Visiting students in London

[whiteroseredrose]

Hello parents of students in London, do you have any recommendations of nice but not massively expensive places to stay overnight when visiting?

DD will be studying at Imperial and initially living in a shared house in Clapham. It looks like even Premier Inns can be £300 a night. Does anyone have anywhere that they stay that they can recommend? Thanks in advance.

Premier Inn is quite expensive nowadays. Ibis or Novotel can be cheaper (that’s what we tend to use for work).

Ah. Thank you. I’d forgotten both of those.

If you want to actually stay in Clapham, rather than somewhere central, try The Windmill which is just on the edge of the common. Lovely boutique style hotel rooms ans very reasonable. A lot nicer than the generic chain hotels.

If you are happy to stay outside the centre you will get a better rate. And of course booking in advance always helps. Friends have stayed at the Wimbledon Premier Inn and thought it was reasonable.

There’s a Travelodge at Clapham junction. But somewhere like Woking also has a travelodge at the station and regular trains into cj, so may well work out cheaper.

Easy Hotel is often pretty reasonable (rooms are tiny though and quite orange)

I think I also noticed a travel lodge in Balham.

I think I also noticed a travel lodge in Balham.

Where are you travelling from OP?
is there anyway you can drive and stay just outside London and go into London for a day.

The Premier Inn in East Croydon is usually very reasonable if booked a reasonable time in advance. Direct train to Clapham Junction and into central London.

Thank you for all of the suggestions. We’re coming from Manchester, so from the north. DS will be staying in Finsbury Park for a few months too so we will probably stay centrally at first. Will definitely check out the Windmill. I went decades ago when it was a pub.

Kings Cross has cheaper travel lodges and premier inn I think. Near Euston station.

If staying centrally, the Travelodge at Euston station. Particularly good value on a Sunday night. The "Imperial Hotels" chain: the Tavistock and the Royal National (join as a 'member' - free - to get a reduced rate, and there's usually 3 nights for the price of 2 deals).

We stayed in a Travelodge in Hounslow for £70 last week (midweek)