Travelodge in central London - would you recommend?

[Tobermory]

Looking for somewhere bargainous to stay in central London during May half term - some of the options look eye-wateringly expensive! Family of 4 - DDs age 4 and 7. We would like to be very close to a tube station and be pretty central.(doesn't everyone!!)

Travelodge looks a cheap bet, there seem to be quite a few of them but wonder how they are in real life. Nice or not so much? Whilst I want a bargain i also need it to be naaaaice (i want to say clean but will sound like my MIL if i do!)

We stayed in one on Drury Lane about 5 years ago. It was grotty.

Premier Inn tend to be more comfortable.

what about a serviced apartment or air bn'b?

We stayed at tower bridge travelodge , was lovely. Had two children and they got free b fast each day and a weatherspoons at end of street. We were 5 mins walk from tube and 5 mins from actual bridge which always had lots to do / see if we just wanted to stay local in the evening

I'd do a Premier Inn, much better these days. The PI at Excel is v good value, and great transport links

We stayed in the one in Covent Garden: it was not nice. It had that air of having not had more than a surface clean for many many years. Stay in a Premier Inn on the outskirts and get Oyster cards (the kids travel free anyway). We stay in the one in Ealing and it is v. nice. Ealing Broadway station is handy and is on the District Line - not long at all to get into central London.

Personally, of the budget hotels, I would say to go for Premier Inn -they are less basic than Travelodge and in family rooms the children get 2 single beds rather than a sofa bed to share.

The one in Ealing Broadway was really friendly and helpful when we stayed there ( 10 mins walk from tube station and about 30min in to central London)

X posts with LeBearPolar! Sounds like we stayed in the same one!

look on hotwire.com, it's a fantastic site

It's pretty basic, but I've found them perfectly acceptable for the price. Wouldn't go so far as to call them "naice", though.

Premier Inns tend to be pricier in London, but shop around.

LeBear, that description of slightly grimy is exactly what I'm worried about. I'm not expecting highbrow nice for this small budget but need it to be not unclean!

Also meant to say, thanks everyone for other ideas, will go and have a look.

Old Street Premier Inn is very new and swish for a PI, we had a MASSIVE family room ...mind that was 2012.

Staff were lovely, loads of buses about, 2 minutes if that to the tube.

Otherwise I'd recommend looking on superbreaks, often you will get a free child place, although you need to check on the pricing page, some do free chiddlers, some half price. ALso they are generally very very bad at disguising their Mystery Hotels...if you check the "about this hotel" bit it usually gives hotel size/rooms/facilities/nearest tube, and if you are checking by area it's very quick to check other hotels to match the details.

Stayed in PI black friars Oct half term.brand new. Really handy, quiet, excellent staff and lovely comfy beds. Wasn't dirt cheap but kids go free on transport and free breakfast etc....a little tesco express nearby for essentials and lunch type stuff.....

Yep, I'd vote Premier Inn as well, unsurprisingly! The last one we stayed at was at Tower Hill (Tower Bridge) - bloody good value for being so close to central London, and close to the DLR and bus routes as well as the Tube.

Alternatively, the time before we stayed out at the Holiday Inn in Greenwich. Also super-handy for the DLR into central London and much cheaper than town.