Staying in London for weekend break and a show

valtra2 · 24-01-2013 11:34PM #1

hi i am thinking of taking my partner to london, she has always sayed she would love to go and see a show too, just wondering wher would be he best area and hotel to stay, never been to london before so no idea of any places, its only for a few days in the summer maybe july agust, thanks

who the fug · 25-01-2013 02:26PM

Just look for one in Zones One and Two on the Tube map which you can download here , as transport links are good

then decide a budget and go looking for hotels

List of West End Shows Here

djpbarry · 27-01-2013 02:04PM

What kind of show we talking about OP? West End? Anything else you want to see and do while here?

London is a massive city and getting around can be time-consuming, so what you want to do will determine where you should stay.

valtra2 · 27-01-2013 08:32PM

no idea, just se the sights, ya a west end show,

Maura74 · 27-01-2013 08:58PM

valtra2 wrote: »

no idea, just se the sights, ya a west end show,

The Chinese new year is on the 10th February and there is a parade in London which is wonderful colorful. It is well worth see it and it is free

Also, it would be worth looking at the Premiere Inns they are very good value for money you will get a good nights sleep with en suite, but no breakfast, it is very competitively priced. You can get breakfast as there are lots of eating place for breakfast very near the Inn. There is one at Kings Cross that Euro Euro Star express is to Europe. Also in the Euro Stat station there is largest champagne bar in there and it is the biggest in Europe

If you are going to see a show book it in advance and make sure you check out the seating as near the front is best seating for shows.

http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Hotel_Review-g186338-d571109-Reviews-Premier_Inn_London_King_s_Cross_St_Pancras-London_England.html

http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=chinese+new+year+2013+parade+london+&qs=n&form=QBIR&pq=chinese+new+year+2013+parade+london+&sc=0-0&sp=-1&sk=

http://www.allinlondon.co.uk/whats-on.php?type=theatre&month=1&year=2013

djpbarry · 28-01-2013 09:35AM

valtra2 wrote: »

no idea, just se the sights...

Ok, but it might be an idea to do some planning before getting here - doing London "on the fly" probably won't be an enjoyable experience.

Maura74 wrote: »

Also, it would be worth looking at the Premiere Inns they are very good value for money you will get a good nights sleep with en suite, but no breakfast, it is very competitively priced. You can get breakfast as there are lots of eating place for breakfast very near the Inn. There is one at Kings Cross that Euro Euro Star express is to Europe.

Also quite a few B&Bs in the general King's Cross/St. Pancras area that might be worth checking out.

Zaph · 28-01-2013 12:00PM

Myself and my wife went to London a couple of months ago and stayed in the Radisson Blu Edwardian, Bloomsbury Street. Obviously a lot depends on your budget, but if that's within it I'd definitely recommend it. It was a very nice hotel and is within walking distance of quite a few West End theatres, Oxford Street, Covent Garden and loads more. If museums are your thing, the British Museum is less than 2 minutes walk from the hotel. The other big advantage of staying there is that it's less than a 10 minute walk from Holborn tube station, which means that if you fly into Heathrow you can get the tube directly into the city from there for a lot less than you'd pay for a taxi or the Heathrow Express. If that hotel is over your budget, I'd definitely recommend looking for somewhere around that general vicinity or anywhere reasonably central on the Piccadilly line.

Fysh · 28-01-2013 12:46PM

djpbarry wrote: »

Ok, but it might be an idea to do some planning before getting here - doing London "on the fly" probably won't be an enjoyable experience.

+1, I can't emphasise this enough - many people have a very idealised notion of London and don't realise that it's a big, crowded city full of people. You can wing it if you want, but unless you're prepared to accept literally whatever is on offer then forward planning is prudent. Based on what I've seen of family members who ignored my advice and tried to do everything on the fly, it's a much more stressful and less enjoyable experience that way.

Many of the most popular tourist sights will be very busy at weekends, and there may be a good bit of travel between them, which you need to factor into your timetable. Some of them allow advance bookings which will save you time (eg the London Eye). Even if they don't, they will at least let you figure out some vague notion of a route with Google Maps so that you know what to expect. It will also ensure that you don't try to cram in an unrealistic amount of things to do and end up stressed and disappointed.

Maura74 · 28-01-2013 05:11PM

I have stayed in a primer inn in Essex about 6 years ago and they are very good clean and always some eating places nearby.

You could always look at Hostels in London, the website looks very good and they are exceptionally good value for money for young people.

Also the Premier Inn is near Euston Station then Kings Cross Station but both stations are very near each other.

The British Library is next to Kings Cross Station, which has lots lots of exhibition going on there, you could easily spend a day there, they service meals as well in the Library and it is well worth a visit. Also the Shaw Theatre is there as well.

http://www.hostelbookers.com/hostels/england/london/

http://www.shaw-theatre.com/index.php?id=47

Lump · 28-01-2013 11:38PM

Fysh wrote: »

+1, I can't emphasise this enough - many people have a very idealised notion of London and don't realise that it's a big, crowded city full of people. You can wing it if you want, but unless you're prepared to accept literally whatever is on offer then forward planning is prudent. Based on what I've seen of family members who ignored my advice and tried to do everything on the fly, it's a much more stressful and less enjoyable experience that way.

Many of the most popular tourist sights will be very busy at weekends, and there may be a good bit of travel between them, which you need to factor into your timetable. Some of them allow advance bookings which will save you time (eg the London Eye). Even if they don't, they will at least let you figure out some vague notion of a route with Google Maps so that you know what to expect. It will also ensure that you don't try to cram in an unrealistic amount of things to do and end up stressed and disappointed.

Another +1 here, London can be difficult if you don't plan it. It's hugely busy so stuff books up quickly and as people have said depending on what you want to see travel can take time. If you're keen to go to a specific show, yes you can get cheaper last minute tickets on the day, but they might no be available, so you might miss out on seeing what you want.

Get an oyster card to make travel cheaper and easier. An A-Z map/book is helpful for getting around unless you want to pay for internet and use your phone (can be expensive)

As someone living in London, stand on the right of esclators - OMFG I've changed

John

Staying in London for weekend break and a show

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