Can anyone advise on London accommodation beg. of April?

[Mountain Goat]

We've got long-term guests returning to us via London, April 1 - 5. Could anyone advise on a central apartment or good value-hotel for a mother and daughter, with good connections to LHR? I'm clueless about London, or at least, good value accommodation. They're A1 punters.

Also, and this is a long shot, teenage daughter wants to buy a prom dress for her graduation and needs a cheap clothing outlet. Not my field, but would have thought the States would be better value?

Any advice appreciated.

MG

[cromercrabholiday]

I worked for Whitbread in my last assignment and used Premier Inn (their brand) a few times. I found them competitively priced, clean and well laid out and friendly - you could do a lot worse and I'm sure that there will be one near Heathrow.

My daughter swears by Campden market for reasonable, interesting clothes.

John

[Martha]

This isn't a bad place to start.
http://www.timeout.com/travel/features/ ... otels.html

If they've got some money the Portobello would be perfect.

If not, try
http://www.themainhouse.co.uk/

It's worth checking the wonderful Rookery for last minute deals (though this is a bit close to easter for that :/)

http://www.hoxtonhotels.com/
Hoxton Hotel is getting a good reputation as a value place. I know of a few people who've stayed there and said it's good.

If they're going to be there for four days there's no real need to be close to Heathrow is there?(ugh!) I agree, the Premier isn't too bad as chains go

I will dig out and copy an old post elsewhere on things to do in London which might be handy, though I'm sure you know plenty too.

I would recommend Portbello Friday or Saturday for a prom dress (I guess they don't go in for those puffy-sleeve princess jobs at proms these days?)

She'd find something lovely and individual at a reasonable price there but as you say it will be expensive compared to US prices, especially for clothes. You only have one prom though so might we worth it for the right dress, and Portobello is very good for pretty clothes.

Other places would be Camden (but perhaps a bit too leftfield for US prom tastes?) and Brick Lane/Spitalfields on Sunday - again, might be a bit avant garde.

But both of these are well worth a visit anyway. Especially if you go to Camden on the canal boat trip, that's lots of fun. In fact if you're in Portobello, you can go to camden on the boat, enjoy the chaos, do some shopping, have lunch, get back on the boat and have a lovely peaceful ride back to Portobello. Lovely day out. We live right next to the canal so are planning a surprise version of this trip for rellies this summer.


Someone here has a lovely place in Greenwich, don't they? I can't remember who!

[memes]

Its always worth having a look through laterooms.com for late bargains..Then checking the place on Tripadvisor before booking of course..

M

[Mountain Goat]

Thanks, everyone - lots of great ideas, absolutely brilliant, and much appreciated and useful for the future, as we get quite a few enquiries like that. Maybe I'll get invited to the prom?

Will report back on take-ups.

MG