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London can get expensive. But saving a little money doesn’t always feel worth it if you’re an hour away from everything you actually came to see.
Area first. Hotel second. You can have a brilliant hotel miles away from everything and spend half the trip looking at Tube maps. You don’t need to travel all the way to London to look at maps, right? Being somewhere central just makes the whole day easier.
The Ritz London
Everybody knows The Ritz.
Would I book everyone into it? No. It suits some people much more than others. Some people love that very traditional style. Other people walk in and immediately think it’s not really for them.
Neither reaction is wrong.
Claridge’s
Claridge’s has a different feel.
Claridge’s still feels smart without making a big performance out of it.
Walk outside and you’re already in Mayfair. That’s a pretty big part of the appeal. You don’t have to spend half the morning figuring out where to go because you’re already in one of the nicest parts of Central London. You can spend hours around that part of London without doing anything particularly ambitious.
Stop somewhere for lunch.
Keep walking.
That’s usually enough.
The Savoy
One thing The Savoy gets right is the location.
You’re not tucked away somewhere awkward. Covent Garden is a short walk, the river isn’t far either, and you can change plans halfway through the day without it becoming a journey across Middle Earth.
London doesn’t have to be like that if you stay somewhere central.
The Ned
The Ned always seems busy.
Even when you think it shouldn’t be.
Some people really like that because there’s always people around and plenty going on. Others would probably rather have somewhere quieter where they can disappear for a bit.
Depends what sort of trip you’re having.
If you’re in London for work as well as seeing the city, it makes quite a lot of sense.
Don’t Ignore The Area
This is where I’d spend most of my time choosing.
Not the thread count.
Not whether breakfast gets an extra half point in the reviews.
The area.
Covent Garden works for loads of people.
Mayfair does too if your budget stretches that far.
Soho’s another area that makes a lot of sense if you like doing things on foot.
There’s something nice about knowing you can have dinner, explore Central London’s nightlife, then stroll back to the hotel instead of joining everyone else trying to order a car or get onto the Tube. Your travel partners will thank you. More importantly, your feet will thank you.
More is Not Always Better
I’ve seen people spend a fortune on a hotel room they were barely inside.
Sleep.
Quick shower.
Gone again.
If that’s going to be you, maybe don’t get too caught up chasing the fanciest place you can find.
Spend the money somewhere else.
A better meal, maybe. Stay another night. Do something you’ll actually remember.
Hotels matter, of course they do. Just… maybe not as much as people convince themselves.
What I’d Like to Leave You With
Someone will tell you there is, then the next person will recommend somewhere completely different.
That’s kind of how London works.
I’d stay somewhere central if you can. Doesn’t have to be the most expensive address in the city, just somewhere that lets you walk for a while without immediately needing public transport.
The rest sort of falls into place after that.
Or at least it usually has for me.
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