Just back from England

Old Feb 21st, 2002, 04:21 PM
  #1  
Dale
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Just back from England

Hi folks - just a word of thanks for helping me plan a great trip to England. I'm just back today, so to return the kindness, please let me know if you have any questions. I'll see what I can do to help. For starters, the Best Western in Paddington was a great deal at 49 GBP which included a substantial breakfast, booked through Laterooms.com Also, I have the name of a fabulous B&B within a 10-minute walk of the Canterbury (West) train station, along with other little tidbits. Although this was my fourth trip to England, I learned a heck of a lot from you great people. Cheerio, and thanks again.
Dale
 
Old Feb 21st, 2002, 04:31 PM
  #2  
jpbering
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I plan to go to London mid-March. What is the best way to get from Gatwick to the center? Did you visit any museums? If so, which ones? Which would you recommend? Any suggestions on what to do for 3 days? I've been to London before and seen the main sights.
 
Old Feb 21st, 2002, 06:30 PM
  #3  
Dale
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I have never flown into Gatwick, but other forum participants have mentioned that the Gatwick Express train from the airport to central London is quite good. Just go a search under "Gatwick" and you should be able to get the info. As for suggestions for what to do for three days, try the walking tours. These are fabulous! I took one that involves a non-strenous 2-hour walk around an area called "Little Venice". I had seen pictures, but nothing compares, of course, than seeing the real thing around London's canal areas. I ended up taking two more tours, they were such fun. There are also walking tours of Hampstead, a wonderful village inside London (zone 2 on the underground), pub tours at night, even a walking tour of Jack the Ripper haunts. They also have special walks involving the museums/galleries, i.e., the British Museum and the National Gallery. I can't recommend these tours enough, even if it's your first or fourth trip to London. As for the museums I did this trip, I went to the V&A museum in S. Kensington which I liked, but I found the Imperial War museum more interesting. It's around the Waterloo rail station area, and although a bit out of the way, is really worth the visit. Lots to see and a wonderful collection of books, CDs, etc. in the gift shop. In summary, check out the web page for one of the best walking tour companies, London Walks, www.walks.com, for all the details. Even if you decide not to go on one, the web page will still give you some great ideas for doing something different. Happy planning, and have a wonderful time.
 
Old Feb 21st, 2002, 08:44 PM
  #4  
Laurie
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Dale, My family of 4, 2adults and 2 teenagers would like to take a trip to London early next summer. I would like for all 4 of us to be able to share a room.Do you have any suggestions for hotels or Bed and Breakfasts that are clean, well located, and able to accomodate 4 people on a budget? We are considering the Georgian House Hotel near the Victoria Station. Thank you for your help. Laurie
 
Old Feb 21st, 2002, 08:57 PM
  #5  
janis
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Laurie - for a family it is usually MUCH better to rent a flat instead trying to cram foor into a small budget hotel room.

You can get a 1 bedroom, sofa sleeper in the living room, full kitchen including washing machine, for about the same price as a quad room in a cheap hotel. And for a little more you could get a 2 bedroom flat and have even more room.
 
Old Feb 21st, 2002, 09:48 PM
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Laurie
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Thank you for your reply Janis. Can you tell me how to find a flat that would meet our needs? We would like to stay for 1 week in London and 5 days in Paris. Thank you for your help.laurie
 
Old Feb 21st, 2002, 10:47 PM
  #7  
janis
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There are hundreds of wonderful vacation rental apartments throughout London. You could do a web search for "London Holiday Flat" or " London Vacation Apartment" etc. You will find too many to choose from.

One agency I use often is E&E Apartments. They have studio throigh 3 bedrooms in the Pimlico area from about £400 to over £700 per week. A 1 bedroom sleeping 4 in high season would be around £550 - which works out to less than £20 per night per person. Pimlico is between Victoria station and the river and near the Tate Gallery. It is a convenient residential area.

Unfortunately they do not have a website - but their e-mail is [email protected]
 
Old Feb 22nd, 2002, 12:33 AM
  #8  
Ben Haines
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jpbering <[email protected]>

Dale <[email protected]>

Dear Mr Bering,

For hotels near Victoria the Victoria Express is the best train. For those in Bloomsbury Thameslink to Kings Cross Thameslink. For hotels near the Strand and Covent Garden Thameslink or Central to London Bridge platform 6, stay on the same platform, and carry on two stops to Charing Cross. In each case you?d top off with a short taxi tide, or even (as an old hander) bus ride.

With the e-mail copy of this message I?m sending a note I keep on disc on London off the beaten track and hidden London. If you?ll tell me of professional, hobby, or artistic interests and tastes I?ll be glad to see what London offers you. And in general please write if I can help further. Welcome back.

Ben Haines

 
Old Feb 22nd, 2002, 03:18 AM
  #9  
Dale
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Hi, Laurie: I would certainly agree that an apartment is the best idea. We stayed at the Oxbridge last year (2 adults one child). It's within a five-minute walk of the Gloucester Rd Tube station and down the road from a Sainsbury grocery store. It wasn't a five-star by any stretch of the imagination, as the "view" was an inside one - nothing but walls! We didn't care, as it was clean and so convenient, but some might find that a turn off. Anyway here is their web page, but certainly the photos are misleading in that it's not as nice as portrayed: www. oxrg.demon.co.uk. Another "self-catering" place recommended by travel guru Rick Steves is the Vancouver Suites around the Paddington area. Also there are those apartments called "Citadines", a Euoropean chain. They have a few buildings around London and are supposed to be pretty good. I don't have web sites for either the Vancouver or the Citadines, but any search engine should get them for you. Also if you're searching for general listings, try as well to use the term "self-catering" - the British equavalent to our North American "efficiency". Hope this helps. Hope you have a great trip!
 
Old Feb 22nd, 2002, 07:22 AM
  #10  
t
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trip report
 
Old Feb 22nd, 2002, 07:53 AM
  #11  
Lori
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Laurie,
Check out Price apartments on the web. We've rented from then several times and so has a friend. Various apartments, various price ranges. You'd need a two bedroom and the one my friend stayed in last year was fine she said (had one full bath & 1/4 bath as well - good with the extra people). It's at 31 Balcombe St. and that is VERY convenient for sightseeing. The Baker St. tube is just 5 minutes away and you can go anyplace from there. We've stayed in a studio at the same location, while it was not luxury it was clean and comfortable.
 
Old Feb 22nd, 2002, 08:33 AM
  #12  
Tammy
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Dale, I'm going to England in May with a couple of days in the Canterbury and Dover. What was the B&B in Canterbury, plus your impressions of the city? Thanks.
 
Old Feb 22nd, 2002, 03:56 PM
  #13  
Dale
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Reply for Tammy: I found Canterbury to be a great base for sightseeing around the Kentish coast. Because I had a Dickens theme in mind, I visited Broadstairs and Rochester, and then to see friends, I journed westward to go to Royal Tunbridge Wells (via Tonbridge)and towns close by. All in all, it was wonderful coming back to Canterbury in the evenings. There are many different types of restaurants to enjoy, wonderful sites like the Cathedral and old historic buildings, with lots of shopping. I was there in 1988, and honestly, things had not changed much, although more traffic. I stayed at the 4-star Acacia lodge B&B which has either private or ensuite accommodation with a single room at 28 GBP per night. Here is the web page of the B&B: http://www.resort-guide.co.uk/servli...2&service=gues which takes you to a list of accommodations in Canterbury including the Acacia, and another 4-diamond B&B the Yorke Lodge, just further up the road. To see photos of the Acacia, go to this other site which is maintained by a booking agency (I think they charge 5 to 10 GBP for "finding" you a place, so I won't book through them.)www.uk-expo.com/bnb/acaciafull.htm. I hope this helps. If you have a problem with the web sites, just send me a message to my e-mail address and I'll send along the photos to you directly. By the way, if you're travelling by train, you'll want to know that there are 2 train stations: Canterbury West and Canterbury East. The Acacia is within a 10-minute walk of the West station. Let me know if you have any other questions about Canterbury or Kent-Sussex, as I've always included this area in my trips. Have a wonderful time.
Dale
P.S. You can get to Dover quite easily by train from Canterbury, either a half-hour or an hour, depending on whether you use the East or West station. Just thought I'd let you know, if you thought it was too far away for a day trip from Canterbury. Cheers!
 
Old Feb 22nd, 2002, 07:16 PM
  #14  
Laurie
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Thanks for your help, Lori,Janis and Dale. I did a search on the web and found many apartments in London. It is so hard to tell from a website if a place is going to be decent, clean and well located, so I do appreciate your suggestions. I saw Price apartments website and they look pretty good. I wasn't sure about the location, though. I wish E&E apartments had a website, since they seem a little less expensive than the Price apartments. Janis, do happen to know how much a 2 bedroom apt. cost per week? I like the Pimlico area. It looks relatively close to a tube station. Did you think these apts. were a pretty good value? Thanks again for your help.Laurie
 
Old Feb 22nd, 2002, 08:55 PM
  #15  
janis
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Laurie - as of last October (the last time I rented from them) E & E charged 550 GBP per week for 4 people in a 1-bedroom flat and 660 GBP for 4 staying in a 2-bedroom. (For less than 7 days they prorate but add 10%.)

This is a small agency in the Victoria area that manages privately owned flats throughout Pimlico, some in Victoria and one or 2 in Kensington.

You get very personal service - but they don't have a web site. Most of their flats are within walking distance from the Pimlico tube station - but a few are a little nearer to Victoria.

Since they are individually owned each is different - but I have seen inside or rented more than 10 different flats and all are totally satisfactory. Some are simply furnished while others are actually Posh. But all go at the same prices.

I used to get regular mailings from Price Apartments which seem moderately priced - but I personally don't think the area is as convenient - or as "comfortable" as Pimlico.
 
Old Feb 23rd, 2002, 07:13 AM
  #16  
Laurie
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Thanks fo much for your help, Janis. I am going to email E%E for info about their apts. in Pimlico and near Victoria.It's nice to be able to get info from someone who has personal experience with a company. Thanks again! Laurie
 

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