Kings Cross area

We are looking at staying at a B&B (Jesmondhotel ) that is near the Kings Cross station. It seems to have good reviews and will accomdate my family. Is this an okay area? We are going the end of June.

Thanks

There's a Jesmond Hotel (Goodge Street) and a Jesmond Dene Hotel (Argyle Street) - check the address you have. Goodge Street is not a bad area and is handy for the British Museum and Bloomsbury. Kings Cross itself isn't a good area (although south of it isn't too bad.) Keep well away from the north, especially at night.

Kings Cross is a very poor choice for Hotels.

Although the area of Kings cross has improved it was always known as a Red Light area.

There's a Jesmond Hotel (Goodge Street) and a Jesmond Dene Hotel (Argyle Street) - check the address you have. Goodge Street is not a bad area and is handy for the British Museum and Bloomsbury. Kings Cross itself isn't a good area (although south of it isn't too bad.) Keep well away from the north, especially at night.

Sometimes when I travel alone I have stayed in the Goodge Street area and felt safe/nice places to eat/and easy to get around.Just an FYI.

Although the area of Kings cross has improved

Yes, you get a much better class of hooker, rent-boy, or junkie hanging out there now.

ah -- okay I see -- yes, I see the difference between the 2 hotels. So far I think we are sticking with the one on Goodge Street. I think I just got confused. So it seems Bloomsbury is okay.

I also sent an inquiry to the luna and simon. It's been about 15 years since I was last in London and I am really having sticker shock with the hotels.

OT -- is it worth it to spend 1 of my pre-cruise nights in southhampton? Or for us and our 11 year old to just stay in London proper and do the touristy things with her?

ah -- okay I see -- yes, I see the difference between the 2 hotels. So far I think we are sticking with the one on Goodge Street. I think I just got confused. So it seems Bloomsbury is okay.

 

I also sent an inquiry to the luna and simon. It's been about 15 years since I was last in London and I am really having sticker shock with the hotels.

 

OT -- is it worth it to spend 1 of my pre-cruise nights in southhampton? Or for us and our 11 year old to just stay in London proper and do the touristy things with her?

London proper ,no comparison.

I can't think of a single area of London that I would think of as "nice" after dark.

There are some where I would be prepared to walk, before midnight. Probably none after that.

Having said that, Kings Cross and the surrounding areas are, notwithstanding the wonderful restoration of St. Pancras, fairly gruesome at any time.

Matthew

Yes, you get a much better class of hooker, rent-boy, or junkie hanging out there now.

And the reason you know this is???

thanks for all of your help -- We have it narrowed down to the Park Plaza Victoria and the Luna and simone now. Seems from what I am reading Victoria is the best (centrally located area). Now to just figure out our transfer logisitics and whethere we head back to heathrow to pick up an NCL transfer to southhampton or try to be brave with our luggage and get to Waterloo station for the train ourselves.

We stayed at the Luna and Simone last year 2 nights pre-cruise and it was a great choice for a "budget" hotel. Convenient to Victoria Station (but take a cab if you have luggage). We picked it based on TripAdvisor.com reviews

The staff was wonderful, rooms small but modern and clean, good breakfast included and walking distance to Buckingham Palace, HOHO buses, etc. Free internet pc. AC. Quite a few restaurants and a Sainsbury grocery nearby. No elevator so climbing up a few flights of stairs may be an issue. We ran out of energy fairly quickly each evening so we were not out late, but the area seemed very safe.

We hired a private car for our transfer to Liverpool station, for 4 of us and lots of luggage, it was 32 GBP which we considered a bargain (and cheaper than a cab), you may enquire cost to Waterloo which I would assume would be comparable. Luna and Simone arranged the private car for us and I would trust them. You might be able to do the tube to Waterloo, but I think it would be a bit difficult with luggage -- the train itself not a problem. I personally would do the train rather than a transfer from heathrow.

L & S was definitely a bargain, we paid around $150-160 a night with full breakfast if I remember correctly for late August.

Post Cruise we stayed 5 nights at the Chesterfield Hotel in Mayfair, a bit pricier at approximately double the cost of the L&S, but very well located, we discovered we could walk or take a quick tube ride just about anywhere in London we chose to go. I would consider it also very safe at night, with lots of places to eat just around the corner.

I think you would be very happy at the Luna and Simone.

with Luna and simone -- on Google maps it seems a fair jaunt (good 1/2 mile walk or more) to victoria station. Is it closer than it seems?

it probably is 1/2 mile, but it didn't seem to be that far -- we took the secondary streets to get there. One of our 4 didn't get around as well as we do, but she was able to do this walk without too much trouble. There are restaurants and shops just around the corner from the hotel, you dont have to go all the way to Victoria unless you want to catch the train or HOHO.

We used a cab from Victoria Station to the hotel with luggage but walked the rest of the time. Also there is a bus stop in front of the hotel which our friends used to get to some of the sights. Plus Pimlico tube station is about 2 blocks from the L&S.

One thing we learned about London was it was very walkable -- with a good map and a tube pass we went just about anywhere we wanted to go. I think your 11 year old would enjoy riding the tube and there is plenty to see that you could easily fill 2 days. I dont know about Southhampton as we left from Harwich.

Another idea is the Rubens Hotel, it costs more, but it is located within sight of Victoria Station and Buckingham Palace. Worth checking to see if there are any deals as it is a very nice place.

Thanks to the Brits who have given info about the safety of the King's Cross area.

We are travelling to London in May and we enjoy seeing the sights, but also in walking in some of the neighborhoods.

I have been trying to find out what areas to stay away from (we generally only sight see in the daytime) and so far we have the general idea that the King's Cross, Euston and Camden areas are best avoided.

We have booked in the Victoria area, mainly for easy access to the station for train transport to Dover.

We plan on concentrating on the Westminster, St. James, The City and Soho and Chelsea. Any problems with these areas.

Also, we are very interested in antique stores - where would be the best place to find these.

Thanks so much in advance for your help.

Soho is a wild and wooly looking place, and one where you could no doubt find plenty of mischief to get into without looking too much. But it's generally harmless during daytime and into the (early) evening hours.