We are a family of four adults traveling to the UK for the first time this June. So far, our trip is scheduled as follows:

6/20 Arrive Heathrow, 6:30 - London Thistle Royal Horseguards for 2 nights
6/22 Pick up car (from where?) for travel to Stow-on-the-Wold - for 3 nights
6/25 Drive to Bath - for 2 nights
6/27 Drive to Windsor - for final night
6/28 Departures at 10:30 and 15:00 to US

My main question is: Where would be the best location to pick up our car for our touring days (6/22-6/28) - Heathrow? London location? We won't need the car in Windsor, but doesn't seem possible to return one there.

Any suggestions would be appreciated.

definitely Heathrow. you want to avoid driving in London at all costs, especially if you are not familiar with right hand driving, as well as London streets themselves. they are confusing enough to keep track of when walking. plus you will need to get yourself from Windsor to LHR easily.

by far your best choice is LHR pickup. you just jump right on the motorway and off you go.

I would pick up/drop off your car at Heathrow. LHR is in the direction of your Stow and Bath destinations, and while I agree you won't need an auto in Windsor, having it solves the problem of how to get to the airport your day of departure.

Thanks flygirl. That was what my instinct told me, just wanted to be sure.

we picked our car up at budget near victoria station. do it as early as possible maybe even the night before. it was pretty easy getting out of town. drop the car off at the airport the morning you leave.

I'd go with the majority opinion here: pick up the car at Heathrow. Especially on your first trip to the UK, you probably don't want to start off driving in central London!

I'd go to reverse the order of Bath and Stow-on-the-Wold, going to Bath after London, and pick up the car in Bath. That's what we did on our September 2001 trip.

You won't need the car while you're in London, in fact it will be a nuisance, and the bus ride to Bath was very pleasant, taking us through parts of London we'd never have seen otherwise.

I guess I'm the dissenting opinion. For a family of 4 to spend 4 train fares transporting out to Heathrow or to Bath to pick up a rental car (at no particular discount on the car) makes no sense to me when there are a number of car rental offices in the vicinity of the A40/M40 motorway you will want to pick up to head towards the Cotswolds. Most of these are near Paddington Station, Edgeware Road, even Euston Station or Marble Arch.

I've even picked up a car near Russell Square. The agencies give execllent directions for the few blocks you need to get to the A40 and then its easy driving.

Getting to Heathrow not only involves needless expense, but adds the pure hassle of going from hotel via taxi, to Paddington to the Heathrow Express or (god forbid, the tube) and then having to connect to the car offices at Heathrow. Instead just take a taxi to the city office and pick up your car.

I certainly wouldn't pick up a car near Victoria as you would have to traverse the city to pick up the A40. The key is to choose the right city office and the agencies can help you. Check out rates and offices for multiple companies by using www.autoeurope.com, a broker with great rates. You can even telephone them toll free to discuss options.

I like your itinerary, but must say, for a short first trip like this, I wouldn't stay only 2 nights London while giving 3 whole nights to Stow-on the-Wold, unless you just hate big cities or plan to venture up to Stratword and Warwick using Stow as a base. I do love the town of Stow, but I wouldn't want to short change London. Even in 3 days you'll barely scratch the surface. My advice would be to take at least 3 nights in London.

Again, I would not feel a need for 2 nights in Bath unless you want to also see other towns in that vicinity. It is true, you don't need or want a car in Bath but you can park in a public lot and take a Guide Friday tour and do a bit of walking during the day. Then you could venture out of Bath to some towns nearby on day 2.

Do get an automatic transmission as this is one less distraction while driving on the left side of the road.

I believe if you price car rental costs, a 4 day rental is about the same as a one week rental.

I applaud Windsor as a last night's stop, but the logical thing to do is to return the car to Heathrow on the day of your return flight.

By the way, en route London to the Cotswolds, you can stop in Oxford and see Blenheim Palace in nearby Woodstock. Incredible place.

Have a wonderful trip!

Hi ...

If you pick it from the airport, will you not end up paying more ... as far as I can remember there is an extra tax you need to pay when picking from an airport.

Mark

isplumm, The airport surcharge gets tacked on at some of the pick up spots in central London as well. Premium locations they call them at Auto Europe. The OP would have to ask about that specifically.

Regardless, I would never recommend first time visitors pick up a car in central London if they haven't tackled the left side driving thing before. Yikes.

Not sure what LeslieC's issue with the tube is about.

you can get a taxi pretty conveniently to LHR. or, from your hotel to Paddington, although I'd spring for the taxi. by the time you pay for 4 fares on Heathrow express, you are talking some real coin and you will be happier if you minimize the times you have to move your luggage. this is the voice of experience. (unless you all travel really lightly, then more power to you.)

If I recall, a taxi will be maybe 60 pounds or so (don't use a black cab, have the hotel call a local cab?). I bet you pay less than/equal to 4 fares on the Paddington train and it will whisk you right to LHR nice and easy. even if it's a wee bit more, you are still gonna be happier. minimize your stress - right hand driving isn't tough, but it will take you a few roundabouts to get the swing of it. remember you are in teh right seat, driving on the left side! it takes a little while to mentally adjust your position.

There is sometimes a small surcharge for picking up in the city but it is not close to the cost of the Heathrow Express X 4.

While the tube is cheap, my issue with it is lugging baggage and taking an nearly an hour to get to Heathrow. And I certainly wouldn't want to do that when its jam packed with people getting to work in the morning. Just inconvenient relative to a quick taxi ride to the rental agency.

Again, to clarify, I certainly wouldn't suggest picking up a car in the city at a location not close to the motorway. It's just that there are many that are quite convenient. The trick is to review the many locations available and select the right one. I was amazed at how easy it was when we did it right and had great directions from the agency - and I'm as nervous as anyone about driving on the left or in a big European city! Also, I would never suggest doing this in reverse; that is, coming INTO the city to return a car. That is always a more difficult proposition than escaping the city.

Hope that helps.

also, bear in mind you will be dropping the car at LHR when you are done. ask to make sure there isn't a charge for picking up at one place, and dropping at another. if there is, you may as well bite the bullet and pick up at LHR.

also, check before you go to see what kind of hold they may put on your card as a 'deposit'. I almost always use Kemwell, and, the first time I did I had the unpleasant surprise of them holding a deposit equal to the entire two week rental! (on top of the cost to rent it). I have only carry one credit card with a small small limit, and, I had to call to get it temporarily increased or no car. try doing that first thing upon landing when you are 6 time zones ahead (this was in Paris).