luvtotravel

I've been helping my cousin's husband plan a family trip to Europe/UK (two adults and three teenagers). He does not know anything about his destinations. I tried to explain transportation issues in London and encouraged him to book a hotel near a train stop from Heathrow since the family is on a tight budget. He jumped the gun and booked a non-refundable two-bedroom apt. in Limehouse for the two nights. I've never even heard of Limehouse. It is east of London while Heathrow is west of London. Now I'm afraid all the savings from booking outside the city will be eaten up by transportation costs. Would appreciate advice on how to get five people between Heathrow/Limehouse roundtrip without breaking the bank. I like these people and don't want to give up on them. Thanks. Diane

jamikins

Well it's not the first place I would recommend but it's quite picturesque. It's in zone 1-2 so no extra cost, just extra time getting in and out everyday to the main sites.

From heathrow it is a trek on public transit. Take the piccaddily line to hammersmith, change to the district line to monument, then take the dlr to limehouse.

Or arrange a car service like www.justairports.com. With 5 people it may be worth it!

PatrickLondon

The change at Monument involves getting everybody and their luggage up and down a dozen or so stairs, then down some deep escalators and a long-ish walk to the DLR platforms. If you're up for that, then fair enough, but you might find the car servce more convenient.

Where in Limehouse, incidentally? I never trust descriptions based on what the agent/proprietor says the neighbourhood is. Do you have a postcode?

janisj

Car service for sure. The trek through Monument station is a serious schlepp, and jet lagged it will be even worse.

Justairports.com or similar will probably charge £50-£55-ish but well worth the extra ££ IMO. And yes, exactly where is this flat?

OReilly

Agree, the schlep on public transportation is a nightmare after an international flight. As janinj recommends, tell them to organise a fixed-price limo service.

Jamikis is being kind re the area being 'picturesque' . I know the area, as I live in SE London. What is the Postal Code? - the area is very 'mixed'. There are loads of new apartments on the waterfront, but IMHO, the are is very run-down, but not unsafe.

In general, they should not expect to have lovely dining experiences and interesting tourist sites on their doorstep, but they are just a few stops away from Bank station and the Underground.

Regards Ger

OReilly

Apologies, I meant to say the AREA is run-down (shabby, not dangerous), but the waterfront apartments are generally nice!

jamikins

Ger I live in SE London too...I was just thinking of the immediate area around the dlr station! I always forget there is more to it good call on the postal code request

luvtotravel

I don't know where in Limehouse the apt is. Thank you all for your input. I will forward this on. Diane

OReilly

hey Jamikins: I know where you live

Diane: The area is safe, and if within walking distance of the DLR station, convenient for the price-point. However, for future reference, I would not recommend Limehouse.

Best regards .. Ger

PatrickLondon

It all depends exactly where we're talking about. There are swanky modern apartments around the Marina, with some nice-ish restaurants around, and along Narrow St (where Gordon Ramsay has a place, and there's also the Grapes). But there are also assorted industrial/commercial premises and yards, cheap takeaway food shops and run-down areas.

PatrickLondon

Meant to add, not trying to make your cousin's husband feel bad about his choice, but if we did know exactly where we're talking about, we could help him make the best of it.

luvtotravel

I sent him this link. He may respond back to me or directly to the forum.

janisj

Have him give you (or us) the actual post code. Then we can tell exactly where the flat is.

luvtotravel

They are staying at: Commercial Road
London, E14 7LA

Through the justairports website the quote for five people roundtrip is 130GBP. That's really not too bad for door-to-door service. Even if they were to take a train to the center of the city it would have probably cost them $100 roundtrip and been a hassle with luggage.

PatrickLondon

Thanks for that. It's on a main road, so traffic noise may be a problem. The immediately surrounding area is, to put it bluntly, workaday to unlovely, but most of the industrial/commercial premises in the area are vacant and being replaced by wouldbe "luxury" housing. Safety isn't an issue (or no more than anywhere else in London).

The main thing is that there'll be some extra travelling to get to most of the places they'll want to see, which is what most Londoners go through (I live further east than this, so I'm used to it). Incidentally, of the bus routes on that road, the 15 goes all the way into the West End past St Paul's, and the 135 to Liverpool St, which is handy for the Sunday markets around Spitalfields and Brick Lane, if that interests them.

There is a small Tesco Express supermarket between there and Limehouse DLR station. I have no idea whether any of the Indian and other ethnic restaurants in the immediate area (on that side of the main road) are up to much. If they try using Google or www.toptable.co.uk, that should give them some idea. There are some more upmarket places to eat on the other side of Limehouse Basin, or down across Ropemakers' Fields is the Grapes (one of my favourite pubs) which has a restaurant and bar food.
www.thegrapes.co.uk

But they might prefer to just use the place to sleep and eat out in town, depending on what sort of sightseeing they want to do.

PatrickLondon

Now I get it. Is it this place:
http://www.booking.com/hotel/gb/appl...ts-e14.en.html

This is one of the new gentrifying developments in the area, and the reviews seem pretty good (though charging £5 a day for what sounds like unreliable wifi is ridiculous at that overall price).

It sounds as though people had trouble locating the reception - they should get a phone number so that they can call as they're arriving.

alanRow

<i>From heathrow it is a trek on public transit. Take the piccaddily line to hammersmith, change to the district line to monument, then take the dlr to limehouse. </o>

Piccadilly Line to Holborn, Central Line to Bank, DLR to Limehouse

Piccadilly Line to Hammersmith, District Line to Tower Hill, walk to Fenchurch Street, train to Limehouse

PatrickLondon

I'd say changing 5 people with luggage at Holborn and Bank, let alone fiddling about at Tower Hill, would be a change too far.

Another thought about car services. I have no personal knowledge of these people, but I often see them around our estate and Canary Wharf, and they always look smartly turned out, and they're based in East London. They might be worth asking for a quote:
http://www.carrotcars.co.uk

janisj

I've taken the #15 bus through that area - as Patrick mentions it links the east side of London past the Tower of of London, St Paul's Trafalgar Sq . . .That bus line will be their main link to most sightseeing.

Its not a place I'd stay, but if it is a done deal they can make the best of things by doing their eating/drinking while out and about, and just crashing at the flat at the end of the day.

luvtotravel

More information. The address is CQ London building (Coral Apartments). I sent him a link to carrotcars. They are quoting a lower price to Heathrow than justairports. Thanks much, all, for your wonderful information.
Diane