Room Near British Museum

Q: I intend to spend 2 or 3 days in London in late September, mainly to take in the wonders of the British museum. Although I can stay with friends about an hour's train ride outside London, I would rather have inexpensive accommodation within easy walking distance of the British Museum. Can you recommend simple, inexpensive accommodation with access to at least a clean shower, fairly close to the museum? As a middle-aged person who values their privacy, I would not enjoy a backpacker’s, but could settle for a B&B type accommodation. Ideally I would be looking for a room at under 50 pounds a night. - Brynne Evans

A: With the price of accommodation in central London, it is difficult to find a room to fit your requirements. There are, however, a number of small, one and two star hotels which you could try. I have found two that seem to suit you, but you can search for other available rooms by searching under "British Museum bed and breakfast" or "Bloomsbury cheap hotel". The first hotel I found is ideally located very close to the museum. The Ruskin Hotel is a family-run establishment offering bed and breakfast. A single-bedded room with a shared bathroom costs 50 British pounds per night, including breakfast. The hotel is located at 23-24 Montague Street (tel: +44 (0)20 7636 7388). The second hotel is in the Bloomsbury/Russell Square area and a little further from the museum, but still within walking distance. The St Athans Hotel has been run by the same family for generations, offering clean rooms and breakfasts. Rates start from 40 British pounds for a single-bedded room breakfast. The address is 20 Tavistock Place, Russell Square (tel: 44 (0)20 7837 9140 ). You can check out this hotel on the www.stathanshotel.com website. (26 July 2009)