Priceline Hotel: 4* London (Kensington) Millenium Gluocester

[baldtomato]

Hi everyone, I would really appreciate some cumulative wisdom!!

My soon-to-be-husband and I will be arriving in London (Oct 1, Saturday 6pm) at Gadwick, and then departing London from Heathrow on Oct 4 (Tues) at 5 pm. - 3 nights total (but only 2 and a half functional days to be a tourist).

We will count as first-timers in London (I've been there before but "not really", kind of), and this will be the end of our honeymoon trip so we want to have fun while not spend too much time worrying about dragging suitcases on and off airport shuttles (Gadwick to city-centre hotel, and then hotel to Heathrow!)

I'm not sure which area we should stay in to make the most of our time and money - from what i've read from this forum, looks like if we stay at either Heathrow or Gadwick at a 4* it will be about $55-70 per night, while in the centre of action (Mayfair-Soho) it will be about $100 - $120 for a 4*?

For anyone who knows London - does it make sense to take the underground in the morning from either one of the airport area hotels to city-center, and then to return to the hotel at the end of the day? we'll be doing that for 2 days, (or if we have enough time on departure day we can head out for a bit too?) - if so, should we stay near Gadwick (where we arrive) or Heathrow (where we depart)?

Alternatively, I can just go bid for a room in Mayfair-Soho, paying about $40-60 more for each of the 3 nights. How long will it take to commute, is the time worth the savings?

thanks a big bunch in advance, much much much appreciated!

[WillTravel]

I've done some variation of this several times.

In your case, with an eye to budget but also preserving time and experience, this is what I'd do:

I'd go into central London from Gatwick by Gatwick Express or a local train (followed by the tube if necessary), stay in central London for the three nights, and then I'd take the tube to Heathrow around 1 PM on October 4.

You could most likely get a perfectly fine, reasonably central 4* hotel in Kensington for rather less than Mayfair.

Westminster would also be a perfectly good zone. If you like the Bloomsbury hotels, that would be well-located too. But Kensington is probably cheapest.

If you were there for only one night, I might feel differently - with three nights, there's no question you should go into central London.

[lwitchel]

The Gatwick express is a clean, comfortable train, but it's about 30 minutes in each direction and expensive (12.70 GPB for a day return). Your savings will be eaten up in time and train fares. Heathrow hotels are cheaper and the tube goes there as well as the express trains, but the tube takes 45 minutes. I'd stay in London if seeing London is your objective. If Mayfair/Soho is too high for your budget, try Kensington or Bloomsbury.

[baldtomato]

Thanks WillTravel and lwitchel for your kind advice!

one concern (fear) of mine - we will probably have at least 2 big pieces of suitcases as we will be on a 3 week tour (or maybe 3 medium pieces). Will it be quite a scene if we get onto the Underground (?Gatwick Express) with those, and/or connecting to the tube after, and then getting from the tube to the hotel? (and then do the same when we go out to Heathrow!)

Do most PL 4* hotels in the concerned areas have airport shuttles to Gatwick and Heathrow?

My thought is that if we were to stay at Heathrow (or Gatwick), at least it will just be us two w/out luggage going onto public transport in the mornings. We won't have to worry about moving suitcases more than when going from airport to hotel, and then checking out (likely via local shuttle one of the ways)

[WillTravel]

I'd amend the transport advice as follows.

Take the Gatwick Express to Victoria - this will be as easy as any other method, as this is a sufficiently spacious train.

When you get to Victoria, take a taxi to your hotel. This could be pricey, but at least it will be getting late in the evening by then.

For your return trip to Heathrow, you could ask the hotel what they would suggest - but you could also hire a car service. I've never used these, but this is one I've seen recommended many times on Fodors - http://www.justairports.com/ (you could use them from Gatwick if you preferred also).

It might be that you would be fine on the tube with your suitcases, but you don't sound comfortable with the idea, and there would definitely be stairs involved, and it can definitely be cramped. However, if you can go up and down a couple flights of stairs with them, I'm sure you could do fine on the tube - so give it a try. For some people trying this would ruin their vacation, so access your comfort level.

The idea of staying at an airport hotel to avoid the short period of discomfort involved with the luggage just doesn't seem worth it really.

[baldtomato]

wow - Gatwick express can be US$25 each day per person (return) - i guess that really would eat up whatever $40-$60 we try to save in hotel price.

but yeah, i don't quite like the idea of dragging suitcases in and out of very busy stations (our suitcases won't be very small...). If anything, I think we'll be taking either direct hotel shuttle or private shuttle. I guess most of the large hotels would have airport shuttles (for a fee) - what would you say about hotels in Bloomsbury or Kensington? what are those areas like - are they fairly tourist-y? I'll read up a bit more on those areas in PL too.

I just did a rough price quote on www.justairports.com as suggested, assuming we're getting into city center (post code??W1, i'm just guessing coz i really don't know London)

Gatwick -> W1 would be GBP40 one way (USD 80)

W1 -> Heathrow would just be GBP 19 one way

[baldtomato]

I just ran a PL package search

there are no 5* hotels listed for the dates I entered (Oct 1-4)

from reading other threads, it sounds like 5* actually not a good bid in Kensington area (coz one of the 5* too far?) but 4* in Kensington a much better value?

what about 4* in other areas?

I haven't quite decide which area to focus my bid on yet, perhaps leave that till another night when i have a better idea of the layout of London - most likely largely dependent on how easy it will be for me to get to/from the two airports to these areas' hotels.

also, we two are more into the culture and palate (nice buildings, nice shops, famous postcard spots) rather than night clubs and pubs (not really a pub rat) - sounds like Kensington would be where we would want to stay?

but as suggested, I will look into Mayfair, Bloomy and Kensington

any advice on how convenient that are re: getting to the airport, how the "feel" of each of these 3 area is?

and then I will be asking for advice on re-bidding strategies - re-bid zones etc

my only other previous attempt at PL was for a series of Paris bids that did not succeed. this time around i would like to start out in the right foot!

[lwitchel]

BT - London is relatively spread out, but the closest point to central attractions would probably be Mayfair/Soho. Both Kensington and Bloomsbury have plenty of attractions of their own, though. However both Kensington and Bloomsbury (and most zones for that matter) are well serviced by the Tube. I stayed in Kensington for $69 + taxes per night last year (4*, Holiday Inn Kensington Forum) and didn't regret it at all.

Yes, 4* Kensington generally a good value, always realizing that any hotel that fits the conditions listed could show up, not just the one you thought would. If you are leaving from Heathrow, Kensington is a straight shot on the Piccadilly line to Heathrow. There are often stairs on the tube though. I had no problem taking the tube from Gloucester Road to Heathrow (one medium flight of stairs going down) but I might have had trouble going up those stairs rather than down.

[baldtomato]

Thanks lwitchel!

i think i'll consider using the money saved in hotel cost to use private shuttle service as suggested by WT earlier - what post codes would Kensington fall in coz i want do a rough online price quote and see how much it would cost to do that - and what about Bloomsbury - what (ballpark) post codes should i search?

[WillTravel]

I would just take a few hotels from the appropriate zones on the hotel list, look up their postal codes, and go from there.

I've never heard of a hotel in central London that had its own shuttle bus to/from airports - although they will arrange a car, but probably more expensively than you can on your own.

If you want to look up public transport options to/from a particular hotel and anywhere else - try the Journey Planner available from this link: http://www.thetube.com

[WillTravel]

Another transport possibility from airports is the National Express coach: http://www.nationalexpress.com

This may or may not be convenient, depending how close your hotel is to a stop.

[baldtomato]

sorry this is getting a bit off topic for a PL forum but i'll just wrap up, thanks for all the help!!!

i did a couple of other postal code search/quotes - and figured that for eg Kensington OR Mayfair (includes W1, SW1, SW7 etc) it's pretty much:

Gatwick --> hotel = GBP 40

hotel --> Heathrow = GBP 19

(i didn't check for Bloomsbury)

for anyone else interested, if done the other way (Heathrow to hotel, and then hotel to Gatwick) the prices will become GBP35 and 24 respectively

Heathrow to hotels in these areas by this company, RETURN is GBP 43

I think I'll stick to taking this private chaffeur service to/fro the airports and booking for a hotel in Kensington :-)

[baldtomato]

GOT IT!!!

$83/n for 4* Millenium Gluocester Kensington for 3 nights Oct 1-4/05, and i'm VERY HAPPY! (esp when USD is not at its strongest now)

I will post my bid strategy on a separate topic heading on this forum

thanks everyone!!!

[baldtomato]

wow it

[thereuare]

Congratulations on your ultimate success!

Glad to hear the information (and our board members) helped you get a great deal and get 'up to speed' on the ins and outs of Priceline.

It's nice that you not only got a great deal, but also this far in advance, as now your plans are set and you can relax regarding your accomodations and do other research for your upcoming trip.

Enjoy your stay.