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September 23, 2021
London calling: September’s here and the theatre lights have switched on, while the clubs and restaurants beckon. The sights, the culture and the city’s many pleasures are ready to welcome newcomers and regulars alike. Time to plan for those long–awaited top London hotel deals. Time to admire London’s plane trees as they turn gold.
After all, it hasn’t been an easy Summer.
Perhaps you dream of being reunited with someone special; of hugging a far away family member; the opportunity to pack up your memories of the recent past; to wave goodbye to shared responsibilities. Or maybe you just want to experience a much–needed sense of freedom again.
But freedom needs an experienced handler these days: help with booking flights and trains in a world with new and changing rules; arranging activities, food, hotel rooms and now the PCR test. Red tape and deep pockets seem to be the order of the day.
So how does a deserving traveller like yourself navigate this brave new holiday world and find the best hotel deals in London?
As the capital’s leading independent hotel group, we’d like to share some insiders’ top tips about how to book affordable luxury hotels in London. And to point out that the words “affordable” and “luxury” are not mutually exclusive. We should know: we have landmark hotels in some of London’s most iconic locations. With packages that take in families, tours, and every kind of celebration. As well as health and relaxation.
Nevertheless, a lot of people have the idea that rugged individualism is the best way to save their hard–earned holiday cash. But this is often a false economy. And here’s why:
The room discounts on a package deal tend to be bigger as the hotel fills more slots in its outlets, and more of the events and experiences on offer are taken up. The logic is quite simple – it’s all to do with economies of scale. As an individual, you might be able to secure a reduced rate on a simple room booking, but the overall savings will be higher as part of a package.
Chances are you’re planning to do whatever is included in the package anyway. That includes eating out and going for a drink, but what about visiting a spa, or going to a salon or the gym during your stay? If that’s the case, it makes sense to book these as part of a package. That way, every element of your stay will be provided at a discount.
Not only do you make savings on your room, but you enjoy some of the very best hotel spas, as well as fine dining and the best hotel bars in London.
If the prospect of in house discounts doesn’t excite you because your room comes with free facilities anyway, consider this: should you want a discounted experience via an ‘out of hotel’ attraction, unless you secure it as part of a package, you’ll have all the hassle of calling the vendor and negotiating the deal yourself. You might have the time and appetite for that, in which case, well done, get a gold star. If not, then enabling that attraction to be grouped with your hotel package, allowing the hotel staff to do the work and create a deal for you, saves you time and probably gets a better rate than you could have secured by yourself.
This is one of the most pleasing tips: the hotels most likely to offer packages are the ones in the best locations, offering exciting activities. That’s why you can make more savings when you book with luxury central London hotels than by scouring the web for an affordable room that comes with none of your preferred benefits.
There’s more:
If you’re still looking for a way to save money, here are five tips for the shrewd holiday maker ~
It may sound like nerd–speak but the BAR (Best Available Rate) is a useful little acronym. It’s the rate that appears on a hotel’s booking page. This is the lowest rate offered when there is no agent’s commission to factor into the equation. While those ubiquitous price comparison sites claim to find the best deals, it’s often the case that the hotels’ own websites are the most fruitful places to start searching.
Don’t dismiss a city centre location because you automatically think it will be beyond your pocket. Hotels are in hot competition with each other, and you could find some great deals and offers in really fabulous locations. Rooms at some of the best located 4 and 5 star hotels in central London are within your reach.
Take a look at our Buckingham Palace Hotels, The Wellington and The Rochester – both in Westminster’s leafy St Vincent Square, but only a walk away from Big Ben, Buckingham Palace, Westminster Abbey, Tate Britain, and Harrods. Dignified luxury, quiet but close by London’s most powerful addresses, parks and a stone’s throw away from the London Underground.
Or consider Blue Orchid’s Tower Suites London. Contemporary, elegant five star suites with spectacular views of the Tower of London, Tower Bridge and the city skyline. Boutique dwellings, roof top terrace and bar, restaurant and spa – and more. A tranquil haven overlooking an iconic landmark, on the doorstep of the most historic sites of a great city and a great river. Family friendly: explore, celebrate or relax. The choice is yours. And a location tailor–made for Insta selfies.
Few of us understand how this works, but the Cookies that are placed on your browser by different websites actually work away in the background, and some are pushing up the prices as you browse. The more hours you clock up looking at flights or hotel comparison sites, the more those prices edge upwards.
You can make yourself invisible to the browser by using incognito mode, or simply make your choice on your computer, then use the phone to compete the reservation.
It may work to your advantage to book for a period of over three days. If you have a choice between two short holidays or one long one, it may make more financial sense to choose the latter.
Out of season holiday bookings are the best known way to save money on your holiday. And it works. School holidays, bank holidays, and Summertime are in greatest demand, and that’s when prices go up for London hotel offers and flights. Sometimes you can’t avoid travelling during those peak periods, but finding a way of dodging the crowds can save you a lot of money on your holiday.
Another factor to bear in mind is that peak and out–of–season periods vary from country to country, depending on the climate, location and the kinds of activities you want to take part in when you arrive at your destination. So if hot sunshine and beach barbecues are not top of your list, you could be in luck.
Having said that, the peak of Summer and the Christmas months are considered the two most popular travel times, globally. It’s also worth remembering that popular events will affect prices, so don’t forget to check the sports and festival calendars before booking time off work!