London on a Budget
Jan 19, 2014, 8:56 am
#31
Join Date: May 2010
Posts: 904
Distance comparisons: Wembley to Trafalgar is just under 10 miles. Stratford is about 7. Neither distance in the US would qualify as being in the "burbs" for a large city. Travel times would be more helpful, esp if Wembley requires a transfer. Note that for someone on a budget, I think the Time Out 2for1 offers would apply to someone commuting in from Wembley by rail. Admissions in London are budget killers, also.
Doesn't rail allow cheap same day return fares that the tube never does?
As a couple I would try to stay in Earls Court or someplace closer in, I have to say.
Doesn't rail allow cheap same day return fares that the tube never does?
As a couple I would try to stay in Earls Court or someplace closer in, I have to say.
Jan 19, 2014, 9:48 am
#32
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As long as the room is clean and well-kept, I'd prioritize location over a better/more luxurious room. I don't want to feel like I'm spending most of my time on the subway when I could be doing something far more interesting on our limited time there.
Jan 19, 2014, 2:46 pm
#33
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Indigo Earl's Court would be my first budget choice: recently opened, 3 minutes walk from Picadilly Line station, living district, friendly service.
HI Kensigton Forum: no thrills, but perfectly does the job. Small rooms but quiet (nice views from top floor rooms). Perfect location, in one of the most exclusive parts of the city. Next to Picadilly Line station. Walking distant to shops, museums.
HIX The City: excellent location if you want to be close to one of London hippest districts, full of trendy bars, restaurants and boutiques. Easy access with 55 bus line to central London (Oxford Circus station).
CP The City is a nice property, with pleasant club lounge and design. Generally pretty cheap on weekends (but not much to do in the immediate vicinity).
HI Kensigton Forum: no thrills, but perfectly does the job. Small rooms but quiet (nice views from top floor rooms). Perfect location, in one of the most exclusive parts of the city. Next to Picadilly Line station. Walking distant to shops, museums.
HIX The City: excellent location if you want to be close to one of London hippest districts, full of trendy bars, restaurants and boutiques. Easy access with 55 bus line to central London (Oxford Circus station).
CP The City is a nice property, with pleasant club lounge and design. Generally pretty cheap on weekends (but not much to do in the immediate vicinity).
Last edited by nicolas75; Jan 19, 2014 at 4:31 pm
Jan 19, 2014, 5:09 pm
#34
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Indigo Earl's Court would be my first budget choice: recently opened, 3 minutes walk from Picadilly Line station, living district, friendly service.
HI Kensigton Forum: no thrills, but perfectly does the job. Small rooms but quiet (nice views from top floor rooms). Perfect location, in one of the most exclusive parts of the city. Next to Picadilly Line station. Walking distant to shops, museums.
HIX The City: excellent location if you want to be close to one of London hippest districts, full of trendy bars, restaurants and boutiques. Easy access with 55 bus line to central London (Oxford Circus station).
CP The City is a nice property, with pleasant club lounge and design. Generally pretty cheap on weekends (but not much to do in the immediate vicinity).
HI Kensigton Forum: no thrills, but perfectly does the job. Small rooms but quiet (nice views from top floor rooms). Perfect location, in one of the most exclusive parts of the city. Next to Picadilly Line station. Walking distant to shops, museums.
HIX The City: excellent location if you want to be close to one of London hippest districts, full of trendy bars, restaurants and boutiques. Easy access with 55 bus line to central London (Oxford Circus station).
CP The City is a nice property, with pleasant club lounge and design. Generally pretty cheap on weekends (but not much to do in the immediate vicinity).
OP Sorry to hijack this thread, but I have a similar question. We will be in London June 6-9. We have been to London before but have not had a chance to explore the city. We would like something close to the tube and easy to access the night scene as well. Any suggesitons would be most welcome. If it makes a difference, I am a Plat AMB and yes on a tight budget as well flying in from Canada.
Last edited by djjaguar64; Jan 19, 2014 at 5:14 pm
Jan 19, 2014, 6:08 pm
#35
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No need to worry about the hijack at all! Seems like a lot of FT chatter for the big cities is understandably on the high end of things, and it's nice to have more discussion on what lies between ICs and youth hostels.
Last edited by beachmouse; Jan 19, 2014 at 6:24 pm
Jan 19, 2014, 7:02 pm
#36
Join Date: Jun 2010
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Camden is the most obvious one I can think of, but it depends on what you are looking for (and I am definitely not the person to give nightlife advice!).
As long as the room is clean and well-kept, I'd prioritize location over a better/more luxurious room.
I have stayed in the 'Covent Garden' one a few times which is within walking distance of a lot of tourist sites.
They are all pretty basic (although no worse than my last stay at HI Wembley!), but generally clean with decent beds, at least those that have been refurbished recently.
Jan 20, 2014, 3:03 am
#37
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You do not want to be close to any 'night scene' (although I have lived in London for 20 years and still have no idea what you may mean by this!).
We would recommend somewhere and you'd be back on here in a few months complaining that the doorway of your hotel was covered in vomit, you were disturbed by a nightclub or pub until 3am and that at 5am a group of teenagers were singing One Direction songs outside your window.
We would recommend somewhere and you'd be back on here in a few months complaining that the doorway of your hotel was covered in vomit, you were disturbed by a nightclub or pub until 3am and that at 5am a group of teenagers were singing One Direction songs outside your window.
Jan 20, 2014, 3:15 am
#38
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Distance comparisons: Wembley to Trafalgar is just under 10 miles. Stratford is about 7. Neither distance in the US would qualify as being in the "burbs" for a large city. Travel times would be more helpful, esp if Wembley requires a transfer. Note that for someone on a budget, I think the Time Out 2for1 offers would apply to someone commuting in from Wembley by rail. Admissions in London are budget killers, also.
Doesn't rail allow cheap same day return fares that the tube never does?
As a couple I would try to stay in Earls Court or someplace closer in, I have to say.
Doesn't rail allow cheap same day return fares that the tube never does?
As a couple I would try to stay in Earls Court or someplace closer in, I have to say.
Various lines run at different speeds and when you start to make connections you can add a lot of time.
Both Stratford and Wembley are on the Jubilee Line although the Jubilee runs quite slowly North of Baker Street. I think that you can hit most major London sites easily from the Jubliee and many of which are far closer to Stratford than they are to Wembley. The best thing to do is to check out the TFL JourneyPlanner for the sites you want to visit
As for nightlife it really depends on your definition of nightlife. Most locations will be reasonably close to a tube station but the best line for you will depend on your plans when you are here.
Camden as suggested has a fairly funky nightlife scene, then you have the Covent Garden area and the Kings Road. That pretty much covers the mainstream "scene" but more detailed recommendations could flow from more details of the type of nightlife you are seeking.
Jan 20, 2014, 4:42 am
#39
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Like any major metropolis, London has no real "city centre" where everything is within walking distance.
Nightlife can I guess mean 4 major things,
1. Theatreland, lights, crowds, pubs stay open late
2. Entertainment area, Leicester Square with it's many pubs, clubs, eateries and constant crowds
3. Adult area, Soho
4. Nightclubbing, Dunno!
The tube runs late enough for most, so there's no need to stay within the expensive circle line, but if your idea of nightlife is clubbing till 2 to 4am, then you'll need to find out where the clubs are and stay local to them. Camden has been mentioned which is by no means central...
Nightlife can I guess mean 4 major things,
1. Theatreland, lights, crowds, pubs stay open late
2. Entertainment area, Leicester Square with it's many pubs, clubs, eateries and constant crowds
3. Adult area, Soho
4. Nightclubbing, Dunno!
The tube runs late enough for most, so there's no need to stay within the expensive circle line, but if your idea of nightlife is clubbing till 2 to 4am, then you'll need to find out where the clubs are and stay local to them. Camden has been mentioned which is by no means central...
Jan 20, 2014, 6:36 am
#40
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Edinburgh, Scotland
Programs: BA bronze
Posts: 432
You might want to look at Travelodges - particularly when they have a sale on.
I have stayed in the 'Covent Garden' one a few times which is within walking distance of a lot of tourist sites.
They are all pretty basic (although no worse than my last stay at HI Wembley!), but generally clean with decent beds, at least those that have been refurbished recently.
I have stayed in the 'Covent Garden' one a few times which is within walking distance of a lot of tourist sites.
They are all pretty basic (although no worse than my last stay at HI Wembley!), but generally clean with decent beds, at least those that have been refurbished recently.
Jan 20, 2014, 7:02 am
#41
Join Date: May 2010
Posts: 904
Using that I tried and tried to get from Wembley (any station) to Gatwick on a Sunday afternoon under 4 hours and could not do so. I kept getting 4 leg journeys when what I wanted to bring up was the same platform transfer between the Metropolitan line and First Capital Connect at Farringdon. Update: works now, less than 2 hours but giving me a 3 leg journey via bus from Coulsdon Town.
Checked travel times: Wembley Stadium rail to Charing Cross 22 minutes of train time + transfer time
Stratford to Charing Cross: 19 minutes of train time + transfer time
Checked travel times: Wembley Stadium rail to Charing Cross 22 minutes of train time + transfer time
Stratford to Charing Cross: 19 minutes of train time + transfer time
Last edited by tom_MN; Jan 20, 2014 at 8:04 am
Jan 20, 2014, 11:55 am
#42
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Using that I tried and tried to get from Wembley (any station) to Gatwick on a Sunday afternoon under 4 hours and could not do so. I kept getting 4 leg journeys when what I wanted to bring up was the same platform transfer between the Metropolitan line and First Capital Connect at Farringdon. Update: works now, less than 2 hours but giving me a 3 leg journey via bus from Coulsdon Town.
Checked travel times: Wembley Stadium rail to Charing Cross 22 minutes of train time + transfer time
Stratford to Charing Cross: 19 minutes of train time + transfer time
Checked travel times: Wembley Stadium rail to Charing Cross 22 minutes of train time + transfer time
Stratford to Charing Cross: 19 minutes of train time + transfer time
I was at HI Stratford today and it was 55 minutes door to door on the tube to my house in Chelsea. To Bond Street tube it would be about 40-45 minutes.
Hotel now offers Plats free 'premium' Wi-Fi, ie the fast version. Upgraded to a top floor room on the Olympic Stadium side, so no noise and no staring into the wall of the casino. White Company toiletries. Room obviously spotless as you'd expect from a new property. Offered 500 points or a beer and snack in the bar as amenity. It really is a very nice property.
Jan 20, 2014, 11:56 am
#43
Join Date: Feb 2013
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Using that I tried and tried to get from Wembley (any station) to Gatwick on a Sunday afternoon under 4 hours and could not do so. I kept getting 4 leg journeys when what I wanted to bring up was the same platform transfer between the Metropolitan line and First Capital Connect at Farringdon. Update: works now, less than 2 hours but giving me a 3 leg journey via bus from Coulsdon Town.
Checked travel times: Wembley Stadium rail to Charing Cross 22 minutes of train time + transfer time
Stratford to Charing Cross: 19 minutes of train time + transfer time
Checked travel times: Wembley Stadium rail to Charing Cross 22 minutes of train time + transfer time
Stratford to Charing Cross: 19 minutes of train time + transfer time
Jan 20, 2014, 12:28 pm
#44
Join Date: May 2010
Posts: 904
Maybe it's not realistic, but this is what it says:
From Stratford
To Charing Cross
Leaving on Sun 26 Jan 2014 at 14:00
Route 1 details
Time 13:59
Tube
14:17 Stratford Underground Station
Take the Jubilee Line towards Stanmore Underground Station
or Jubilee Line towards Wembley Park Underground Station
Av journey time: 18 mins
Zone(s): 3, 2, 1
walk take escalator up go down stairs
14:23
Tube
Waterloo Underground Station
Take the Bakerloo Line towards Queen's Park Underground Station
or Northern Line towards High Barnet
or Bakerloo Line towards Harrow & Wealdstone Underground Station
or Bakerloo Line towards Stonebridge Park Underground Station
or Northern Line towards Edgware
Av journey time: 2 mins
Zone(s): 1
14:25 Charing Cross Underground Station
Max. journey time: 00:26
From Stratford
To Charing Cross
Leaving on Sun 26 Jan 2014 at 14:00
Route 1 details
Time 13:59
Tube
14:17 Stratford Underground Station
Take the Jubilee Line towards Stanmore Underground Station
or Jubilee Line towards Wembley Park Underground Station
Av journey time: 18 mins
Zone(s): 3, 2, 1
walk take escalator up go down stairs
14:23
Tube
Waterloo Underground Station
Take the Bakerloo Line towards Queen's Park Underground Station
or Northern Line towards High Barnet
or Bakerloo Line towards Harrow & Wealdstone Underground Station
or Bakerloo Line towards Stonebridge Park Underground Station
or Northern Line towards Edgware
Av journey time: 2 mins
Zone(s): 1
14:25 Charing Cross Underground Station
Max. journey time: 00:26
Jan 20, 2014, 12:32 pm
#45
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: NW, UK
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Posts: 55
Just having arrived back from 3 nights at HI Stratford on the £35 xmas deal, I'd go for the SS stratford. It's so much better served than earls court, you're on 2 lines plus the DLR it's 15 mins into central london and plenty of chain eating options in westfield if you don't want to stray into town.