Clueless on London, need help on safer areas to stay

[TheMeatyDrop]

Not been to London for yrs. Kids were little then so we were out in the day but not so much at night.

I've booked tickets for an event at the O2 Kentish Town later this month. An artist that DD1 loves. It's likely to finish 2230-23:00 I guess.

Due to family unit (myself & 2 teenage daughters) we need a family room, Travlodge seems better priced than Prem inn so I'm focusing on them.

Can anyone recommend an area / hotel location? It needs ideally to be one train ride without a long walk either side unless the area is likely to be busy & safe as I'm nervous being on trains / tubes & walking around London later at night as a female with 2 female teens.

Event is mid week if it affects anything.

Thank you so much.

Anywhere is fine to be honest, I’d choose something not too far from the gig and grab an uber if you don’t fancy the late night tube. I’ve stayed in Kentish Town before but more recently Camden Town, near King’s Cross, near Paddington station and Swiss Cottage, all felt safe at midnight

There is a boat Hotel next to the cable car which goes to 02
Can also access the metro easily
Tesco next to the boat too

Wrong O2. Its a long way from Kentish Town

Stay near the train station or the venue, for convenience, the streets aren't lined with armed criminals, its a modern city

Here

Is this the wrong area ?

https://goodhotel.co/london

The hotel next to the cable car goes to the O2 in Greenwich not Kentish town.
Any Travelodge or Premier inn close to a northern line stop should be fine. If looking north of Kentish Town remember it's on the High Barnet branch.

Yes, that would be handier for the Greenwich 02

At that time of night ( or early evening as the young people call it) both the tubes and the streets will be full of people, you won’t be walking down dark eerie windswept alleyways all on your own. And it won’t all be young drunk people either, I am always amazed at the wide age range of people out and about enjoying themselves in London after dark, every age group from babies and toddlers, little kids and young teens ( with their parents) up to ancient old crones like me.

In my experience you are more likely to trip over a broken pavement than to be harassed and bothered . Take the precautions you normally take about personal possessions and you will be fine..

Have a great time and enjoy the concert.

You haven't mentioned budget but this hotel is just a few stops down the Northern Line and is well regarded. Sorry about the crazy long link
https://www.premierinn.com/gb/en/hotels/england/greater-london/london/london-euston.html?cid=KNC_G_Hotel:UKC_User:UKC_Lang:EN_Cat:BRD-DestinationT1|LondonMacroTerms&mckv=s_dm|pcrid|726545347414|kword|premier%20inn%20central%20london|match|p|plid||pgrid|175429951351|ptaid|aud-2385724118605:kwd-2392223597422|&s_kwcid=AL!9693!3!726545347414!p!!g!!premier%20inn%20central%20london!22055908778!175429951351&ef_id=Cj0KCQjw18bEBhCBARIsAKuAFEbA_8KrU4wyeINKarI5t25iQauAx2CH78R6FgtSNjOrtkoc5OrqQXYaAhvLEALw_wcB:G:s&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=22055908778&gclid=Cj0KCQjw18bEBhCBARIsAKuAFEbA_8KrU4wyeINKarI5t25iQauAx2CH78R6FgtSNjOrtkoc5OrqQXYaAhvLEALw_wcB&BRAND=PI

The venue is about two mins walk on a busy main road from KT tube so you are fine that side. Look anywhere near northern line stations - north or south but yes remember it’s the High Barnet branch if you don’t want to have to go one stop to Camden and change to go back up the other branch. Or if you’ll get an uber there are various options nearby

All of this. Until recently I would travel to London for work on my own and often would walk back to my hotel after dinner at 10-11pm. There are always people of all ages still out and travelling about late at night in London.

Where are you coming in from? It might be easiest to stay near your arrival station so you can drop your bags and then head to Kentish Town.

that area is vibrant and buzzy and I am sure you will be fine and your DDs will love the atmosphere!

We like the Holiday Inn Camden, and it's just a short walk to the O2. Camden is always buzzing with teenagers, so your girls would love it. It's always busy too, so no lonely walks down dark alleyways or anything.

There is nothing at all to be worried about on the tube or any place you are likely to find a Travelodge or P Inn etc.

50% of London’s population, presumably, are female and we live our lives normally, coming home late from work, going to gigs and theatre etc.

Find somewhere that meets your budget and isn’t ridiculously far away , a change of tube line is no big deal at all.

Thanks for info & reassurance. I'll price up Camden.

Coming from NW so will arr to Euston by train.

Budget... as reasonable as possible. Event tix, cost of train (nrly £200 for 3 of us), plus hotel, its eye-watering what it costs to go to a gig in London for us. £500-600 easily for a couple of nights. So hoping to get the hotel for 250 or under for 2 nights which is limiting somewhat.

Have looked at Tower Bridge / Elephant & Castle TL, they're both off the northern line with a 10 min ish walk from tube, are they worth shortlisting?

Elephant and castle is not really a nice area to walk around at night. Tower bridge is fine, nice and touristy

Oh really, that's good to know about E&C thanks.

What's Waterloo like, the walk from the stn looks about 10 mins

Yes, I’d avoid E&C. I’d look at Euston for preference if you’re coming in there. Quite a few hotels around the Kings Cross / St Pancras area as well, which would also be well located.

Waterloo is fine!

(So is E&C safety wise on route to tube etc but it is traffic etc)

There's a big Travelodge at Euston station. Also Kings X. Camden would be fun for your girls.

Any of the Euston/kx/st P hotels would be fine, and it makes it much easier for dropping bags and leaving them to be collected before you travel home the next day too. I always opt for a hotel near the station I’m travelling from if I can.

If it’s cheaper the E&C Travelodge will be fine. It’s right next to Mercato Metropolitan which is a big bustling street food court place and Southwark playhouse.

I often walk home from there late on my own and it’s fine. I’d probably prefer it to kings X. But that might be case of familiar feeling safer!

Elephant has good public transport - if you want to go into Oxford Street it’s really easy. And not too far from Borough/ Bankside etc.

The Waterloo one is also fine (friend stays there for work a lot). As would be the Southwark one (Union Street). Latter isn’t that good for northern line though.

There's nowhere dangerous specifically in London. The usual things of don't walk round with your phone out, don't leave bags unattended etc, and don't respond to anyone shifty asking for any kind of help or assistance, or offering it.

Near train stations etc you'll get more pickpockets and beggars. Don't bother with Oxford Street. It's totally shit now. Camden is a bit of a disaster I think nowadays, but might still be worth a nosy round.

But anywhere a few tube stops from Kentish town would be just fine. Zone 3/4 would be a bit cheaper presumably.

Camden is a good bet. There's a Holiday Inn and a Premier Inn. Or you could look around Highbury and Islington which is an easy connection on the Mildmay overground line. The overground might feel less daunting if you're nervous about the tube (although there's no need to be... It's perfectly safe).