Here are some ideas of getting cheap rooms in London. Sandy in L A

HOTELS

One way of getting close to 50% off the rack rate on rooms is to call RMC Travel Centre, 800-782-2674. They offer hotel discounts in the 10-40% range. All including 17.5% VAT and continental breakfast. RMC requires you to pay for your rooms before departure; you receive a voucher to present to your London hotel.

Call Thomas Cook Agency at Gatwick 011 44 129 350-2723. They are able to get a room cheaper than a person calling direct to a hotel. They will handle any price range. One deal was a room at a 4 Star hotel, normal 200 pounds for 50. If you travel in the off season it should be easy to get cheap accommodations.

Vienna Hotels Group plc., 16 Leinster Square, Bayswater, London W2 4PR; tel: 011-44-0171-221-1400; fax 0171-229-3917. e-mail: vienna@c... They offer two and three star hotels, budget hotels and Westminster Apartment services. In the budget hotels, prices range from 36 pounds for a single and 48 pounds for a twin. Prices include continental breakfast, service, and VAT and shared facilities.

London Accommodation for Budget Travellers is a selection of bed and breakfast hotels priced under 50 pounds (around $90) are included in a free booklet. There also is a section on low-cost accommodations for young travelers in universities, colleges and youth hostels. Each entry contains a brief description of the hotel's location, facilities, price ranges and booking information including which credit cards are accepted. For a copy of this booklet send a SASE (business-size #10) with 52 cents worth of postage to the British Tourist Authority: 551 Fifth Ave., Suite 701, New York, NY 10176; 800-GO2-BRITAIN.

At Home in London: A list of 60 families offering bed and breakfast. Guests are steered to homes that appeal to personal requests. Hosts include a banker, an attorney, a jeweler, journalists and interior designers. You can even stay on a houseboat moored on the Thames. Single: $32; double: $63, including booking fees and a full English breakfast. Contact the British Tourist Authority, 551 Fifth Ave., Suite 701, New York, NY 10176; 800-GO2-BRITAIN and ask for Maggie Dobson's brochure on At Home in London. Or write Dobson c/o At Home in London, 70 Black Lion Lane, London W6 9BE, England.

Bed and Breakfast in a London Home, London Homestead Services, Coombe Wood Road, Kingston-Upon-Thames, Surrey KT2 7JY; phone: (081)949-4455, offers a minimum of 3 nights in a London home for only $21 per person, per night. Over 500 homes situated all over London--most within 20 minutes travel time of Piccadilly. Bedrooms are usually adjacent to the bathroom and you will be given your own house key to come and go as you please.