What type: At
Elsie from England, we normally recommend Bed & Breakfast establishments
because they provide a savings over hotels. The savings, of course, means having
to do without many of the comforts and services provided by hotels such as
private baths in some cases, elevators, porters, in-room telephones and TV, a
restaurant/bar, room service, etc. In a city like London, the savings from using
a Bed & Breakfast over a hotel is not significant, unless you opt for a very
basic Bed and Breakfast with a shared bath down the hall. As such, if you’re
staying for more than a couple of nights we strongly recommend that you select a
hotel. We hasten to add that this recommendation is only for London. Once you
leave the city, then we can recommend Bed & Breakfasts without reservations
as a preferred accommodation. If you are staying in London for at least 5
nights, are traveling with family, and/or want to have the convenience of your
own kitchen, you might consider an apartment or "flat."
How much: The
rates depend on the type of hotel, starting with Tourist Class hotels which are
the least expensive. They are also the most basic - essentially, a room with a
private bath and other basic hotel services. The rooms will be small and plain .
From there the categories go up in quality and price all the way to
"Luxury". Regardless of category, we have found that most London hotel
rooms tend to be smaller than most. Rates shown include breakfast daily and the
17.5% VAT.
Where: Next to
rates, probably the most important consideration when deciding on accommodations
in London is the question "in what part of London should we stay." The
correct answer is: any part, as just about every section of London has something
of interest. To assist you, we have listed some major subway (referred to in
Britain as "tube" or "underground") stations in certain
sections of London, outlining major points of interest and shopping
possibilities accessible from that station. In the list of hotels and rates in
the following pages, we show the closest subway station to each hotel. Remember
however, that London is a compact city and getting around is easy. Walking
around London is the best way to discover it, but in addition, London has a
world class public transportation system. The London subway system is the
largest in the world and every area is very well served with stations.
Directions are clear and connections are well sign posted. Buses are also
frequent andthe bright red double-decker buses are a fun way to get
around. If you purchase the London Visitor card, you'll have unlimited access to
London's buses and subways at a considerable savings in both time and money.
KENSINGTON
High Street, Kensington
Sights:
Kensington Palace, Kensington Gardens, Hyde park, Albert Hall, Commonwealth
Institute, Holland Park. South Kensington: Museums: Natural History, Geological,
Science, Victoria and Albert, Brompton Oratory.
Shops:
Richard Shops, Elliots, Ravels, Mothercare, Peter Lord, Antique Hypermarket,
Saxone, Mates, Ratners, Jean Machine, Marks and Spencers, Kensington Market,
Barkers, Scotch House and many fashion shops and boutiques. First class all
around shopping area.
KNIGHTSBRIDGE
Knightsbridge
Sights:
Hyde Park, Rotten Row, Serpentine, Beauchamp Place, Museums (Cromwell Road)
Natural History, Science, Victoria and Albert Museum.
Shops:
Knightsbridge, Brompton Road and Sloane Street, Scotch House, Harrods and many
very high class fashion shops and boutiques.
KINGS ROAD
Sloane Square
Sights:
Chelsea: fashionable, trendy area for shops, boutiques, restaurants and pubs.
Belgravia Squares, Chelsea Barracks, Cheyne Walk and embankment.
Shops:
Chelsea Antique market, Laura Ashley, Ravel, Russell and Bromley, John Lewis and
very many boutiques for younger fashions.
VICTORIA
Victoria or St. James's
Sights:
Royal Mews, Buckingham Palace, Green Park, St. James's Park, Mall through to
Trafalgar Square, Queen's Gallery, Wellington Barracks, Scotland Yard,
Westminster Cathedral.
Shops:
Richard Shops, Etam, Saxone, Army & Navy Stores and some smaller shops.
BAKER
STREET
Baker Street
Sights:
Sherlock Holmes, Planetarium, Mme. Tussaud's, Regent's Park, Open Air Theatre,
London Zoo, Mosque, Lord's Cricket.
Shops:
Not really a shopping area.
OXFORD STREET
Marble Arch, Bond Street, Oxford
Circus or Tottenham Court Road
Shops:
Every chain shop or store is represented. Clothes, shoes, jewelry, household,
food. You name it - its on Oxford Street!
Must be the world's largest non-stop shopping street. Visit Selfridges!
REGENT
STREET
Oxford Circus or Piccadilly
Shops:
Carnaby Street, Palladium, Piccadilly Circus, Goldsmiths, China Gift, Irvine
Sellars, Bally, Lord John, Just Looking, Dickens and Jones, Libery, Jaeger,
Hamleys, Waring and Gillow, Richard, Ciro, Krantz, Mappin and Webb, Hepworths,
Wedgwood, Miss Selfridge, Lawleys', Burton, Garrard, Aquascutum, Scotch House,
Saxone, Dunn, Dormevil, Athena, Burberrys. High class
shopping.
BOND STREET
Bond Street
Shops:
Good class shops and boutiques, plus Sotherby's. Chain shoe shops and high class
fashion boutiques, antiques and jewellers. Rather expensive but very stylish
shopping.
SOHO
Piccadilly, Tottenham Court
Road, Leicester Square
Sights:
Colourful area of restaurants, theatres, cinemas and strip clubs. Berwick Street
Market, video shops. (Not as naughty as reputed).
Shops:
Few shops in Soho but all around area Oxford Street, Regent Street, Shaftesbury
Ave, Charing Cross Road.
PICCADILLY
Piccadilly or Green Park
Sights:
Wellington Arch, Hyde Park Corner, Green Park, Buckingham Palace, Burlington
Arcade, Royal Academy, Piccadilly Circus, Airline offices.
Shops:
Fashion boutiques, high class clothes and shoe shops, jewelry and antiques.
Burlington Arcade, Swaine Adeney Brigg, Fortnum and Mason, Lilleywhites.
ST PAUL'S
St. Paul's
Sights:
Cathedral, City of London including the Bank of England, Mansion House, Stock
Exchange, Guildhall, City churches.
Shops:
No shopping to speak of except for City gents outfitters.
TOWER OF
LONDON
Tower Hill
Sights:
Tower of London, Crown Jewels, Traitor's Gate, Beefeaters, Tower Bridge, HMS
Belfast, St. Katherine's Dock, Marina (shops, pubs, ships). Boat departures to
Greenwich and Westminster.
Shops:
none
TRAFALGAR
SQUARE
Charing Cross or Leicester
Square
Sights:
Trafalgar Square, Nelson's Column, National Gallery, National Portrait Gallery,
Mall, Buckingham Palace, Whitehall, Guards, Covent Garden.
Shops:
None except back towards Piccadilly and Regent Street and some in Strand.
COVENT GARDEN
Covent Garden or Leicester
Square
Sights:
Tasteful tourist area on site of old market, London Transport Museum, Somerset
House.
Shops:
Boutique shopping in Covent Garden or more in the Strand. Nice area to eat after
theatre or anytime during the day.
WESTMINSTER
Piccadilly, Tottenham Court
Road,
Leicester Square
Sights:
Parliament Square, Winston Churchill statue, Big Ben, Westminster Abbey, Houses
of Parliament, Whitehall, Downing Street, Westminster Bridge and baot departure
to Hampton Court, Tower of London and Greenwich. Tate Gallery on Millbank, Royal
Festival Hall on Southbank, Imperial War Museum in Lambeth.
PLACES
OF INTEREST
TUBE
STOP
The Monument, Monument Street
Monument
Post Office Tower, Maple Street
Warren Street
St. Paul's Cathedral
St. Paul's
Westminster Cathedral
Victoria
Buckingham Palace
Victoria
Whitehall
Charing Cross
Tower of London
Tower Hill
Dickens' House, 48 Doughty
Street
Russell Street
Dr. Johnson's House, 17 Gough
Sq
Aldwych
Bank of England
Bank
Burlington Arcade, Piccadilly
Piccadilly
Trafalgar Square
Charing Cross
Covent Carden Market
Charing Cross
St. Katherine's Dock (Marina)
Tower Hill
Downing Street
Westminster
Houses of Parliament,
Parliament Sq
Westminster
Westminster Abbey, Parliament
Sq
Westminster
Big Ben, Parliament Sq
Westminster
Kensington Palace, Kensington
Gardens
High St, Kensington
Lambeth Palace, Lambeth Palace
Rd
Lambeth
Law Courts, Strand
Aldwych
London's Wall, London Wall
Moorgate
Old Bailey
St. Paul's
Piccadilly Circus
Piccadilly
Royal Mews, Buckingham Palace
Victoria
Smithfield Market
Farringdon
Soho, Shaftesbury Ave to Oxford
St
Piccadilly
Stock Exchange, Throgmorton St
Bank
Mme Tussaud's
Baker Street
Planetarium
Baker Street
MARKETS
TUBE STOP
Petticoat Lane, Middlesex Street (Sun. 0900-1400)
Liverpool Street
Leather Lane
(Weekdays 1100 - 1500)
Farringdon
Bermondsey Antique Bermondsey St (Sat, Sun 0730 - 1200)
London Bridge
Camden, Camden Passage (Tue, Wed, Sat 800-1600, Thu, Fri 900-1700)
