coastalperson

I will be traveling in July to London this year. I'm concerned about the heat since there were record highs last year. Does anyone have a suggestion...I can either rent a hotel with a/c or an apartment for my family that has fans. What would be adviseable? We don't have much humidity where we live.

janis

Your own post really answers your question -- ". . . since there were record highs last year . . . "

Those were RECORD highs in all of recorded weather history.

Sure you might get warm weather - but you could just as easily get cool, rainy weather.

The main reason for getting a/c is for the quiet at night and not having to open your windows. But after lving in the UK for a few years and traveling there 25 or more times, a/c has never once been a deciding factor for me renting a flat or staying in a hotel. I just never think of even asking about a/c.

flanneruk

Apart from death and taxes, the other certainty of life is that there will be pain.

London isn't built for any extremes of temperature. But, just as summers are getting naturally warmer, our microclimate is getting even warmer (partly because of those airconditioners).

So summers are getting nastier. Last year might have been exceptional, and this summer might be peculiarly benign. But, overall, London is not a comfortable nplace to be in July and August, and it seems to be getting worse.

So it does help to have decent a/c, and few places have it.

So what are you going to do when - not if - you discover you can't find it?

I strongly suggest you plan your life on the basis the summer peak will be unpleasant. Ignore fashion, and have lots of loose-fitting clothes. Walk slowly. Above all, don't come to London when it's at its worst.

Right now, it's absolutely wonderful. As it will be in September.

nytraveler

Have traveled to London several times in the summer and have had at least one or two days in each trip when I was happy the hotel had AC. Althouhg London is distinctly cooler than NY - it still does have a summer season and quite a few days that are uncomfortably warm - at least for me.

As you know many hotels have windows that don;t open at all - or only a little - so I would not reco any hotel or apartment without AC - but then I hate hot weather. If you like the heat it may not be an issue for you. At home do you use the AC all the time in hot weather or only ocassionally? How tolerant are you of hot weather?

m_kingdom2

I'm a resident of London, whilst my home is comfort cooled - not as frosty as your traditional air conditioning, much more natural and inhabitant friendly - many others' do not have any form of cooling other than the desktop fan.

As other posters have said, a/c saves noise associated with opening windows. I'd always stay in an hotel with it. In fact, I don't think I've ever stayed in one that doesn't have it everywhere. All the London hotels worth staying at certainly provide it, I wouldn't imagine lower end holiday apartments would, you can always ask you know?

Surfergirl

It probably won't be as hot as it was last summer. London usually has a 7 year cycle of intense heat like that. We were there last summer for the current one, and in 1995 for the last one. (there was also the summer of '77 and one in the early '80's as well). Both times, we stayed with friends and none of them have a/c.

Being from L.A., we don't get the humidity either, but I found homes at least in London are well insulated, and opening a window and having a fan on when it's 100 degrees outside is just fine.

It's the walking around town during the day that's exhausting and sweat-inducing (although most shops now have a/c, as do cars -- much different than 10 years ago).

kattyfever

i'm also going to be in london in july - do i need an umbrella 'just in case'? after im travelling through italy, france and greece so wont be expecting to need it there - am thinking about lugging it around vs getting stuck in a downpour in good ol' london...any thoughts? cheers xo

m_kingdom2

It's most worrying that you can't work this out for yourself. Buy an umbrella in London, or better still, use those provided by the concierge at your hotel. Simple?

Airlawgirl

Amusing, M-K-most worrying, indeed!

Surfergirl

Katty -- Yes, take one. There's always a good chance you will need it in France as well. In 2000, we were in Paris mid-July and it was cool and rained; rather poored.

kattyfever

Hmm, I assumed this site was to HELP people with questions...seeing as I'm an 18 year old travelling by herself for 3 weeks and has never been outside of Australia (exc. Bali) that I would be entitled to ask more experienced travellers for advice. whether an umbrella is taken with me or bought with the lousy Aussie dollar in london is still not solving the issue of lugging it through europe. so please can u help us new travellers rather than mock us? cheers..and thanks for those who provided some tips on the issue

kattyfever

thanks surfergirl

taggie

Kattie, you just have to ignore the nasty posts from some people. I've only been perusing these boards for a few days but notice there are a couple of people who post over and over and who seem to enjoy being snotty and rude. They appear to think they are very wordly and hold themselves in very high regard. Just ignore. They're obviously miserable and have too much time on their hands.

I've been to London many times, at different times of the year. I've had very warm summer visits and very chilly summer visits. It's hard to predict if you'll get a heatwave, but it's pretty likely you'll get some rain. If you take a very lightweight mini umbrella you'll be prepared. I did have to buy an umbrella on one visit - it cost twice what it would in Canada, and it promptly broke.

kattyfever

thanks taggie and i agree with u so much!!

Sylvia

I personally find unbrellas a pain especially on crowded pavements. I think that a very lightweight waterproof jacket is a better bet, the kind that folds into a little pouch.

PatrickLondon

I agree. I gave up on umbrellas years ago (I had an automatic that decided to open itself on a crowded tube train), and I rarely need protection from the rain. Any rain is unlikely to be a torrential tropical monsoon, more of a short shower; there is always somewhere to go for shelter, and in need I use the free poncho I got at Niagara Falls which folds up into a pocket. But you might prefer something a bit more stylish.

m_kingdom2

Please, an umbrella can cost as little as 8GBP, which is such a small amount, and as such will not be greatly affected by the poor performing dollar, we're not talking hundreds of thousands here, or even thousands, I'm sure you can afford an umbrella, it's cheaper than a drink!

Airlawgirl

taggie, m'dear, I think you need to take your own advice about nasty posts-if you don't want them, then don't send them!- Simply pointing out the obvious, by the way, is in no way "nasty," as you put it-and if katty wants to make her age an issue in an effort to get sympathy, well so be it, but anyone who posts a response has to expect that they will get a variety of responses to the question/comment they pose-that's why it's called a "forum"

Kayb95

<but anyone who posts a response has to expect that they will get a variety of responses to the question/comment they pose-that's why it's called a "forum">

True, but while almost everyone on this board is very kind and helpful, there are some here who seem to go out of their way to be condescending, arrogant, hurtful and generally unhelpful. It makes me wonder why someone with such disregard for tourists would bother with a travel forum dedicated to tourism.

Perhaps it would be helpful to remember that not everyone can afford to stay in a posh hotel in Mayfair and while £8 isn't a fortune, for someone traveling on a tight budget, the money could be better spent on a meal or an admission to a historic site.

Airlawgirl

Again, that's a matter of perception-and maybe, to a certain extent, cultural differences between the British and Americans. You're obviously speaking of MK-and I, as an American, have found many of MK's posts to be both useful and informative, as well as being amusing-so I don't agree with your characterization at all. I also don't subscribe to the idea that everyone on a forum has to stick to a sanitized, p.c. script when responding-that they must respond in a "nice" way-whatever one's notion of "nice" is-the anomalous result being that those who complain of others "nastiness" respond far more nastily than the original post itself! I hope I'm more tolerant, and have a bit of a thicker skin than that-otherwise, I wouldn't venture out to post in the first place.