U.K. and Ireland - SAFE London hotel suggestion Knightsbridge area for solo traveller

Hi friends,

My niece (early 30s) is traveling to LONDON, UK for a few days (including the weekend) next month.

She will be meeting some friends in the KNIGHTSBRIDGE area (near the V&A Museum, Natural History Museum), Harrods etc.

As she is relatively new to the London area and not that experienced traveling alone, I would like to host her in a VERY SAFE hotel during that stay.

I am flexible with the budget, and prefer a 4* or 5* as opposed to a Youth Hostel, which is perfectly fine in itself, but not appropriate for the nature of her visit (interviews).

I will be grateful if you could share any recommendations please.

Thanks so much,
wonderfultravels

Crowne Plaza Kensington is perfectly pleasant and safe. Stayed there last year, handy for the area you mentioned and also for getting about further afield as across the road from the Tube (on the line to Heathrow if she is flying in). Decent part of London, happy to walk around alone day and night.

Thank you Emma.

Anyone else have experiences with the Crowne Plaza Kensington? or have any other recommendations please?

Thanks so much,
wonderfultravels

Thank you Emma.

Anyone else have experiences with the Crowne Plaza Kensington? or have any other recommendations please?

Thanks so much,
wonderfultravels

I'm really curious what constitutes a "VERY SAFE" hotel?
What was the last 4 or 5* hotel you stayed at that wasn't "safe"?

Mandarin Oriental?

Hi friends,

My niece (early 30s) is traveling to LONDON, UK for a few days (including the weekend) next month.

She will be meeting some friends in the KNIGHTSBRIDGE area (near the V&A Museum, Natural History Museum), Harrods etc.

As she is relatively new to the London area and not that experienced traveling alone, I would like to host her in a VERY SAFE hotel during that stay.

I am flexible with the budget, and prefer a 4* or 5* as opposed to a Youth Hostel, which is perfectly fine in itself, but not appropriate for the nature of her visit (interviews).

I will be grateful if you could share any recommendations please.

Thanks so much,
wonderfultravels

honestly, any 4* and 5* in Mayfair, Knightsbridge or Kensington is going to as safe as it gets. They are very good areas.

I could suggest a long list of places so if you can be a bit more specific about budget per night and preferred location, I can make specific suggestions.

Mandarin Oriental?

Great hotel and probably my top suggestion. Right near Hyde Park, Harrods, Harvey Nics and a stop or two on the tube from everywhere else.

Pricey though and the Berkely is worth considering too if paying this kind of money.

I like the Milestone. Not a huge hotel so more of a personal atmosphere than some.

http://www.milestonehotel.com

Knightsbridge is the most expensive place in the world (literally) to live. Violent crime in London is very low anyway (no guns here remember!) and Chelsea / Knightsbridge is as good as it gets.

I live there. Here are your hotel options:

Chains:
Jumeirah Carlton Tower (very nice spa and pool) and sister hotel Lowndes
Crowne Plaza Kensington - I do not like this property, avoid it. It overlooks a 6-lane highway and is dangerous purely for that reason!
HI Kensington - ugly tower block, avoid
Mandarin Oriental - super luxury
Millennium Sloane Street - never been in, next to all the boutiques

Others:
Egerton Square (?) Hotel - luxury boutique
10 Cadogan Gardens (?) - luxury boutique
Myhotel Chelsea - nice back street location, fairly priced
Sloane Square Hotel - good for the tube
Cadogan Hotel - acceptable, good location on Sloane Street

But really, you won't go badly wrong with anything in this area with half decent tripadvisor reviews.

And chill out. This is not America. Bad things don't happen to people in London, at least north of the river.

We have a lot of customers who stay at www.thebeaufort.co.uk in Knightsbridge and love it. I think rates are about £140 per night week day and over £200 for weekends.

Www.the-Berkeley.co.uk is a personal favourite and I stay here when I need to.

There's a Thistle in Kensington as well which IIRC is handy for the Natural History Museum:

http://www.thistle.com/en/hotels/united_kingdom/london/thistle_kensington_gardens/index.html

And I think your concern for your neice is touching, I'd love a relative to pay for my stays in London because they were concerned about me. However, you may find that some of the budget chains - Premier Inn etc would also be suitable for someone going to interview. Premier Inns are one of the most safety conscious chains I've used in the UK - very aware of measure to take to ensure that women feel safe when staying alone in their properties.

Thank you so much friends., I appreciate your help and assistance. I will look into these options for her.

It seems like the areas I am asking about are generally considered safe, even for a solo female traveler.

Thanks!
wonderfultravels

They are. I've stayed there often as a solo female traveller - younger than your niece - and returned in all kinds of states (FT dos have those effects) and never had a problem :)

The only thing to watch out for in areas like Kensington and Chelsea is the legendarily dangerous condition of the roads, on a par with the likes of Bolivia and Nepal. This explains the seemingly mandatory use of huge 4x4 vehicles to get around over even the shortest distances, despite the apparent proximity to central London.

Apart from this, it's fine.

Seriously, I wouldn't hesistate to book my wife a hotel pretty much anywhere within Zone 1 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_stations_in_London_fare_zone_1). Yes, we do use transport fare zones (and postcodes) to describe the city :)

Thanks so much jenbel and others, I really appreciate all the help.

My main concern was not her getting shot, but rather as she is definitely a tourist and will visit touristy areas, I heard there is a high potential incidence of pickpocketing, theft by distraction, those sort of tourist oriented offenses.

I was also concerned of the safety she would have her in room, but it seems like the hotel staff will respect her privacy and maintain high security.

I will let you know what we decide on!

Thanks,
wonderfultravels

I heard there is a high potential incidence of pickpocketing, theft by distraction, those sort of tourist oriented offenses.


No, in general complete nonsense.

All I would say is that she should not carry what I believe are called 'fanny packs' in the US. The only people who carry these are US tourists which then marks them out to anyone who is looking for someone to mug who may have money.

As stut says, I struggle to think of anywhere inside Zone 1 of the tube line which I would not recommend to a solo female. Your biggest risk in Knightsbridge / Chelsea is that she meets a multi-millionaire hedge fund guy and decides not to come home. In 17 years of living in Central London I have never been the victim of a single crime of any description, and neither has my wife in 11 years.

If budget is an issue, then priceline/hotwire any 3 1/2* or above hotel in the previously mentioned areas. They should all be just fine.

Just the usual things apply - don't look lost, don't look like a tourist! But then again I've found people in the Kensington area I've found very helpful when I've been looking for somewhere.

Dodgy bits around Kings Cross would be the place I would probably not recommend within Zone 1. I wouldn't walk from KX to my hotel late at night by myself in that area I'd get a taxi for safety reasons. During the day, no problem.

But that is a million miles away from where the OP wants to be!

With respect to pick pockets, watch out for busy areas - mainline stations, and Oxford Street.

That said, the only time I have come close to having my bag dipped was in Soho, outside a club, during a FT do quite late at night. The guy had got close behind me, and managed to get my bag open, but I felt it and moved my bag away from him (women don't like it when their bags get touched by others) and then realised what had nearly gone on. The FTers went into a defensive huddle around me and then followed him for a bit warning other groups as he tried to do the same to other people in the area - he was not happy with us :D Absent any police it's all we could do :(

Actually, yes, for all the gentrification, there are still some parts of King's Cross that have a (usually hidden, but definitely present) very seedy undercurrent - and I would tend to avoid the cheaper hotels around there (Premier Inn on Caley Road excluded). The main roads are fine, though, due to constant foot and road traffic.

There are a few schemes that aren't too pretty around Southwark, Old Street and Shoreditch, but you'd have to be trying quite hard to wander into them. Otherwise, there are some obscure parts of Finsbury and the Borough that might feel threatening due to the sheer quietness.

Oh, and Vauxhall Cross can get a little lively. There's a concentration of hostels for the homeless around here, and if you're there at the wrong time of night, you'll encounter all the people who were denied access due to behaviour, numbers, etc. I used to regularly go through here, and was happy enough to do so, although I did once have to restrain someone from throwing a chair through the Starbucks window.

The only place in London someone's tried to mug me was actually outside my old flat, which was on the corner of Clapham Common. He wasn't very good at it, though, and utterly unthreatening, so didn't manage.

Bad things don't happen to people in London, at least north of the river.
Oi. South of the river outside of Zone 2 is perfectly fine.

The only place in London someone's tried to mug me was actually outside my old flat, which was on the corner of Clapham Common. He wasn't very good at it, though, and utterly unthreatening, so didn't manage.

Yeah, the homeless/bums here in SW4 (to be sure to use a post code and not just zone designations) don't seem very threatening or adept at much of anything. I've got a visitor right now who thought walking across the northern part of the Common late at night might be dodgy (not that he used that word), but I've crossed on lit paths very late without feeling unsafe. I like to point out that we almost never see cops in this area of London because we don't need them. I did see two walking down Clapham Common Southside last week and did a double take. :D

Another recommendation here for Kensington, have stayed in that neighborhood many times and it remains a favorite. The Gloucester Tube is very convenient, neighborhood very safe - I have no qualms walking back to my hotel alone from the Tube station after midnight nor while squeezed into the overflowing lift at the Tube station. As hang pilot mentioned, people in the area are very helpful; My Oyster card fell out of my jacket pocket on my way to the Tube station one evening and a nearby couple picked it up and caught up with me to return it.

I spent 5 nights at the Bentley Hilton last week and would definitely recommend- and I have zero status with Hilton! Smaller luxury hotel (64 rooms) with very spacious rooms and whirlpool bathtubs which are quite welcome after a long day of walking.

OP's niece will probably be safer just because she is in London rather than Boston MA where the murder rate is 400% higher and the violent assault rate is 10% higher.

Oi. South of the river outside of Zone 2 is perfectly fine.

Hardly surprising as there are only cows outside Zone 2. ;)

That's no way to refer to the women of Croydon.

Knightsbridge is the most expensive place in the world (literally) to live. Violent crime in London is very low anyway (no guns here remember!) and Chelsea / Knightsbridge is as good as it gets.

Crowne Plaza Kensington - I do not like this property, avoid it. It overlooks a 6-lane highway and is dangerous purely for that reason!
And chill out. This is not America. Bad things don't happen to people in London, at least north of the river.

Ok, I have to step in here. The '6-lane highway' makes it sounds like it is on the M25 or something - it is a normal London 'in town' road 3 laneways each side, I believe a 30mph limit (although traffic means I don't tend to see anything doing more than about 10mph!) and there is a light controlled zebra crossing for people to use to cross it - safer than crossing a 2-4 lane inner city road without a designated crossing! (Oh and I am pretty sure it is also 6 lanes when the A4 gets up around the Mandarin Oriental etc. too)

There are plenty of guns in London - they are pretty easy to obtain if you so desired, despite handguns being illegal and other guns heavily regulated. However, there are fewer guns around than in many North American cities, and 'random' gun crime are not that common. Bad things happen in London, including north of the river in lovely SW1 - to state otherwise when someone clearly doesn't know the area is misleading. But in terms of comparative safety, it is a pretty safe area, I was happily walking around on my own as a female from my teens onwards. To paint a utopia would be inaccurate, and could cause someone to feel too safe but it is never somewhere I have felt anything but safe taking the normal precautions.

That's no way to refer to the women of Croydon.

Now that is funny! How about if we restrict it just to East Croydon? :D:D

Ok, I have to step in here. The '6-lane highway' makes it sounds like it is on the M25 or something - it is a normal London 'in town' road 3 laneways each side, I believe a 30mph limit
I'm not really sure what the problem with that is either! The proximity to the tube means less walking about at night, even if it is Kensington.

If you get a room at the rear then there is no noticeable traffic noise and a nice view. They have a pleasant garden which is a bit of a rarity.
The rooms I had were fine, and a decent size for London.

Hi friends,

Thanks so much for you replies. I am very grateful. I do not mean to start any sort of unwanted debate on the security aspects in London.

I think it is a lovely city, and one has to be aware of themselves and their surroundings like they would anywhere.

I am going to book my niece in a nice hotel in Zone 1 and hopefully she can get her interviews done and spend some time looking around the Museums and the stores in the area.

I doubt she will travel to Kings Cross etc. She will go to St. Pancreas station though and I guess should just take a Black Taxi to the hotel? (her incoming train arrives into St. Pancras station London.

Thanks so much once again, I am grateful.

wonderfultravels

I doubt she will travel to Kings Cross etc. She will go to St. Pancreas station though and I guess should just take a Black Taxi to the hotel? (her incoming train arrives into St. Pancras station London.


Kings Cross station is adjacent to St Pancras station, but that shouldn't be any concern at all (aside from comments above about risk of distraction thefts at train stations but again keep this in perspective - I've been working in London since the mid-90's and never had a problem).

Licensed taxis will be available from the rank. There may be a wait for these, but it's more likely a consequence of the time it takes people to get into the cab, rather than there being none there.

Other option is to get on the tube - the Piccadilly line goes straight to Gloucester Road & Knightsbridge. Very safe (again aside from distraction theft comments), likely faster and probably about 10% of the price assuming you use an oyster card.

Can't help but wonder if the timing of this thread is a result of media reports that the US is going to send 1000 agents over to protect athletes & diplomats at the Olympics. Not sure if that's warranted, but the perceived threat at that event is in a completely different league to that faced by a tourist doing the sightseeing things in London...

I'm not really sure what the problem with that is either! The proximity to the tube means less walking about at night, even if it is Kensington.

If you get a room at the rear then there is no noticeable traffic noise and a nice view. They have a pleasant garden which is a bit of a rarity.
The rooms I had were fine, and a decent size for London.

I like the hotel, I had a garden view, it was perfectly safe and pleasant. I wouldn't discount it because it was on a perfectly normal 30mph London in town road (A4) any more than I would discount the MO for that reason (also on the A4 although not Cromwell Rd at that point).

Kings Cross station is adjacent to St Pancras station, but that shouldn't be any concern at all (aside from comments above about risk of distraction thefts at train stations but again keep this in perspective - I've been working in London since the mid-90's and never had a problem).

Licensed taxis will be available from the rank. There may be a wait for these, but it's more likely a consequence of the time it takes people to get into the cab, rather than there being none there.

Other option is to get on the tube - the Piccadilly line goes straight to Gloucester Road & Knightsbridge. Very safe (again aside from distraction theft comments), likely faster and probably about 10% of the price assuming you use an oyster card.

Can't help but wonder if the timing of this thread is a result of media reports that the US is going to send 1000 agents over to protect athletes & diplomats at the Olympics. Not sure if that's warranted, but the perceived threat at that event is in a completely different league to that faced by a tourist doing the sightseeing things in London...

I'd go with the tube as well - very easy to navigate. A black cab would be fine as well - much more expensive tho with no real safety advantage.

I doubt she will travel to Kings Cross etc. She will go to St. Pancreas station though and I guess should just take a Black Taxi to the hotel? (her incoming train arrives into St. Pancras station London.


No, really, she should just take the Tube - it's absolutely fine taking the Tube to or from Kings Cross or St Pancras stations (they're literally next door to each other and are served by the same Tube station called, logically enough, King's Cross St Pancras!).

there are two major dangers in London. be careful when stepping off the curb. 1.the cars are all on the wrong side of the road. they will smash you dead.
2.bring a compass. the sun never shines, and without a compass you will never figure out which way is north when you come out of the tube.

even pretty far outlying areas are pretty safe when compared to usa.

there are two major dangers in London. be careful when stepping off the curb. 1.the cars are all on the wrong side of the road. they will smash you dead.
2.bring a compass. the sun never shines, and without a compass you will never figure out which way is north when you come out of the tube.

even pretty far outlying areas are pretty safe when compared to usa.

But, fortunately, because there isn't a grid system, no one really cares where north is, aside from which side of the big bit of water you are on (the wheel is on the south, the big clock on the north ;) ) Sorted! Then pull out your AZ and do as the Londoners do!

aside from which side of the big bit of water you are on (the wheel is on the south, the big clock on the north ;) ) Sorted! Then pull out your AZ and do as the Londoners do!

If you really need to know where north is, then the big wheel is actually on the east of the big bit of water, and the big clock is on the west. ;)

Thanks so much once again friends. The timing of this thread is not related to the media reports regarding the US sending agents to the UK towards Olympic security.

I appreciate all your help.

Thanks,
wonderfultravels

there are two major dangers in London. be careful when stepping off the curb. 1.the cars are all on the wrong side of the road. they will smash you dead.
No, no, the cars are all on the right side. That is to say, the left of the road :)
(Pedestrian crossings in London do tend to have 'LOOK RIGHT' and 'LOOK LEFT' painted onto the road, as appropriate.)

If you really need to know where north is, then the big wheel is actually on the east of the big bit of water, and the big clock is on the west. ;)

Ok smartypants! ;)

I live somewhere where we have a compass grid system (north-south and east-west roads) but are actually on a slant, so a compass wouldn't be much help! It's great, the sun rises pretty much in the south :) (and I suspect children here are completely confused!)

Try Edinburgh. For some reason, everyone thinks what is north, should be south. We don't know why, it just should be like that. So when we get road signs saying things like 'Hanvoer St closed southbound' your first thought is that it's closed in the opposite direction to what is actually is and you virtually need to draw a diagram to work out where is closed. It's probably because downhill is north, when really, intuitively, it should be south.

East and west are in the right places though.

I had an appointment in Knightsbridge last weekend and stayed at the Hyde Park Hilton. 20 minute walk across the park, but cheap, relatively speaking.

I had an appointment in Knightsbridge last weekend and stayed at the Hyde Park Hilton. 20 minute walk across the park, but cheap, relatively speaking.

Dump. I had dinner with a friend last night who was staying there. Cannot for a second imagine why you'd want to stay there.

Hardly surprising as there are only cows outside Zone 2. ;)
Trust me, if you had my commute, you would know better. :)

Dump. I had dinner with a friend last night who was staying there. Cannot for a second imagine why you'd want to stay there.
The view is phenomenal. I have been to the restaurant at the top several times and it is really quite breathtaking.

The view is phenomenal. I have been to the restaurant at the top several times and it is really quite breathtaking.

You're thinking of the Park Lane one. We're discussing Hyde Park on Bayswater Road. No restaurant view there!

You're thinking of the Park Lane one. We're discussing Hyde Park on Bayswater Road. No restaurant view there!
Gaah. Yes, you're completely correct!

I'll get my coat.