I have a possible trip coming up and I want to go a day early so that I can see a little bit of London. I'll only have a day so I'm looking for must sees. I'll arrive on a Saturday morning at Heathrow at either 8am or 11am depending on which flight I take. And leave Sunday morning. So I'm looking for suggestions and recommendations for:
1- Hotels. Should I stay near the airport? Ideally I'd like to keep it to $200 or less. And be able to get back to the airport easily Sunday morning.
2- Transportation. What are my options for getting around? Should I just take a cab to where I want to go for the day and stay in the area until I'm ready to call it a day?
3- Must sees? I've never been there but will definitely return, just don't know when. So if you could do one maybe two things, what would you do there?
4- Food! What do I need to try?
5- Any other tips or suggestions?
I will be traveling alone for the first time internationally so I'm nervous. So easy plans would be best.
Also, RockNVoll and UnderProtest and anyone else that I don't know of in the area...GTG? I think it will be one of the Saturdays in July if I get to go and I probably won't know until that week.
It was across the street from a Tube stop, and a 5-minute walk from Paddington Station. We landed at Heathrow, took the Heathrow Express train to Paddington, and then walked to our hotel. Locals can probably suggest a better option for you since you will be staying just one night.
We had no problems walking or taking the Tube to see the sights. We never stepped foot in a cab.
I'd tour Westminster Abbey and then the Tower of London if you only have one day. There are interesting sights around both of those places that you can peek at along the way.
I'm no help on food, as we didn't do enough research for good places to eat.
Tips: Um, maybe just to keep your luggage manageable. Pack light, and consider a backpack for ease of movement. When I travel alone for work it's a PITA to load my luggage in a plane's overhead if it's very heavy and hard to manage. We were in London/Ireland for 10 days and just had a carry-on suitcase and a personal item each. If you really need something, you can buy it.
Sounds like I should be ok getting around. That's a good idea to pack light. I was worried about getting to the hotel too early and not being able to unload my stuff before heading out for a whole day. I'll definitely carry a book bag.
I've been there for a few days twice in the past 5 years (both work-related) and definitely couldn't find a hotel near the main sites for less than $200/night. I do imagine it's seasonal, though.
For one day, the Tower of London and Westminster Abbey would win out for me. I also adored the British Museum, but you could easily spend 3 days there without seeing everything so I don't think you could do all 3.
We just stopped in random places wherever we were when we got hungry so I'm no help for food. I also don't remember the name of my first hotel and wouldn't recommend the second, bu I found both on TripAdvisor.
...The British Museum is many people's favorite. I've only done a quick stop in just to see the Rosetta Stone. Yes, the actual Rosetta Stone!...
The Rosetta Stone was awesome, but I can't get over how many original artifacts they have from all over the world and so many different cultures! Which I realize isn't popular everywhere. I wonder if Greece would be in quite so bad shape if the museum returned the Parthenon?*
*OK, or really just all of the original stone artwork
You like shoes, right? Alexander McQueen exhibit at the V&A.
You can actually cover a ton of ground by foot in one day. I'd walk around and see Covent Garden, the Tower Bridge, Parliament/Big Ben, Buckingham Palace, and Kensington Palace.
You like shoes, right? Alexander McQueen exhibit at the V&A.
You can actually cover a ton of ground by foot in one day. I'd walk around and see Covent Garden, the Tower Bridge, Parliament/Big Ben, Buckingham Palace, and Kensington Palace.
Seconding this. Covent Garden is lovely. You should eat at Dishoom which I believe is near Covent garden.
Post by alleinesein on Jul 1, 2015 19:22:55 GMT -5
1- Hotels. Should I stay near the airport? I stayed at The Villa Kensington Hotel last November. I paid around USD $180 per night and that price included breakfast. The hotel is 2 blocks away from the Gloucester Rd Tube station and is on the Piccadilly line that also serves LHR.
2- Transportation. What are my options for getting around? Should I just take a cab to where I want to go for the day and stay in the area until I'm ready to call it a day? Use the Tube! I prefer to use an Oyster card but you can also get a travelcard. Cabs are ridiculously expensive so its more cost effective to use public transport.
3- Must sees? I've never been there but will definitely return, just don't know when. So if you could do one maybe two things, what would you do there? Borough Market for lunch on Saturday and then head over to the Tower of London in the afternoon. Or you could do afternoon tea at The Orangery at Kensington Palace and check out one of the museums in the area (V&A, Natural History museum). If you are into theater you can also hit up a show on saturday night.
4- Food! What do I need to try? Borough Market- if you can't find something to eat there you have problems!! All of m trips to London have been on a very limited budget so I eat cheap.
5- Any other tips or suggestions? Allow for at least 1 hour to get to and from the airport. The tube also tends to have limited service on the weekends so plan accordingly.
I'll look into hotels near Westminster Abbey since that sounds like the top must see....maybe squeeze in Tower of London. It looks like most of what you all mention is nearby there and I like v's idea of walking. I was hoping to do some shopping too so definitely need to make my way to Alexander McQueen maybe in the afternoon . I'm just going to play it by ear, but I made a list of everything you all suggested and will try to get to most of them.
One more question... I'll plan an hour for commute back to Heathrow, but how early should I get there? I know customs can take forever in some countries. I'm wanting to buy a bag and maybe a pair of heels so I don't know how that will affect things. When we came back from Bora Bora, we had to show receipts/paperwork for all the pearls we got so that we didn't have to pay taxes or something like that, but that was ages ago.
You may want to look into whether the bag or shoes can be bought *in* Heathrow. That could save some time.
I have never had to deal with VAT refunds in Heathrow, but I'd allow 2 hours there -- with more time added for the VAT stuff. There never seems to be a line for security when I'm there, but it is a massive airport and can take a long time to get around, and your flight will board long before takeoff. There's a lot of shopping and such to do there so I don't mind when I have to be there for a long time.
Sounds like I should be ok getting around. That's a good idea to pack light. I was worried about getting to the hotel too early and not being able to unload my stuff before heading out for a whole day. I'll definitely carry a book bag.
That happened to us. Our hotel room wasn't ready until a few hours after we arrived (very jet-lagged), so we had to hang out in the hotel lobby or the Starbucks across the street with all our stuff. We didn't have much - just a carry-on suitcase apiece, and I had a big purse and MH had a backpack - but it was still no fun. It would have been worse with huge suitcases.
Have some pens handy in your personal bag, because right before you land they give you a customs card to fill out.
The VAT refund at Heathrow was very quick for me - I filled out a form and since I was getting the credit back to my Amex, I just dropped it off with them. It took longer for people that wanted cash refunds.
That happened to us. Our hotel room wasn't ready until a few hours after we arrived (very jet-lagged), so we had to hang out in the hotel lobby or the Starbucks across the street with all our stuff. We didn't have much - just a carry-on suitcase apiece, and I had a big purse and MH had a backpack - but it was still no fun. It would have been worse with huge suitcases.
Did the concierge refuse to hold your bags?
Yes :/ (I think so, anyway ... that portion of the trip is a blur because I was so damn tired.)
That happened to us. Our hotel room wasn't ready until a few hours after we arrived (very jet-lagged), so we had to hang out in the hotel lobby or the Starbucks across the street with all our stuff. We didn't have much - just a carry-on suitcase apiece, and I had a big purse and MH had a backpack - but it was still no fun. It would have been worse with huge suitcases.
Did the concierge refuse to hold your bags?
Yeah, this has never happened to me, and whenever we go to Europe we arrive in the morning -- long before check-in time.
I usually email the hotel ahead of time to request early check-in if a room becomes available early. Rarely works, but I figure it is always worth trying. Then we go straight from the airport to our hotel and talk to the front desk. Invariably, the front desk then offers to hold our stuff, tells us we'll get the first available room and that it should be ready by x [which is almost always several hours before official check-in time], allows us to use the lobby bathroom to change and freshen up, and then we go off sans luggage and do a few things until our room will be ready. When it is ready, we check in, take a nap, shower, etc.
No way would I want to hang around with our stuff waiting for the room to be ready.
I'm in London and I can utterly suggest using this company for a place to stay that will be under $200: London B&B. I would stay in central London or somewhere on the Piccadilly line of the tube (dark blue on tube map). It's really easy to use the tube to get into town & back though it will take a bit longer. The other option is to find a place near Paddington station and use the Heathrow Express.
For one day on a Saturday (and I would try to get there as early as possible so you have more time to hang & possibly fit in a nap too if need be), I'd go on the hop-on-off bus and just see the sights. It'll also allow you to figure out what you might want to see when you are able to spend more time here. Maybe head to Borough Market for a late lunch on Saturday.
Hop on/hop off bus! Great idea! I never thought I'd be that person but I want to see as much as possible lol.
Will it be too much trouble to carry a dslr? We got it for trips like this and then we always get lazy and leave it at home...never fails.
Maybe I'll just bring a smaller carry on to store it in and ask concierge ahead of time about holding it. I'll also have to think about the number of carry ons I take back too.
I'll look into hotels near Westminster Abbey since that sounds like the top must see....maybe squeeze in Tower of London. Â It looks like most of what you all mention is nearby there and I like v's idea of walking. Â I was hoping to do some shopping too so definitely need to make my way to Alexander McQueen maybe in the afternoon . Â I'm just going to play it by ear, but I made a list of everything you all suggested and will try to get to most of them. ...
FWIW, we stayed near Westminster Abbey and walked all the way to the Tower via the N side of the Thames in the morning, then back along the S side in the afternoon, with various stops on both sides. Really fabulous day but also quite long (I don't think I'd have wanted to do so immediately after a red eye).
Hop on/hop off bus! Great idea! I never thought I'd be that person but I want to see as much as possible lol.
Will it be too much trouble to carry a dslr? We got it for trips like this and then we always get lazy and leave it at home...never fails.
Maybe I'll just bring a smaller carry on to store it in and ask concierge ahead of time about holding it. I'll also have to think about the number of carry ons I take back too.
I have a small backpack to hold my DSLR and that makes it easier.
One more question... I'll plan an hour for commute back to Heathrow, but how early should I get there? I know customs can take forever in some countries. I'm wanting to buy a bag and maybe a pair of heels so I don't know how that will affect things. When we came back from Bora Bora, we had to show receipts/paperwork for all the pearls we got so that we didn't have to pay taxes or something like that, but that was ages ago.
What airline are you flying? When I have had to deal with T3 at LHR they sometimes wont let you into the security line until about 2.5 hours before your scheduled departure time. T5 is more laid back but it can take anywhere from 5 minutes to 60 minutes to get through security. If you are flying out of T5 go down to the far end security area; the line is much shorter since the connecting flights do not funnel into that part of the terminal. Check in at least 3 hours before an international flight; if it is a flight to Europe i'd do 2.5 hours only because some of the flights get bussed out to the plane so they have earlier boarding times (my 840am departure to ZAG boarded at 800am because it took 15 minutes to get out to the plane).
Definitely see if the items you want can be purchased at LHR. There are a ton of high end shops in both T3 and T5.
Post by UnderProtest on Jul 2, 2015 15:31:29 GMT -5
1. Hotels- I would pick some place around Paddington since its an easy and quick train ride from Heathrow. You won't want to carry your bags longer than you have to and that train line has a better chance of having appropriate elevators. I don't know what the price range would be though.
2. I would take the Tube (or bus) for most of your in city transportation. The Tube is generally faster but you won't get the view. It is a very walkable city too. Save cab fare for the evening when you are exhausted (or drunk).
3. Must Sees really depend on the weather to me. A hop on hop off bus tour would give you a really good view of the whole city and you can get off if something interests you. There is also a boat version of this too. I really like wandering the city and through the parks. I HATED the Victoria and Albert museum with a passion, but maybe their special exhibits are nice (there is a special shoe exhibit and an Alexander McQueen exhibit). I like walking through Covent Garden and Borough Market or down the Southbank. My favorite museum so far is the Cabinet War Rooms which is right by Westminster Abbey and Parliament. It is worth it to walk by Buckingham Palace but I wouldn't necessarily wait to see the Changing of the Guard (if you are even in town by that time). The London Eye and the Shard are great places to have a high view of the city. Fortnum and Mason is my favorite place to have tea (and buy tea). What kind of things interest you?
4. Food- What kind of food do you like? I haven't found the seafood to be great here but of course you can get some great fish and chips. We went to a hole in the wall Thai place in Earls Court and there is a pub that has great food (burgers and fish and chips, but also nicer stuff).
5. Can't think of anything right now. My brain is still fried from the 93 degree temperatures yesterday.
I would love to meet up! I'm usually free, it is just a matter if I can pawn the kids off on my husband.
Hop on/hop off bus! Great idea! I never thought I'd be that person but I want to see as much as possible lol.
Will it be too much trouble to carry a dslr? We got it for trips like this and then we always get lazy and leave it at home...never fails.
Maybe I'll just bring a smaller carry on to store it in and ask concierge ahead of time about holding it. I'll also have to think about the number of carry ons I take back too.
I guess it depends on your packing/travel style? For a trip to Europe of 10 days or less, I usually pack a 21" suitcase that I can carry on as my main bag, my Lo & Sons OMG as my red-eye carry-on item, and I use my medium Longchamp tote as my purse when I'm out and about at my destination. The Longchamp will carry my wallet, sunglasses, phone, SLR (which, with 18-200 lens, weighs approximately 40 pounds), a guidebook or two, and a water bottle.
So I wouldn't think twice about carrying my camera around. But the fact that you're thinking twice about it... makes me think that you think of it as a lot more trouble than I do?
Either way, you'll have to think about the number of carry ons you take back because you're only allowed to have one + a personal item on most airlines/
Definitely a Hop-on-Hop-off bus tour. You can see as much or as little as you like. The one we did ended at the Tower or London, then you could take a boat ride back on the Thames. Very touristy, but good.
Another option is to just take the tube to Waterloo or Embankment. Waterloo if you want to do the Eye, Embankment if not. Then walk to Big Ben/Parliament, see Westminster Abbey, then Buckingham Palace, and up to Hyde Park to walk around.
alleinesein - I'll likely be on US Air. So get there 3 hours before departure? I'll have to check out those shops and see if they have what I'm looking for. That will save me shopping time.
UnderProtest - That's a really good point. Being close to the tube would be ideal for getting back to the airport easily on Sunday morning. I'll pay more for convenience...I was just trying to keep it cheap.
I'm open to new experiences so it's hard to say what my other interests are. The main thing I'd like to take away from trips are the culture and architecture. So I think the bus tour is what I need to do.
Any suggestions on which hop on hop off bus I should do? I'd like to be able to get on in Paddington, go down towards Buckingham palace and Westminster Abbey, maybe some shopping and back. Or will I not find one that will start there?
I think I'll go with RockNVoll's suggestion and do fish and chips for lunch, afternoon tea and I'll likely want something small before heading back so I'll just drop in somewhere random.
v - That's what I'm worried about, the number of carry ons coming back since I'll have an extra bag if I buy things. Yup that extra weight is annoying to us but I really want to take my dslr this time so I'll just ask concierge if they can hold a luggage and use a drawstring bag as my purse since I can pack it for my flight back. I didn't think about the lens. I also have an 18-200. That should be good for all occasions right? Ugh that lens is so heavy. I just gotta tell myself the pictures I take back will be worth it lol.
VillainV - I was hoping to just get there and wonder around, but I guess I better come up with a plan to make the most of my day.
M currently looking at the week of the 24th - I'd probably arrive a day early to have some time in the city. I should have everything confirmed by Tuesday!