Recommend this Yank a hotel in London!

The wife and I, plus our two grown sons, are vacationing this June in London, Paris, and Rome. It'll be our first such trip. We'll be starting out in London for about 5-6 days in early June.

Can anyone recommend a nice, modern hotel that is centrally-located to the normal tourist attractions? Above average but not "luxury." And while you're at it, tell me three things we MUST do or see in London.

Thanks, mates!
:occasion14:

3 things....

Natural History Museum.

West End Show - loads to chose from.

Tower of London.

1) get a GTG organised [emoji3]
2) Tower of London
3) Cutty Sark (or not but it’s close) and Greenwich Observatory
4) National Gallery or British Museum, but with a plan that depends on your tastes.

1) Double decker bus tour
2) London Eye
3) Natural History Museum (go in the side door!)

1) Tower of London - Definitely take a Beefeater tour, not same without.

2) Afternoon tea - very British, Savoy is great but we really enjoyed Harrods in the Georgian Restaurant.

3) Museum of London is great and close to St Pauls and the Tower.


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We usually stay at The Doubletree Hilton by the Tower of London, nice and modern and a great location.

Have a look at the Apex Temple Court hotel.

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1. Tower of London
2. Churchill War Rooms
3. British Museum

I’d also take a trip down the river from the Tower to Westminster.

Natural history museum
Tower of London
Hyde park

Night - Leicester Square +soho

Stay -copthorne tara ,Kensington


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Intercontinental on Hyde Park Corner is nice.

European cities are much more walkable than American cities so spend a bit of time just wandering.

1. Don't over look retail especially in London, there'll be stuff around Carnaby Street, Regent Street, Piccadilly and Old Bond Street that you won't see in San Diego.

2. The weather in June should be quite nice so a relaxed afternoon in one of the parks.

3. See a show, your boys would probably like Hamilton.

Also, the proms will have started so around lunch time you’ll get plenty of concerts in the parks

If you get fed up of the city, take the tube out to Kew on a Sunday. The gardens, steam museum over the bridge in Brentford, old style tea in St Anne’s church whilst watching the cricket being played on the green.

Tube out to Richmond, walk up the hill to see a great view of the river and along the river to Petersham Nurseries or Ham House and again have a cuppa!






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Ceremony of the Keys

Every night the Tower of London is locked up by the Chief Warder who makes his way to the gates from the Byward Tower at exactly 21:53. Once all the Tower gates are locked, the Last Post is sounded by a trumpeter and the ceremony is concluded. This ceremony represents a 700-year-old tradition and lasts no more than 10 minutes.

The Chief Warder represents the Yeoman Warders (more commonly known as 'Beefeaters') who have looked after the Tower since the 14th century. Today they perform the role of tour guide in addition to their ceremonial duties.

Tickets for this ceremony are free but you need to apply 6-8 weeks in advance. Write to: The Ceremony of the Keys, Waterloo Block, HM Tower of London, London, England, EC3N 4AB, stating the names of the attendees and enclosing a self-addressed envelope, together with the requisite British Postage Stamps, or a minimum of two International Reply Coupons (American Postage Stamps are not valid in the UK).

Visitors need to arrive at the West Gate by 21:30. Ceremony takes place at 21.53 throughout the year.

Venue: Tower of London
Address: Tower Hill, EC3
Phone: 020 7709 0765
Nearest Station: Tower Hill Tube

I always stay at the Premier Inn Hub in Covent Garden, won't be your bag but I spend so little time in my room I don't care as long as its clean.

1. St Pauls
2. Tower of London
3. National Gallery - with a visit to the Cafe in the Crypt for lunch :)

for the ceremony of the keys, you can book online

https://www.hrp.org.uk/tower-of-lond...y-of-the-keys/

no need to write. but June is fully booked

If you want to save money look at Travelodge London Finchley located in the suburbs at Finchley Central. The underground is the other side of the road and 25min. to Leicester Square. Much much cheaper than central London accommodation.

I can't recommend any particular hotel not having used any myself. So the only advice I can give is...unless you’re going to take taxis everywhere, arrange Visitor Oyster cards (https://tfl.gov.uk/travel-informatio...or-oyster-card) before you come and read up both on getting around and on the discounts you can get with the card. Be prepared to walk locally, put up with lots of people (including other tourists), try out the upper deck of a London bus, realise that the hotel rooms will seem small compared to what you’re used to…and, since your lads are grown, be prepared to bomb-burst…different things will please different folks. As for things to see:

• A trip to Greenwich Observatory and the time exhibit for Harrison’s clocks (you can’t see them anywhere else) - there or back (or both) by river. Down the hill in Greenwich itself, depending upon time and interest, are the National Maritime Museum, a small indoor market where I nearly lost 3 American visitors and the Cutty Sark (not on my can’t miss list, but worth a visit).
  
  
• One of: British Museum (antiquities…I was surprised how much my American niece found to look at), Museum of London (London’s past…well presented), Imperial War Museum (speaks for itself…if that’s your cup of tea, but maybe not for your wife?).
  
  
• Westminster (the Abbey, Whitehall, changing the guard…Horse Guards parade, not Buck House, Cabinet War Rooms, Trafalgar Square, National Gallery and all that. Or else, one of: Tower of London, Buck House, Windsor Castle…depending upon how old you want your royal association.

More importantly...what's your taste in beer? With the micro-brewery explosion in the US I expect you'll want to try out a London pub and it's best to decide if you're going for our warm beer tradition or want to stick to the chilled variety (lagers, beers and stouts). Pubs can get very busy at lunchtime and in the early evening, best get in early and grab a table if you want to eat or just get the weight off of your feet for a bit.

Grange St Pauls is a nice hotel in a very convenient location.

I stayed at The Athenaeum in Piccadilly this week, it may be the sort of place you’re looking for. On the edge of green Park and a short walk from Buckingham Palace.

As above I would go for a walk around, there’s so much to see. Covent Garden and the South Bank are worth a look.

Have you considered an Airbnb? Between myself and partner, we have three just off Oxford Street including a three bed apartment in a mansion block. Everything worth seeing and doing is walkable from there.

Can't guarantee we'd have anything free for your trip but there are plenty around. Might offer a bit more flexibility (and be a bit cheaper) for your kind of party.

Not mentioned yet, the clock and watch museum in the Science Museum.

Holiday inn Bloosmbury

If you are reasonably fit/active as a family, my advice is to stay as close to the city centre as possible, that way most key attractions are walking distance away.

I had occasion to stay at The Thistle, just off Leicester Square, the other day and was very pleased with it and with the location, see here; https://www.thistle.com/en/hotels/lo..._website_click

Using this as a base you can do the shows, Chinatown, lots of shopping including watch shops and most of the touristy-places really, really easily.

As with all London hotels it is not inexpensive but the location is killer. The rooms are acceptable but not luxurious; it gets good all-round reviews. Breakfast is also good !

For things to do, I am a fan of:

The National Gallery;
The British Museum, and;
The Sherlock Holmes Pub (formerly the Northumberland Hotel as featured in The Hound of the Baskervilles, good fish and chips upstairs and a recreation of Sherlock Holmes' rooms)

I would though recommend just walking around and seeing the sights.

For example, if you walk from Trafalgar Square up The Mall to Buck Pal then down Victoria St to Westminster Abbey then on to the Houses of Parliament and back to Trafalgar Square via Whitehall you will have seen quite a lot of the famous sights. This will take a few hours if you stop and take in the places.

Similarly, I can recommend a great walk from Trafalgar Square via St Paul's Cathedral to The Tower and back via the south bank of the Thames to Westminster Bridge and, again, back up Whitehall as a great way to spend a fair few hours as well.

Anyway, I hope you and the family enjoy your trip !

Best wishes

Gary

London Dungeon

Rather than attractions I think you need to gen up on the areas you need to visit.

Palace, St James Park
Trafalgar Square
South Bank
Tower
St Pauls
Museums (lots, all over the place!)
Covent Garden
Westminster
Clipper ride on the Thames (absolute MUST) it is part of the integrated transport system so cheap, quick and easy to get about with an oyster card.

In terms of places:
Royal Observatory is great (read up about John Harrison and his clocks first)
Cafe in the Crypt at St Martins in the Fields is indeed excellent but busy

TBH a lot of the attractions above are in these areas. Take a look on the map.

Finally, let us all know when you're going to be here for goodness sake!!

An earlier poster suggested a Doubletree by Hilton and I think that’s a pretty good shout for what you’re after. The Doubletree Westminster is good and modern and very reasonably priced. If you’re out much of each day then I doubt you’d get the value from the more high end hotels starting around £300-400pn for a basic room.

The Doubletree Westminster has fantastic views from some of the suites too, as well as being walking distance from Westminster Abbey, the river, Big Ben etc. Worth a look I’d say.

As for 3 must do’s..

I always walk in London and as other have said, it’s much nicer than the Tube which gives a false impression of how far apart things are- central London is quite small.

I like a walk from Knightsbridge (see Harrods and many watch shops..) through Hyde Park and lunch at the Mayfair Chippy.

Greenwich Park and observatory is also a nice spot for something a bit different as others have said. Natural History Museum is great too- and free (or a donation).

Enjoy!


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We always stay here:

https://www.marriott.com/hotels/trav...5-54ba596febe2


I would take a suite and upgrade to the executive lounge for the free food and drinks when you want.

Very central for shopping shopping and shoipping and other things that my wife likes sometimes.


Since the American embassy has relocated there may well be better room availability.


We just like it. Nice but not pretentious.

Gordon Ramsey's restaurant is part of the hotel.

There is a great italian restaurant about 40 - 50- yards up the road towards Bond Street. Cheap as anything and a shop oppostite the hotel that stocks good wines at reasonable prices - Voila !

B

Street Markets - covered and uncovered, the best days are usually from Friday to Sunday
East London
E8 - Broadway plus Schoolyard and Netil on Westgate Street (Saturdays only)
E1 - Old Spitalfields plus Boxpark Shoreditch
E2 - Brick Lane and Columbia Road (Sundays only)
North London
NW1 - Camden Lock plus a 20 mins canal walk to or from N1 - Kings Cross/York Way which has a Canopy market and Coal Drops Yard
South London
SE1 - Borough (full market Wednesday to Saturday)
SE10 - Greenwich plus as already said Cutty Sark, Maritime Museum, Observatory, Park.
West London
W11 - Portobello Road (Friday & Saturday), Labroke Grove & Notting Hill Farmers market (Saturday only 9am-1/2pm)
W12 - Shepherd Bush (closed on Sundays)

If on a budget book early for these fairly central hotels.
Hilton Angel Islington
Hilton London Kensington/Shepherds Bush
Blueprint Living Apartments Farringdon/Clerkenwell

Incredible suggestions! I can't thank you enough. I will transcribe and summarize them for discussion with Mrs. PC!

https://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2016...5680288154.jpg

My daughter's constantly remind me not to sit down when travelling on the tube - bed bugs! - seriously
If you need a taxi - download the 'Uber' app - apologies to hackney cabbies but I can only afford black cabs for short journeys

Hilton London Bankside in Southwark would meet your requirements, loads of great things to do but 3 for me.
Bus tour
Churchill war rooms
Imperial war museum


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As another thought-if you are here for a Saturday, take part in one of the free 5k Parkruns that are held all over London (well and many other places) http://www.parkrun.org.uk/ so bring your running shoes. What you should be doing is putting the boys in the YHA in St. Pancrass at £20 a night each, then using the extra money for a real posh place for yourself and the wife.

Eat well at Londons oldest restaurant Rules (Avoid pre opera early evening rush)

Serve time in the original Clink prison

Walk with the infamous dead at Highgate Cemetery - informative tours can be booked

If you are going to do the Tower, then HMS Belfast is a short hop over the other side of the river. A must for geeky blokes. Not so much for the ladies I suspect. Museum wise, the Natural History, Science and V&A are all in a convenient line next to South Ken. tube station. I've always liked visiting the Tate Modern, and the Tate itself. Have a look and see if there are any special exhibitions on.

I was based in London for 40 years, and to be honest you could spend a month there and not see all that there is to see.

But, enjoy. It's a great City.

Another tip - when choosing a hotel make sure it’s not in an area where all the roads are closed off due to Brexit marches.

An anniversary stay in London very nearly turned into a divorce one yesterday. :ambivalence

I'd recommend a Novotel blackfriars - they have queen size bed rooms with sofabeds for two more
no frills but a tad better than Premier inn.
and that location is near the tower, tower bridge, southbank, boroug market, london bridge station (trains to gatwick) etc..