Where to stay near Harry Potter Studio

[DinkyMcPinky]

Hi all, (no idea how I've ended up with that username, defo didn't choose it 😁)
Im wanting to take my family of 4 down to Harry Potter Studio tour in July to celebrate my birthday. We're a 4 hour drive away so I'm looking for recommendations of places you've stayed local to the Studios which was family friendly and didn't cost the Earth (2 adults one 14yo, one 10yo)
Thanks in advance 😁

We stayed in central london, then got the train and free bus to the studio. Was much nicer than staying nr the studio.

You're driving? Do you plan to do anything else 'local' ~ a trip into London etc?

I live locally - there are a few local airbnbs (Leavesden/North Watford) that are reasonably priced and are HP themed, if you search on the app.

We stopped in a Premier Inn close by. It was really nice and lovely and peaceful. The beefeater it was attached to had part of a water mill in it I think?

https://www.premierinn.com/gb/en/hotels/england/hertfordshire/st-albans-bricket-wood/st-albansbricket-wood.html?cid=GLBC_RADMOO

This was it

We also stayed at a nearby premier inn which was very close to the studios. It was fine - you know what you’re getting with a PI!

We’ve stayed in the PI in central St Albans when visiting. It’s nice to walk around the city and there’s a good choice of food, but a very short drive to the studio.

I know Watford well and would go for St Albans as a place to stay every time. Central London obviously offers you a ton of stuff but is far more expensive and unless you want to make a bigger trip of it, staying there just adds hassle.

Another vote for Premier Inn - there's several around Watford / Hemel / St Albans / Kings Langley.

We stayed at Premier Inn in Watford. It was easy to get the train into London for a day trip too. We

St Albans a nice town, pretty, walkable, plenty to do for families.

Premier Inn King's Langley was superb - we went last year and had a great time. Lovely pub in the town as well as a Miller and Carter attached. Enjoy!

Thank you everyone!

The studios are in Watford, it’s 20 minutes to Euston from Watford junction, so a pain to stay in London if you’re specifically going to HP, although there are buses directly from WJ to HP. Depends if you’re also doing London based stuff. I’d be tempted for the Premier Inn, there’s one near the big Tesco/Watford town centre so easy taxi to HP or Bushey station (one of the stations en route to London.

It’s not in Watford itself so if you’re driving any of the local PIs are as convenient - and in nicer places than Watford IMO.

We stayed on a farm 5 minutes away in a cute wood cabin with a fire pit and s’mores making kit. They’ve got a couple of themed cabins too including a hagrid’s hut (pretty sure it’s a breach of copyright but it’s lovely).

https://www.northhillfarm.co.uk/

We stayed in Premier inn in elstree/borehamwood. Small charge for parking and we also used the thameslink to get into central London. It was 15 mins drive to HP studios.

It is in Watford.

Plenty of premier inns around.

St Albans is lovely.

20 mins by train if wanting to stay in central London.

It’s in Leavesden.

We stayed at the Village Hotel, Watford.

Yes Leavesden is very much a part of Watford.

We stayed in the Premier Inn in Kings Langley. Standard Premier Inn with a pub attached, free parking and quite a nice village with food options nearby.
We didn’t bother driving to the studios and just got an Uber there and back, it was about £13 each way

Leavesden has a Watford post code but it’s no nearer the centre of Watford when staying than several other options. I grew up in Watford and went to school near the studios. I’m only trying to make the point that people who think it’s in actual Watford and stay there as a result will be as far from the studios by car as those staying in nicer places, and the train from central London to Watford will only get you as far as a shuttle bus.

Yes it's not central Watford but it is Watford and definitely not as far as St Albans. Lived there my lifetime too. St Albans for example is a good 12 miles away in comparison. A taxi is 10 mins away from the centre compared to staying in some other locations.

And it’s 15 mins drive from the centre of St Albans. :-)