Post Captain

I've never stayed here myself, but I've walked past the Westin many times and am very familiar with the area. It's an excellent location, just across the street from the Hudson River Waterfront Walkway; many rooms should have views of the river and of the Manhattan skyline.

These two short videos will give you a glimpse of the hotel, as well as a good idea of the immediate surroundings:

Veteran CC member Cotswold Eagle, from the UK, stayed here a couple of years ago and posted an extensive report (and several photos); as I recall, his experience was extremely favorable. A search on the East Coast forum should enable you to find the thread with his report.

Although it's possible to get to the Westin from EWR by public transportation, I would follow Carol's (138east) suggestion and take a taxi. Likewise, a taxi or car service would be the most hassle-free way from the hotel to Cape Liberty; or, you could take the Light Rail train (which stops just around the corner from the hotel) to 34th Street in Bayonne, and then take a taxi from there the rest of the way (two miles or so) to the cruise terminal.

Which hotels in Jersey City have the best view of the harbor? I would imagine their rates are higher because of the view.

Several of the hotels in JC have some rooms with views of the Hudson and the Manhattan skyline, but the one in which virtually all rooms have such views would be the Hyatt Regency on the Hudson:

http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g46531-d246778-Reviews-Hyatt_Regency_Jersey_City-Jersey_City_New_Jersey.html

It's built on the foundations of an old pier jutting into the Hudson River. These brief videos show the exterior of the hotel and will give you a good idea of the setting and the views:

This video has views of the Hyatt Regency from the river. Skip ahead to about 2:45 in the video, and then again to 3:40 onward:

Thanks Post Captain (it's John, right??)

 

Honestly I'm not worried about the Robert Treat too much for myself. My train from Boston doesn't get in until 8:30 pm, so I'm assuming I will "dine" prior to getting there. I'm planning to take a cab go from NPS to the hotel.

 

The following morning I will eat the free breakfast, take the hotel shuttle to NPS and then PATH and light rail to Bayonne (senior rates with Smart card = $2.05 for both) and then a cab into the port.

 

I'm looking forward to experiencing the hotel and the surrounding area so I can determine if I feel comfortable recommending it to out of towners. I got a great rate ($95.39 tax incl), but that's the dead of January when Newark is even less of a vacation destination than other times of year!

 

Thanks for the restaurant suggestion. I'll keep it in mind for next time.

Carol, that sounds like a good plan. I'll be interested to read your impressions of the Robert Treat and the surrounding area after you return. (And, of course, your impressions of the Quantum.)

By the way, there also are two light rail lines that run from stops near the Robert Treat to Penn Station; about a three-minutes' ride. With the Robert Treat having its own shuttle, hotel guests won't need to use the Newark light rail, but that's just something to keep in mind for folks who might want to avail themselves of public transit. (Though the system in Newark could be confusing and perhaps a bit intimidating for some visitors who aren't familiar with the area.)

Cheers, and bon voyage,

John

I am staying at the Robert Treat in downtown Newark next week the night before sailing on the Quantum. I will report back on my experience - arriving by train from Boston the evening before, taking the hotel shuttle to Newark Penn Station in the morning, PATH to Exchange Place, light rail to Bayonne, and a cab into the port. The Robert Treat is almost always reasonably priced, but I can't tell until I stay there whether it could be a suitable hotel to recommend to folks from the less urban areas of the country.

Carol, I just noticed your post, and wanted to reassure you about the location of the Robert Treat Hotel. While I can't vouch for the hotel itself, I can tell you that the immediate location is a relatively safe and attractive area in the downtown Newark business district, just about a half mile from Penn Station. (Just take the usual precautions you would in any unfamiliar urban area, and you should be fine.) One side of the building faces an attractive park (Military Park); the other side faces the New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJ PAC), where we often attend concerts.

If you're looking for a nice place for supper, I recommend Nico's, right in the NJ PAC complex. It's very popular with concert- and threatre-goers for pre-concert/ pre-show dinner and drinks:

http://www.njpac.org/plan-your-visit/dining

http://www.nicokitchenbar.com/index.htm

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/06/30/nyregion/a-review-of-nico-kitchen-bar-in-newark.html?_r=1&

http://www.jerseybites.com/2012/04/curtain-up-in-newark-nico-kitchen-bar/

(Coming out of the main entrance of the Robert Treat on Park Place, turn right--you'll see NJ PAC straight ahead of you, about 100 yards away, directly across Center Street.)

rclibertygirl5, just adding my voice to that of the previous posters here to reassure you that, yes, this is in fact one of the safest and most convenient areas where you could stay. There are no "dodgy" stretches or run-down buildings between the Doubletree and the Newport PATH station or anywhere nearby--quite the contrary, you'll find yourself on a clean, well-lit, well-traveled boulevard with a mix of modern office buildings, restaurants, and upscale condos and shopping facilities. The place is not deserted after dark; you'll encounter plenty of other pedestrians strolling along happily.

The PATH trains themselves are modern and clean. Most of your fellow PATH-riders will be people much like yourselves coming home to Jersey City from New York City. It's just a five- or six-minutes' walk from the Newport PATH station to the Doubletree along Washington Boulevard.

Of course, muggings can happen anywhere, but the difference between the Jersey City waterfront area here and certain other urban areas is like night and day. Not only won't you be afraid--you'll be positively impressed. When you return home you'll be telling your friends and neighbors what a great location this is!:)

Will be sailing on the Queen Elizabeth this Saturday (10th Jan). Trans Atlantic to New York then on to Fort Lauderdale. Weather forecast looks frightening. Anyone done this crossing in these conditions. Google weather for Saturday and Sunday are gale 8 to 9 rising to storm 10 with high/ rough sea. I am quite a good 'sailor' but not been out in this sort of weather . Hardydog

Hardydog, I envy you. We did the January transatlantic crossing on the Elizabeth last year, and only encountered force 9 conditions, lasting for several days after departing So'ton.:D There was a massive storm centered around Iceland; Captain Wells attempted to avoid the worst of it by steering us on a southwesterly course toward the Azores before turning westward toward New York. He also slowed the ship considerably; however, we arrived in NYC right on schedule.

These videos from that voyage may give you some idea of what to expect:

Bon voyage!

On 6th Ave between 32nd and 33rd...in the Manhattan Mall. You'll see the big JC Penney signs. There are small signs (I think blue) with a stylized letter "P" that mark the PATH station entrance.

Yes indeed.:)

An internet search just led me to this web page:

http://subwaynut.com/path/33/index.php

... where there are a few photos that might be helpful for folks who are unfamiliar with the area.

First, the PATH and subway entrance referred to above:

http://subwaynut.com/path/33/33_3.jpg

Take the escalator (going down) just inside the door, followed by just a few stairs, and voila!--you're there.

View from the bottom of the escalator (looking back up toward the escalator):

http://subwaynut.com/path/33/33_9.jpg

And looking down those stairs toward the PATH station concourse, from the same spot:

http://subwaynut.com/path/33/33_7.jpg

The small elevator at street level, just a few feet away from the entrance shown in the first photo:

http://subwaynut.com/path/33/33_4.jpg

There are a several other entrances to the station, but the one shown in the first photo is the easiest and most pleasant to use.

Thank you both so much! I haven't looked at Hotwire yet, and hadn't even thought of it. We've only booked once on Priceline or Hotwire, and that was for a Boston 4* that someone said would def get us the Sheraton, which it did.....

 

I think we're planning on 2 days ahead, so we can venture into the city to see the Memorial. And from all I've read here, I see that it's pretty easy to get there via public transportation from the Jersey City Hotels. How about from Hoboken if I had bid and got a hotel there?

 

Thank you both so much for your input. I really appreciate it - this being our first time sailing out of there and feeling like foreign territory! LOL!

You're welcome.

To answer your question about getting over to New York City--yes, it's super easy from Hoboken (via PATH train or ferry, both located a very short, easy, scenic walk from the W) and from Jersey City/Newport.

The following websites provide all the travel info you'll need:

PATH (for the underground/under-river train to Manhattan):

http://www.panynj.gov/path/

(You'll see that there's currently no weekend service between Exchange Place [Jersey City] and the World Trade Center, due to ongoing maintenance work in the tunnels. But don't be alarmed, full service should be restored well before next May!:) In the meantime, there's substitute ferry service.)

NY Waterway (for ferry routes & schedules between Hoboken/Jersey City and Manhattan):

http://www.nywaterway.com/

NJ Transit Light Rail (for light rail service between Hoboken/ Jersey City/Newport/ Bayonne):

http://www.njtransit.com/sf/sf_servlet.srv?hdnPageAction=LightRailTo

(The relevant light rail line is the Hudson-Bergen Light Rail.)

And now you'll be able to find your way around the area without it feeling at all like foreign territory!:):D

I've read a bit on this board about sailing out of Bayonne - from my notes and memory - this is what I have surmised. Please let me know if I am right....or wrong and what I can do to correct if I am incorrect.

 

We are sailing out of Bayonne May 6, 2015.

We are looking at hotels in the Jersey City/Newport Area. There are the hotels we are considering:

Courtyard Marriott

Candlewood Suites

Doubletree

Are there any other hotels worth considering in this area?

There are also two other hotels in the immediate area:

--- The Westin (just half a block down the street from the Doubletree)

--- Hyatt Regency Jersey City on the Hudson (built on the foundations of an old pier jutting into the Hudson River; fairly close to the Candlewood Suites)

Without looking up prices, I'd venture that these are the two most upscale of the five hotels on or near the Jersey City waterfront. All five hotels are conveniently located, and (without having stayed in any of them, but knowing the area very well), I'd guess that any of the five would suit your purposes.

There's also a W in Hoboken, just north of Newport; probably more or less on a par with the Westin. Roughly the same travel time and travel cost getting there from EWR and thence to Bayonne as with the five Jersey City/Newport hotels.

Not sure if this will be a factor for you, but most of the rooms in the Hyatt Regency will have views of the Hudson River and the Manhattan skyline, as will many of the rooms in the Westin and the W. All of the hotels on your list are just a block or so from the Hudson River Waterfront Walkway, so at any of them you can pop out the door and find yourself gazing at the river and the skyline.

I'll let other posters confirm the transportation details and prices; but, just off the top of my head, most of what you listed generally sounds about right to me.

What are my options for us to go from Hilton Newark Airport to Carlos Bakery Hobooken to The DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Metropolitan 569 Lexington Avenue on Saturday morning Nov 29/14? We will have luggage but are able to handle it fine.

... you should know up front that it is not going to be fun trying to make the trip using mass transit. Basically, you'll need to take your hotels' shuttle back to EWR, take the AirTrain to the NJ Transit rail station, take NJ Transit one stop to Newark Penn Station, take a PATH train from Newark Penn Station to Journal Square, transfer to another PATH train headed toward Hoboken, and walk to Carlo's. You'll then take PATH into Manhattan, followed by a subway...maybe more than one subway...;)

MattR ~ The route outlined by njhorseman, above, should be the cheapest way from EWR to Manhattan by way of Hoboken, although not the easiest. (In travel, cheapest and easiest rarely converge.:eek:;))

However, it can be done. The PATH website will be useful in planning the trip:

http://www.panynj.gov/path/

Carlo's is an easy five- or six-minutes' walk from the Hoboken PATH station. To see the route on Google Maps, use the "Get directions" function and put "3 Hudson Place, Hoboken, NJ" as point A and "95 Washington St, Hoboken, NJ" as point B.

Tip: When exiting the PATH train at Hoboken, walk forward, go through the turnstiles, and then immediately bear left--there's a small elevator that will take you up to street level in the general vicinity of point A on the map, just outside the Hoboken Rail Terminal.

To continue on to Manhattan after making your purchase at Carlo's, return to the PATH station (via the elevator you came up on), board a PATH train going to 33rd Street. From there, you'd probably be best off taking a taxi the rest of the way to the Hilton, as 138east advises--it's a longish walk, and the subways are no fun with luggage.

My husband and I are staying at the Hilton Newark Penn Station and plan to go to the 9/11 Memorial Museum the morning of Nov 30th. I understand the PATH going to the World Trade Center area is usually closed on the weekends due to construction, but I was wondering if anyone has heard if they are going to make an exception for the Thanksgiving holiday weekend?

 

If not, what transportation route would you suggest for us to take to get from Newark Penn Station to the museum?

 

Also, after the museum we plan on heading to the Gershwin theatre to see a matinee showing of Wicked. Any transportations suggestions for this would also be appreciated!:)

 

Thanks,

Sarah

As far as I know, PATH will be operating on a regular weekend schedule on Thanksgiving weekend.

http://www.panynj.gov/path/holiday-schedule.html

Which means, no service between Journal Square and the World Trade Center.

However, there are several other ways to get from Newark Penn Station to the World Trade Center. Probably the easiest would be to take a New Jersey Transit train from Newark Penn to New York Penn Station, then subway from NY Penn to Lower Manhattan.

NJ Transit trains run frequently; you can look up specific times here:

http://www.njtransit.com/sf/sf_servlet.srv?hdnPageAction=TrainTo

From NY Penn, take either the 1, 2, or 3 train to Chambers Street or Rector Street and walk a few blocks from there to the WTC; the A or C train to Chambers Street; or the E train directly to the World Trade Center.

Going from the WTC area up to the Gershwin Theatre, take either the 1 train or the C or E train to 50th Street, which will put you no more than a couple of blocks away from the theatre.

This subway map might be useful:

http://web.mta.info/maps/submap.html

Before your first subway trip, purchase a MetroCard at the subway station. You and your husband can both use the same card. Info here:

http://web.mta.info/metrocard/

Just fyi: There's another alternative way from Newark Penn to Lower Manhattan using the PATH train system:

Take the PATH train from Newark to Journal Square; change at Journal Square to the 33rd-Street-bound PATH train directly across the platform. Get off at Christopher Street; walk (about 3 blocks, two tenths of a mile) from the Christopher Street PATH station to the Christopher Street/ Sheridan Square subway station and take the 1 train to either Chambers Street or Rector Street.

(As always, Google Maps is a great planning tool.)

Hope this helps.

I'm with Twickenham in preferring Google Maps to the TFL website. Given the vagaries of the TFL website, I've found that the Directions feature on Google Maps is easier to use than the TFL website, and seems to give clearer, more straightforward results. But maybe that's just because I'm a map geek who likes to see the actual route of my journey as I'm planning it.;):D

However--just out of curiosity--I wonder: Are the bus and underground directions/routes/times that are displayed on Google Maps actually derived, electronically, directly from TFL? I haven't yet tried a direct comparison.

By the way, if it's any consolation to travellers in London befuddled by the TFL website, the Trip Planner function on New York City's equivalent website (mta.info) often comes up with equally confusing results. For example, the MTA Trip Planner's directions tend to route you via the closest subway station to your starting address, even though taking a different train on a different line from a station just a little further away from your starting point could well give you a more direct and faster journey. The lesson here: These online journey planners are convenient up to a point, but there's really no substitute for local knowledge.

As for the OP's journey from Charles Street to Hampton Court: Personally, I'd take the Underground (Jubilee Line) from Green Park to Waterloo Station rather than Vauxhaul. But perhaps that's just because I like the bustle of Waterloo Station--being there always brings back memories of particular rail journeys to Southampton.:)

Hi, nj horseman,

 

Thank you so much.....my friends did not know where they were docking and I assumed it was Cape Liberty. Now, they are confused......but, it is great news for everyone! Thank you again!

 

Diane

Yes, Celebrity generally uses the Bayonne terminal as its home port for the Summit's cruises out of the NY metropolitan area. But, as nj horseman points out, on this occasion the Eclipse will be docking at one of the piers on the Upper West Side, as confirmed here:

http://worldshipny.com/port_sched_2014.shtml

(Scroll down to November 16/17.)

As this is an overnight visit, berthing in Manhattan will certainly make it much easier for her passengers to enjoy the delights of the Big Apple than if she were docked at Bayonne.* And much easier for you to meet up with your friends!:)

*(I imagine Celebrity would have had a mutiny on its hands if they had decided to dock at Bayonne for an overnight. 2,800 cruise passengers trying to make their way back and forth between Bayonne and Manhattan would not be a pleasant sight.:eek::D)

Jeffrey ~

As card-carrying members of the Winter Crossing Club, my wife and I thoroughly enjoyed our voyage aboard the Queen Elizabeth from So'ton to New York last January.

The sea conditions were as Scrapnana describes. That didn't hamper our enjoyment; in fact, it enhanced it. But then again, not everyone gets a thrill from experiencing winter storms in the North Atlantic.:D

Do fly over at least a day early; more, if your time and budget allows it. It's a shame to go all that way and not spend some time in England before boarding the ship for the return voyage.

The videos in this playlist should give you a bit of the flavor of a winter crossing on the latest Lizzie:

Bon voyage!

Sara ~

What a delightful story.

Your attitude toward typical "cruising" matches ours exactly. When you say "I would not ever care to set foot on board one of these floating mini Las Vegas behemoths again," you could have been quoting me.;)

And now you know that crossing the Atlantic on board a Cunarder is an entirely different experience that has little, if anything, to do with "cruising."

(For years, Mrs Post Captain and I have struggled to explain the difference between cruising and crossing to various friends and relations and anyone else who would care to listen... often without success. It's a pleasure to read a post from a first-timer who really gets it.)

Now you should really treat yourself to The Only Way to Cross, John Maxtone-Graham's classic book on the history of the North Atlantic crossing and the great liners that plied this route.

Congratulations, and welcome aboard!:)

Joshecho,

Just a quick response before Carol (138east) posts back with more detailed information for you re. the three hotels/locations you mentioned in your original post...

Budd Lake is nowhere near NYC or Bayonne; it's way out in the sticks, literally. Mrs Post Captain (who used to spend some time there in the summers when she was a child) says to tell you NO! NO! NO!

And we both would tell you NO NO NO to the Meadowlands View Hotel in North Bergen. I know nothing about the hotel itself, apart from the location--which is on an extremely busy road (Tonnelle Avenue) with heavy truck traffic, close to the confluence of a jumble of highways (routes 3 and 495, as well as I-95) that feed into the Lincoln Tunnel to Manhattan. It might be adequate for your needs, but it certainly would not be anywhere near my first choice. For further info, check out the reviews on TripAdvisor:

http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g46679-d98221-Reviews-Meadowlands_View_Hotel-North_Bergen_New_Jersey.html

I'm only vaguely familiar with Pompton Plains; again, I can only say that it isn't the most convenient place to stay if you want to make some trips into Manhattan.

Sorry to be so negative on these three choices, but I just wanted to steer you clear of making a mistake. I'm sure Carol will be able to give you some concrete, positive suggestions.

Thanks Post Captain

 

You're welcome!

We will probably be in line with the off peak times ..I am not an early morning person;)

 

Ah, you sound like me.:D

We probably will not be going to Oxford or Bath but I am sure others will benefit from the information

 

We are past the "have to see everything" stage ;)

Me too.;) (For what it's worth, I've been to every place mentioned in this thread so far, except Weymouth and Brownsea Island. Oxford more often than I can count; ditto, Bath.)

 

FWIW... Just to be contrary, in nearly 50 years of travelling throughout the UK I've never been to Stonehenge!:cool:

 

Lyn

Cheers, and bon voyage!

In a December crossing, you can expect weather in the North Atlantic to be 45 - 50 degrees F. Add to that, a windchill factor of your ship going 20 knots and you have a blast freezer. The best that can be said of a Balcony at this time and route is that it will let in lots of light -weather permitting.

Some of us enjoy those conditions so much that we actually seek them out.:p

And a January crossing is even better.;) The balcony is a great bonus, as you can see here:D:

Lyn,

Excellent advice from Corfe Mixture and from John Bull, as always. If I may just add my two cents'/ tuppence worth:

For all the destinations previously listed--with two important exceptions--off-peak return (round-trip) tickets purchased on the day at Southampton Central will be your least expensive option, and should be fine for all or almost all journeys you will make, as JB says.

The two major exceptions to this general rule are Oxford and Bath. There are an almost bewildering variety of tickets & fares between Southampton and Oxford /Bath (aka Bath Spa). If you are planning to visit either of these towns, you will save a considerable amount of £££ by purchasing your tickets up to 12 weeks in advance, online. (You collect the actual physical tickets at Southampton Central, or any station, at any time before you travel to Bath/Oxford.)

The only drawback to the Advance tickets is that you have to designate the specific trains (both going and returning) when you purchase the tickets; those tickets are only good for those specific trains.

As for which particular towns to visit, aside from Portsmouth--well, I'll let you and DH work that out between yourselves!:D

I haven't heard of the PATH trains. Are they quicker than the other trains? Where do they end up in NYC? How long do they take to get into NYC?

The following video (among others) will give you a good idea of what the PATH system & PATH trains are like:

On weekdays, the trains do get quite crowded during rush hour (especially going from New Jersey to Manhattan from, say, 7:30 to 9:30 in the morning, and from Manhattan to New Jersey from 4:30 to 6:30 or thereabouts in the evening), but otherwise you shouldn't have trouble getting a seat.

Incidentally, the fare just went up this week; it's now $2.75 one-way, with another increase promised (:rolleyes:) next year.

Thanks for the video Post Captain. It really shows how close the hotel is to the station, we would easily be able to roll our luggage from there! I think staying at the Candlewood suites will suit our needs just fine although I had better request a room away from the train tracks!!:)

You're welcome!

Yes, if the Harborside light rail stop was any closer to the hotel, it would be right outside the front door. In Jersey City, all the stops are pretty close together; you can also walk between the Candlewood Suites and the next stop (going toward Hoboken), Harsimus Cove.

The light rail trains are electric and fairly quiet--they're basically glorified modern trollies. The drivers do blow their horns sometimes, and you'll sometimes hear a clanging bell. In many places, the tracks run alongside--or actually on--roads, and the trains stop for red lights just as automobiles (usually:D) do.

Carol mentioned the "redevelopment." In fact, virtually the entire waterfront area of Jersey has been extensively redeveloped over the past 15 years or so. What was once a somewhat decrepit area with derelict piers, rail yards, and abandoned factories and warehouses now consists mainly of modern office buildings, upscale condos and townhouses, restaurants, stores, and marinas.

The promenade along the waterfront--the Hudson River Waterfront Walkway--is one of my favorite places to take long walks; the views of the harbor, the Hudson River, and the Manhattan skyline are stunning.

Here's a more accurate and sensible article, without the ridiculous comparisons to the Whatsit of the Seas:

http://maritimematters.com/2014/09/queen-mary-80th-anniversary-of-launch/

I am looking at the Candlewood suites Jersey City.

 

My question is, it looks like we can get from Cape Liberty cruise port using the light rail from Bayonne 34th street to Harborside which looks to a very short walk to the Candlewood suites. Is that doable with luggage?

Yes indeed. As Carol (138east) says, the Harborside light rail stop is very, very close to the Candlewood Suites--just a two- or three-minutes' walk.

 

The first minute of this video shows the hotel, as seen from the Harborside station platform:

You will have to get a taxi from the cruise terminal itself to the Bayonne 34th St station, as there is no pedestrian access to/from the terminal area.

It will be weekdays when we stay in November so the PATH to the WTC will be running, plus we can shop at the Newport Mall so do you think we would be better to go for the Candlewood Jersey City over the Holiday Inn in Secaucus?

 

Which do you think would be the better option? We plan to spend a day and a half in New York and another day shopping. :confused:

Personally, I would choose the Candlewood (or any of the other Jersey City hotels near the Hudson River waterfront, such as the Westin, Doubletree, Hyatt Regency, or Courtyard). On a weekday, this will give you quick & easy access to Manhattan, and you are just a few minutes from the Newport Mall.

Following normal disembarcation and immigration procedures, you certainly should be able to reach Penn Station with plenty of time to spare. In light traffic (though I wouldn't count on "light traffic"), the ride could take as little as 20 minutes, door to door; to be on the safe side, I'd allow 30 to 45 minutes.

See other threads for recommended car services and estimated prices. I'd definitely book a car service, as the queues for regular taxis outside the terminal can be quite long and slow-moving.

As far as I'm aware, there is a left luggage storage room in the Amtrak section of Penn Station. The fee is $5.50 per bag, and you will need to show your Amtrak tickets and a photo ID. However, assuming you arrive at the station any later than 10:30 or 11:00, you really won't have a tremendous amount of time to leave the station and do some exploring; ideally you should be back at the station by 1:30 pm at the latest to collect your bags and queue for boarding the train.

Solara ~

I wouldn't obsess too much over which of these two hotels and locations might be "better." Both areas have their pros & cons, but I wouldn't lose any sleep trying to decide which one to book.

I understand Orchestrapal's concerns about Victoria. That said, I wouldn't go so far as to say that you shouldn't even consider staying there. I've always found the area immediately around Victoria Station to be somewhat chaotic and tacky--it was that way more than 40 years ago, and it's that way now. But, as Twickenham says, the Premiere Inn Victoria itself is tucked away in a relatively quiet and pleasant setting. (And there's a Sainsbury's around the corner.) The fact that it's within easy walking distance of Victoria Coach Station might be a plus for you.

Also as per Twickenham, the Premiere Inn Westminster/Waterloo is definitely located in Waterloo (on the South Bank of the Thames), not Westminster. The hotel itself is a modern building, immediately adjacent to Waterloo Station, with good bus and tube connections to other parts of London. It's only a five-minutes' walk, if that, to the South Bank promenade, the location of the London Eye, Royal Festival Hall, etc.

Which one would I choose? It's hard to say, as I'm quite partial to Bloomsbury myself.

The reviews on TripAdvisor might help you make your decision.