zizou
New member
Posts: 27
|
 |
« on: October 11, 2009, 05:05:03 PM » |
|
I am traveling to London for a week in November for research, and will be bringing my spouse and 4-yr-old. I am interested in recommendations for reasonable accommodations that aren't too spartan, given the presence of my family. Do you know of any academic exchange sources? Or hotels with good weekly or suite rates? I'm not very familiar with London and would appreciate neighborhood suggestions, as well, thanks.
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
llanfair
Village idiot and Very
Distinguished Senior Member
Posts: 22,189
Whither Canada?
|
|
« Reply #1 on: October 11, 2009, 05:14:36 PM » |
|
Ibis hotels (run by Novotel) are very reasonably priced and offer better-than-basic accommodations, as well as an excellent breakfast. Some are more central than others - your best bet is to stay somewhere within Zone 2 on the London Underground (the Tube). As to neighbourhoods - avoid the East End, Camden Town, and north-east. Kensington, Knightsbridge, and Greenwich are great, so are Hampstead and Belsize/Swiss Cottage. Lambeth is iffy, Southwark is lovely. (These are just my opinions, based on a 3-month stay in London; our UK correspondents can probably tell you the local story.) Transport for London (including the Tube): http://www.tfl.gov.uk/ Ibis Hotels: http://www.ibishotel.com/gb/home/index.shtmlAnd have a great time! |
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
Because, you know, that stuff on the syllabus is like, in writing, and there are so many ways you can, like, read that, but when the guys who sit by you in class, like, you know, must know what's really going on, right? -- AmLitHist, channelling student
|
|
|
|
verbena
|
|
« Reply #2 on: October 11, 2009, 07:16:51 PM » |
|
Try sabbaticalhomes.com -- for example, there's this.You could try Craigslist as well. Enjoy your trip! |
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
"My kind of paper, into lots of fiber."
|
|
|
zizou
New member
Posts: 27
|
|
« Reply #3 on: October 11, 2009, 08:10:40 PM » |
|
Thank you both for these helpful responses--and Verbena, that is indeed a gem!
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
|
jacaranda_
|
|
« Reply #4 on: October 11, 2009, 09:51:35 PM » |
|
Well, the one place I have some experience with, St. Margaret's Hotel, has apparently moved their location, so who knows what they're like now, but here's the link: http://www.stmargaretshotel.co.uk/stmroomrates.htmI took 5 college girls there for a study abroad class -- the accommodations were modest but pleasant, and the staff was terrific. If you stay in a hotel, you might want to check the reviews on TripAdvisor.com: http://www.tripadvisor.com/One of the significant risks of travelling to many cities abroad is the prospect of bringing home bedbugs in your luggage, which can create an expensive nightmare on your return. Furniture and bedding often has to be destroyed if it becomes infested (yes, entire couches, that kind of thing). It's become a problem in some US cities (NY) now, too. One of the great advantages of the review sites is that if the place has bedbugs, people who have stayed there will definitely report it. My one nightmarish experience with a hotel in London was one night in an easyHotel in South Kensington. I was prepared for a tiny room with no amenities, but there was no climate control and I actually could not sleep for nearly the entire night because there was no moisture in the room. It was insane. Thank god I was there for only one night. |
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
|
wegie
|
|
« Reply #5 on: October 12, 2009, 04:16:48 AM » |
|
Where are you researching, zizou? If you're at the PRO (memo to self: must remember to start calling it the National Archives) then you want Earl's Court and westwards on the District Line (anywhere east of Earl's Court and you're looking at half an hour on the Tube before getting to Kew). The Novotel in Hammersmith is fine, and the Premier Inn in Hammersmith (Ravenscourt Park Tube) is OK too.
If you're going to the BL, avoid staying too close, as the Euston/King's Cross area is still best avoided unless you know what you're doing. You could stay in Bloomsbury, or just head up the Northern Line a bit to Belsize Park and stay at the Premier Inn there.
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
daniel_von_flanagan
<redacted>
Distinguished Senior Member
Posts: 8,977
Works all day. Posts all night. Needs sleep.
|
|
« Reply #6 on: October 12, 2009, 06:06:59 AM » |
|
You could stay in Bloomsbury Doesn't Goodenough College do family suites? Be careful in either South Kens. or Earl's Court - there are some real fleapits there. Tripadvisor is a good source, except people flip out if their rooms are small - you have to learn to ignore those reviews when traveling in European capitals. Also, check dates of reviews, since these hotels turn over all the time, and good ones suddenly become terrible, dungeons become palaces. - DvF |
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
The U.S. Education Department is establishing a new national research center to study colleges' ability to successfully educate the country's growing numbers of academically underprepared administrators.
|
|
|
|
wegie
|
|
« Reply #7 on: October 12, 2009, 07:00:09 AM » |
|
You could stay in Bloomsbury Doesn't Goodenough College do family suites? They do, but November is the middle of term, so I was assuming that they'd be full to the gills. Besides, don't they prefer people who are staying for more than just a week? |
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
zizou
New member
Posts: 27
|
|
« Reply #8 on: October 12, 2009, 09:41:59 AM » |
|
My research is at the National Maritime Museum, but my spouse has work-related obligations in central London, so we were looking for something close to good tube or train stations. I think we may go with Verbena's Sabbatical Homes suggestion, as the idea of a full kitchen and separate bedroom for the kiddo is too appealing to pass up. It seems to be in Waterloo, which should be convenient, I think.
Many thanks for your suggestions--they will come in handy for future trips as well, I think!
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
|
wegie
|
|
« Reply #9 on: October 12, 2009, 09:58:47 AM » |
|
Walworth? Really?
Ugh. Rather you than me!
If you're at the NMM, renting in Greenwich makes much more sense.
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
zizou
New member
Posts: 27
|
|
« Reply #10 on: October 12, 2009, 10:04:41 AM » |
|
Oh, "ugh" sounds bad--is this just an unappealing neighborhood, or is there something else I should be aware of?
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
|
wegie
|
|
« Reply #11 on: October 12, 2009, 10:15:02 AM » |
|
Oh, "ugh" sounds bad--is this just an unappealing neighborhood, or is there something else I should be aware of?
It's better than it was, but it'd still be a pretty long way down my list of places to live in London. The area round behind Waterloo isn't actively dangerous, but it's still very grungy and rather down at heel. Lots of council estates, with the problems that can come with them. Occasional black on black knife crime. If I had a choice and I wanted to be in that general area, I'd shift over a few streets into Southwark proper, which is one of my favourite bits of London. |
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
daniel_von_flanagan
<redacted>
Distinguished Senior Member
Posts: 8,977
Works all day. Posts all night. Needs sleep.
|
|
« Reply #12 on: October 12, 2009, 11:34:35 AM » |
|
If you're at the NMM, renting in Greenwich makes much more sense. Especially with the kid. Greewich is very peaceful. However, this might be inconvenient for your spouse. - DvF |
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
The U.S. Education Department is establishing a new national research center to study colleges' ability to successfully educate the country's growing numbers of academically underprepared administrators.
|
|
|
|
wegie
|
|
« Reply #13 on: October 12, 2009, 11:54:18 AM » |
|
If you're at the NMM, renting in Greenwich makes much more sense. Especially with the kid. Greewich is very peaceful. However, this might be inconvenient for your spouse. - DvF If they rent in North Greenwich, up nearer the Dome, then the Jubilee line from North Greenwich to Westminster is only 15 minutes. Greenwich versus Walworth is a bit of a no-brainer ;-) |
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
|
verbena
|
|
« Reply #14 on: October 12, 2009, 12:10:08 PM » |
|
Zizou, I chose that listing at random, but if you're not going to jump on it, I'd be very tempted. Check out who owns the place, too! My guess is that such a gorgeous kitchen (and that guy) wouldn't be in a thoroughly unappealing neighborhood. Certainly you could email to ask him about it.
Is there anyone in London whom you can ask to take a look at the place or the neighborhood for you? Or maybe a kind forumite?
On preview: I agree that Greenwich is lovely, though a bit far from (most) fun kid things, if you can find anything there that's on offer and affordable and to your taste. With a spouse and kid and a whole trip to plan, though, I'd choose a stunning, crazy clean 2BR house with those photos for 375 (and potential use of a car) in a snap.
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
"My kind of paper, into lots of fiber."
|
|
|
|
