moo

It has been a long time since I've been to London and now while trip planning there is an area referred to as Canary Wharf and Docklands. Is it a nice place to use as a base to explore London? We are bringing two teen boys and aside from typical London tourist exploration, would this be a good spot to rent a vacation apartment? Is it at all convenient to West End or Westminster? Please describe area and location convenience. Thanks!

danon

Take a look at the London Tube map...
CW is a long way from the West End and most of the sights.
It is a nice, modern, mostly business area , but you would be traveling on the tube a lot.

janisj

It is a fine place to work/live. For a base for visiting London - not so much.

jamikins

It is the 'new' banking area...think modern glass buildings, shopping mall underground. I work there, and its convenient for that, but its a bit far out for most tourists. It doesnt look like you would think of London, it reminds me of working in downtown Vancouver.

You would be reliant on the jubilee line (down a lot for engineering works on the weekends these days) or the dlr. You can certainly get where you need to go on these lines, but you couldnt walk to much.

Hope this helps!

alihutch

It's kinda souless

tod

Moo -They used to have the most fantastic hotel on board the yacht Sunborn. I think it would have made for a fabulous treat for the teenagers!
http://tinyurl.com/ye8uv4h

PatrickLondon

I think the hotel yacht may have gone, though there is talk of bringing it back. More importantly, it was/is even further out, on the Royal Docks, and even less convenient for getting anywhere other than the City airport, the Excel exhibition centre and Canary Wharf itself.

I agree with the others (and I live there!). You might be interested to travel through it on the DLR as part of a trip to or from Greenwich, and your teenagers might be interested in the Museum in Docklands; but I wouldn't use it as a base to stay if your main focus is the West End and Westminster.

http://www.museumindocklands.org.uk/

tod

Yes Patrick, the Sunborn Yacht Hotel is no longer operational and their websites says they are looking into a new vessel or something like that. It would have made an interesting night on board for the teenagers! - for a more centralised stay and easier access to the sights I agree a hotel in say, the Russell Square area would be better.
We like the Ibis Euston because it's next to the Euston tube and rail station.

alanRow

I'd stay there if it was cheap - but then I'm used to London and don't tend to be hauling luggage all the way to & from the far side of London from Heathrow. Otherwise the only advantage is that it's on the way to Greenwich.

Sensible places to stay would be South Kensington, Earls Court and Bloomsbury. All are a single Tube ride from LHR and the first two have direct Tube access to virtually everything you would want to see in London

PatrickLondon

And Bloomsbury is even more central...

tod

Heres a good hotel in the area:
http://tinyurl.com/y8tahmz


of Bloomsbury that is.......