Have not been to London in several years and have a couple of quick questions.
1. Will be taking the Heathrow Express to/from airport. Is it possible to check in for our flight to Greece at the Paddington Station airport check in counters or are there security issues that prohibit this? We are US citizens so is this considered "international" for us and would we need to check in more than an hour before the flight?
2. We will be staying near Lancaster Gate, Does anyone know of any "pubs" or fish and chip shops near this area that are good?
Thank you for any tips. We only have two days in London and are trying to see/do all we can!
Jeb

Whether or not you can check in for your flight at Paddington Station depends on what airline you are using - if you're going on British Airlines, then you cannot check in at Paddington and must carry your bags to the airport. I don't remember what airlines do allow check in at Paddington but if you do a search on Google I'm sure you can find an official Paddington Station website that will tell you, or perhaps even the Heathrow webiste.

I stayed near Lancaster Gate last year, there is a nice but very busy pub right on Bayswater Road between Craven Terrace and the tube station - I'm sorry I forget the name but it's hard to miss - I want to say The Swan but I'm not sure I'm remerbring that correctly. Also several nice places along Craven Road between Craven Terrace and Paddingyon Station.

Where are you staying near Lancaster Gate? We stayed at the Oxford Hotel on Craven Terrace and it was very nice.

Yes, it's the Swan Pub that's near the Lancaster Gate tube. For fish & chips, Gaeles Fish Restaurant is down the street at the Notting Hill Gate tube station.

Geale's fish and chips at 2 Farmer's St. is across from the Notting Hill tube station which is one stop away from Lancaster Gate. This place was top notch but has changed hands and service is sometimes reported poor.

The Golden Hind 2 stops on the tube in the other direction (Bond ST.) is a better bet but I think it's byob.

You used to be able to check in for BMI flights but not sure if this is still the case as security has been greatly increased since the last time I did it.

If you can't check in at Paddington I would be at the check in desk at Heathrow 2 hours before take off.

Have a good trip

For pubs local to any London tube station, try: www.fancyapint.com.

You can choose a tube station from a list and it shows pubs in that area with reviews of each one.

Thank you for all of your responses!
We will be flying on BA and when I was searching the net I found info that said you could check in at Paddington, but...I thought the info was dated and had better ask! I will double check when we arrive at Heathrow about the return.
Thanks for the tips on pubs etc. We are staying at the Gresham Hyde Park hotel. We have not stayed in this area before and so don't know whats around! Should be interesting! One thing for sure, we love to eat and drink!
Jeb

There's no Paddington check in for any airline any more. Websites saying different are now out of date.

I can't understand the questioner's point about "international". Greece isn't Britain. So a flight from Britain to Greece is international. Whether you're British, American or Hottentot.

Not that it means anything. Check in requirements at LHR depend on your airline, and don't differ between domestic and international destinations (and certainly not between different nationalities of passenger). Flights to some security-concerned destinations, like Israel or America, require longer check-ins. Greece isn't such a place.

If you want decent fish+chips, avoid everywhere near Paddington and Lancaster Gate. Geales is far better than the junk-sellers round Paddington who feed those of us who get a kick out of stinking out the Cotswold-bound trains with chip smells. Well worth the short detour.

I stayed at the Gresham Lancaster Gate several times-the staff is helpful and gave me an other room because I didn`t like the first one.
I wouldn`t say that eating in this area is great-try Queensway, on the left side (when you come down Queensway from Bayswater Road) is a very nice chinese restaurant.
The pub near Lancaster Road is nice, you even can sit outside there.
When I was in Paddington station last time (in february) I couldn`t find any check in counters anymore...I am afraid that check in there is no longer available. If you want to save time take the Heathrow express instead of the tube, it only takes around 20 minutes and so you have more time in London!