London location to stay

[Cactus527]

We'll be coming into London for a few days before moving on via train. Considering that we come into Heathrow, we want to see the main attractions in London, we'd like to NOT stay somewhere we feel we could be mugged at night, and we'd like to be closer to a main train station to head to Southhampton, where/what area would you recommend staying in? Any specific hotels/places are appreciated too. Thanks!

[Ray]

Covent Garden is a nice location, very central within walking distance to most sights. Depending your budget you have The Savoy and directly opposite the less expensive Strand Palace.  There are other hotels in the area also. 

Very safe area even to walk about at night ( which is something you should actually do ) 

[Pattycruise]

I stayed at Comfort Inn  victoria.

it is very close to the train and bus station.  Across the street is a pub (kitchen closes before 10 and bar closes at 11)  2 blocks down there are other pubs and eateries.   I’m used to work in NYC and felt safe here.  In this topic I have a thread London to Southampton, for some reason I can’t link it, it has small pieces of other info

 

[FionaMG]

The best London station for trains to Southampton is Waterloo. The cheapest ticket option is usually what's called "Advance". These generally go on sale about 12 weeks ahead of your travel date. Once they go on sale, the earlier you book the better the price. I have seen tickets from Waterloo to Southampton for under £10. However, your ticket will only be valid for the specific train you book, so make sure you can make it. If you miss it, you'll have to buy a full-price ticket for the next one.

As far as hotels are concerned, I've stayed at the Hampton Inn Waterloo, which is just a couple of minutes walk from the station. There are eating places in walking distance and we felt perfectly safe walking back after dark. It could be a good choice for you, especially if you're not looking for upscale accommodation (it's a typical Hampton, of course with the benefit of an included breakfast) and/or have Hilton points. Also, if you happen to have a sports affiliation, this Hampton Inn offers MVP pricing (or, at least, it did when we stayed there).

If you prefer to stay near Victoria, then the National Express coach is your best bet because the trains from Victoria take much, much longer than the ones from Waterloo. For the best price on the coach, book as far in advance as you can. There is a small upcharge if you want to reserve specific seats on the coach. They DO sell out so don't hang on in the hope of getting a last-minute promo ticket because the chances of that happening are slim to none.

[putinbay]

A few weeks ago, we stayed at the London Marriott Hotel County Hall. It was nice! Like the Hampton Inn Waterloo mentioned above, it's right near Waterloo station. We took the Heathrow Express from Heathrow Airport to Padding Station, and then we transferred to the Waterloo train at Paddington. Total time from Heathrow Airport to the Marriott was roughly 45 mins. Not too bad...