Where to stay in London?

1) Best location would be within the circle line. Fire up google maps, turn on public transport, and consider anywhere within the yellow circle line. (which on google maps isn't very circular).

2) Consider getting a private room in a hostel. That gives you your space, and they offer self catering capability.

3) If you think you're too old for hostelling, you're not really. I'm older than you are :)

Thanks for your answer. Great recommendation of google maps. Thanks!

I dont consider myself too old for hostelling. In fact, London is the only city of our trip in which we are not planning to stay in a hostel.

Its just that everybody who have been to London told us is the greatest city in the world and that we should experience it full so we thought we could get a better experience of living in London by getting our own apartment for a week, but how do you feel about this? Any person who lives there for sure knows better than we do! Is this the better alternative looking for budget, location and nightlfe?

Thanks!

Personally I don't see the value add of an apartment vs hostels if there's just 2 of you, short of having more ability to shut the door from the rest of the world (bit harder to do that sorta thing when hostelling). That said, I've never used serviced apartments.

Perhaps http://www.airbnb.com might have something that suits if you want to go down this road. The trick with that is they're unlikely to be in zone 1 (which is everything on/inside the circle line + a few others - see the map at http://www.tfl.gov.uk/assets/downloads/standard-tube-map.gif and search for tube stations on google maps). If an apartment isn't in zone 1, you might wanna consider how far is it to the local tube station, and from there how long does it take to get to wherever you wanna be.

London is rather unhelpful in that there's no "downtown" or "CBD" per se - the tourist attractions are scattered all over the place. The optimum location isn't likely to exist - you could park yourself near the Tower of London if that appeals, but that area wouldn't be perfect for getting to Harry Potter experience or Covent Garden. You're gonna have to make compromises.

As for budget and nightlife, please be more specific (in £ and sort of nightlife you're looking for). London offers the lot in both cases.

if you are planning nightlife you clearly aren't on that much of a budget...

there are lots of self-catering apartments in London but they are not cheap. Airbnb has quite a few places for your dates, with access to kitchens and some of them are very central.

BTW Central London is small, and with a travel pass or a pair of functioning feet you can see a lot. Tower of London and Covent Garden are not that far apart! (The Harry Potter thing mentioned is 20 miles out at Watford but that's hardly a top of the list London sight..)

You would be seriously lucky to find anywhere budget within the circle line in June. You have absolutely no chance of finding a flat.
Location- South of the river will be cheaper, but few Tube stations. Suggest you look as far West as Hammersmith and the Hammersmith & City line.
I would certainly endorse neverwinter's post - Fwoggie doesn't really seem to know this city in which I was born during the blitz.

The best option though has to be airbnb.com but you need to hurry.

just a piece of advice: be aware that London hosts the Champions League finals at Wembley stadium on May, 25th and accommodation prices are likely to skyrocket.

A brief search on one the sites for hostelbooking revealed a minimum of 29 Euro on May, 25th, compared to half that amount (14 euro something) on the night before. Prices will increase as we get closer to the date.

We are talking about dorm beds here, prices for rooms will see similar fluctuations on a higher level.

Last year in Munich, hotels on THAT night (turned out to be rather traumatic, in the end) sold for 900 Euro whereas the cheapest dorm bed in town was 120 Euro.

Maybe, prices wont skyrocket THAT far because London is a big city, with lots of accommodation options and there is constantly something going on,

in any case, make up your mind and book your place for May, 25th ....SOON

I would suggest you could look a bit further afield than inside the circle line (ring of fire). Anywhere in Zone 2 would be fine: http://www.tfl.gov.uk/assets/downloads/standard-tube-map.gif
This would open up Camden and Shoreditch as options.
You could look at university accommodation to rent over the holidays. That may be cheaper than a hotel.
London doesn’t have to be expensive. Drink in Sam Smith pubs, buy lunch from a supermarket and eat it in a park, museums are free, £7 for a days travel…