Premier inn or Travelodge in London - where?

[dafsortulips]

I am planning a solo trip in May. Friday to Sunday so 2 nights. I am meeting some friends on the Saturday night for dinner and theatre. Beyond that I plan on shopping mixed with some tourist spots/walking.

Premier Inn and TL seem to be reasonable but I am not sure where to base myself. I’ll likely come in from Heathrow. Possibly by train though which would be Kings Cross but I am 90% sure I’ll fly. Where would you base yourself?

Also, just out of curiosity, why is air b and b cheap in London. I did have a look as DH said he might come down but he can’t get away from work so isn’t now. I did look at air b and b and it’s cheap.

100% Covent Garden Travelodge. Love it. Stayed there many times. Old building so good soundproofing, near everything but also fairly quiet (compared to other areas,) and friendly staff as usual.

Have a good time!

NORTHENERS!
How absolutely terrible for you, how on earth did you cope?

Those damn northeners! They’re all the same aren’t they.
How dare they travel to their capital city for the weekend. Aren’t they too busy digging coal down the pit or washing their flat caps!?

Haven’t read the whole thread but I stayed at the Blackfriars Premier Inn in December and really rated it. So so quiet, good breakfast and very comfy bed. Honestly, we heard no noise at night. Right by the river and tube station too (direct train from Kings Cross). Very impressed. I’d definitely recommend.

I’ll give Z hotels a go after all the recommendations above. I have used Premier Inns at Euston/Pancras/Kings Cross for years and always good, safe, huge cooked breakfast.
Also a fan of PI hubs which have a more basic continental breakfast, unlimited help yourself hot drinks, and smaller rooms. Goodge Street , Soho, Clerkenwell and esp Covent Garden (just off Trafalgar Square) all great.

Premier Inn in Holborn is very good. 1 tube stop from Covent Garden, easy access to Shaftesbury Avenue and Oxford street, direct tube from Kings Cross and overall is very quiet!

What about the London County Hall Premier Inn next to the London Eye?

I am currently round the corner from Harrods in the Millenium hotel. £150 per night. 15 minutes walk to V&A and that area, 15 minutes to King's Road. 5 minutes from tube. (The Chelsea branch had a pool and views over Chelsea Harbour and was the same price- but I am at an event near here so picked this one for this trip)

I think air bnbs are cheap as often cancelled last minute - if you are booking one go with a superhost with good reviews.

I am on a London fb page and the PI just south of the river are always recommended as are the Paddington ones.

If you want to see the Tower and that area get a hotel down there. Check out the Tower Hotel to see how much a view of Tower Bridge is. Sometimes it's not much mood than a PI. You can get on the DLR from there too and go explore Docklands which is great for a wander.

Northerners eh? Dreadful creatures Northern nanny

I say this firmly tongue in cheek as a Londoner (SW1, SW11) who adopted “The North” over 30 years ago and has 2 Yorkshire born bairns.

Whenever we plan a city break in London we always try and get in the Premier Inn at Waterloo. It's right across the green from the London Eye. Great location for all touristy bits.

We stayed at TL London City last weekend - it was ~ £60/ night. Very modern, well kept. It was a great location for us - easy 5/10 minutes walk to Liverpool Street/Aldgate/Aldgate East stations, same to the Walkie Talkie for the Sky garden & Horizon 22 viewing platforms; 10-15 mins to the Tower of London/Bridge so we did a lovely walk along the Southbank. The area felt very safe & much preferred it to being bang in the centre.

On your budget, I wouldn't bother with Premier Inns and certainly not Travelodges.

I like Citizen M Bankside. It's 5 mins from London Bridge so minutes on the tube to central London. You have Borough Market and the South Bank on your doorstep. Can also walk or bus to Covent Garden.
Citizen M rooms are ideal for solo travellers - huge comfy beds, free movie channels and I always feel safe and secure.

I will also be blunt and say the price bracket (about £200 per night) puts it out of reach of potentially rowdy guests like hen/stag parties looking for a cheap crash pad.

I just stayed at the travel lodge next to Euston which is 5 mins from King’s Cross and it was really good.

We like to stay in a PI when we go to London for weekends.
My choices are Paddington, stayed in both and good for concerts at Wembley, also no issue with travel to Oxford Street.
The PI Hub at Goodge Street is just along from Tottenham Court Road, ideal base.
PI Victoria, ideal for transport, bit dated.
PI Stratford ideal for O2.
Stayed at PI Borough Market the once but would certainly stay again.

Thank you all for your input and thoughts. I have had time this morning to look at all the suggestions. I think, but not yet booked, that I will book either the PI at Paddington or possibly Farringdon. Reason is for ease on Sunday getting back to the airport with my bags. I can venture out on Sunday and not clock watch to get back to my bags and then again out to Paddington area to the airport. Farringdon seems a good option due to the Elizabeth line being direct to terminal, 5.

Thank you to those who suggested Farringdon. I wouldn’t have known about it.

Has it been done up? I stopped using it because it was reaching shithole status and reception was never manned properly which was a huge problem when the keycard failed (often) and I was just nipping in to drop stuff off before a show or whatever. I would definitely avoid Holborn. Shame as the location of it for me was perfect; but it is (was?) run down with appalling customer service.

Farringdon's a good call - handy having the luggage room so you can leave your bags there before and after check in, and excellent transport links. We stayed a couple of years ago, and it was nice and quiet, and felt like a very safe area.

It was me, my relative, the lawyer does all their corporate law for them

Farringdon pi is in a very interesting area, you can walk through Smithfield market to the barbican, onto St pauls, millennium bridge, over the river to the globe theatre, tate modern, bankside, have tea at the Swan theatre. The other direction takes you down to the old Bailey, into fleet street, and blackfriarsl

I use the Premier plus for work at Kings Cross. opposite the British library. It’s always good service. You’re right by the tube but if you want there is a bus stop just outside which is also very easy. The 73 takes you right to Oxford Street.

Can I try and get some recommendations too please?

Arriving on Friday afternoon into Paddington. Staying at borough high street premier inn and seeing a concert at Wembley stadium Friday evening. Then off to abba voyage on the Saturday evening. Are there better places to stay?

I’m not familiar with London - is there any PI, Travelodge or similar in the South Kensington area that Mumsnetters could recommend please?
Apologies for the hijack @dafsortulips🌷🌼
There’s some great info on here.
I prefer tulips but it’s very very close.

@CornishTiger have a look at the tube lines you're likely to be using. Then find one that works

Borough High Street makes enough sense. Your close to the Jubilee Line which will take you straight to Abba Voyage in Stratford and Wembley.