Where to Stay

Where to Stay

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It probably doesn't matter that much which area you stay in London, as long as it is not too far out, and your hotel is near a tube station. But remember the tubes stop shortly after midnight - so if you will be going clubbing a lot, the choice of area is much more critical as the clubs are scattered across London. Here are a few pointers if access to the gay scene is important for you:

staying anywhere in the centre - i.e. within two or three stops from Leicester Square tube station: from here, you will more or less be in walking distance from the many gay bars and clubs which spread in crescent from Charing Cross across to Soho and up to Tottenham Court Road. Staying around Soho would be particularly good, with it village feel, and as it is alive through the night.
Earls Court area: convenient for Heathrow airport (on the Piccadilly line). If you are only in London for a night or two, you could feasibly spend all your evenings here sampling the local gay bars, clubs and restaurants. The bars in the Central Area (see above) are around 6 tube stops away, but getting back from clubs in that area would be difficult - although night busses do run through the night. Staying in Earls Court and clubbing in Vauxhall is, however OK - if you don't mind paying £8-10 for a cab fare back.
Victoria: particularly convenient for Gatwick airport. A good compromise - from here you can easily get to the bars and clubs in the Central Area, Vauxhall, or Earls Court (all are say 2-4 tube stops away). At a push you could walk back from clubs in Vauxhall (heading North over the river) or Central London - both would be 30-45 minutes walk.
Vauxhall and Brixton - these are rough areas, with little accommodation in any case.

Here is a selection of some of the gay hotels, and the odd straight one to give you a flavour what is on offer. Don't forget to check out the section in London on the Cheap for tips on bargaining down the price of a room....

Noel Coward Hotel
Around 20 rooms.
111 Ebury St., Belgravia. Tel. (0)20 7730 2094 Fax. (0)20 7730 8697.
Prices £50/£55 for single (without/with shower), £32.50/£35 per person for a double room, rates for rooms and apartments for 3 and 4 people are between £27.50-£35 per person.
If you have heard of the playwright Noel Coward, and fancy staying in a house where he actually lived, then this is the hotel for you. The Noel Coward is a small cosy hotel, around ten minutes walk from Victoria mainline and tube Stations. Rooms are comfortable - there is a selection ranging from singles up to four people (good value unless the other three all snore!). There are also apartments for two and four persons. If you stay seven nights, you should get the seventh one free - be sure to ask when you book. On the down side, checkout is a little early at 11am, and there is a 72 hours cancellation policy. To compensate you get a full English breakfast (presumably not for the apartments). Top

For tips on getting discounts on hotel prices check out:
'Cheap London'

Ebury Street and Elvis Presley:
Everyone who is famous seems to have stayed somewhere in Ebury Street at some time or another. Besides Noel Coward, Mozart composed his first symphony in 1764 at number 180, Michael Caine (Oscar winning actor) lived in a flat, and the Irish author George Moore (who the hell is he?!) lived at 121. If that wasn't enough, James Bond (British spy extraordinaire) lived at number 24. Well almost - in fact Ian Fleming, the author of James Bond lived there. To top it all, some people believe that Elvis Presley still lives as a recluse in the roof of one of the houses on this Street . . .

Philbeach Hotel
40 rooms. Earls Court map
30-31 Philbeach Gardens, SW5. Tel. (0)20 7373 1244 Fax. (0)20 7244 0149
Prices are £35 for a budget single, £50/£60 for a normal single room without/with facilities, £65/£85 for a double, £75/£95 for a triple. Prices are per room (not per person) and include continental breakfast. Discounts possible for 'long' stays - ask on booking.
The Philbeach is a very popular gay hotel in a quiet road in Earls Court. You should, however, bear in mind that the standard of furnishing of the various grades of room differ widely - so be sure you know what you are getting when booking. There are some really nice rooms (these are generally the ones with en-suite facilities), but the cheaper non-en-suite rooms can be very basic. You get what you pay for. Nevertheless, the Philbeach is very convenient for the Earls Court scene, has a very comfortable TV lounge and also a 'elegant and eccentric conservatory restaurant' (I have not seen any reviews for its food). Downstairs there is a discrete bar used mostly by the hotel guests, and also popular with an assortment of transvestites. At night, many of the guests seem to wander around the corridors looking to make new acquaintances - who said the English weren't friendly? Top

Regent Palace Hotel
around 200 rooms. 70 yards from Piccadilly Circus tube, two minutes from Old Compton Street.
The hotel is not quite on Piccadilly Circus, but curiously, it states that as its address. However, it is visible straight ahead up Glasshouse Street which buts onto the North side of the Circus. Tel. (0)20 7734 0716 Fax 7734 6435
Rooms without facilities are:
Single: £59 weekdays, £70 Fri/Sat , double £59/84, triple £85/99, quad £109/£128
Rooms with facilities are £99/£109 for either a single or double.
All prices are per room (not per person), tax and service inc, breakfast extra.
I have included this straight hotel (three star), for three reasons - because it is big, reasonably priced (insofar as hotels right in the centre of London are reasonably priced), and because it is brilliantly sited for the central gay scene - it is slap bang in Soho, and only a minute or two by foot from Old Compton Street. On the down side, it is fairly impersonal, and certainly not luxurious. But you will see that prices per person come down dramatically for doubles, triples etc. making it good value if you are sharing with friends. When you phone ask if they will give you a special rate if you are staying for more than a few days, or if you are out of season. If you don't fancy the hotel breakfast (which seemed pricey when I asked), there are loads of great cafes round the corner in Soho. Top

York House Hotel
around 30 rooms. Earls Court map
28 Philbeach Gardens SW5 Tel. (0)20 7373 7519, fax (0)20 7370 4641
Single £33/46 without/with facilities, £52/71 for a double/twin, £63/£83 for a triple, and £75/£92 for a quad. Stay 7 nights for the price of 6 - ask on booking.
This hotel is next to the Philbeach, and is generally cheaper. Certainly the entrance is not nearly so plush, and overall, the public areas have a more utilitarian feel. I have not stayed there, but I went in recently and saw a single standard room which seemed comparable with those of its neighbour. If cost is your prime consideration, then it is definitely worth considering. On the plus side, the York House provides a full English breakfast (if you can get up early enough to have it). However, if you are flying into London, bear in mind that the reception closes at 2300 - so you could have a problem if your evening flight is delayed (the Philbeach has a 24 hour reception). Top

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