Luxury Hotels - Good & reasonable cost 5* hotel in London?

Hehehe... Reads like a joke. But that's the advice I'm looking for. Any recommendations? If you know a very good 4*, please write below too.

I'd prefer close to the Barbican Centre as that's where I'll need to be.

[Mods, please move if necessary]

Looking forward to the advice, and thanks in advance!

Jan

Forget it if you are travelling anywhere near the Olympics. I saw a Holiday Inn Express this week charging £360 per night during the games. And it is nowhere near any of the venues!

Intercontinental / Crowne Plazas - use www.tinyurl.com/ihgjenni for good rates. The Intercontinental and Crowne Plaza The City are the nicest properties. Latter is walkable to the Barbican.

There isn't anything of quality very near The Barbican. At a weekend all the luxury City properties will be cheap so plenty of choice - Threadneedles, Andaz etc.

The ex-Mint hotels just bought by Hilton and rebranded are very, very well regarded 4-stars. Tehy are now Doubletree's. Doubletree Tower Hill would work OK for location and hotel well regarded.

In the centre, whatever the Renaissance Chancery Lane is now branded as, is worth a look. Was always a very nice property, slightly off the beaten track, and probably even cheaper than it was now unbranded.

Hehehe... Reads like a joke. But that's the advice I'm looking for. Any recommendations? If you know a very good 4*, please write below too.

I'd prefer close to the Barbican Centre as that's where I'll need to be.

[Mods, please move if necessary]

Looking forward to the advice, and thanks in advance!

Jan

If your criteria are relatively affordability at the upscale level, a chain hotel in which you have status seems to make the most sense. I see you're SPG and Hilton Gold--there's a big thread on the relative SPG properties in central London over on their board, and I also had a nice stay at the Hilton Trafalgar (more of a boutique-style, with a decent roof-top bar).

Again, if you're traveling on a weekend, the FS Canary Wharf offers very reasonable rates. It's not by any measure a true luxury hotel, but it's still a Four Seasons.

Have a look at Four Seasons Canary Wharf. It is a very nice property that provides excellent value.

The Royal Horseguards has the nicest entry-level rooms of any 5-star property in London, surprisingly: radiant underfloor heating in the bathrooms, superb sound system, very high spec accommodation. The public areas, service, food, etc. are nothing remarkable, but you may be able to find a rate of about $200 per night -- a very good deal given the quality of the room.

i've stayed at the Park plaza westminster bridge in january. very modern at centrally located hotel.

i also stayed at royal horseguards, it has a flatscreen tv installed in the bathroom, to be more precise, you can watch it while you are in the tub :-)

i would recommend both hotels. I got a quote for 149 GBP at the Park Plaza per night. for a studio i payed 30 pounds extra.

i would recommend both hotels. I got a quote for 149 GBP at the Park Plaza per night. for a studio i payed 30 pounds extra.

On Friday and Sunday nights in March you can actually get this for £69 inc tax using the Friends & Family code!

You'd have to define "reasonable costs" and give an idea of dates.... I've seen some "Plan Ahead" rates at FS Park Lane that are very reasonable before you add VAT. Some 4 for 3 out there too, but seasonal of course

Forget it if you are travelling anywhere near the Olympics. I saw a Holiday Inn Express this week charging £360 per night during the games. And it is nowhere near any of the venues!

I just checked this, HI Express Woking (!), during Olympics, £169/night, a week later, £67/night.....

Not £360, but still, Woking is not exactly next to the main stadium.

IIRC, the Dukes can often be booked for around 200 GBP/night, though not in the OP's preferred location.

I always stay at two primary hotels.

http://www.ichotelsgroup.com/crowneplaza/hotels/us/en/london/lonke/hoteldetail

http://www.novotel.com/gb/hotel-6455-novotel-london-paddington/index.shtml

The latter is ultra-convenient to Paddington Station. You can walk to the hotel from Paddington, unless you are luggage-heavy.

You're about 1.8 miles from Barbican at Padington. About. A hike that I would not make in London. The tube? why not.

The Crown Plaza is about 4 miles. About.

I always prefer Novotel when traveling in Europe. You may find one more convenient.

FS Canary Wharf is a 5* with some very reasonable rates/offers. Nearer to the Barbican, The Landmark, while not true luxury 5*, can also be had fairly reasonably. I have to assume it's going to be nicer than a Novotel. The Landmark and some of the major chain hotels in Mayfair (such as the Intercontinental Park Lane) also appear on Priceline from time to time.

The only plaza that's a 5 star is plaza on the river. Tne rest are ok 4s but showing their age (well county hall is).

I like plaza on river. It is reasonably priced and you can get great radisson points and cash rates. Tne rooms are good- I usually get upgraded (county hall and Westminster never upgrade me now they are heaving)

Location isn't as good though. Good for me as I go across to Westminster. Corner shop next door. You get drinks vouchers etc but public space is shared with park plaza riverbank (a very down market 4 rooms dark and onto train track) Rooms are 5 star but rest is 4. But it's cheap.Each room has a full kitchen and washing machine- so good if you are travelling.

Another thumbs up for The City Inn / mint hotels - great quality 4 star hotels - only luxurious touch though is the free use of an in room apple mac

Another thumbs up for The City Inn / mint hotels - great quality 4 star hotels - only luxurious touch though is the free use of an in room apple mac

The suites are nice. Used to get fruit, chocolates, white company toiletries and drinks vouchers but since they became hilton a few weeks ago seemingly the offer has changed.

I have a room and a suite booked for June but so far no contact tom say they have changed hands.

You could also check out the Rookery in Cowcross St and there is a Malmaison on Charterhouse Square. Both are very close to the Barbican and handy for Clerkenwell dining.

While location wise not great for the Barbicon I stuck my inlaws in the Wyndham Chelsea Harbour and each room is a suite and it's very nice. Staff were always very good when we visited and the room was really nice. I think I got it for like $200.

Hackney Town Hall near Bethnal Green is a lovely hotel with a fabulous restaurant- note it is 4* not 5* but does have a good concierge, free car service during the week to the city, and is about 4 miles from where you need to be.

Good rates on suites particularly if you are staying weekly.

On priceline, if you do 5 star Mayfair/Soho area, sometimes the Grosvenor House comes up for around £110 a night. The Marriott in Maida Vale, while not 5 star, is not bad, and can be around £70-80.