Advertisement
If you have a new account but are having problems posting or verifying your account, please email us on hello@boards.ie for help. Thanks :)
Hello all! Please ensure that you are posting a new thread or question in the appropriate forum. The Feedback forum is overwhelmed with questions that are having to be moved elsewhere. If you need help to verify your account contact hello@boards.ie

Our Greater London Megathread

1282931333496

Comments

  • Registered Users Posts: 127 ✭✭Jorah


    The DLR is the Docklands Light Railway, which is mainly in east london.

    A one day Travel card is just that, return ticket to London and unlimited Tube and Bus use (You might even be able to use the Riverbus as well). When you buy a ticket at a train station, it will be one of the options when you put in your destination.

    Almost got nabbed yesterday for not paying to get on the DLR lol.


  • Registered Users Posts: 5,606 ✭✭✭schemingbohemia


    Jorah wrote: »
    Almost got nabbed yesterday for not paying to get on the DLR lol.

    Yeah that's hilarious :rolleyes: why not just pay your fare and not be a muppet?


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 816 ✭✭✭Opinicus


    So there's a group of us heading over to the Olympics at the end of the month. We are staying in St. Albans (friend of a friend has a second home there). Looking online it seems the best way to get into the city centre is by train. We'll be heading to the Excel Venue for some events.

    Anyone have any suggestions to make travelling easier for the week? Both getting into the city and moving around it?
    Thanks.


  • Registered Users Posts: 10,150 ✭✭✭✭Marcusm


    Opinicus wrote: »
    So there's a group of us heading over to the Olympics at the end of the month. We are staying in St. Albans (friend of a friend has a second home there). Looking online it seems the best way to get into the city centre is by train. We'll be heading to the Excel Venue for some events.

    Anyone have any suggestions to make travelling easier for the week? Both getting into the city and moving around it?
    Thanks.

    Depending on the time if day, official advice woud be to avoid London Bridge which is a pity as it would be the most logical for your journeys. Think about interchanging fromFirst Capital Connet (from St A) to London Overgroundat West Hampstead. The stations are 100m apart but might give you quieter routing to Stratford. From there, can access via DR to Excel, Jubilee to O2 (North Greenwich Arena) or stay in situ for main Olympic site.

    TfL journey planne is pretty handy.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 816 ✭✭✭Opinicus


    Marcusm wrote: »
    TfL journey planne is pretty handy.

    That is awesome! Thanks very much, haven't seen it before. Perfect for a bunch of culchies like us heading to the big smoke!


  • Advertisement
  • Closed Accounts Posts: 816 ✭✭✭Opinicus


    Are there storage lockers in any of the train/bus stations? Just wondering cos on the day we are travelling we might want to drop our bags for a few hours


  • Registered Users Posts: 3,049 ✭✭✭Brianderunner


    Opinicus wrote: »
    Are there storage lockers in any of the train/bus stations? Just wondering cos on the day we are travelling we might want to drop our bags for a few hours

    There is in Victoria anyway, beside platform 8 ish (middle of the station essentially). It's £7.50 to leave a bag in and it has to be security screened first. The biggest stations have them i think.


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,087 ✭✭✭Louche Lad


    Opinicus wrote: »
    Are there storage lockers in any of the train/bus stations? Just wondering cos on the day we are travelling we might want to drop our bags for a few hours

    At many of the major train stations they're operated by the Excess Baggage Company: http://www.left-baggage.co.uk/locations.php


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 816 ✭✭✭Opinicus


    Thanks guys. Worth the small cost to save dragging it around all day


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,983 ✭✭✭mystic86


    Hi,

    Can somebody recommend an Irish bar that will be showing the Kerry v Tyrone game (on TV3) on Saturday, in the Waterloo area or surrounding areas (I'll be finished at BFI Imax in Waterloo around 3 and the games throws in at 5).

    Thanks :D


  • Advertisement
  • Closed Accounts Posts: 816 ✭✭✭Opinicus


    mystic86 wrote: »
    (I'll be finished at BFI Imax in Waterloo around 3 and the games throws in at 5).

    You going to see TDKR in IMAX too? A few of us are heading over for the olympics and have tickets booked for it.


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,983 ✭✭✭mystic86


    Opinicus wrote: »
    You going to see TDKR in IMAX too? A few of us are heading over for the olympics and have tickets booked for it.

    Yup, when ye going to see it? Any idea of Irish bars in Waterloo-ish area?


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 816 ✭✭✭Opinicus


    mystic86 wrote: »
    Yup, when ye going to see it? Any idea of Irish bars in Waterloo-ish area?

    We have tickets for the Sunday 29th night time screening. It was the only one left with decent seats when I was booking. Can't wait. So tempting to go to the cinema here but I must be strong!:D

    No idea on the bar front sorry. If the worst comes to the worst you can probably watch the match on aertv.ie as long as you can find good wifi (hotel maybe), I wouldn't fancy the data roaming charges otherwise.


  • Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 18,184 ✭✭✭✭Lapin


    Can't think of any pubs around Waterloo that might be showing the match but there are a few a 10 minute walk (or short cab ride) across the river in Covent Garden that might.

    Try The Harp in Chandos Place, or further up the street in Maiden Lane is The Porterhouse. Ring them in advance as they mightn't have it either but may be able to let you know of other pubs in the area that do. (Assuming the person you talk to has actually heard of Kerry or Tyrone !)

    You'll have plenty of time to get the tube from Waterloo to Kilburn. A five minute walk from here is The Kingdom and they will definitely have it with a good atmosphere.


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,087 ✭✭✭Louche Lad


    Lapin wrote: »
    Try The Harp in Chandos Place

    Alhough the Harp is an excellent pub for real ale (I've been there many a time), they'll definitely not be showing it as there's no TV.


  • Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 18,184 ✭✭✭✭Lapin


    Cheers Louche. I was only in there once.
    Agree about the ale, keep meaning to call back.

    Just thinkng about it now, I'm not sure if the Porterhouse has a tv either, but as I said, someone there might know somewhere else in the area showing the match. The Kingdom is a dead cert though.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 26,567 ✭✭✭✭Fratton Fred


    The Porterhouse has tv's and puts the RTE coverage on so they might show it.


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,233 ✭✭✭TigerTim


    Hi All,

    Going to London at end of October. Any recommendations on reasonable hotel rates fairly close to city centre for 2 adults & 3 kids.

    Thanks,

    T.


  • Registered Users Posts: 127 ✭✭Jorah


    Yeah that's hilarious :rolleyes: why not just pay your fare and not be a muppet?

    I was only going one stop.


  • Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 18,184 ✭✭✭✭Lapin


    mystic86 wrote: »
    Hi,

    Can somebody recommend an Irish bar that will be showing the Kerry v Tyrone game (on TV3) on Saturday, in the Waterloo area or surrounding areas (I'll be finished at BFI Imax in Waterloo around 3 and the games throws in at 5).

    Thanks :D

    How did you get on ?

    Did you find a place to watch the game ?


  • Advertisement
  • Registered Users Posts: 3,513 ✭✭✭paddylonglegs


    Planning an anniversary trip in London. Stayed at The G in Galway last year and loved the high-end style with a bit of fun and quirkiness to it. I know the G might be called a boutique hotel, but I consider boutique to be just another word for tiny. We prefer the larger anonymous hotels as the small ones can be just a bit too personal.

    Any recommendations for a similar style hotel in London? Would be nice to be close to London centre but its not too much of an issue. While we're there we'll be lookign out for decent restaurants and probably go to the theatre. I'd also like to nerd up on some history and art galleries

    Thanks all


  • Registered Users Posts: 39 Kento


    I'm going to London on Tuesday and want to see Wicked the musical in the Apollo Victoria. I've heard you can get cheap tickets on the day of the performance in the West End. Is this risky? Would I be better off just getting the tickets from ticketmaster in advance or would it be relatively easy to get them on the day? Any advice appreciated!


  • Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 18,184 ✭✭✭✭Lapin


    If the show is on Tuesday, you have a much better chance of getting tickets on the actual day than you would on a weekend.

    Here is a reply I gave to a similar thread recently. I hope its is of help.


    Try
    http://www.officiallondontheatre.co....-tickets/tkts/

    Failing that, there is a green kiosk on the corner of Coventry St and Whitcombe street outside Pret A Manger and opposite KFC, McDonalds and the new M&M Store that sells last minute tickets for West End Shows.

    Its about half way between Piccadilly Circus and Leicester Square and only a couple of minutes walk from either of those tube stations.

    I got tickets there a couple of times and never had a problem although I have heard some negative stories but I don't know how true they are.

    Here is a handy guide to places selling tickets for West End Shows.
    Shop around and don't allow yourself to get ripped off.

    Enjoy the show !


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 26,567 ✭✭✭✭Fratton Fred


    High end? London?

    Err, the Ritz, The Dorchester?

    High end in London doesn't come cheap.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 12,395 ✭✭✭✭mikemac1


    History and art, you seem to be into culture

    If I were you I'd say at the newly opened St Pancreas Renaissance
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._Pancras_Renaissance_London_Hotel

    It was an old hotel but shut down in the 1930's and was used as offices until they reopened last year

    It's unusual, some rooms are on two floors, the bar is a pretty much like a railway terminal, corrugated glass roof
    They took the best parts of the old railway hotel and kept them.

    Quirky and interesting

    But yeah, as said above top end London hotels don't come cheap, expect to pay at least 180 sterling a night here


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,501 ✭✭✭zagmund


    You know London's a bit bigger than Galway, right ? As Fred indicates, the higher end of 'high end' in London could set you back an average *annual* industrial wage for a weekend. You may need to give some indication of budget. How much is too much per night ? £1,000, £500, £250. That will give people an idea of what to pitch.

    Leading Hotels of the World - www.lhw.com - will give you some pointers. We ate at Browns as part of a package including tickets to an exhibition around the corner in the Royal Academy - http://www.royalacademy.org.uk/events/, so there's your culture bit right there. The hotel itself didn't look like my sort of place to stay, but the restaurant was lovely and the food was delicious.

    We stayed at the Langham on Portland Street - great location, expensive place, but we got a deal which involved a free room for the kids over mid-term so that made it a little better. They have a lovely lobby/lounge/dining room where you can happily spend an afternoon drinking in the atmosphere.

    z


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,501 ✭✭✭zagmund


    We didn't stay at it, but the Marriott County Hall looks relatively quirky yet part of a chain. The hotel (and another one that I can't remember the name of) as well as apartments you can rent are located in the old London county Council chamber buildings.

    We stayed across the road in the Park Plaza which was fine, but not great for an anniversary sort of place.

    z


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 26,567 ✭✭✭✭Fratton Fred


    I've been to an office in the old county hall and the hotel looks quite posh but quirky. Handy for gatwick as well.

    I can't think of any overly romantic type hotels in London itself. They are usually out in the country, like the complete angler in Marlow.

    The Hilton at Paddington might be worth a shout, handy for heathrow, nice rooms and a bit quirky.


  • Registered Users Posts: 5,606 ✭✭✭schemingbohemia


    TigerTim wrote: »
    Hi All,

    Going to London at end of October. Any recommendations on reasonable hotel rates fairly close to city centre for 2 adults & 3 kids.

    Thanks,

    T.

    I don't know if they do family rooms but I'm just back from London and got a great rate at the Copthorne Tara hotel just off High Street Kensington - thought it was great, very handy for our needs, there's a tube station 3 minutes walk from the front of the hotel. We paid £80 a night so very happy with that, sure you'd pay that in Travelodge or Premier Inn.


  • Advertisement
  • Registered Users Posts: 623 ✭✭✭NeitherJohn


    Hi all. :)

    Will be booking flights to London soon for a 27th-31st Dec stay.

    I've been looking at the combination ticket for Madame Tussauds, Sea Life, London Eye and London Dungeon, hopefully on the 28th.

    Will be taking in the the London Science Museum as well on the 29th. We will probably fill the 30th, before flying back to Cork with London Zoo (have tried booking that online but it won't let me select dates beyond November 4th, perhaps it'll come available later!)

    All of the attractions on the 28th are within the Jubilee Line of the Tube from some cursory Googling. London Science Museum is a bit out of the way of those 4 as is London Zoo but they are all within 30 mins or so of the Jubilee Line by public transport. I assume an Oyster card is a must with all the travelling I will be doing.

    I suppose in essence I would be grateful for recommendations of hotels that are close to the places I'll be visiting. Access to public transport that would take me to and from Heathrow would also be appreciated! We have a budget of 500 euro for the 4 night hotel stay!

    Thanks for your help!


Advertisement