Best guidebooks for London?
 

My husband and I are beginning to plan a trip to London. There are a trillion guidebooks in the US bookstores. Any suggestions of ones that will give not only information but honest evaluations of hotels, restaurants, sites etc. Thanks!

hiya!....... <BR>the guide book i liked best was an "eyewitness travel guide"for london..kind of a comprehensive guide to the city.i found it at barnes and noble..very helpful. <BR>also..cheap eats in london, i have found lots of resturants and pubs in that one...also available at barnes and noble. <BR>the last one was a train timetable and station guide i "stole" from my sister...i have no ideas where that one came from..but it got alot of use as well. <BR>enjoy your trip <BR>lisa

Barb <BR> <BR>For walking tours, I like the Fodor's "Exploring" series and "Eyewitness" books. <BR> <BR>For hotels, I have found that, because everyone uses the same tour books (and I always travel at short notice), I can never get into the recommended hotels (particularly the nice three stars in central areas)! <BR> <BR>I've had a hit & miss experience with restaurants recommended by travel books - eateries go in and out of fashion very quickly. I now rely on recommendations from residents or, in the case of London, articles in the local magazines (Red, Journal, Tatler,(all on the pricey side)and What's on). <BR> <BR>From what I have seen on this site, you can get great current information on hotels and restaurants from the contributors, some of whom are residents. If you have not tried it already, use the search function to find threads on London Hotels and London Restaurants. <BR> <BR>Best of luck planning your trip ... Ger <BR> <BR>P.S. If you like Indian food, I have always found this the best bargain and tastiest food in London ... but then Indian food is my own particular favorite

My last trip to London I got the Dorling Kidersley Travel Guides "Millenium Edition Londong". Found it excellent value. Not too wordy. Great pictures (the better to find my way around--I can SO read). Underground map right inside back cover. City map spread over 24 pgs, so very detailed, but many small maps inside. It's broken down by city section, so it's easy to use.

My favorite guides (i.e. the ones I buy) are Let's Go, Fodor's and Baedeker's. I use *all* the guides when I go to the library for researching a trip. <BR> <BR>In addition, I use websites like allthingsbritish.com and timeout.com for info on new restaurants, current exhibits and up-to-date opening times for museums and sights.

I like the Rick Steves books, opinionated but helps you narrow down from the(too many)choices in Fodors, Frommers, etc. Also for websites, I like: <BR> <BR>www.londontown.com <BR>www.hotel-assist.com (for booking hotels) and www.karenbrown.com for reliable B & B recommendations. <BR> <BR>To get oriented to London, try either the original "Round London" sightseeing bus or the "Big Bus".. Cheerio.

here's a vote for Time Out.. <BR> <BR>if you don't get the guidebook, you should at least get the magazine while you are there...

Barb: <BR> <BR>The best guide for restaurants is called "Cheap Eats in London". <BR> <BR>

Time Out and Rough Guide.