AIBU to think I can get accommodation & parking in London for £500?

[piefacedClique]

We’re planning a family trip to London from 23rd-26th Feb – me, my husband, and our 10-year-old daughter. We want to visit:

• Natural History Museum
• London Zoo
• London Eye
• Sephora at Westfield

Ideally, we’d like to find accommodation with parking for £500 max, but am I being completely unrealistic? Would we be better off parking somewhere like Heathrow and getting the Elizabeth Line in to make it more affordable? Any recommendations for places to stay or general tips would be really appreciated! Thanks!

Brilliant OP have a great weekend! The Golden Hinde is right by Southwark and a great thing to look round as well. Note borough market closes at 4pm on Sundays and realistically is packing up a good hour before that in my (limited) experience, and closed Mondays too. Not like you’ll be short on tasty places to eat though!

Try looking at Imperial Hotels in Bloomsbury - at least one of them has an underground car park iirc and they're cheap for the location. Assuming you're not scared to drive in central London (I wouldn't do it). Don't forget to pay congestion charge or ULEZ or whatever the hell it is now (it's been a while).

I used to really enjoy driving in central London…. Although it’s probably 15 years at least since I did it! Fingers crossed we will get there in time for a quick bite at Borough before it closes on Sunday 🙏🙏🙏🙏

If it's the Travelodge in Union Street I often stay there as it is near my London office and close to Southwark tube station. Ask for a room away from the bar as it can be noisy! There is also is a handy little convenience store next door and loads of things to see and do nearby. Have a great trip! :)

@ToffeeSheep that’s the one… thats brilliant to know. Thank you x

We came from S Wales to London last year and stayed in a Premier Inn just off the M4, near a tube stop. Can't remember which one sorry but there are lots of options! Definitely don't take the car into central London, concentrate on finding somewhere convenient to drive to, and reasonably near to a tube station

I’d stay in south London Abbey Wood isn’t the nicest place but Elizabeth line is so quick.
or stay near ebbsfleet Kent 16 mins in train to Pancras. You will avoid congestion charge when travelling in. I’m not sure of west London suburbs to be honest but guess that’s woukd be better than south London from wales but worth a look of west London too expensive

I came up from Wales with my son on tge bus and stayed in a cheap hotel overnight for £65 close to central London and all the places you mentioned.... within walking distance of the central bus station as I didn't want to deal with busses and trains there. Trip to Covent Garden too....
It's doable

Could you park up at stanmore and leave the car there for a few days? Looks like 3 days would be £30 and that would leave you more to spend on accommodation.

www.sabaparking.co.uk/car-park/stanmore-station-car-park-tfl

We've had some really reasonable parking using the Just Park app.

@piefacedClique hope you have an awesome trip. I always think London is a fantastic place to visit with the kids. It’s made me tempted to take my two back in the summer

Premier Inn Ealing, has parking at £10 a day and a family room for those dates from £196-284. Near to M4 plus elizabeth line into central london.
www.premierinn.com/gb/en/hotels/england/greater-london/london/london-ealing.html?ARRdd=23&ARRmm=02&ARRyyyy=2025&NIGHTS=3&ROOMS=1&ADULT1=2&CHILD1=1&COT1=0&INTTYP1=FAM

Have you tried a Z hotel? They're cheap (ish) and central and do a really cute family room with double bunk beds. My then 10 year old thought it was the coolest room ever.

Take the train to Paddington, why would you drive and contend with the M25? Let alone the congestion charge. I’m in Wales too and would never drive to London.

We stayed in a travel lodge when we went to London and parked just down the road in a pcp car park and left the car there for the duration of our stay, travelling on the underground so charges were only going in and coming out.
you can alternatively get the train from Crewe and leave the car there until you’re back. You can do it from nearer north wales but train charges are cheaper from Crewe.

I haven’t been to London for years but I always used to park in Hammersmith then get the tube in.

£500 for accommodation is pretty optimistic if central I think. Best off staying further out I think.

Look at Enfield you can get the overground from Turkey Street and it only takes 25 mins to Liverpool St. then you can get wherever you need. Or on the western side of London - Heathrow some cheap premier inns. We park for free near Turkey Street station.

Coming from Wales I would stay in Reading and get the fast train from there to Paddington each day. (Much quicker than the Lizzie Line).

Family railcard / get the train.

there are cheaper hotels around eg 2* that you might do it also look at a multi room hostel. Or accommodation in zone 6.

You can park for free if you stay at the mitre near Paddington. It's a sweet little hotel, walking distance of tube and south Ken. Its a bit cheaper than that. Its clean, friendly, includes breakfast and old fashioned in a nice way.
There is a little family pizza place round the corner. Avoid the chains:)

https://www.mitrehousehotel.com/

10% discount. Walking distance of museums. Free parking. Easy to get to from your area.

I'd get train all the way from Wales via Bristol etc and into London Paddington. Then in London get a family room at premier Inn.

I stayed here with the kids last summer. Booked a private room and free parking. Was brilliant. Basic but fab. Went and did loads from there and it out of the congestion charge zone. London eye used tesco club card vouchers.

www.booking.com/hotel/gb/palmers-lodge-swiss-cottage.en-gb.html?aid=311076&label=palmers-lodge-swiss-cottage-gKmeoSHhx9rSEiVH6CmUZwSM258600900427%3Apl%3Ata%3Ap1%3Ap2%3Aac%3Aap%3Aneg%3Afi%3Atikwd-45105181233%3Alp9046599%3Ali%3Adem%3Adm%3Appccp%3DUmFuZG9tSVYkc2RlIyh9YVujEjbMrKBVEQO8hCDrg-c&sid=c7ba3500ba96835f619d5dcd8277955e&dest_id=-2601889&dest_type=city&dist=0&group_adults=2&group_children=0&hapos=1&hpos=1&no_rooms=1&req_adults=2&req_children=0&room1=A%2CA&sb_price_type=total&sr_order=popularity&srepoch=1739135701&srpvid=b99e95696fc519e9&type=total&ucfs=1&

We always stay at Heathrow and ride tge tube in daily. It's so much cheaper and you get a decent sized room. Downside is the long tube journeys but we usually get a seat. We have driven right into London but parking wasn't very nice.

I usually choose a hotel in docklands and use the DLr to travel into central London.
Free parking at some, but name sure you register.
Generally pay less than £110 per night family room.

Quieter than being in the Heathrow path and I like to wander round docks.