bcc

We will be in Europe for 3 weeks and I'm sure we will need to goto a laundromat at some point in time (we're a family of four).
Would anyone know the nearest self-service laundromat near the locations below:
. London Mayfair (Holiday Inn)
. Venice San Marco Square (Locanda Orseolo)

Thank you and I would really appreciate your info.

francophile03

You can email your hotels for the information. I am sure they will know best.

Kate

Mayfair is a very upscale area, so I think you'll struggle to find a handy place, but if you ask your hotel, be aware that in the UK we call it "launderette".

huebie

There's no launderette that I know of, but if you go into Shepherd's Market there are a couple of laundry services. You can just drop everything off in the a.m. and it wll be ready by dinnertime. Shepherd's Market is off Curzon St. which is right around the corner from your hotel. Go down Berkeley Street to the alleyway of shops (Starbucks on the corner) which leads right into Curzon. By the way, the Kinko's right there on the corner is a great place for internet access. It's 3GBP per hour.

elaine

Venice
If you don't want to have your hotel do it, there is a coin-operated laundry and dry cleaning establishment Lavanderia Gabriella, Calle Fiubera, San Marco 985 phone 041 522 1758. My information says services Mon-Sat 8am to 12:30 and 3-7. For more info on laundries and dry cleaners, go to timeout.com

m_kingdom2

Jeeves of Belgravia in Pont St. SW3 will offer a fully comprehensive cleaning service.

However, why not just get the hotel to launder your clothes, so much easier.

flanneruk

In this part of London you really are in a launderette desert.

The nearest I can think of (and I wouldn't swear it's still there) is Bobo's Bubbles at 34 Connaught St, W2, but that's more than half a mile away.
upmystreet.com gives its number as 0207 262 4659

nytraveler

Obviously having the hotel do laundry is the smplest way to do it - the only catch is the cost. If its for business I don;t hesitate - but on my own dollar paying $6 to wash a pair of panties is a little steep. And I refuse to waste valuable vacation time doing laundry - if I don;t do it at home why do it on vacation? (That's why I'm not one of those people living for 6 weeks out of a 22" carry-on.)

m_kingdom2

I never take small cases, I always take the largest case(s) that I can. If one is away for three weeks and doesn't want the hotel laundering their underwear, then take enough to last the three weeks.

I'd never waste time walking around for laundrettes - go without lunch for clean clothes if that's how you have to do it. Surely your time abroad is far more precious than a few EUR/GBP saved on wasting a few hours of your holiday?

bcc

Thank you for the laundromat location info! I certainly don't want to waste my time doing laundry on vacation, but I also don't think I can carry 3 weeks of clothings for our family of four...

viking

Both Venice and London have great self service laundrettes right beside internet cafes. This saves the absurd situation of paying more to have your clothes cleaned than they cost to replace (even the drop off prices can be frightful - maybe throw away the clothes and buy new instead).

I've used the ones on the main walkway from Venice train station, and NE of London Russell Square. Soap is available or you can bring. The coins often go in a central unit away from your machine.

There's often the most memorable quirky scenes in these places. I remember a French laundrette owner waiting for me to finish so he could close promptly before May Day. Then a blonde bombshell walked in to blithely wash ONE item, extending his close time by over an hour. Funny to see him torn to shreds in frustration, not daring to challenge the majesty of blonde tresses.

huebie

Again, if they are staying at the HI Mayfair, one of the laundries is Shepherd's Market is the closest and will be less expensive than having the hotel do it. You could walk to Shepherd's Market, drop off the laundry and be on your way to enjoy the day. When we were there a lot of locals were dropping their laundry/dry cleaning off on their way to work.

Patrick

Using m_kingdom's usual meaningless advice, I wonder how big the suitcase would be for me to fit in my clothes for a three month trip without any washing stops? It is sad that taking two hours out of three weeks would seem like "wasting" time, especially if it means that the rest of the three weeks is vastly improved by handling half the luggage that it would require if no washing were done! And despite what others might think, my trips to laundramats in Europe have been a worthwhile additional experience in how things "work" in Europe, not to mention the many wonderful conversations I've had with "real" people, not just waiters or hotel staff.

NYCFoodSnob

Patrick is SO right! If you REALLY want a "local" feel, visit a Laundromat.

ps Jeeves (in NYC) is rumored to leave buttons on while they charge you for their removal anyway. Many of us loyal patrons have gone elsewhere fo rmore honest service.