

Working long hours in London means I only had chance to explore during the weekends. Over several weekends me and my girlfriend stayed in various London Accommodation depending on our plans and what was Local. I would recommend staying in more expensive Hostel rooms as a young couple over Hotels. We experienced both and came to the realisation that, if youre willing to pay a bit more for a private en-suite room in a Hostel, if you choose correctly, they can turn out to be nicer than a hotel. One Hostel we would recommend is St James Backpackers. Nearest tube: Earls Court. Easy to get to and the facilities were great, the stairs were a bit of a hike but not an issue if youre able. Very clean double room and about 1/3 of the price of a budget hotel room with Holiday Inn that we had the week before. The best way to get around London is definitely the Tube (goes without saying) the ease of this service is unparalleled. Do not rule out the London bus service also however, your oyster card will work on these as well and they're great for getting around Zones 2-3. Ultimately i would suggest that the best way to see London is to explore every corner. Dont just stay in Zone 1 and do the tourist-y sights. Get out to Brixton or Camden for Nightlife. Visit the more niche museums rather than the swamped Natural History or Tower of London. I would suggest the Imperial War Museum if youre visiting with young teenagers, my little brother loved it.

Having visited London on numerous occasions, this was with a difference as I brought my pet dog along with me. Finding dog friendly accommodation at a reasonable price in central London is not an easy task. However, for anyone planning on bringing their doggie with them (small to medium size doggies only), then I can thoroughly recommend the 'Marylebone Inn Hotel' in Gloucester Place. This is probably the most economical dog friendly or otherwise hotel in central London, I paid £50 per night for a double room with ensuite bathroom and toilet and small kitchenette, incredible!. The hotel, which is a Georgian terraced Grade 2 listed building, is clean, comfortable and soundproofed. Superb location for the West End, Marble Arch is just a 10 min walk. All the Royal Parks for walking your dog are within easy walking distance, Regents Park is just a step away. There is a bus stop directly outside the hotel, service 82 from Victoria railway Station. Plenty of local cafes and restaurants close by catering for all tastes. You could do no better.

I work in London, but don't often stay up. So the chance for a lay in and no rush to get up and come in by train - was a welcome change. We'd partied the night before with friends at Be At One - Covent Garden (great 80's playlist). We then stumbled into Bills and had sticky Ribs - Yum! The walk back to Russell Square wasn't too far and we knew it would be a good location for our planned lazy day in London, the following day. I love Grand Old Hotels and we stayed at the Russell Hotel in a budget room. Not very large, but no London Room is - unless you have money to burn! We had a good breakfast and dropped our bags with Concierge - before heading for a morning in the British Museum. After a few hours wondering around (the clock room is awesome) we then headed to Scoff & Banter in Monmouth Street for lunch with friends. After a long and relaxed lunch - we became proper tourists and wandered with the crowds around Covent Garden. Finally we wandered back to the hotel, picked up our cases and jumped on the tube at Russell Square. Dinner was grabbed at Le Pain Quotidian at St. Pancras Station, before jumping on a late train - home.

Here's our awesome weekend itinerary for two days of animals, tea, cakes, gin, pie, more animals and curry. SATURDAY 9am arrive in Kings Cross station, 30m tube to... 9:30am Check in to Grange Strathmore Hotel (cheapest 4-star I could find in Kensington, £82 for twin room, room-only), leave luggage, 5 minute walk to... 10am Natural History Museum, 2hrs looking at dinosaurs, animals etc. for free, 1hr tube/train to... 1:30pm High Tea at Lady Dinah's Cat Emporium (£35pp, book in advance), 1.5hrs petting cats and eating as many sandwiches, scones and cake as you can (it's all refillable), 1hr tube/train back to... Hotel for an afternoon nap (there were lots of scones!). 30m tube to... 7pm Gin Tasting Menu and dinner at The London Gin Club (£32pp for 3 G&Ts, pie and chips), 200 gins to choose from, 30m tube back to... Hotel. SUNDAY 10am check out of hotel, leave luggage for the day, 30m tube to... 10:30am breakfast at Bills (Soho), £18 big cooked breakfast, 30m tube to... 1pm London Zoo (£20pp, 2for1 voucher with train ticket), fun day with penguins, monkeys etc., 30m tube back to... Hotel, collect luggage, 30m tube to... 5:30pm Dishoom (Kings Cross), awesome curry and drinks, £40pp for several curries, breads, rice, desert, chai etc., 5m journey to... 8:15pm Kings Cross, train home and... Sleep.

I'm no stranger to London. It's a city I utterly adore. This trip however was only a one day/ night stopover. We arrived very early (6.30) in the morning & I always book the hotel for the night before so we were in our hotel room by 8.30am. We stayed this time at The Sumber Hotel in Mayfair. A very sweet little boutique hotel a block from Marble Arch & Oxford Street. Great location as we got all our shopping done on one street (that was the plan from the beginning) It's Christmas, so the winter sky is dark but the streets are dazzling in festive decorations & fairy lights that keep the mood bright. Bustling crowds & busy shops are to be expected. I love the vibe of London any time of year, but Christmas time in London is one of my favourite times to be there.