Staying in London - Central or Docklands?

[ptangyangkipperbang]

I take the 3 Ds to London for a few days each year. We usually stay quite centrally but I've just been looking at Novotel Excel at Docklands. The hotel looks nice and the buffet breakfast will be the highlight of their trip!

However, do you think the travelling will be a pain? It looks easy enough on the DLR and we won't be travelling at peak times.

It's a lot cheaper than the ones that seem to be available in the centre which would leave us with more spending money.

What would you advise? Thanks in advance.

I stayed at out at Docklands this Feb at the 4 Seasons. It took me 20 minutes from Kings X to Limehouse, so I thought the travelling was fine.

I stay out this way regularly for work & don't find travelling on the DLR too bad at all.

As long as you avoid peak times then I'd say save the money & book the Novotel.

From memory there's not that much around the area for the evenings so bear that in mind.

I think the kids will really enjoy the DLR and it's much cheaper. But it's always easier staying more central, less traveling AND more things to do...

It's cheaper because Docklands is nowhere town.

I'd prefer to stay central.

A split vote by the look of it I've just looked at the prices for Rainforest cafe which I foolishly promised the kids. £15 for a kids meal!!! That could mean we're out at Docklands in the cheaper accommodation!

We tend just to use the hotel as a base so I wasn't really expecting us to do anything out there.

The docklands can actually be quite nice. There's some shopping and you can take the kids on the ferry which they'll enjoy.

Plus just across from the docklands (on the DLR/foot tunnel/boat) you have the beautiful Greenwich Park. Well worth a visit. Enjoy.

I went for central London as we are going to see a show with dd and didn't want to travel all the way back on the DLR late at night.

If it was just dh and I then I would have gone for Docklands, no question, the prices are way cheaper.