Simon Calder's Holiday Helpdesk: Any top tips for staying in London?

Q Any top tips for staying in London near Hilton Park Lane? Cricket dinner to attend.

Richard Bishop

A The easiest way that I know of to find a reasonable deal in this high-priced part of the capital is to look on lastminute.com for a "Top Secret" hotel. Four- and five-star hotels in the Park Lane/Mayfair area often sell hard-to-shift rooms at short notice at prices well below normal rates.

The idea, of course, is that they don't "trash the market" by heavy discounting, yet can fill beds that would otherwise be empty. Take a look at the listings for Mayfair and Hyde Park, where I am seeing prices right now at well below £100 - remarkable value for the capital.

The hotel isn't always as "Top Secret" as it might be; on some online forums, such as moneysavingexpert.com, key phrases are linked to specific properties.

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