Traveling to London next week for nine days on business at exhibition center in Docklands area outside of London. Understand this area is becoming more lively but wondered what I might expect. Traveling with wife and 8-year old daughter and deciding whether to stay more central and commute or to stay in outlying area and communte in. tks

If it were just you I'd say stay in Docklands. But there wouldn't be much for you family to do nearby while you are at the conference. Greenwich is close but everything else is farther away. They could easily get to all parts of London via the light railway and tube - but it would be better to stay in a nice central neighborhood and you to do the commuting to the conference instead. <BR><BR>And for that long a stay I would HIGHLY recommend renting an apartment instead of a hotel.

ExCel - the exhibition centre - is quite a way out, even of the developing parts of docklands, and there really isn't much for visitors to do in the immediate neighbourhood. The exhibition centre itself is just the other side of the dock from the London City Airport. There are residential areas nearby, particularly for the University of London, but to see anything much while you're working, you family will have to travel into central London and there will be next to nothing to do in the evenings. I live a bit nearer in, near Canary Wharf where there are lots of shops and a cinema: I like it and to Londoners it can be quite exciting because it feels a bit American, but I have to admit there isn't much to advertise to tourists.<BR><BR>I honestly think your family would thank you if you stayed nearer the centre and commuted to Excel - it's not difficult or too time-consuming.

You can get to central london by Docklands Light Railway and then catch the tube from Bank station it will probably be about 45 mins journey time.<BR>HOpe these sites help:<BR><BR>http://www.londontransport.co.uk/dlr/stations/bank.htm<BR><BR>http://greenwichengland.com/<BR><BR>

Greenwich makes a reasonable compromise. There are the Docklands light railway northbound for you, and Connex South East westbound to Charing Cross (next to Trafalgar Square) in 15 minutes for the family. Greenwich has national museums worth seeing, and in the evening two theatres, a multiscreen cinema, and half a dozen restaurants. A modern hotel there is the Ibis Hotel, http://www.londonhotels-discount.com...CH-LONDON.asp/. (The Holiday Inn in north Greenwich is miles from anywhere).<BR><BR>The Borough has a site at http://www.greenwich.gov.uk/council/strategicplanning/tourist.htm<BR>and the link Tourist attractions in the borough takes you to many sites. Near you it lists these<BR>Maritime Greenwich: a World Heritage Site<BR>Royal Park, dating from 1433, remodelled in 1660s, and still retaining many features (and trees) from that date<BR>Royal Observatory, designed by Sir Christopher Wren, and the home of the Prime Meridian - 0o- the place from which the world measures time<BR>Stunning river-front architecture of the Old Royal Naval College, close to the elegant Inigo Jones-designed Queens House, and National Maritime Museum<BR>Cutty Sark and Gipsy Moth IV - vessels in dry dock<BR>Town centre containing late Georgian shops, popular arts/crafts market (operating as a market since 1730s) and riverside pubs<BR>Church dedicated to St Alfege, murdered in Greenwich in 1012<BR>World's only museum dedicated to the history and art of fan-making<BR>Tavern and chop-house of 17th century coaching inn - still a popular restaurant.<BR><BR>Please write if I can help further. Welcome to London<BR><BR>Ben Haines, London<BR>

Ben, it is not a good idea to recommend Greenwich for a NINE DAY family stay. They would be miles from other tourist sights. Not very practical when 90% of the places they will want to see are in the center. Janice and Patrick are on the right track. You usually give good advice but this time it is a clinker,

Your replies are all wonderful and very helpful. Thank you. Any suggestions for apartment rental firms I should contact? In case anyone is fretting on my behalf, I already have reservations at hotel in central L. The suggestion of an apartment is a good one--but risky in that I will have little time to make changes once there if we am not satisfied.<BR><BR>Thanks again<BR>Greg in Rochester New York

Greg- I am researching a trip to London now and found a great book on Apartment Rental in London written by two Americans. &quot;How to Stay in London for Less&quot; by Diana &amp; Ronald Jensen. I found it at my local Borders. They travel to London frequently and wrote this guide after visiting every one of the apartment buildings they list. It's organized by location and then each place is listed and rated with lots of detail for you. The beginning of the book recommends some tips on how to make the most of your apartment stay. These are all &quot;serviced&quot; apartments which means they are intended for short stay travelers rather than privately owned flats that you rent from an individual or rental agent. I found it tremendously helpful. Also buy yourself a good map of London which shows the tube map, major bus lines and all the major tourist places (also at Borders). This really helped me select a preferred location! You will want something near a tube or train line that will get everyone where they need to go easily!