London Holiday Advice or Hints/Tips

susancs

mcphail wrote: »

Thanks soooo much susancs - your post has been very helpful and explains things much clearer.

So, just to clarify things, when I get to terminal 5, can I buy the adult oyster cards there, pay my £3 deposit, and load it up with money for our stay? Is it easy to top up when we spend that money? Also, what about the children, you mentioned a travel card for £1 for them - can I get that at terminal 5 also?

Finally, my husband and i would have an oyster card, so no need to get one each day, but do the children need to get a travel card for each day?

thanks again - I didn't realise that travel in London could be so complicated.

ps - Children will be travelling with us, so no need for their own oyster cards. Also, going in 18th October for 4 nights, so hopefully before English half term (I think)

You can buy your oyster cards at Terminal 5 tube station and also the £1 travelcards for the kids. You would need to buy £1 travelcards each day, on the day, for the kids. It is really easy to top up oyster you just top up at the machines in the station. You can also use these to check your balance, if you have missed seeing it at the barriers.

mcphail

Thanks once again - my head is now clear, and I now know exactly what to do, Now to think about hotel - thinking of Hol Inn Kings X/Bloomsbury, as it has a pool and can get 2 double beds in a room - any good/bad points about it?

gabyjane

Hi this is a really interesting thread and glad i have seen it! we are off in dec for 4 days and have lots planned..have lots of wondering if this is better/cheaper etc and not sure what to go for , for the best!
is the oyster card a good idea as we prefer the tube to buses..dd will be 11 is she free or the £1 a day charge i have been seeing?
as for the london eye etc is it best to book online or when we get there with a poss reduction? im thinking dec may be busier and we may not get on if we leave it?
We are lucky to be able to stay at my uncles house free of charge and it is pretty central..we are getting the coach from Devon which proved to be a nightmare last night but we have it sorted now!
I will follow this with interest!
thanks

Spendaholic_Chick

One thing that's not been mentioned yet is Tesco reward vouchers - places like Ripley's Believe it or not, Tower of London, London Dungeons and a fair few others can be aid for with vouchers, also restaurants such as Pizza Express and Cafe Rouge.

One thing my son (age 11) always insists we do is go and hang out in Trafalgar Square for an hour or so - in the warmer weather we usually just play Top Trumps on a bench there, or he runs round after the pigeons for a while!

If you want to have a bt of a treat, try the half rice theatre booths, we got tickets to see Oliver for £25 a few weeks ago, should have been £78!

la_farfallina

Cheaper travel after 9.30 am. You get good views from upstairs on the double decker buses.

Take advantage of the loos in museums, restaurants etc. Public toilets are usually 30p a waz.

X

Icklebeans

I would like to say thanks too for all the advise above.

My husband and I are taking our 4 month old twin boys to London for a week on Sunday. Thanks for all the tips, we didn't know about Oyster cards!

terryw

Spendaholic_Chick wrote: »

If you want to have a bt of a treat, try the half rice theatre booths, we got tickets to see Oliver for £25 a few weeks ago, should have been £78!

Good advice but often even better value can be had at lastminute.com (often tickets for a tenner or meal and ticket for £20) or checking out the Netro free paper and Evening Standard.

Just out of interest, I am on a mini trip to London at the moment and take advantage of as many MSE offers as possible. Yesterday, I got off the tube at Bethnell Green, and was amazed to find the pub just outside selling beer at £1 a pint! I took advantage of this offer twice before heading to Brick Lane for a £5.95 unlimited buffet. £1 a pint for London must surely be a record, or can anyone better this?

gabyjane

Gosh £1 a pint.. won't tell dh about that!! does anyone have any specific restaurants that are good but not through the roof? is there a TGI's in the centre if i remember correctly..leicester square poss? know not overly cheap but for a treat!..just didnt want to be wandering round all night and have a poss aim for somwhere! or even book..dh's brother told us about one in the china town part last time we went and although it took an age to find it was very very nice so worth having good reccomendations!
Thanks

terryw

gabyjane wrote: »

Gosh £1 a pint.. won't tell dh about that!! does anyone have any specific restaurants that are good but not through the roof? is there a TGI's in the centre if i remember correctly..leicester square poss? know not overly cheap but for a treat!..just didnt want to be wandering round all night and have a poss aim for somwhere! or even book..dh's brother told us about one in the china town part last time we went and although it took an age to find it was very very nice so worth having good reccomendations!
Thanks

Just search MSE and you will find loads of twofers etc for restaurants or money off etc. I like La Tasca (a chain with several branches in London. Use MSE or Google search for latest vouchers, or if the £10 for unlimited tapas offer is on this is superb value.

becky_rtw

There's TGIFs on Bedford Street (just outside covent garden) but it was closed down recently for having mouse droppings inside :eek: I really wouldnt if I were you!

Hotel wise there's a new premier inn opening in Eccleston Sq in the next week or so - it may well be cheapish for a while, there's also a travelodge in Southbank and at Battersea which while not right in the action are decent enough and have good transport links

Totally recommend the bus - I take it everywhere (did the 24 route end to end on Monday) - it can be slow at peak hours in the centre though so be prepared (take water)

Also free loos - the national portrait gallery ones are the best but you have to go down steps - not so good with buggys

Also if you go to Trafalgar Sq - try lunch in the Crypt at St Martins (its the huge church) the entrance is the glass round building - its amazing

Chandos pub around there is good too

Another good free museum is City of London museum at London Wall - its fascinating, one of the better paid ones is the Docklands Muesum (you can tie it into a visit to canary wharf on DLR) - tickets are also valid for a year so you can pass them on to someone else

Some unusual stuff to do thats fun:
Wellington Arch - this sits atop constitution hill I think its about £8 but the views are amazing
Wrens monumment is pretty special too - I think you can go up that as well (not sure in the winter)
Embankment gardens is great and it has Buckingham gate in (where the water used to go to) and the tube line goes underneath which is qute interesting as well as loads of sculptures...
Borough market is open on Thurs, Fridays and Saturdays I think - its amazing, plus loads of free samples and Southwark Cathedral and the Goolden Hinde are nearby

Cheap eats - the pancake house in holborn is good and huge portions, chinatown is always - pick one with Chinese people sitting inside, food at borough is great, there's also a largish Tesco in convent garden, and some good cheap places in bloomsbury by the British Museum

Any more questions just ask!

(oh and the tube may not be buggy friendly but someone will always offer to help lift it up and down stairs for you - luggage you have to do your own )