Hotel Recommendations - UK including London

Please post your recommendations of good Hotel and B&Bs in this thread - let's make it a resource for visitors to find somewhere to stay that's not merely good but GREAT!

Thank you, Marlespo, for your idea for this sticky thread.

-- Graham

P.S.  I'll jump in from time to time on this thread to tidy it up and keep the content as an on-topic and useful resource

Some starters:

Location - London, Docklands

If you want something a bit different, try the Hilton, 265 Rotherhithe Street.  Yes - really. It's in old warehouse buildings on the south bank of the river; I've stayed there many, many times and most rooms are excellent, river views watching the wild life, a couple of restaurants that are far better than you would expect in a chain.  It's a bit off the beaten track, so be prepared for their transfer bus from Canada Water tube or for a walk or bus from Rotherhthe tube and don't stay there if you want to walk "out of your hotel room and into a theatre".  This also means you can get some good special deals and prices that are not extortinate.

Hard to find a static link, but there's some information at http://www.milesfaster.co.uk/london-hotels/hilton-london-docklands.htm.  Also find it via http://www.hilton.com

Location - Ironbridge, Shropshire

Tontine Hotel, overlooking the world's first Iron Bridge.  Great area for a get-away weekend real old pub atmosphere - don't choose this place if you want air conditioning and all mod-cons, but do choose it for some real atmosphere!

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/ironbridge-gorge/Pub_Guide/Tontine_Hotel/the_tontine_hotel_at_the_ironb.html

Royal National Hotel, Bedford Way, Bloomsbury

This hotel is the largest in London.  It is a block from the Russell Square tube stop, convenient for Heathrow.  The Heathrow bus and a large tour bus company stop at the door.

The hotel is immaculately clean.  The staff are delightful and go out of their way to be helpful.

The rooms are decent sized, and all have a private bath.  The beds are comfortable.  The free breakfast is a good deal.  Not a fry-up, but cereals, toast, juices, coffe, tea.  The rate for a single is $38.

The best Chinese restaurant in London is on the ground floor of the building.  I had a beer and a delicious 3 course meal for GBP 10, including the tip.

I stayed there for a few days in January.  The only complaints I've heard about the hotel were from people who had to wait a long time in lines to check in during peak season.  

London Guards Hotel, London
http://www.londonguardshotel.co.uk/

When my family came to England for our wedding, we took them to London for 3 nights and they stayed at this hotel. None of us were expecting much, as every other independently run hotel David & I have stayed in while in London had been disappointing.

They loved their stay though. The family room where my brother & his family stayed was huge, had a sink & fridge etc, and with the little corner shop nearby they could buy their own sandwich & other small foods and keep it there. No problems with the room - very clean, very nice. Mom & Dad's room was just as nice.

The restaurant where youg et your breakfast is small, but completely adequate and had a normal cold breakfast buffet with toast. The reception was nice, the people and service was nice - and if you don't want room service & a pool it's a great place. In our experience anyway.

The location is fabulous. There are loads of hotels along this street (It's on Lancaster Gate, right near Bayswater) because you walk outside the door and you're literally in Kensington Gardens, so my family thought it was wonderful. A nice stroll across the gardens took us to Royal Albert Hall, and they got to see loads of things. It's right near Lancaster Gate tube station as well, and several restuarants nearby. Great location.

Their website says a Double room runs about £138, but I know Mom & Dad's double room was less than that, around £120 I believe. We booked through a discount hotel site though, not directly through the hotel. The family room (which held 2 adults and 3 kids) was about £150.

Euston Plaza Hotel, 17-18 Upper Woburn Place, Bloomsbury
newcomer link: http://www.euston-plaza-hotel.com/ [nonactive]

I was actually sent here after the hotel I booked in Paddington over-booked. I was pleasantly surprised.  It's not cheap, but it's a nice place to stay.

Chris

http://www.acorn-inn.co.uk/

This is where my wife and I stayed one wonderful summer.

It is in Dorset so convenient for  Lyme Regis, The Cerne Abbas Giant, Tolpuddle Martyrs Museum, and Thomas Hardy's Cottage (birthplace).

In fact, the Guest House has themed rooms based on Hardy's novels/ characters.

It also has an excellent  chef and very pleasant hosts who used to live in the US. 

...and its a nice place to celebrate things like engagements! 

Can I make another recommendation for the Dorset /Lulworth Cove, Durdle door area?

http://www.aprilthatch.co.uk/

As the web address suggests, it's a beautiful thatched cottage- we spent our honeymoon there and had an amazing time!

This is wildly off-topic, but you know what I'm like!

The Cerne Abbas Giant

This reminds me of my mother, when I took her to see a similar chalk figure the Long Man of Willmington, which is close to us here.  "Very nice, dear", she said, "but not - how shall I put it - quite so exuberant as the Cerne Abbas Giant"!

If you're not sure what she meant you can compare the two at

http://myweb.tiscali.co.uk/ukphotography/england_general_long_man_1995_0114.htm

and

http://freespace.virgin.net/philip.dunn/sites/cerne.htm

For a great place to stay in Mumbles/Swansea do try our favourite the Glenview. We have stayed there twice (incl our wedding night!), it is a beautiful place to stay and you will be well looked after.  Very comfortable house, tranquil sorroundings, helpful hosts and the best breakfast you ever had! Suitable for singles, couples and families. Approx £60 a night for a double with shower/bathroom.

http://www.mumblesglenview.co.uk/

We spent a night in London on our honeymoon at the Sherlock Holmes Hotel, a Hilton a few blocks from Baker Street station (as I'm sure you guessed.)

It was a bit pricy, but we had a very large, beautiful room with a wonderful bathroom (tub and excellent shower!)  The staff were incredibly friendly and the location very convenient.  They even let us keep our luggage in their safe *after* we checked out, so we could spend the day sightseeing.

Before I found my roommate, I had made plans to stay in a person's home through: www.welcomehomes.co.uk...I was going to stay in Marylebone, having my own room, sitting room & WC/shower...plus get fed breakfast every morning for only 33 pounds per night.  Not so bad, eh?  They have places in central London as well as the burbs. 

If you have a large family you can stay at a Travellodge pretty cheap. Its cheap and cheerful. I stayed at one in the Docklands near Canary Warf. They have a restaurant/bar and large rooms to accomodate families.
Pebbles

I highly recomend the The London Hilton Paddington.

We first used them for a weekend break for my birthday this year. We booked with them on a special deal which included breakfast, room, dinner on the first night, and tickets to the theater.

Tony has sinced used them for business purposes. He works for a company based out of Sweden that has programers all over the world. London has become the main meeting point for them. It cheep standard internet access and wireless access in the lounge areas of the hotel. Transport couldn't get any easy. The hotel literally is in Paddington station. The Heathrow express, trains to the west, four underground lines, busses and a taxi rank all within 5 min of your room.

A great website is the AA hotel section

Every half decent hotel in the UK is star rated by them on a scale of 1 to 5.

www.theaa.com/getaway/hotels/hotels_home.jsp [nofollow]