The Strand Palace, it's very handy to Covent Garden and various theatres in the area, and it is near Charing Cross Tube station so you can get around easily. I always stay there. The Strand Palace Hotel
The rain we knew is a thing of the past -
deep-delving, dark, deliberate you would say
browsing on spire and bogland; but today
our sky-blue slates are steaming in the sun,
our yachts tinkling and dancing in the bay
like racehorses. We contemplate at last
shining windows, a future forbidden to no one.
Derek Mahon
"Maybe all one can do is hope to end up with the right regrets."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ I remember days Or at least I try But as years go by They're sort of haze And the bluest ink Isn't really sky And at times I think I would gladly die For a day of sky ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ And Starbucks will use the words 'large' and 'small', not pretentious crap like grande and tall. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ "You could get away with anything if you call it art and tell people who don't like it that it's cutting edge culture." --vmlinnie ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
I usually stay in or close to the Liecester Square area, using the Londontown.com site for discount hotel rates. I've stayed at both the Thistle Picadilly and the Thistle Trafalger Square. The former is right by the Swiss building, one of the entrances to Liecester Square. I found it a bit noisy because of the proximity to the Square. The latter is down the street from the Picadilly, behind the National Gallery. The area is much quieter.
Bayswater area also has plenty of hotels; it's close to Paddington Station, and the Underground lines there.
I just stayed at the Premier Inn at Putney Bridge. It was pretty nice. It's defintely worth it. It's right on the River and 3 to 4 miles from the city. Maybe a 10 minute Tube ride.
The Strand Palace is in a convenient location and safe to walk back to. But beware where your room is, lower floor overlooking the Strand or overlooking the machinery in one of the inner 'wells' is noisy.
There is also the hotel near the Piccadilly Theatre which is handy but mostly without private facilities.
A lot of hotels are in the Bloomsbury/Holborn area and that is also OK for walking back to at any time, especially on the main bit around Russell Square. Not tried them, but Bedford Hotel, Royal National, etc.
But definitely search online and book online rather than the rack-rate at the hotel, you should be able to save a fair bit that way.
I stayed at the Strand Palace last July. It was okay. A great location... but the staff was a little strange. aka, opening the door when we were sleeping... peeking in, and leaving. very strange. but very easy to get around.
That's a little creepy, but maybe they considered it "checking on you"...like when your parents used to do when you were 5. Or ya know...they're just being creepy. Who knows! hahah