Our Greater London Megathread

zodiak · 10-05-2009 8:26pm

deffo camden its on the northern line.. i go over to london a few times a year and always go camden town its mint.. has plenty of styles and not that expensive either.. only thing is if your in a hurry to get home/ airport be aware that they close the tube station for incomming traffic on the weekends between like 2 and 5 its really fustrating but still a great place... oxford street and marbal arch are great for shopping aswell

11-05-2009 11:25am

We ended up staying in the Westminster Days Hotel on Belgrave Road. Was pretty central, nice enough rooms.

discombobulate · 13-05-2009 1:06pm

Hi theres a crowd of us travellin over to London on the 14th - 16th of June. We're flying through Heathrow and going to the O2 arena on the 15th. DOes anyone know what the best location for us would be to be handy enough for both and also for going out at night without having to get taxis etc...

silverside · 13-05-2009 1:10pm

somewhere around London Bridge would be ideal - Jubilee Line to O2 - south bank for sightseeing - walk to shoreditch for going out - about an hour from heathrow on the tube (everywhere is, more-or-less)

having said that London is pretty well connected with night buses and tubes so should not take too long to get around

journeyplanner.org is your friend ...

discombobulate · 13-05-2009 1:18pm

silverside wrote: »

somewhere around London Bridge would be ideal - Jubilee Line to O2 - south bank for sightseeing - walk to shoreditch for going out - about an hour from heathrow on the tube (everywhere is, more-or-less)

having said that London is pretty well connected with night buses and tubes so should not take too long to get around

journeyplanner.org is your friend ...

Thanks for that. Does this place look like its close enough. Not sure which bridge is London bridge!

http://ireland.hotels.com/hotel/details.html?rooms[2].numberOfAdults=3&roomno=4&departureDate=16-05-2009&destinationId=549499&rooms[0].numberOfAdults=3&tab=description&arrivalDate=14-05-2009&rooms[3].numberOfAdults=3&hotelId=235563&rooms[1].numberOfAdults=3

Bluetonic · 13-05-2009 1:25pm

I'd recommend buying a 3 day travel card (off peak travel - after 9.30am on weekdays) for around £20 when you get to Heathrow. It'll allow you travel unlimited on all underground, buses and overland rail while there.

http://www.londontoolkit.com/briefing/travelcard.htm

Kintarō Hattori · 13-05-2009 3:46pm

Hey Folks,

Can anyone recommend a hotel/B+B or whatever to stay in London that is central and relatively cheap.

Many thanks.

Fratton Fred · 13-05-2009 4:29pm

discombobulate wrote: »

Thanks for that. Does this place look like its close enough. Not sure which bridge is London bridge!

http://ireland.hotels.com/hotel/details.html?rooms[2].numberOfAdults=3&roomno=4&departureDate=16-05-2009&destinationId=549499&rooms[0].numberOfAdults=3&tab=description&arrivalDate=14-05-2009&rooms[3].numberOfAdults=3&hotelId=235563&rooms[1].numberOfAdults=3

The Link didn't work.

London Bridge is obviously a bridge, but usually when people mention it they actually mean London Bridge station, which is quite a large train/tube station.

That is a good location to stay, although somewhere around green Park Tube would be handy, but somewhat expensive I suspect. Waterloo would also be handy.

Basically, you will need to get the Jubilee line to the O2 and the picadilly line from Heathrow joins it at Green Park, or you can go into Paddington from Heathrow and get the Bakerloo to Baker Street and change for the jubille there. Getting to Heathrow is easy from anywhere in London though, so i wouldn't worry too much where youstay, as long as you are fairly central.

RATM · 13-05-2009 4:49pm

The words 'central and cheap' don't usually go into a sentence with London involved.
OP whats 'relatively cheap'? £!5 a night? try hostelworld.com , they do budget hotels as well as hostels. £10 a night? Try the universities- they usually rent campus rooms in the summer.
Or if your budget is more but you want a nice place maybe try lastminute.co.uk and their 'Secret Hotels'. These are 4 and 5 star properties with discounts- only thing is you don't know which hotel it is till you've paid, thats why they give you a discount. You can google the facilities/location details and figure it out before paying though.

In any case no one can answer your question until we know what 'relatively cheap' means to you.

discombobulate · 13-05-2009 4:49pm

Thanks for the info guys. Went for a hostel near Picadilly Circus in the end. Easy access to and from Heathrow and in the middle of everything from what I can see

piscean · 08-06-2009 12:32pm

Going to London this w/end and wanted to know if Tube is safe at night?

silverside · 08-06-2009 12:36pm

Yeah the tube is safe enough. Although there are areas around the East End where I wouldnt loiter around stations. You get the odd beggar or gobby football fan but if you ignore them like everyone else does you'll be grand.

Davidth88 · 08-06-2009 12:46pm

The tube is as safe as anywhere .

If it's late at night , and you are travelling alone be a little aware . IE pick a carrage that has other people on if possible, be aware of your surroundings.

Take a careful note of the last train times , because once they have gone ...... they have gone.

piscean · 08-06-2009 12:50pm

Cheers - my boyfriend moved over there recently and he lives a bit outside of London so we have to get tube and the train back to his place - plan to hit the bars in London on Sat night:)

zagmund · 08-06-2009 2:01pm

I'm looking at heading to London for a weekend in the middle of July and have been looking for a 'good value' hotel in central London. I came across the Hilton Kensington Olympia @ £84 per night which seems pretty good.

I've checked out the reviews and it's clearly due a refurb and not entirely handy for the tube, but from what I can gather it's not exactly out of the way either. I checked out the local map and I know from a previous walking/getting lost experience in the area that there a number of tube stations within 20-25mins walk as well as presumably a fair few bus routes running down Kensington High Street.

I just checked the bus map here - http://www.tfl.gov.uk/assets/downloads/central-london-bus-map.pdf - and it looks like the 9 runs straight through to Piccadilly and the 10 to Oxford Street, so connectivity appears to be pretty good.

I was originally going to ask here whether anyone knew wheter there was a District Line closure scheduled for the weekend or 18/19JUL but even if there is there still shouldn't be a problem given the bus routes passing by.

So . . . apart from being due a refurb can anyone think why this hotel has such good value at the moment ? I would expect to pay £100+ for any sort of hotel room in central London, except for maybe a Travelodge (which is fine too, but I wanted a full service hotel for a change).

z

BuffyBot · 08-06-2009 2:24pm

It's not the most fantastic location, but the 9/10/27 etc do help, and there are other routes within walking distance.

The hotel itself (or at least quite a portion of it) is a tip - even by Hilton standards (I'm not fond). The rooms in the newer part of the building are ok but the older parts are small, old fashioned and all round pretty awful. And if you pay a cheaper rate, guess which part you're likely to be put in?

I wouldn't. There is better out there. Even try chains like Premier Inn (Kings Cross is a nice enough one, with excellent travel links and <£100 some weekends), or if you're feeling adventurous try the likes of hotwire.com (4* hotels in various parts of London for $100 a night or less sometimes). Yes you have to take a chance, but generally they've paid off for me quite well.

Gran Hermano · 09-06-2009 11:13am

Just a heads-up for anyone travelling to London, it's looking like there
will be a 48 hour Tube strike starting at 18.59 Tuesday 9th June through
to 18.59 on Thursday 11th June.

carly_86 · 09-06-2009 12:13pm

Hey

I'm heading over to London with the 6 girls and we are staying around the bayswater area.I would just like to no what are the best pubs and club in London near Bayswater and where are they located?:p

silverside · 09-06-2009 2:22pm

look on beerintheevening.com to find pubs. From memory Bayswater is close to Notting Hill which is worth a stroll around in afternoon.

London has so much in terms of clubs (music) that it depends what you are into, pick up a copy of "Time out" - if you're thinking of copperface-jacks kind of clubs don't bother, many bars stay open late.

BumbleB · 09-06-2009 9:49pm

piscean wrote: »

Going to London this w/end and wanted to know if Tube is safe at night?

don't know but london is dead on a sun night , went there after their bank holiday w/e absolutely nothing happening.

gaf1983 · 09-06-2009 11:19pm

silverside wrote: »

if you're thinking of copperface-jacks kind of clubs don't bother, many bars stay open late.

If you're looking for London's answer to Copperface Jacks do bother, go to The Swan in Stockwell.

It's website describes it as having an "unpretentious and friendly atmosphere."

http://www.theswanstockwell.co.uk/the%20club.htm

foxy06 · 10-06-2009 9:39am

Bit concerned over a hotel I have booked for myself hubby and 2 kids. Has anyone stayed in this area or know what the hotel is like? I only realised after making the booking that it is quite a rough area from what I have been told. Can anyone put my mind at rest?

http://www.cityhotellondon.co.uk/

The hotel looks nice but from some of the reviews on trip advisor I might be in for a horrible stay!

Fratton Fred · 10-06-2009 10:43am

foxy06 wrote: »

Bit concerned over a hotel I have booked for myself hubby and 2 kids. Has anyone stayed in this area or know what the hotel is like? I only realised after making the booking that it is quite a rough area from what I have been told. Can anyone put my mind at rest?

http://www.cityhotellondon.co.uk/

The hotel looks nice but from some of the reviews on trip advisor I might be in for a horrible stay!

No idea about the hotel, but you are right in the "City" there so it will probably be a bit quiet at the weekends, or manic during the week. You are great if you like curry, because Brick Lane is famous for its Bangladshi restaurants.

If you are planning on heading to the tower of London, St Pauls and Buckingham Palace then it's quite good. There are some nice restaurants on London Wall, which should be less than a ten minute walk as well. you can also vist Tower 42 on your travels as you are quite close to that and the Gherkin (Although I'm not sure if you can go up in that).

the reviews don't look too bad to be honest, every hotel has disgruntled guests, but overall it seems to have been given a good rating.

BumbleB · 10-06-2009 11:53am

foxy06 wrote: »

Bit concerned over a hotel I have booked for myself hubby and 2 kids. Has anyone stayed in this area or know what the hotel is like? I only realised after making the booking that it is quite a rough area from what I have been told. Can anyone put my mind at rest?

http://www.cityhotellondon.co.uk/

The hotel looks nice but from some of the reviews on trip advisor I might be in for a horrible stay!

In fairness a lot of those reviews on the net are written by Yanks and they are intolerant to anything really ,they tend to whine a lot. Places that Irish people would like ,they wouldn't.I'll give you an example a friend of mine came over to stay in my house.The first thing he said was the house was so retro ,my house is 12 months old !!!!!

Pay more heed to what the europeans are writing and you're on the right track .

foxy06 · 10-06-2009 12:18pm

Thanks folks. Needed a bit of reassurance. If it was just me and hubby I wouldn't mind but was worried about bringing the kids. It seems fairly close to some attractions like Tower of London so it can't be all bad.

BuffyBot · 10-06-2009 12:35pm

Not that bad an area at all - I used to live nearby

Fratton Fred · 10-06-2009 1:00pm

I love the City/Square Mile area, the atmosphere around the place on a working day is brilliant.

I also love the way you will have a row of modern ultra plush office buildings and nestled between them, or down a side street, will be a 300 year old church, an old traditional London pub or a historical building. the history surrounding the area, with the old guilds etc is fascinating.

There are places like the Royal Exchange, by Bank tube Station. The history of the place goes back over 400 years, although the building there now is "only" 150 years old or so.

However, when you go in, it is no longer an exchange, but a small shopping mall, with some fairly well known shops like "Tiffany and Co, Gucci, Bulgari and cartier.:D

Probably not really on the tourist route, but worth a mooch around if you have an hour or two to kill.

ann100 · 10-06-2009 5:05pm

I am going to London for a day. I am wondering are there any Irish pubs restaurants or pubs that do food. I will probably go to oxford street for some shopping and then to the London eye any ideas anyone being in London also will be staying in Birmingham know any Irish pubs any good irish music or good ballad session thanks

Fratton Fred · 10-06-2009 5:10pm

i would hazard a guess and say that Kilburn would be your best bet.

There are the O'neils pubs, which is what passes for "irish" in London. In other words, they have Aussie bar staff and have "Enjoy the craic" written on the walls. they do Steak and guinness pies though, just to add to the authenticity

I pass the castle Pub in golders Green fairly regularly and they advertise irish music. No idea what it is like though. www.beerintheevening.com is your friend.

Ponster · 10-06-2009 7:34pm

It has to be asked.....

If you're going to London why are you looking for pubs that have Irish ballad sessions ?

If you're looking for pubs that do food well you won't have a problem as almost all of them do so. In fact sometimes there's nothing I like more than a pint of bitter and a steak 'n ale pie

FX Meister · 10-06-2009 8:02pm

Why would you even want to eat Irish food in England? There are loads of amazing places to eat there. Best Pakistani and Indian food I've had has been in the UK.

OPENROAD · 10-06-2009 9:36pm

ann100 wrote: »

I am going to London for a day. I am wondering are there any Irish pubs restaurants or pubs that do food. I will probably go to oxford street for some shopping and then to the London eye any ideas anyone being in London also will be staying in Birmingham know any Irish pubs any good irish music or good ballad session thanks

Why do you want to go to Irish pubs in England

I avoid them completely, local pubs much better craic and of course better choice of drink particularly if they have Fullers London Pride.

Fratton Fred · 10-06-2009 10:11pm

London Pride, pie and mash and a good cockney knees up. Takes some beating tbh.

mccy02 · 11-06-2009 2:55pm

Hi all

My very first post on boards - very exciting stuff.

Am off to london for the weekend, staying near regents park. Can anyone recommend any good pubs? Will probably arrive at the hotel at about 11pm on fri, so just looking to go somewhere for a few that night as i want to go sightseeing and that the next day.

Heard that o'neills in islington might be good on the sat night?

OPENROAD · 11-06-2009 9:13pm

mccy02 wrote: »

Hi all

My very first post on boards - very exciting stuff.

Am off to london for the weekend, staying near regents park. Can anyone recommend any good pubs? Will probably arrive at the hotel at about 11pm on fri, so just looking to go somewhere for a few that night as i want to go sightseeing and that the next day.

Heard that o'neills in islington might be good on the sat night?

Again you are in London, avoid Irish pubs, you might as well just go to your local at home, so I would be looking out for local pubs, Regents Park is not really my area in London, I like to drink in the Fulham Road/Kensington area, would be a bit of a trek from where you are so I would be looking to go to the likes of Covent Garden/Leicester square, though Islington area has some very nice pubs, usually drink close by on match days so not sure about the night, some others might know, but please avoid the Irish pubs

As for your first night, I would be tempted to have a few in your hotel bar.

Fratton Fred · 11-06-2009 11:32pm

Regents park is a bit vague, but there's a pub down towards baker street tube called the "volunteer" which might be appropriate for an Irishman in London!!

Its quite a nice pub, in fact there are a few down there.

mccy02 · 12-06-2009 9:07am

Fratton Fred wrote: »

Regents park is a bit vague, but there's a pub down towards baker street tube called the "volunteer" which might be appropriate for an Irishman in London!!

Its quite a nice pub, in fact there are a few down there.

staying in cardington st in Euston, had a look at the map there. might pop down baker st way tonight and check them out. thanks lads for the advice! had a good read of older posts and am going to try to steer clear of the o'neills kinda places, sure if i wanted an irish pub for a drink on a friday night, i'd just stay here.

Fratton Fred · 12-06-2009 10:11am

mccy02 wrote: »

staying in cardington st in Euston, had a look at the map there. might pop down baker st way tonight and check them out. thanks lads for the advice! had a good read of older posts and am going to try to steer clear of the o'neills kinda places, sure if i wanted an irish pub for a drink on a friday night, i'd just stay here.

You're pretty close to camden there, check out www.beerintheevening.com for pubs up there as well.

pampers1 · 17-06-2009 10:11am

Can anyone recommend a good cheap hotel/apartment for a girlie shopping weekend to London. What are the best shopping areas - Oxford Street is it? Thanks.

Fratton Fred · 17-06-2009 1:40pm

pampers1 wrote: »

Can anyone recommend a good cheap hotel/apartment for a girlie shopping weekend to London. What are the best shopping areas - Oxford Street is it? Thanks.

It depends on what sort of shopping you want to do. oxford street would be the run of the mill sort of thing, there is a massive Top Shop and Nike Town, which my wife seems to have trouble avoiding.

Bond Street is where you'll find all the designers (and may even see a few celebs) and posh jewellers and there is also covent garden, which is a must tbh. Good touristy place for both shopping and eating.

Lastly, there is the new shopping centre in White City, Westfield. from what I can gather it is a massive version of Dundrum.

BumbleB · 17-06-2009 3:38pm

roxy81 wrote: »

I am heading to London in 2 weeks with my mam for pure shopping. We have our flights booked to Heathrow. We have not booked the hotel yet...............thats another area we need help with as this break has crept up on us both.

Basically we need some advice from somebody thats done this before. Between us our sense of direction would not be great so we need an idiots guide to getting around London.

Any hotel suggestions would be great, preferably near the shops would be fantastic?
Also are the shopping streets easily accessible by tube from the airport?

All help thoroughly appreciated, thanx a mil.

Rox

I stayed here

http://www.travelodge.co.uk/search_and_book/hotel_overview.php?hotel_id=318

Its real cheap safe and very central right in convenant garden.By the way its looks like a communist building on the outside so be warned.

OPENROAD · 17-06-2009 6:21pm

pampers1 wrote: »

Can anyone recommend a good cheap hotel/apartment for a girlie shopping weekend to London. What are the best shopping areas - Oxford Street is it? Thanks.

Shopping areas are actually all close by, Knightsbridge is a must visit for Harrods alone, Harvey Nichols and Burberry are also in Knightsbridge, Sloane Street is just off Knightsbridge which also contains a number of designer shops. Knightsbridge is served by the Piccadilly tube line. From there Oxford street is actually walkable imo, but as you only have the weeknend you can take the tube from Knightsbridge (Piccadilly line) to Green Park(2 stops) change here for the Jubilee line and take it to Bond Street(1 stop). Bond Street tube station is actually on Oxford Street and is the best stop for Selfridges dept store which is another must visit imo. Streets off Oxford street and good for shopping are Bond Street(Bond Street is nxt to Bond Street tube station) and Regent Street which if you walk up Oxford Steet is just off Oxford Circus. Off Regent Street you have Carnaby Street which has a really nice Italian Coffee shop, the name escapes me and also a number of nice shops. If you walk along Regent Street you will come to Piccadilly Circus(10 mins walk) and Leceister Square and in fact Covent Garden, all are well signposted.

As for where to stay, as I mentioned in an earlier post in this thread I would go for the Kensington area, I have mentioned a hotel already which I feel offers excellent value in a very nice area. You can get a room which fits 2 comfortably for £80-£100 including full English Breakfast. The hotel which mentioned tube station is Gloucester Road(Zone 1) served by the Piccadilly line and also the Circle and District lines is two stops from Knightsbridge and is direct to Heathrow airport 40 mins. The area as said is excellent and has plenty of restaurants/coffe shops a Waitrose/Tesco and huge Sainsbury and Boots.

The Westfield shopping centre as mentioned by Fratton Fred is also close by tube, from Gloucester Road for instance,(15mins) take the Circle line to Notting Hill Gate-two stops, change at Notting Hill Gate for the Central line and take it to Sheperds Bush(1 stop)

If you need any other help/advice please feel free to pm me.

Hotel Website:

http://www.ichotelsgroup.com/h/d/hi/1/en/hotel/lonhi

You can get better rates for this hotel on website below but is bit more difficult to navigate, click on bed and breakfast logo on this site which should bring up all Holiday Inns, if anyone needs more info please pm and I can guide you through if you can't find them.

http://www.ichotelsgroup.com/h/d/hi/925/en/home

IrishPhoenix · 21-06-2009 7:28pm

Hi. Can anyone recommend a decent hotel near Wembley arena, London? What would the best place be to stay?

Fratton Fred · 21-06-2009 11:27pm

Wembley is not that nice an area, so on the assmuption you are going to a concert, you would be better off staying near a jubilee line station in the west end. The london megathread will give you plenty of advice.

finbarrk · 21-06-2009 11:44pm

I stayed in the Ibis and I would stay there again. Nice sized room, clean and modern. Good value too.

http://www.ibishotel.com/gb/hotel-3141-ibis-london-wembley/index.shtml

OPENROAD · 22-06-2009 9:08pm

IrishPhoenix wrote: »

Hi. Can anyone recommend a decent hotel near Wembley arena, London? What would the best place be to stay?

Wouldn't worry about staying in Wembley as Fratton Fred pointed out, you could stay pretty much anywhere in Central London and get up to Wembley quickly. For instance if you stay in the Kensington area, you have only two tube trains to take which should take you approx 30 mins.

Carol_1985 · 24-06-2009 2:20am

Hi guys,

Would anyone have any reccomendations for hotels. I'm looking to stay somewhere fairly central and with a reasonable price.

Thanks

johnfás · 24-06-2009 10:56am

It is an expensive enough place to stay. If you don't mind being a bit off the beaten track there is a travel lodge over by London City Airport where you can sometimes get good deals - bit it is about 35/40 mins on a combination of the Docklands Light Rail and the Tube to get into Central London.

For Central London itself, provided you aren't heading over to party party party, consider the Quaker guesthouse, The Penn Club, which has an excellent location and includes a full English breakfast!

It is on Bedford Place which is about a minute's walk from Russell Square Tube which will get you to the likes of Covent Garden and Leicester Square in under 5 minutes on a direct tube line or in under 10 minutes with one swap you will get to Westminster and Oxford Circus. Equally Leceister Square is only about 15/20 mins walk and the British Museum is on your doorstep.

Do you have any other details of what you are doing over there and I might be able to give some more recommendations?

Fratton Fred · 24-06-2009 12:37pm

The hotel in post #73 sounds pretty good to me as well.

OPENROAD · 24-06-2009 7:48pm

Carol_1985 wrote: »

Hi guys,

Would anyone have any reccomendations for hotels. I'm looking to stay somewhere fairly central and with a reasonable price.

Thanks

See post 93.

Our Greater London Megathread

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