Finding a hotel close to London.

One of the most frequent requests I am asked is how to find a hotel close to London without spending a lot of money or with free parking.

WHERE TO STAY?

Depending on the direction you are traveling towards London from I would normally either suggest a hotel or guesthouse within a few minutes' drive of the M25 or just on the outskirts of zone 1.

The cheapest options tend to be in areas such as #Watford or #Wembley for North West London. #Lewisham, #Blackheath or #Croydon are good areas for South London and #Stratford, Canary Wharf and #Ilford for East London. For North London, I would look at accommodation in Finsbury Park, Hampstead or Cricklewood.

CHECKING PUBLIC TRANSPORT

All of these areas are easily accessible to central London by public transport. A great website to find out details of how to get around London is the Transport for London website https://tfl.gov.uk/ . If traveling during a weekend it is normally worth looking at planned engineering works too on the train and underground lines.

Hotels and guesthouses often offer #parking but there can be catches involved. Always check how many spaces there are and if there is a charge. I have seen many hotels advertise online as having parking when in reality the hotel has more than a hundred rooms and a handful of spaces.

Some hotels are great and allow you to book a parking space. This is always my preferred option. If you are driving a #van or #lorry always check with the reception directly for height restrictions in the car park or if you will need to pay for more than one space.

In future blogs I will be looking at specific hotels within the greater London area that offer value for money and free parking too.