We got a great deal at the BW The Boltons in Earls Court

We stayed at the jesmond dene hotel near st. Pancras and kings cross. It's lovely, family owned and operated, and serves a delicious breakfast.

We stayed at the jesmond dene hotel near st. Pancras and kings cross. It's lovely, family owned and operated, and serves a delicious breakfast.

Have a look at the "top secret" hotels on lastminute.com - it's easy to work out what hotels they really are and you can get a good deal

AirBNB

or the Hoxton hotel? Not sure what they charge now but they used to be kind of famous for steep discounts.

Anonymous wrote:I don't understand your peculiar opposition to hotel chains, OP.

Not the OP but I don't understand people that prefer chains! Sure they are pretty much the same from city to city but some people travel in order to experience the charm of a place, and that includes local lodging.

Try Vancouver Studios or the New Linden, both in Bayswater.

Bayswater Inn

OP here - just a preference for non chains. That's because, if you are not going higher end, non-chains are often nicer because they are more homey and provide a little more atmosphere. When going budget, I find they often have more charm and are in more interesting locations. Not a huge deal breaker, but just a quirk about me I guess!

Thanks all - I'll check out the Earl's Court Premiere Inn too.

I don't understand your peculiar opposition to hotel chains, OP.

I know you said no chains, but we stayed in a Premier Inn which has family rooms in Earls Court last August. The hotel, while pretty basic, was actually on a really lovely residential street in a very nice neighborhood. It was only a one block walk to the Earls Court Tube station which is right on the Picadilly line and very convenient to get to and from the airport and the rest of the City. I think we paid a little over $200 per night for the 4 of us with the exchange rate at the time. I remember I had a hard time finding "reasonably" priced family rooms which is why we ended up at the Premiere Inn.

Thanks all - definitely possible, as I just used Expedia and sourced two possibilities in Bayswater in a neighborhood that I am familiar with from when I lived there in the mid-90s. The key is going to the sidestreets. They are not fancy for sure, but they do exist. Marble Arch is a good idea too so I may look there before booking. The no chain thing actually helps with price in my experience, if you are not going high end.

I would look at some if the smaller hotels near Marble Arch/paddington. We stayed in one years ago off Edgeware Road years ago. Nothing fancy, but served the purpose.

Everything in London is $$$. We stayed in a Hilton last summer and it was nothing fancy, but was over $400.

No offense, but I don't see any way you can meet this at all unless you go vrbo (3 nights is just about the minimum you could make vrbo work). On the other hand, there are tons of vrbo/homeaway/etc apartments in London.

Hotels for 4 people under $200 (130 pounds) are very hard to find, and the most likely candidates, like Premier Inn and Citadines Aparthotel seem to violate your "no chains" rule.

I'm looking to book a hotel for a family of four (two kids age 6) in London this summer for three days. I like non-chains and am hoping to spend $200 or less a night. Does anyone have one to recommend? Again, non-chain, more residential street, etc. I know rooms there are small and we may be walking up stairs, etc. Most familiar with Kensington, Bayswater, Notting Hill so hoping for something around there.