Our Greater London Megathread

luckyshot

Hey everybody,

Just wondering if anybody knew of any cheap hostels in the liverpool street area of london?? Especially one with out a curfew!

Delboy5

Any chance of naming the hotel please !?

BullBauld wrote: »

Hi all

Myself and my girlfirend looking to stay in London for 3 nights next month.

I have been looking at hotels and found a secret 4 * hotel on lastminute for £365 overlooking Tower Bridge, Prescot Street to be exact. Would this be a good area to stay. Is it within walking distance of all the major attractions, Buckingham Palace, Big Ben, Leicester Sq etc and areas like Soho & Oxford Street, West End?

I wouldn't be one for the underground so somewhere thats easy access and
then within walking distance of the major sights is what I'm looking for.

Thanks in advance
Bull

billyhead

Hi,

I have never visited London before and would like to go. I was wondering would spending 3 nights there i.e about3.5 days be enough to see most of the sites and if so what do you recommend I should not miss out on?

Columbia

3 days is definitely not enough to fit in all the worthwhile stuff, you could easily fill a month in London.

Depends what you're into - galleries & museums, historical sights, shopping, etc?

The highlight for me was a guided Jack the Ripper tour, although this was back in January so it was dark, I think it'd be daylight now which will make it rather less atmospheric.

samsx

Hi all, asking for help. Travelling to Legoland in September for son's birthday. Would be flying from Cork. Ryanair only fly to Stanstead/Gatwick and Aerlingus (preferrable) to Heathrow but nearly €400 for flights for 4 of us!!. is there any site that doese all in deals on a break to legoland from Ireland (incl. flight/hotel/tickets to park). Can get flight to Gatwick for around €128 for 4 of us but is this a far commute then to Windsor?As you can see I'm totally confused. Help would be greatly appreciated, we are hoping to go for 2 nights in total.thanks everyone.

Fratton Fred

Gatwick to Windsor is quite easy.

Train to Clapham Junction and then train to Windsor and Eton riverside. Should cost £40 for the four of you and take an hour and a half. If you are driving then it is just under an hours drive, up the M23 to the M25 and then leave at Staines for Windsor.

I am pretty sure there are shuttle buses from Windsor town to the park (it is about 5km outside the town towards Ascot).

There is a Travelodge in the centre of windsor which is fairly cheap and well located for shops and eating out in the evening, its about a five minute walk from the riverside station and 2 minutes from the castle. It can get a bit noisy though as Windsor is a busy town in the evening.

I know the area very well, so feel free to ask any questions you like.

Rasmus

Hi,
I can't remember what we paid exactly, but when we did this trip I booked through the actual Legoland website, where they offer inclusive deals (tickets, accomodation) then we got some Ryanair flights and rented a car. It was really quite cheap, easily under 300 euro.

Fratton Fred

Rasmus wrote: »

Hi,
I can't remember what we paid exactly, but when we did this trip I booked through the actual Legoland website, where they offer inclusive deals (tickets, accomodation) then we got some Ryanair flights and rented a car. It was really quite cheap, easily under 300 euro.

Do you remember the name of the hotel?

Spook_ie

Hi Samsx, I'll try and describe the hotel we stayed in to Fratton Fred and see if he can figure out where we stayed 3 years ago ! the hotel was amazing and we were given a truely massive family suite (incl breakfast + hotel has a pool) and the 2 night stay included admission tickets to legoland...........now Fratton Fred, put on your thinking cap ! the most memorable thing about the hotel that we stayed in was that there was a HUGE tropical fish tank in the foyer and was visible from inside the lift (the kids loved it) - the kids called it the Toblerone hotel because of its external look - has a pool......very close to Ascot......is this ringing any bells with you ?

Fratton Fred

Was it the Coppid Beach, next to the Ski Centre?

Rasmus

Fratton Fred wrote: »

Do you remember the name of the hotel?

The Park Inn, near Heathrow.

Spook_ie

Well done Fratton Fred !!!! just looked at their website and yes, thats it alright !!! I know it was 3 years ago, but I would highly recommend the Coppid Beech !!!

Fratton Fred

Spook_ie wrote: »

Well done Fratton Fred !!!! just looked at their website and yes, thats it alright !!! I know it was 3 years ago, but I would highly recommend the Coppid Beech !!!

It was the Toblerone bit that gave it away, I just thought of somewhere with lots of triangles!

The Runnymede Hotel does family legoland breaks at the weekend. There is not much in the way of public transport there so a car would be needed, but it is very handy for both Legoland and Thorpe park.

vicwatson

There is I think, half price tickets to Legoland Windsor on the back of Hula Hoops packets (6 packs) in Tesco.

http://www.happydaysareinthebag.com/

samsx

thanks for the help so far. like the sound of the Toblerone hotel (especially my wife), reminds me of Billy Connolly's bit on eating the alps and being the worlds most aggressive "sweetie"!!:D
Thanks again.

mikedublin

Hi, I am coming to London on Monday morning, and am just wondering if any one would know the cheapest way to get from Gatwick to central London.

I won't be in a hurry, so would be able to take local buses and trains if that would save a few pounds.

(I've seen a few on-line booking things, but don't want to book something on-line and then find the flights delayed and I lose the connection, so looking for the chepest option I can just turn up and get on / pay at the station)

Would be very grateful for any suggestions / advice.

Thanks,. Mike

who the fug

local stopping train

Monkey61

mikedublin wrote: »

Hi, I am coming to London on Monday morning, and am just wondering if any one would know the cheapest way to get from Gatwick to central London.

I won't be in a hurry, so would be able to take local buses and trains if that would save a few pounds.

(I've seen a few on-line booking things, but don't want to book something on-line and then find the flights delayed and I lose the connection, so looking for the chepest option I can just turn up and get on / pay at the station)

Would be very grateful for any suggestions / advice.

Thanks,. Mike

Alternatively the EasyBus would be cheaper, although very slow. It goes to Fulham Broadway and you can get the tube or a bus from there to central.

billyhead

I was just wondering how much disposable money should I bring for just myself for 3 nights for food, transport i.e from the airport to the hotel and using the subway and tourist activities. I won't be doing any miscellaneous shopping. Also I have breakfast covered in the hotel i.e B&B

Savman

billyhead wrote: »

I was just wondering how much disposable money should I bring for just myself for 3 nights for food, transport i.e from the airport to the hotel and using the subway and tourist activities. I won't be doing any miscellaneous shopping. Also I have breakfast covered in the hotel i.e B&B

Feckin' loads. London is one expensive City, I've been a dozen times and it's hard to do on a budget (but not impossible). They've also recently hiked the VAT rate up I believe.

The tourist attractions are prohibitively expensive, I remember stuff like the London Eye and Madame Tassaud's being somewhere in the region of £15-20pp.

Get the travelcard anyway, then just a matter of choosing from the vast array of options open to you.

billyhead

Savman wrote: »

Feckin' loads. London is one expensive City, I've been a dozen times and it's hard to do on a budget (but not impossible). They've also recently hiked the VAT rate up I believe.

The tourist attractions are prohibitively expensive, I remember stuff like the London Eye and Madame Tassaud's being somewhere in the region of £15-20pp.

Get the travelcard anyway, then just a matter of choosing from the vast array of options open to you.

Thanks for the advice Savman. How much do you think I should bring then in sterling?

Savman

How long is a piece of string....as you'd imagine things are uber expensive around Leicester Square, Piccadilly Circus and Covent Garden. I'm talking £12 cinema tickets. The West End shows are definitely worth checking out, lots of choice here and usually start around £20-30ish for seats up in the gods.

In London you're limited only by budget tbh.

OPENROAD

Savman wrote: »

How long is a piece of string....as you'd imagine things are uber expensive around Leicester Square, Piccadilly Circus and Covent Garden. I'm talking £12 cinema tickets. The West End shows are definitely worth checking out, lots of choice here and usually start around £20-30ish for seats up in the gods.

In London you're limited only by budget tbh.

Would not agree, eating out is on a par with Dublin, restaurants and coffee shops. Actually coffee shops are cheaper, my local coffee shop in London Kensington I can get a latte with a free croissant for 2 euro, in Dublin my local is almost 3 euro.

Transport is cheap, plenty of excellent free museums in London.

London has some great Parks, Kensington Gardens is heaven, walk towards Knightsbridge in the Park and you have the Serpentine Lake, a beautiful spot to sit and watch the world go by.

London has some great markets also.

Check out the below site, plenty of other free stuff if you google

http://www.timeout.com/london/aroundtown/features/2892/Free_things_to_do_in_London.html


http://www.londonforfree.net/outdoors/markets/tourist.shtml

If I was budgeting I would budget as if you were in Dublin

Savman

I'm sure there's plenty of freebie stuff to do, however the guy was asking about all the "touristy" things, most of which come at a hefty premium.

OPENROAD

Savman wrote: »

I'm sure there's plenty of freebie stuff to do, however the guy was asking about all the "touristy" things, most of which come at a hefty premium.

And many of them are free London has an array of free museums

Even the likes of the London Eye are reasonably priced imo

And food/transport is well priced compared to Dublin which he was also asking about

newbie!

Hi

Can anyone recommend a good steakhouse (english, american or south american) anywhere near Covent Garden/Soho/westend or other surrounding areas?
thanks,.

Fratton Fred

Gaucho Grill is a good bet.

I'm not sure where the nearest one is to the west end as I've only ever eaten in the Hampstead one, but that is pretty good.

who the fug

Fratton Fred wrote: »

Gauch Grill is a good bet.

I'm not sure where the nearest one is to the west end as I've only ever eaten in the Hampstead one, but that is pretty good.

Do you mean Gaucho Grill must check the one near me out

Fratton Fred

who the fug wrote: »

Do you mean Gaucho Grill must check the one near me out

That's it, Ninja edit needed.

Also, for a treat in the West End, Mark Hix does some great steaks at his Brewer Street restaurant. www.hixsoho.co.uk

Goreygal

newbie! wrote: »

Hi

Can anyone recommend a good steakhouse (english, american or south american) anywhere near Covent Garden/Soho/westend or other surrounding areas?
thanks,.

Stay away from the Angus Steak Houses what ever you do!