Can anyone recommend a hotel in London which is easy to get to with a car from up north?

We were planning to drive down on a Friday, and home on the Sunday. On the Sunday we would be taking the sister in law to Heathrow to fly to Canada.

I've never driven in London before, so would like somewhere easy to get to if possible. I suppose getting from London to Heathrow, it may be easier going on the train/tube with her?



Cheers

Tube to Heathrow is your best option by far, it's such an easy trip and plonks you right inside and its not that expensive, I think it takes about 45 minutes.

Nice one, thanks.

Thought a hotel on the outskirts may be the best option too, but not sure where the tube stations go to really. Will have to find a map!

I was going to suggest a hotel on the outskirts near to a tube stop in the same zone then thought perhaps you were planning on going round London over the weekend. I couldn't recommend any hotels really but I would imagine they will be cheaper at least.

I stayed in Prince Regent hotel near the Excel during the queens jubilee weekend.

It was a lovely little hotel with really nice people and breakfast and a 5min walk from the DLR underground which is a good line to most places.

We drove straight in with no traffic problems and the hotel has loads of free CCTV'd parking.

It was really cheap as well, although we didnt book direct with them, it was with booking.com iirc.
http://www.princeregent-hotel.com/

Always stay in the Britannia International at Canary Wharf when I head to London. Great hotel and 2 mins walk to the tube. Not sure of actual room prices as I get a discount due to knowing the manager.

If you're coming down from the north it'd make sense to stay somewhere near north London. Canary Wharf is a good trek away from there, if you want to stay centrally then I'd suggest somewhere around Paddington maybe as its accessible and its where the Heathrow Express goes from. Its also straight down the Edgware Road, which comes from North West London, where the M1 ends.

Its outside the congestion charge and there are tons of tubes/buses to get wherever you want into London too.

You could, if you're not worried about a central location and dont mind driving to Heathrow, stay in a hotel in Watford or just after the M1 around Brent Cross, Edgware, Hendon, Borehamwood or Harrow. They're all within an hour or so of Heathrow driving.

I drove to Heathrow twice a couple of weeks back, both times in rush hour... and it wasn't bad at all, straight in and out no problems

tho I was just dropping off / picking up, so no parking etc...

I'd be tempted to just find one near Kings Cross - easy to get to via M1/A1 from up north, centrally located with several tube lines from the station including the Picadilly line which will take you all the way to Heathrow for the price of an underground ticket....

Quote from: Adrock on September 06, 2012, 22:08:43 PM
If you're coming down from the north it'd make sense to stay somewhere near north London. Canary Wharf is a good trek away from there, if you want to stay centrally then I'd suggest somewhere around Paddington maybe as its accessible and its where the Heathrow Express goes from. Its also straight down the Edgware Road, which comes from North West London, where the M1 ends.

Its outside the congestion charge and there are tons of tubes/buses to get wherever you want into London too.

You could, if you're not worried about a central location and dont mind driving to Heathrow, stay in a hotel in Watford or just after the M1 around Brent Cross, Edgware, Hendon, Borehamwood or Harrow. They're all within an hour or so of Heathrow driving.

Agreed with this, dont stay in the Wharf / East London because you'd be the wrong side of London.

I'm having to drive from Greenwich (South East) to Heathrow tomorrow morning. No fun.

Thanks a lot for the replies guys

I will check out the hotels you recommend.

Being central or west London would be best I think, as we will be travelling less over all.

Isn't around Kings Cross station really busy?! I've been there on the train a few times, and when I've stepped outside, it seemed rammed?

I still don't fancy driving in to Heathrow to be honest So tube will be less hassle for me I think

Quote from: chrisdicko on September 07, 2012, 11:02:38 AM
Thanks a lot for the replies guys

I will check out the hotels you recommend.

Being central or west London would be best I think, as we will be travelling less over all.

Isn't around Kings Cross station really busy?! I've been there on the train a few times, and when I've stepped outside, it seemed rammed?

I still don't fancy driving in to Heathrow to be honest So tube will be less hassle for me I think

Check on tfl.gov.uk for how easy it is to get to Heathrow on public transport from the hotels you look at. Basically you'll need to get to Paddington then get the Heathrow Express train.

There are of course hotels at and near Heathrow airport if you're not trying to visit London at the same time.

He can get the tube to Heathrow without having to fork out for the Express train, just needs to make his way onto the Picadilly line from wherever he ends up staying as Dave said:

Whoever said stay in Kings Cross is on smack. It's central, busy as f**k, and a nightmare to drive around.

If you are driving to London then your best bet is to stay on the outside, as close to the M25 as possible. I'd recommend Hounslow because you can get to Heathrow in about 10 minutes on the tube. It's a dump, but it's cheap and you'll be able to find a B&B with parking no problem. And it's just off the M25 so you'll be able to get there without any hassle driving.

Alternatively, if you want to stay somewhere else, like say Watford, then when you want to take your friend to heathrow simply hop on the M25 and drive around to the M4 and you're there. Do not worry about driving it's no big deal. It's sign posted from Brasil, and you can't really go wrong. It's not that busy as most people are on the tube. I always drive to / from heathrow because that's where I rent my cars from as it says me battling through traffic from Wimbledon.

I've stayed in the Hounlow/Heathrow area a couple of times.  Both having driven down there from the North and getting a train.

I would just look at the Travellodge/PremierInn/Insert Acceptable brand here on Bath Road/A4.  They all have car parking, just drive down to the M25 and get off at 15/14/13 depending how busy it is and just make your way their.  The Heathrow Premier is nice enough.

In terms of getting into London while you are there, just hop on a bus that goes down Bath Road or make the 20 minute walk to Hounslow station which is the nearest.  It takes 1/2 hour on the tube to get to Hammersmith and beyond.

I was in London for the Olympic opening to see the next dayVolleyball, I could have took the train down or drove, either would have been easy, just with lack of luggage and wanting to drink, I took a train to Euston and tubed over to Hounslow on the Piccadily line, dropped my luggage off and took the tube back into the city.  It's simple and stress free.