Hi: It sounds like the Thistle Charing Cross may be right for you. The location seems ideal for your purposes. Reviews are mixed but generally favorable. Let us know which hotel you decide upon.

The Thistle Charing Cross sounds ideal except that for us it's a little pricey. Is there anything in that area for under $300?

Jerry

Me again, Jerry: If I'm not mistaken, the theaters are dark on Sunday. That might influence your decision on where to stay. The Darlington Hyde Park receives glowing reviews, has a lift, and is close by Paddington Station. Their prices seem quite reasonable, too. Not as much sightseeing within walking distance as the Charing Cross Hotel (which I noticed is no longer a Thistle but a Guoman). Also, nearby Victoria Station are some Comfort Inns... they look comfortable, decent rates, perhaps they have lifts, I can't be sure. Good luck.

How are you planning to get from central London to LHR? If you're thinking of using a car service to get to the airport, then why not consider the Premier Inn (until v recently the Premier Travel Inn) County Hall? Decent enough hotel, good location, and a car from there to LHR will cost about £22 - 25.

Alternately, there is a new Park Plaza hotel opening on the south bank, not far from the old County Hall. Due to open last month it's now scheduled for February 2008. Rooms have fridges and microwaves (nice) and there will be lifts in the building. Again, the area is a good'un, and it's not too far from Victoria or Charing X.

Just to clear up a possible misconception. Your statement, " The Dover to London train can let us off, apparently, either at Charing Cross or Victoria." is untrue. Some trains go from Dover to London Victoria. Others go to Charing Cross. They take different routes and none go to both stations. I think you will find, when you check the Sunday schedules, that your best option is a train to Victoria, which was your conclusion 3 weeks ago in your previous thread on this subject.

The Victoria station area is one I have avoided for accommodations since my one unhappy stay there 35 years ago, so I can't help you with suggestions.

Ron-

Actually I did know that about the two trains, but I expressed myself poorly. I wish you could have been more glowing about the Victoria hotels. My thread 3 weeks ago, btw, was before I went off on a trip to Greece, which blew everything out of my head, so now I have to start investigating again. I've got to the point of being certain that I will take one of those two trains, but now I have to figure out where to stay and what to do.

And I also was concerned about the theatres being dark. Now that I know that as well, the options could change a bit. I think I was told that Car service, for example, would be approximately the same as the Heathrow Express, so despite my preference for public transport, maybe I'll find a nice hotel far from the theatres, but in a nice place.

But- theatres are dark, but are concert halls also? Beethoven? Shostakovich? Brahms bursting in air?

Jerry

Victoria has a much wider choice of hotels than Charing X wher most hotels are 4 star type..

A reasonable budget option would be to go to Victoria Station. At the back of the station are two Confort Inns, around 100 GBP per night for a double with breakfast.

You then have a choice of a prebooked private car to Heathrow or just walking across the road to the coach station where National Express coaches run to Heathrow several times an hour for a bargain 4 GBP.

If you've been on a cruise though best check out luggage entitelments. National Express allow 2 cases neither of which should be > 20 Kg plus hand luggage.

Especially if you're arriving at weekend, the Charing X train stops at London Bridge. The London Bridge Hotel is in the forecourt of the station and you could get a private car from there to Heathrow.

Now you're talking!! Unfortunately, there's nothing scheduled for July 13th, and you will just be missing the start of the Proms. And you will have just missed a series of Mahler symphonies at the Barbican, if I'm reading correctly. There could be some church and outdoor concerts that aren't yet on the "What's On" schedules. There's a web site called What's On When that offers concert information for London. TP's advice to take a car to Heathrow sounds good, too.

The London Bridge Hotel sounds like a great recommendation! Good sightseeing in the area, convenient to the train station, highly rated by TA readers. It's near the Southwark Cathedral... you might catch Evensong or possibly a concert there. Definitely worth checking it out, Jerry.

The London Bridge is indeed a good option but I would also look at Victoria, The Park Plaza is located right behind the station and should be just about within your budget on a Sunday night. The Hesperia is another close by worth considering. There are plenty of eating choices within walking distance and it's an easy bus or tube ride to the west end or Westminster.