Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Sanctuary House Hotel
33 Tothill St, SW1
T
020 7799
4044,
W
sanctuaryhousehotel.co.uk;
!
St James's Park;
map p.36.
Fuller's pubs run a number of hotels in London; this
one has a terrific location by St James's Park. The 34 rooms,
despite being above the drinking action, are quiet enough,
decked out in uncontroversial modern boutiqu
e sty
ling.
Breakfast is extra, and served in the pub. Free wi-fi.
£135
vary in size and style - the best are light and modern, some
are very small, some have tiny balconies, those at the back
are quieter - but all are tasteful and comfortable, and
there's a tranquil, well-equipped sitting for
om fo
r guests.
A hot buffet breakfast is included. Free wi-fi.
£170
SOHO AND FITZROVIA
Charlotte Street Hotel
15-17 Charlotte St, W1
T
020
7806 2000,
W
firmdale.com;
!
Goodge Street or
Tottenham Court Road; map p.97.
Swanky Georgian
townhouse hotel in a restaurant-filled street just north of
Oxford St. It's from the designer boutique hotel stable
Firmdale
, which also has gorgeous properties in Soho and
Covent Garden (see p.358), which are pricier, and in South
Ken, Knightsbridge, Piccadilly and St John's Wood, which
are around the same price. Public spaces are lined with
Bloomsbury-set originals, while the quiet, English eccentric
and decidedly un-minimal rooms have sumptuous fittings,
Tivoli radios, DVD players and the like. There's a gym, a
restaurant (popular for afternoon tea) and a
cinem
a that
hosts a popular Sunday movie club. Free wi-fi.
£265
Ì
Dean Street Townhouse
69-71 Dean St, W1
T
020 7434 1775,
W
deanstreettownhouse.com;
!
Tottenham Court Road or Leicester Square; map
p.100.
One of a chic set of hotels owned by the trendy Soho
House members' club, this relaxed 1730s beauty sits next to
its starry, stylishly bohemian dining room. There's a split-
level “broom cupboard” and a few “tiny” rooms (from £160)
- manageable if you're just staying one night - but the
“small” (from £180) rooms are ample, and once you get to
“medium” and “bigger” you have plenty of space. Each is
different and all are luxurious, with gorgeous details
ST JAMES'S
41 Hotel
41 Buckingham Palace Rd, SW1
T
020 7300
0041,
W
41hotel.com;
!
Victoria; map p.66.
Intimate
boutique chic with thirty individually decorated rooms
opposite the Royal Mews. Some rooms are tiny, some have
open fires, but they're all decorated in black and white.
Service is highly at
tentiv
e - it's not a place for anyone who
values anonymity.
£350
23
MARYLEBONE
Lincoln House
33 Gloucester Place, W1
T
020 7486
7630,
W
lincoln-house-hotel.com;
!
Marble Arch or
Baker Street; map p.89.
Warm-hearted guesthouse in one
of Marylebone's lovely Georgian terraces: beyond the
eccentric, vaguely nautical, public spaces, the well-
equipped en-suite rooms all have a dash of style, though
walls can be thin. Rates vary from day to day; there are some
excellent online discounts. Breakfast costs extra; you can
have it served in your room or in the little bud
get di
ning
room downstairs (also serving dinner). Free wi-fi.
£110
Sumner Hotel
54 Upper Berkeley St, W1
T
020 7723
2244,
W
thesumner.com;
!
Marble Arch; map p.89.
A spruce, friendly guesthouse - with boutique hotel
aspirations - in an elegant townhouse. The twenty rooms
BUDGET CHAINS
Chain hotels have pretty much got the
budget hotel
market sewn up. B&Bs may be able to
offer a more personal touch and more character, but the franchises are often - though not
always - cheaper, in unbeatable central locations, and guarantee clean, no-surprises rooms.
Bumping along at the bottom are
easyHotel
(
W
easyhotel.com), whose prices start at just £29
for a tiny en-suite double with no window - the earlier you book the less you pay, and if you
want a window, wi-fi, TV use or room cleaning, it's extra; there are branches in South Ken,
Paddington, Victoria, Earl's Court and Barbican. Operating under similar terms, offering a base
rate with add-ons, the Asian
Tune
chain offers stylish minimalism in Westminster (see p.360),
Liverpool Street, Paddington and King's Cross, with prices starting at around £50.
It's worth checking rates at
Travelodge
(
W
travelodge.co.uk), which can be found all over
town, with handy locations in Covent Garden, King's Cross, Euston, Waterloo, Marylebone and
Southwark; rooms are utilitarian, but if you book online well in advance, en-suite doubles can
cost less than £60.
Premier Inn
(
W
premierinn.com) is generally considered a cut above
Travelodge
, and also has good online bargains; locations are good, too, with branches in
Leicester Square (quite expensive), by County Hall, near Tate Modern, by the Tower of London,
in Hampstead and King's Cross, among many others. If you want a quick nap at the airport -
either Heathrow or Gatwick -
Yotel
(
W
yotel.com) cabin rooms are handy. You pay for as long as
you stay, which can work out as little as £60 per night - for this you get a bed (or a bunk) in a
capsule, complete with tiny toilet and monsoon shower, foldout desk and TV (and free wi-fi).
The rest of the chain gang aren't worth considering - you can get better value elsewhere.
