Priceline Hotel: London June hotel help?

[littlemissmarple]

Total newbie here, please go easy.

I'm looking for a 3, 3.5, or 4 star hotel in London in June. Kensington or bloomsbury would be preferable, though anywhere within London close to the tube is fine. I've seen people get 4 stars in london for under $100, I'm wondering if that is still possible in June. I've bid up to $88 in Priceline with no luck, on Hotwire closest thing found is 3.5 way out in Ealing for $65 which is great, but the location is not optimal.

Thanks! :)

[WillTravel]

Would Mayfair-Soho also be okay? I presume so, as it's the most central of all, although it's also usually the most expensive. But I just wanted to check you were okay with it.

I think you are right to give Ealing a pass. Are you searching Hotwire for one person, because I didn't see that Ealing result when I searched for 2.

[thereuare]

Welcome to BetterBidding!

Let us know if you'd like to also include the Mayfair zone and we'll suggest a strategy for you to follow.

Please use these PRICELINE and HOTWIRE links to begin your travel purchases.

[littlemissmarple]

I'm definitely okay with Mayfair. Oh yeah, I'm booking for two adults and one child, by the way...

thanks

[WillTravel]

How old is your child?

PRICELINE is not a good idea with three people, because the standard London room is just big enough for two and no more.

[thereuare]

If PRICELINE is not an option, HOTWIRE may still be as they allow you to search for up to quad occupancy (as well as differentiate between adults/children).

If you search HOTWIRE for 2adults/1child do you see anything within your budget, zones, and minimum star rating?

[littlemissmarple]

well child is 15, so more of a teen...

on HOTWIRE, i've gotten an ealing-hammersmith area 3.5 star for $65, which i am very pleased with overall except for the location, which is quite far out of london...so budget and minimum star rating is fine, but not location

i could live with it, just wondering if there were any better options

[WillTravel]

I wouldn't want to stay out that far, but if that room is for 3 people, it's by far preferable than bidding for a Priceline room for 2. Your teenager would be considered an adult in most cases, from the hotel's standpoint, and it would just be an impossible situation at worst (you wouldn't be allowed to take a room) or very uncomfortable if you got a standard double room in London.

However, when I enter your dates into HOTWIRE, with 2 adults, 1 child, I see a 3.5* in Ealing-Hammersmith for $115. Is that $65 option still available for you?

I'd consider two options: either increase your budget enough to get a centrally located hotel on HOTWIRE for 3 people, or bid for two rooms on PRICELINE. Even a 1* budget hotel for three people is likely to cost as much as either of these options. Also take a look at Holiday Inn Express and Travelodge (family room), although I don't think either will provide any real bargains.

[littlemissmarple]

the 3.5* in Ealing is $65 when booked from June 21-24, so that seems to be a pretty good deal. If I book that, that means from the 24-28 I will have to find another hotel. On Priceline, it seems that the possible hotels for the Baker Street Region all seem to have rooms with 2 double beds (i think) so maybe i will be able to call the hotel and arrange that. the novotel in the marble arch area also seems family friendly. what do you guys think?

[WillTravel]

You can't guarantee getting the Novotel in Bloomsbury-Marble Arch, although it is family-friendly.

If the known hotels in the Regents Park - Baker Street zone have rooms with two double beds, they may also (quite likely) charge a premium for you to be given those rooms. You could luck out, but it's also likely you'd have to pay a steep upgrade fee, if any such rooms were actually available. And it's also possible that you could get a hotel that does not have such rooms.

[littlemissmarple]

it says that their tandard room is one king or two double i think, so do i get a choice or is it just automatically the single room? i think one of them says max. occupancy 2 adults 2 child for standard so it will be a risk but the location is optimal. what about a holiday inn express? it is a chain hotel and the price is good but i'm not sure about the quality...

[thereuare]

The room, and bedding configuration, will be assigned by the hotel... you can put in a request, but it's just that, a request, and may or may not be able to be honored. As long as the room can accomodate two adults the hotel has satisfied the side of the agreement.

Please use these PRICELINE and HOTWIRE links to begin your travel purchases.

[WillTravel]

For any Express by Holiday Inn in London, it's likely best to check the reviews.

The one we stayed at by Glasgow Airport was modern and clean and comfortable.

[littlemissmarple]

first of all thanks for all the help so far :)

and also i was thinking about holiday inn express golders green? location may be a bit far but it is accessible by the Tube and will take us into London quite conveniently i guess...neighborhood doesn't seem too bad.

[WillTravel]

I checked with the Journey Planner at www.thetube.com and it looks like it would take about 1 hour to get into central London from that hotel, which includes taking the bus to the tube station.