6 hour layover in London....
 

We have a six hour layover in London....
8 am - 2 pm
We have never been to London and would
like to have a driver or service to drive us around
a bit and perhaps stop for a great lunch. Anything
to get us out of the airport for a while.

We are open to any ideas.
Thank you
loveyblue

Which airport?

If you are traveling from another country and laying over in London, won't you have to go thru customs/immigration with your luggage (?) and then re-check in. That might be a hassle.

Assuming Heathrow (but it really doesn't matter that much) - sorry but you really don't have time to go anywhere. Early morning is very busy w/ many long haul flights arriving and you may not be through Immigration until 9:00 or 9:30, then you have to queue to leave your carry on's. So best case you are out of the airport by 9:30 or 10AM. You have to be back at LHR by noon at the latest. It takes about an hour to get anywhere in central London - no matter the mode of transport. Car - about an hour+, tube just about an hour total, even the 'fast'/expensive Heathrow Express which takes 15 minutes -- only gets you to Paddington (which is nowhere sightseeing-wise). At Paddington you'd either have to queue for a cab or take the tube someplace -- so still about an hour to get to anyplace 'scenic'.

So not enough time to go into London.

Some would recommend Windsor (I usually do) but you are arriving too early to see/do much - you could hop in a cab to Windsor, get there by maybe 10:30, peek at the outside of the Castle, walk to the river, catch a cab back by 11:30.

Soooooo - better to simply stay at the airport and shop/eat/read.

Thanks to all.
Yes, we do fly into and out of Heathrow.
We are used to much smaller airports and
less traffic.

I did use my miles to upgrade to first class
so I guess we will have access to American
Airline club.

Recommendations for lunch at the airport?

loveyblue

Not sure how up to date but here's a list of Terminal 3 food places airside or after security, where you'll be.

Of the list, Chez Gèrard is a proper sit-down restaurant if you want a meal. Based on having eaten in one of their London locations, I think it's okay for French style steak-frites.


http://heathrow.airport-information....erminal-3.html

Yeah, Chez Gerard is probably your best bet. Reasonably nice French bistro. Not going to win any Michelin stars anytime soon, but fairly consistent and nice decor.

Of course, all these are chains so none are going to set the world on fire. Pity you aren't flying BA – terminal 5 has a Gordon Ramsey restaurant which is really nice!

The seafood/caviar bar is nice, but is bar rather than restaurant seating.

Chez Gerard??? The LHR branch has been closed for several years (unfortunately, as it was pretty good). The website quoted by Cathinjoetown is some unofficial website peddling completely out-of-date nonsense. Check the official LHR website at:- http://www.heathrowairport.com/ If you have access to a first class lounge, you'll probably eat better than the masses do in the main terminal area.