46 Norfolk Square, Hyde Park, London W2 1RT (020 77 23 35 60)
United Kingdom
For room prices,
keep in mind seasonal changes. Check the hotel finders for the current prices!
First off, two great hotel finders for the UK. One for all of the UK
Smoothhound
and one mainly for London
Cheap
London Hotels
It was my first exposure with
these systems and I was initially suspicious as hell, but both ended up being
highly reliable and helpful in securing the lodging I needed.
London
London - St. George Hotel
46 Norfolk Square, Hyde Park, London W2 1RT (020 77 23 35 60)
Truth be told, you've got to spend some money in London to end up in decent accommodations. Budget here, is in every respect well below what you will get anywhere on the Continent for the same price. That's just a fact of life here. London is outrageously expensive, but if you can handle rain, lots of it, there are times of the year when it is more reasonable. The rest of the time you simply won't get much value for the money. The English hotel finders often save you much money versus trying to contact the hotel on your own and making your own deal. This hotel is well situated, and just a couple of minutes from Paddington Station. I arrived at Waterloo Station in London on the EuroStar train that goes through the Channel Tunnel. There I switched to the Tube to ride the subway to Paddington station (one train change is required). Straight across the street, if you're exiting from the main part of the station, or two right corners if you're exiting from the small exit. Then to the first big open space with a small central park and that is Norfolk Square. Hang a left, notice the Laundromat on the right, facing the park, and there, nearly at the end of the street, is the Hotel St. George. Barring alternatives, it'll do. There is a very nice, Indian-run Internet café just around the corner, across from Paddington Station. Again, the location is very convenient, since Paddington Station provides, via trains or Tube, access to nearly every other part of London and via trains to the rest of England. Hide Park, a large supermarket, and other interesting areas are in convenient walking distance.
York - St.
George Hotel
Actually it's a neat little B&B
Check for rates, excellent breakfast included
This is a bed and breakfast that I can honestly recommend. Owned by a young,
dogs and kids loving couple. The breakfast is excellent and, since the husband
is also a chef, at time he offers (for a price, of course) to cook one of his
excellent creations for his guests for dinner. I had a bear of a time finding
the place. Actually, it is on a street across from a racecourse, in a place
they called the bottom of the hill. There is a bus that stops nearly at the
corner of that street. The direction is to the right from the station, then
another right and a 10-minute walk. I liked the little place as much as I liked
York. A lovely place, with it's great wall and huge minster, and maybe my favorite
city in the UK. Once familiar with the layout of the town, I easily walked from
the B&B into town, though a bus stop is very conveniently located on the
main road across from the race track.
Highly Recommended
Since I had a serious problem with my reservation with the Ferncourt Hotel In
Newcastle Upon Tyne, I was unable to visit Hadrian's Wall, which will necessitate
another trip to England some time in the future. There is also still unfinished
business in Liverpool, and in Somerton.
Edinburgh
Gilmour Bed And Breakfast
No 45 Gilmour Road, Newington
Edinburgh (01 31 667 3536)
Excellent
breakfast is included (it's a B&B, after all).
Edinburgh
bed & breakfast
I pushed on to Edinburgh and ended
up in an excellent bed and breakfast place. The friendly couple even came to
collect me, when I was lost. The place is in a great residental area away from
downtown, close to a nice shopping mall. It hasn't even got a sign outside,
advertising the business. Transportation was no problem, since all-day bus tickets
are cheap and the bus stops close. The proper stop, after leaving the Edinburgh
railroad station is the last one before the roundabout - traffic circle - (I
recall buses 88, 8, and one or two more going in that direction). I highly recommend
this one. The rooms are spacious and the price reasonable and they serve a nice
breakfast there. From there it is easy to take the buses into town and use Scottrail
or tour buses to range all around Scottland, and I sure did. In fact, just riding
the buses to the mainstation and from there all around town and to the beach,
is a very interesting and inexpensive city tour in itself. A great little laundry
place is on the left side of the road away from the B&B and a couple of
bus stops in direction downtown. You drop the laundry bag off in the morning
and can pick everything up, clean and folded, in the late afternoon. What luxury!
The excellent shopping mall is in the opposite direction, away from town and
just on the other side of the traffic circle. Truly a home away from home.
Highly Recommended
Liverpool - Dolby Hotel
Coffee, tea, hot cocoa in room (you make it).
Nice, newish, clean, not cheap,
right on a canal connected to the Mersey River and a bustop or 15 minute walk
away from Albert Dock. When I was there it was raining the entire time, day
and night, and I was unable to hang around and wait for the Beatles Tour to
take place. If it indeed had gone at all that day. They have a nice dining room,
but everything is priced for the business people and weekenders from London.
Part of the revitalization of the old industrial and harbor town are some huge
shopping malls and modern business office complexes. Property is cheap, however.
Albert Dock too, is a thoroughly modernized and renovated dock area that is
now a tourist center, four-star hotel and mall. To get here you must take a
cab from the station or have your own car.
Recommended
