London visit advice please

ChuckleVision_2

My patner are I are going to London for a long weekend in August, 23,24,25 or March to do all the tourists things.

I have plenty of tesco club vouchers to change up for days out (bur tour, cruse, win tasting etc).

We will also be visiting Londons oldest pub... any other recommendations?

I have got £10 travel lodge rooms at heathrow heston for those nights, so this has kept the cost down. Looking at transport from there to the town center I notice http://www.heathrowexpress.com/ are charging £13.50 a ticket. Is there any different travel options from heathrow heston? Will a bus be cheaper?

Thanks.

wigginsmum

Worth checking if the Piccadilly Tube line is working at the moment out at Heathrow - that'd be your cheapest quick option.

Jules

black-saturn

The London eye is a good option and you can buy cheaper tickets on ebay. Be prepared for a long wait though of at least an hour in the queue.

You could also try London Duck Tours. Its an amphibious vehicle which goes all round the streets giving a tour and then plunges into the Thames and gives a river cruise. Not cheap but a brilliant experience.

Also have a go on the Docklands Light Railway as it's a train with no driver. If you sit at the front it's a wierd experience.

http://www.londonducktours.co.uk/

bumblebee_3

I was done in December as my partner was working at Heathrow and you can buy an all day travelling ticket for the tube for £6, that also covered our journey from Heathrow (where we stayed at a the travel inn) to the city centre.

scotgirl

It is always worth going down the river on a boat. Go for one of the normal boats and they are only about £5 or so to Greenwich and the people on board usually give you a tour and info about what you are passing (they normally ask for donations at the end!). You get a discount by showing your day/week travelcard. Once in Greenwich go up to the Observatory for the views and then down to the Pie and Mash place - lovely! Fab, cheap day trip!

MylesBetter

Oh dear that same old story, getting cheap accommodation out of central London.

You will regret this when you start spending a lot of time just getting too and from central London. I bump into alot of US tourists who are not happy with the time it takes to get too and from their "central london" hotel and are really annoyed and frustrated.

Get a central hotel even though this means paying more. The extra you spend will be recouped in less frustration in travelling and just being able to pop back to the hotel as required for 30 mins or so.

The best deals I ever find are at https://www.londontown.com and touch lucky even the luxury hotels are affordable (choose Mayfair, Covent Garden or Fitzrovia based hotels). Also try the Best Western Bryanston St for a good price. the St Giles or Durrants (links below)

https://www.bigbus.co.uk for getting around the sites.

https://www.toptable.co.uk for bargains in top restaurants including Gary Rhodes RHODES W1.

Don't buy the hotel breakfast go to Fortnum & Masons for the full fortnums English Breakfast which is the same price as a hotel breakfast but far better quality.

half price ticket booth for your theatre tickets based in Leicester Sq although expect to queue for up to 30mins.

http://www.durrantshotel.co.uk/intro.html

http://book.bestwestern.com/bestwestern/productInfo.do?propertyCode=83611

http://www.stgiles.com/londonhotel/index.html (best location for the price by far)

http://www.rathbonehotel.com/flash/enter.htm

MylesBetter

July and August most 5* hotels are empty as the business traveller is away on holiday. So look for some great bargains at https://www.londontown.com late June for July and August in 5* hotels you will be amazed as most people don't even look as they think they will be too expensive, but their market is very slow in summer and they just want contribution from the rooms to cover their costs over the summer months.

black-saturn

Good point. Travel fair from Heathrow to central London every day is going to be shocking and time consuming. I stayed at the hotel you mean when I went on holiday abroad (early flight) and it is miles and miles from the city centre.

If you have time to cancel it I would advise you to do so and book a room at The Regent Palce Hotel on Piccadilly Circus. Rooms start at £35 per night and you get a lovely breakfast each morning.

Heres their site:
http://www.regentpalace.co.uk

ChuckleVision_2

Thanks for all your replys - very helpful.

Unfortunatly I have already booked the travellodge, so can't cancel as they are £10 rooms. Should have done some research first!

Never mind, I'll get the all day tube travel tickets for £6 like recommended above.

I'm going to order some days out vouchers with my tesco club card, and eating out too. This will hopefully make the trip easy on the wallet!

Defo going on the London Eye, but I'll be giving Madame Tussauds a miss!

LesD

ChuckleVision wrote:

Thanks for all your replys - very helpful.

Unfortunatly I have already booked the travellodge, so can't cancel as they are £10 rooms. Should have done some research first!

Never mind, I'll get the all day tube travel tickets for £6 like recommended above.

I'm going to order some days out vouchers with my tesco club card, and eating out too. This will hopefully make the trip easy on the wallet!

Defo going on the London Eye, but I'll be giving Madame Tussauds a miss!

Presumably you mean the TL on the M4? If so, how are you getting there - by car? It is difficult to get transport from the TL other than using your car again! Once back in your car, you'd probably best drive in to Hammersmith or Paddington (not in the rush hour!) and pick up the tube or bus from there.

Incidentally, the £6 card is only after 9.30 I think (maybe all day Sat and Sun). The full card is c£12.

ChuckleVision_2

I see. I didn't realise it would be difficult to get from the TL to the tube. Don't suppose you know the price to park my car if I did drive to Paddington like you suggest? I could get a bus from the TL to the tube at Heathrow couldn't I?

It is beginning to look like the travellodge Heathrow is not the best place to stay if visiting London!