I'm planning a trip to England in August, 1999. I will be traveling with my husband and two kids, age 8 and 12. I am looking for suggestions of low cost accommodations in London and Bath, preferably rooms or small apartments with minimal cooking facilities so we don't have to eat out every meal. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated! We'd also welcome sightseeing ideas for children. <BR> <BR> <BR> <BR> <BR> <BR> <BR> <BR> <BR> <BR> <BR> <BR> <BR> <BR> <BR> <BR> <BR> <BR> <BR> <BR>

Hi Laura, <BR>We were in London with our 16 and 19 year old girls after Christmas. Things they enjoyed were: Madame Taussaud's (we did also surprisely), Tower of London and Ceremony of the Keys, Camden Lock and Camden Market (16 year old especially), Covent Garden area, Carnaby St. area. The Museum of Moving Image would probably appeal more to your younger kids. They enjoyed the tube and bus system alot. <BR>We saw 3 plays, including Starlight Express, which they liked alot. Starlight would be great for your kids. I have also heard great things about the Lion King. <BR>We stayed at the Strathmore Hotel because it was very close to a tube stop and we could get all four of us in one room -- it was 130 pounds a night including full breakfast but no cooking facilities. <BR>London is great -- have a fantastic time. <BR>

Hi Laura, <BR>We were in London with our 16 and 19 year old girls after Christmas. Things they enjoyed were: Madame Taussaud's (we did also surprisely), Tower of London and Ceremony of the Keys, Camden Lock and Camden Market (16 year old especially), Covent Garden area, Carnaby St. area. The Museum of Moving Image would probably appeal more to your younger kids. They enjoyed the tube and bus system alot. <BR>We saw 3 plays, including Starlight Express, which they liked alot. Starlight would be great for your kids. I have also heard great things about the Lion King. <BR>We stayed at the Strathmore Hotel because it was very close to a tube stop and we could get all four of us in one room -- it was 130 pounds a night including full breakfast but no cooking facilities. <BR>London is great -- have a fantastic time. <BR>

Hi Laura, <BR>I'm not sure how low cost you need, but you might check out Scala House at www.scala-house.co.uk. My husband and I stayed there with my mom in a 2 bedroom apartment with 1 1/2 baths. It was not fancy, but comfortable, clean if a little worn around the edges, and very convenient. We were a short walk from a tube stop, and a longer walk from the British museum. There were plenty of restaurants in about a 3 block radius. We had a small kitchen, laundry, and tv. I would stay there again. And the staff is quite friendly.

Get the booklet "City Apartments" from the BTA. Lots of listings for apartments in there. Avoid cramming yourselves into a hotel room with kids. Do it soon though. Budget accommodations for August are probably filling up quickly. My vote for things to do includes the Tower, the Science Museum, the London Transport Museum, and seeing the buskers in Covent Garden. Also the Tower Bridge, and lots of riding on double decker busses and the Tube. The longest escalator in the system is at the Angel station. My kids got a kick out of riding it up and down. Cheap entertainment.

For late September, we've rented apartments in the Roland House http://www.britishtravel.com/britishtravel/londonfl.htm <BR>Posters describe it as BASIC, but it is less expensive than any other places we saw. NOTHING is cheap in London! <BR>There are rock 'n' roll sites: the Hard Rock Cafe, Planet Hollywood, Maxwell's and the Trocadero at Picadilly Circus. It's also a game arcade (haven't been there in years so I can't testify to its safety) with virtual reality stuff. <BR>Hampton Court, which is about an hour or so by train, has a wonderful outdoor maze (my sister has been to it, and says you really CAN get lost in it!) <BR>The National Gallery is having a special exhibit of photos of pop icons (more rock 'n' rolls stuff). If you're kids are boys, they would like the Imperial War Museum (war stuff). <BR>The Changing of the Guard is always quite impressive. OhOHOH!! Just remembered a very fun thing... paddleboats in Hyde Park! Just fun and goofy; you can't believe you're enjoying yourself doing this completely inane thing, but it's just the ticket for a leisurely hour or so...

Hi Laura: Be sure to see Windsor Castle. If you can arrange a night in Windsor an excellent B & B is The Arches, 9 York Road, Windsor SL4 3NX. Mrs. Watkins is the hostess. It is walking distance from the sights in Windsor and a lovely family home. 017533 869268. Is also listed with the T.I. in Windsor. <BR>

Laura, a typo on that #. Should be 01753 869268.

Hi Laura, <BR> <BR>For hotel reservations, try [email protected] <BR>They have both rooms and apartments. <BR> <BR>I would recommend Berjaya Eden Park Hotel at Inverness Terrace, Bayswater. They are 2 minutes walk away from the Bayswater Tube Station and 3 minutes away from Queensway Staion. It is at a very convenient locality ~ within 2 minutes are restaurants/cafes/supermarket/shopping complex/small shops/bowling arcade/games arcade/money changer and so on. Being situated next to 2 stations is already a ++ point. Queensway is on Central line which means going to Oxford Steet is a breeze. Bayswater is on Circle and District Lines. Oh yes, Paddington Station (train station from which you go to Bath/Oxford and many other places) is just 1 stop away from Bayswater Station. At Paddington, you can take the Heathrow Express train to Heathrow and the station also a left luggage department in case you want to travel out of town for a couple of days and do not wish to lug the large suitcases with you. The brochure also says from June 1999 there will be at least 9 major airlines available at Paddington with full luggage check-in facilities. Website : www.heathrowexpress.co.uk <BR> <BR>Also found some other hotel reservation sites : <BR>British Hotel Reservation Centre <BR>http://www.bhrc.co.uk <BR>e-mail : [email protected] <BR> <BR>London Tourist Hotel Booking Service <BR>Fax : 0171 9244371 <BR>Tel : 01712237226 <BR> <BR>Mitre House Hotel <BR>http://www.mitrehousehotel.com <BR>e-mail : [email protected] <BR>They are at Sussex Gardens, Hyde Park <BR> <BR>The other one at Sussex Garden is Abbey Court and Westpoint Hotel <BR>http://westpointhotel.com <BR>e-mail : [email protected] <BR>They quote from Gbp 22 p.p. for family room and from Gbp 31 p.p. for doubles <BR> <BR>For Berjaya Eden Park, you can also book with BHRC at the given e-mail address above and compare the rate quoted when you book with them direct. I was there 2 weeks ago and I booked thru BHRC and the rate was GBP 85 for double when the walk-in rate was GBP 108. <BR> <BR>I suggest you go straight to the nearest British Tourist Authority when in London or e-mail them for info on their nearest office to where you live and obtain brochures from them. <BR> <BR>If you are planning day trips out of London, the most popular bus tour companies seem to be Evan Evans Tours <BR>www.evanevns.co.uk <BR>e-mail [email protected] <BR>OR <BR>Golden Tours <BR>www.goldentours.co.uk <BR>From US call 1-800-456 6303 <BR> <BR>I took 1 tour to Bath/Cotwolds with AstralTravels ~ www.AstralTravels.co.uk <BR>e-mail [email protected] <BR>This company conducts their tour using mini Mercedes vans that seat only 15. Very personal and very comfortable. They are quite accomodating as to pick-up unlike bigger companies who will insist you wait at a certain pick up point. One more thing, they don't travel on highway only but take shortcuts on real narrow lanes. Many times we have to reverse our van to enable oncoming traffic ~ read tractor ~ to pass as we are passing thru' very small villages where farmers live. We saw lots of old but beautiful thatched roof cottages. Take a trip to Cotswold if you are already going to Bath...beautiful...the storybook landscape and houses. The houses there don't even have TV aerial....believe me take a trip there then you'll feel you have been to England. <BR> <BR>I really hope you can make out what I have typed so far. I just type whatever comes on my mind and quote from references that I have brought back. I've got pretty good replies from many people in this Forum when I was planning my trip last month and am just returning a favour. I hope you will do the same when you return. <BR> <BR>Bye and good luck. <BR>Winnie <BR> <BR> <BR>

Laura, We were in London with our two children (5 and 10) last June. Its a wonderful city filled with tons of family friendly things to see and do and half the fun is getting there....our kids loved the double decker buses, tube, boat ride on the Thames, London cabs, and trains. I did find that our kids enjoyed some things because we had prepared them with books and stories before we left and they were excited to see them in "real life". For example, my now 6 year old still talks about the Rosetta Stone and the heiroglyphics (sp?) at the British museum. We had learned about these "mysteries" at home and it made a big difference to their interest level.Some of our favorites: Trafalgar Square feeding the pigeons, Saint-Martin in-the- Field concert, lunch in the crypt, and brass rubbing, boat ride to the Tower of London, changing of the Horse Guard (you can get a great view with much smaller crowds than at Buckingham Palace),British Museum. We didn't get to Windsor but I have read it is a wonderful day trip. Also there is a LegoLand outside of Windsor if either of your children are Lego fans. Have a great trip.

Hello. <BR> <BR>A good web site that I found recently has some helpful short reviews of London hotels based on personal recommendations. You may find it helpful - it is at: <BR>http://cube.icestorm.com/homepage/hotelguide.html <BR> <BR>Regards, <BR> <BR>William.

Hi you may want to Contact Parkway London Apartments <BR>800-398-9677 fax 718-493-3317

Thank you all for all the extremely useful suggestions. I'll pass on any tips we learn when we return. <BR> <BR>We are now considering a quick trip to North Wales. Any suggestions of good kid-friendly b&bs and sights that kids will enjoy? <BR> <BR>Thanks in advance!