We stayed at the Farringdon Travel Lodge a couple of weeks ago - We were very lucky and got the £10 room rate - so 3 nights for the 3 of us for £30
We had no problems at all - as you say Alit there are 2 Travel Lodges on the Kings Cross road and we were in the 2nd only 3 or 4 minutes extra walk.
Takes less than 10 minutes to walk from Kings Cross station or there is a bus stop right outside the Lodge.
The lodge was clean and warm and exactly what I expected - I would certainly be happy to stay there again.
Its proximity to Kings Cross makes it a fantastic base - We bought day passes for the tube (includes buses too) these were something like £4.20 then you can just zoom along wherever you like and explore - we took our 5 year old son and got around really easily.
I never felt unsafe in the area altough obviously I had my husband as well!! But I think I would feel fine staying there on my own. We were usually back in the room by 10ish and the streets always seemed quiet and peaceful. Loads of cameras around the area.
Keep checking the website for the £26 rate as they often disappear and appear again.
Didnt eat at the Travel Lodge but there is an ideal little cafe on the road to the station where the locals in the know seem to go, fast friendly and good value

Thanks for that info - yes the £10 and £26 rates come and go on the site!
Its there again tonight so will see if i can book it.

Glad to know the areas ok, I never bother with travelodge breccy as they dont cater for vegans! but know Il be spolit for choice in London.

I always try and go for travelodges - you know what your getting and the cheap rates at the mo are brilliant.

Alison

Thanks for all the help
our favourites were the travelodge at Kings cross and a (hostel like) hotel near hyde park. Nearly the same price but the (hostel) hotel 'Wake up' had the better offer - 32€ per person per night (double rooms) and breakfast included (continental I think) - we could have stayed at the travelodge for the same amount but that would have been 3 people per room and no breakfast
I hope the 'wake up' hotel isn't too bad, but it'll do for the 5 nigths we will stay there ...
the really cheap travelodge offers could not be book for the days we stay there, and not for 6 people ... so while it is a good offer and could be tempting in the future it wasn't practicable for this trip ....

about feeling safe, I actually felt rather safe in London the last time and we did things like the Jack the Ripper walk and all that, this time it'll be even better - it's 5 men and me, so no worries

I am one of the foreign tourists, but if I would get my way (and will) I would only do car tours through Britain, which is a lot more interesting and fun than just London ...
(and yes I know I just posted questions about a London trip - as I said if I could get my will - but my bf wouldn't come with me to any other place in the UK because he is shy and not that good with the language ... *lesigh)
I do London too, and not for the first time, but only with groups ... if I plan the whole trip its really more likely to be a car tour (staying at b&b) through southern England, Wales, Cornwall or Scotland ...

And I might still get my car tour this year, grandma is planning and she loves to take me with her and she pays most of it - otherwise I would have to go camping again as we did in Scotland a while back.

Am glad you have got your hotel booked, glad you mentioned London as it reminded me Id not been for ages - have booked one night at the Kings cross one for £26.

Have been asking on another site about places to eat (as im vegan) it sounds like there are some great eat what you want buffet style places around Soho that serve veggie/vegan and meat meals - all you can eat for £5-£6.

Enjoy your stay!

Alison

Alit - cant help with eating places but theres a nice little juice bar on the way to the station ideal for a nice fresh energy zap toyour morning

That juice bar sounds great! cant beat a smoothie to set you up for the day!

Thanks Alison

last time we stayed in london we booked the travelodge covent garden it cost us £45 for one night was very clean 5 mins walking to the theatre district and 5 mins the other way to tube station

Hi, As a 60 birthday we are going to London for the weekend sons/daughters treat (never been before) flying from Manchester on a Fri .So what can we squeeze in in 2 days anyone thing or many to get in. By the way also our wedding anniversary on the same day the date (no joking is 1st April ) Cheers.

It would help to know what your interests are and whether or not you can still walk your legs off every day!

First things first though, the national museums in London are free to enter and just going around them would take more than 2 days! These include the British Museum, the Natural History Museum, the Science Museum, the V&A, The National Gallery, the National Portrait Gallery, The Museum of London, the Imperial War Museum........................

However it would be a waste of London's wonderful architecture to spend all day indoors!

London eye is good, I love Covant garden market - nice to get a drink and sit watching everyone go by.

Couple of good guides here: Time out has a great eating out guide:

http://www.timeout.com/london

http://www.londontown.com/

http://www.londontourist.org/attractions.html

http://www.londontourist.org/museums.html

http://www.visitlondon.com/

If shopping is on your list Its good to look round Harrods - I never buy anything - too expensive!

There is the big bus tour that takes in all the sites, if going on the tube would say to get a days pass works out cheaper.

I believe there are good sites for tickets to shows if you want to go to one?

Im going next month and will no doubt get lost for hours in the British Museum - its wonderful

Alison

Never really had any desire to visit London, but i have to say that if i did, the London Eye would be one of the first things i would want to go on ... it looks absolutely amazing!

Mind you, anyone who misses it if it goes, can just pop up to Falkirk to have a shot on the Falkirk Wheel, equally as smart!

Thank you for the replys first the London eye has been booked for a sunset time (great) the first day we will do the tourist bus but walking should be no problem (trainers for the day (very glam).The |Brisith Museium sound good . Harrods a must drag hubby in . Once again thank you.P.S thanks alao for the links.Cheers

No problems the Eye is great - they take your photo in there too - make sure you look at the camera! worth it for a souvenier.

Am there next month so if you have any questions ask! Will have a copy of Time out next month too!

Alison

More questions

I plan to do a lot of sightseeing and the entry fees for some of the bigger attractions (tower, Kensington palace and a lot more ) are rather expensive,
I looked into the london pass offer, can you recommend it ? Is it worth the amount of money you spend on it`? Anyone ever bought it?

Are there similar things for some of the other attractions (like madame tussaud and others that are not included in the London pass?

And do you have some good ideas for cheap food or nice little pubs? I want to do a lot of cultural things and maybe some social thingies too

Oh and more important : Is there anything I should know about going to London during the easter holidays?
We will be in London from the 13th to 18th of April, anything we need to look out for, changed closing times? closed shops? places to go to, or places to avoid ?

Food wise there are some good food places/offers im told at buffet style places round Soho - chinese/indian/thai buffets where you eat all you want for £5-£6.

Pizza hut also has a weekday lunch buffet £5.49, and I shall be using the juice bars for breakfast.

Depends on your food tastes but i recall lots of pizza places at £2 a slice near Tottnham court road.

It will be busy in the hols but doubt anything will shut, the science museum and natural history museums will be packed with children as its educational and free!

might be useful:
http://www.london-budget.com/free/#top
http://www.london-budget.com/londoneating/
http://www.timeout.com/london/restaurants/

Alison

On the subject of London has anyone been on a ghost walk? Wondering what they are like?

Alison

We took up the offer for 4 of us to go to the Capitol for a night via the daily mail.

We stayed at the Norfolk Plaza Hotel Paddington...
http://www.norfolkplazahotel.co.uk/home.html

The hotel was in a square around the corner from Paddington Underground so fantastic to be so near. We went also to see "We will Rock You", which was written by Ben Elton, this is the most fantastic show i have been to. The acting was superb, funny and the songs fabulous, a great evening.

The rooms in our hotel were basic, clean, the shower was so tiny and damp, and the rooms considering it being January were very cold, when we complained about the heating, they told us it comes on a timer!!! If we had paid full price for this twin room it would have been £120. We got a deal with the daily mail of £49, which inc the show, B & B. So a great offer. The buffet breakfast was really nice. It was just the heating that let this hotel down, but to pay £120 normally for this basement room, you can forget it, i am sure there are better hotels. For position and one night, it was good.

If you havent seen the show, you are missing queen at its best.

Glad you enjoyed the show DR if not so much the hotel

I've added the hotel to our review site if you would like to be the first to post your comments Click Here

Cheers