Jayneann

I'm wondering about the best, meaning easiest, not cheapest, way for our family of 4 to get to the Premier Inn in Putney after arriving on the Eurostar from Paris? We will be arriving about one thirty in the afternoon on a Monday! Thanks in advance!

alihutch

The easiest would be to get a taxi.

PatrickLondon

Quite a long ride by taxi, but undoubtedly the easiest. You might be able to save something with a pre-booked car service.

By public transport, you would have to change - Piccadilly Line to Earl's Court, then District Line to Putney Bridge (and there are lots of steps down at Putney Bridge, which would be a real pain with luggage).

janisj

It is a pretty long ways from St Pancras - about 8 miles across all of central London.

Then it is a bit of a slog from Putney Br station through Earls court and changing lines to get from the hotel to any sites. Are you sure this is where you want to stay?

Jayneann

Thanks for the replies! PatrickLondon, can you recommend a pre-booked car service?

Janisj, I want to be as close to Roehampton University as possible, and I think this is the closest hotel. Do you know of a better located hotel close to Roehampton? I was really hoping to be able to walk to the campus from the hotel. Thanks again!

janisj

Oh - that's fine then -- didn't know you weren't as interested in sightseeing as the typical poster.

PatrickLondon

It's a 10-15 minute bus ride, and therefore a very long walk, from the hotel to most parts of Roehampton University. As a federation of a number of different colleges, it also has a range of buildings in different places - do you know which one in particular you need to be able to visit? It might make a difference if it's Southlands, say, or Manresa, though hotel options in what is primarily a residential suburb are a bit limited.

I've no personal experience of car services, but I'm assuming the ones recommended here for airport pickups will also go to St Pancras.

Cholmondley_Warner

The hotel is just by Putney Bridge tube station (nb NOT East Putney).

Roehampton is packed with scratters.

Jayneann

PatrickLondon, he will be staying in Whitelands, but we want to visit the entire campus since this is where our son will be living for the next three months. Guess we'll be busing and walking it. Do you know where the closest grocery market is?

Janisj, we are spending our first week in London in an apartment near Covent Gardens, then dedicating our last day/night to this area.

Thanks for all the help!

lizziea06

I used to live right around the corner from there so let me know if you need more recommendations on the area for dining, shopping, etc.

PatrickLondon

I see things have changed a bit. I was thinking of the old Whitelands site on West Hill, but they have now moved more or less to the main campus around the centre of Roehampton. You can get the 265 bus from right outside the Premier Inn all the way there.

There are a few B&Bs in Barnes, but for a family of four, they might not be big enough, let alone conveniently placed (unless they're close to Barnes station or Castlenau, in which case, they are on bus routes serving the main Roehampton campus).

There is a small shopping centre in Roehampton village. He won't starve. For a big shop, most people will take an 85 or 430 bus down to Putney High St, which is the main local shopping centre, where there's a Waitrose and a Sainsbury's. There's a big Asda, also a bus ride away, round on Roehampton Vale, but there's nothing else there.

http://www.tfl.gov.uk/tfl/gettingaro...ital-10297.pdf

For your day there, depending on your tastes, you could walk on Putney Heath, maybe towards the Windmill, or get the 72 down to the Red Lion at Barnes (either to look at the Wetlands Centre, or to stroll towards Barnes Bridge past the village pond); or you take the bus to Putney High St to check out the shops, the little historical display in St Marys' Church all about the Putney Debates, and look at the rowers and sailors along the riverside (but you might as well do that on your first evening at the Premier). It's a nice enough residential area, but it isn't exactly all go.

Jayneann

PatrickLondon, fabulous information, thanks so much!! I'm sure once his orientation at the U begins, he'll learn all of this, but since we're only there the day before he starts, I wanted see the campus and the area firsthand!

lizziea06, I would love any information you can share about the surroundings!!

lizziea06

I should clarify that I used to live right around the corner from the Premier Inn in Parsons Green, not near Whitelands! Patrick has given you good information about the local stores. Putney High Street will be the closest area with large stores near to you. The Waitrose in Exchange Place is quite nice and there are plenty of specialty stores in the immediate area.

For dining in Putney, we really like Emiles:

http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/52/56347.../Emiles-Putney

Our local pub is the Coat and Badge and they do pretty nice food as well:

http://www.geronimo-inns.co.uk/thecoatandbadge/

Decent sushi can be found at the (oddly named) Hare & Tortoise off the High Street:

http://www.hareandtortoise.co.uk/fla...spx?locid=1592

Good local curry house from Holy Cow:

http://www.holycowfineindianfood.com/

Jayneann

Great information Lizzie!!! Thank you so much! So looking forward to this trip although I must admit, it's been challenging to put together!

We are also going to Paris and just read your interesting trip report! Glad you had such a great time!

Cholmondley_Warner

For pubs you want the Bricklayers, aka the Brick. I think this could be the bestest pub in London

http://www.fancyapint.com/pubs/pub3200.php

(The Coat and Badge is nice too).

If you are looking immediately by your hotel go to the Eight Bells:

http://www.fancyapint.com/pubs/pub1553.php

Under NO CIRCUMSTANCES WHATSOEVER go to the Golden Lion (nasty, violent place especially on matchdays (Fulham FC is just around the corner):


http://www.fancyapint.com/pubs/pub1560.php

And the Larrik is full of wankers who can't afford Chelsea.

Cholmondley_Warner

Oh and there's an Indian Restaurant next to the Golden Lion (ie a couple of minutes walk from the hotel) that's pretty good in a standard curry-house style.

Cholmondley_Warner

There is a small shopping centre in Roehampton village. He won't starve.>>>>

But may lose the will to live.

lizziea06

It's not called the Larrick anymore CW - it's now the King's Arms and they've gut renovated it. AVOID the Golden Lion at all costs..gross old man pub full of wankers.

Cholmondley_Warner

The last time I was in the Lion (off duty - very off duty) I had to nick someone for glassing another bloke.

It's that kind of place.

And the food's crap.

Are you sure the Kings is the same pub?

The kings used to be that big pub on the left hand side of the road past the used car place (the one that Zeppelin used to drink and practise in) it became Zulus or some such for a while.

No?

lizziea06

The Larrik was the big pub on the left hand side where Fulham High Street meets the Kings Road before you got to Putney Bridge. They closed it down for a while (not very long ago) and when it reopened it was known as the Kings Arms. It's kind of opposite the Temperance.

http://www.fancyapint.com/pubs/pub1559.php