Philbeach Hotel

[Guest Jonboy69]

I am planning a trip to London late next fall.Has anyone stayed

at the Philbeach Hotel (Earl's

Court) ? Any information about

the hotel would bea great help.

[+ glutes]

Yes, twice - been 3 years since last visit.

Don't believe all the pics and promos in Sparticus, it is a bit of a tacky fire trap, and I hate having to go down the hall for a shower or toilet. DOn't know if they have functional heat, so pray for warm weather.

Now the good views:

- Very easy access from Heathrow with the Earls Court tube Station. Also easy walking distance to Villa Gianni, and some of the gaybars.

- Safe area, has a great restaurant on site with great garden. The breakfast is so-so.

- There is a cross-dresser / 'tranny' bar in the basement which I never stuck my head in...

[CT Dick]

Do you have any suggestions for private-bath, inexpensive/moderate hotels in Earl's Court area?

 

Dick

[trilingual]

I think Tomcal mentioned a good Holiday Inn in Cromwell Road; you might go to their site and see what they offer.

 

Also, check and see if Best Western has any properties in the area. I was surprised to see just how many places they're in, and they often have very good specials offered on their website. I stayed at a very nice BW in Recife, Brazil and paid about half the rack rate by using the web. Also got a good rate in Vancouver the last time I went there.

[+ glutes]

Some else on this Board suggested the Thistle (0f British chain name), it is near Marble Arch -and purportedly in the same block of the venerable City of QUebec, the major rent lad bar in London.

Further view of the Philbeach, all the staff was gay and quite friendly and helpful during my 2 stays there.

(Hope all this helps, London is expensive!!!!)

[SFViking]

Yes, the staff at the Philbeach is gay and friendly, and the hotel may have been quite the place in the '70's; but they haven't done a thing with it since then. I wasn't expecting the tranny influx; made me think that all Brits wanted to put on a skirt and a pair of heels. There's GOT to be a better gay hotel in London.

[buzz]

It is truly a dump! And no bargain either. It's only advantage is location. I would suggest you surf some of the gay travel guides on the net. I think there's one called Gay London which has a lot of useful information.

 

Also there is a nice discreetly gay-friendly hotel called the Swiss Cottage Hotel. Check out its site: http://www.swisscottagehotel.co.uk

 

Also there are some good gay B&Bs.

 

Have fun. London is a great city.

 

buzz

[Guest ManhattanMan]

Friends of mine and I went to London 2 yrs back. They stayed at the Philbeach because they got a better "deal" than my room next door at the New York Hotel. (Philbeach had holes in the door instead of doorknobs....that kind of place). Within minutes they had cancelled their room and were begging for a spot at the New York. Mind you, the NY was not fancy either, but under $80 at the time and not detectably slimey.

 

That being said, Philbeach does have friendly staff, a decent restaurant and a bar. If Gino is still waitering there, you're eyes are in for a feast. "TV" night at the bar is a stitch as the local dowager matrons transform the scene.

 

Enjoy London.