London for four nights
 

I would like to know the best neighborhood to stay in London for shopping, museums,transportation, we love the theater, I am going with my 33 year old daughter for her first time to Europe.
What is best to do in 4 days?
How about the hotels in the Mayfair area?
Would like to spend no more than 175.00 a night.
High tea is a must.
Ideas?
We would like some real British hospitality and history.
Thanks

Bloomsbury , a. B&B
Read the destination guide here for an onverview
Best is a subjective word
Tower of London, Covent Garden, Trafalgar Sq, Westminster Abbey, St James Park, St Paul's, harrod's or Harvey Nichols, British Museum....

Look at London Walks for a nice way to spend a 1/2 day

I love the Mayfair area as it is central to everything you want to see in London. However, good luck finding a hotel around $175.00 a night....maybe 175.00 GBP a night. There are several high tea spots. One is the Ritz but you need to make reservations at least 4 weeks in advance. There is a modest tea at Fortum and Mason's, plus other hotels such as Brown's, and Claridge's. See this site for other tea locations: http://www.visitlondon.com/attractio.../afternoon-tea

What you are looking for is <i>Afternoon</i> tea, not 'high' tea. Af ternoon tea isserved everywhere from patisseries to Harrods/Harvey Nichols to upscale hotels such as the Ritz.

175 what? $ or £ or € or ?? You won't get a double in Mayfair for $175 (approx. £110). You can easily get anywhere from anywhere so instead of a specific neighborhood, find the best hotel you can that is w/i your budget.

londontown.com is a good place to start your search.

I 'won' a Priceline bid for May 21st at the Holiday Inn Mayfair- $202.00 total USD VAT included- I think it was $165.00 before taxes. Breakfast isn't included but the location is 1/2 block from Greenpark Underground- close to shopping/theater

You will certainly encounter real British history, but British hospitality is a little harder to find in London. At some hotels, we've encountered a great deal of less than competent personnel. This is just a report on my experience.

The finest hospitality we've had was at an Apex hotel, but it wasn't in Mayfair, and it was outside of your price range. The hotel was new and we got a great deal, but it was still a lot more than 175 USD. Right now, I think the room we had is going for about 220 GBP.

There are some OK hotels near the Gloucester Rd. tube station, and you can probably get a small room there, sans hospitality, for your price.

I'm looking for a place right now, and London is soooo expensive.

Nothing wrong with High Tea Janisj

http://www.tea-party-guide.com/high-tea.html

Samo: That is an American website. High Tea is not the same thing in the UK - honest . . .

And it's sort of making the same point as janisj, actually: though wrong in details (and ungrammatical).

Check out this website for afternoon tea options:
http://afternoontea.co.uk/

I hope us Londoners are hospitable, people on the tube etc can seem a bit unfriendly but most of us are just in the zone of our daily slog commute. Most of the time if you need help and ask someone on the street they will give you a hand in a friendly manner! I guess its kind of like NYC where we are all just busy and trying to get through the crowds and other workers to get to and from where we are going in a timely fashion :)

As for what to see - there are so many things to see! If you want to shop try Covent Garden, Oxford and Regent St, Carnaby St, Camden markets, Westfields shopping centre at Stratford and I think White City.

For tourist sites Michael above gave a good list to start with. Buy a good guide book and see what interests you - the Tower to me is a must as is a verger tour of Westminster Abbey (call a week ahead to book your spot - see the Westmnster Abbey website for details). 4 days doesnt give you a lot of time.

www.londontown.com also should have a listing of shows etc.

Have fun!

I use Londontwon.com for reservations. I have the Millenium Gloucester for 86 GBP for next month. Breakfast is not included but for 20 GBP extra I buy Club Privleges and get full breakfast , internet, canapes cocktails , all day tea or coffee and lounge access. It is very convenient for the tube( right across the streeet) and great bus lines, walking distance to Nat. History museum, V&A Harrods, lots of good cafes just nearby

Arguing about the distinction between high tea and afternoon tea is all a bit academic, since most people in Britain seldom have either. It is a special occasion meal, and particularly one provided for tourists, both those from abroad and those from within the country.

Real British History is easy to find, but real British hospitality may be more difficult. In my experience, most of those working in the hospitality industry were not born in Britain. Perfectly pleasant and helpful, but you miss out on witty banter. And they are seldom as effusive as their American equivalents.

We had afternoon tea at The Ritz and the room it was held in was absolutely beautiful. And the Ladies...I wish my bathroom at home was like that :-). There was plenty to eat and drink - any kind of tea you wanted, lots of refills, finger sandwiches, cakes, scones, refills if you wanted. I was a bit concerned the service would be snooty or pretentious but it was friendly and prompt. We enjoyed the whole afternoon a lot more than I would have thought. It is expensive but something special to remember. You have to book at least a month ahead. Their website has all the details.

And hospitality varies such a lot, we checked into one London hotel where not one word was spoken by the surly man working there, he just pushed the key across the desk at us as if we'd given him a lot of bother by turning up. Other places they are more professional.

London Walks www.walks.com are terrific, good value and entertaining and you don't need to prebook. Check their website or pick up a brochure when you arrive for details of where to meet for the walks.

Kay

"<i>. . . since most people in Britain seldom have either. It is a special occasion meal, and particularly one provided for tourists, both those from abroad and those from within the country.</i>"

Some of out British Fodorites frequently post this sort of thing. IME not true. I have had a real afternoon tea everywhere from tea shops in the Cotswolds or Cornwall to the Ritz -- hundreds probably. And in almost EVERY instance the majority of others taking tea were locals/British.

Even at the Ritz (6 or 7 times), while maybe 1/3 to 1/2 were obviously American, Japanese, Middle Eastern visitors, others were British businessmen, English 'ladies who lunch', British families w/ children, and even the odd hen party. Simply because of the cost, the Ritz and some of the other posh London teas are special-occasion. But to say teas are only for tourists just isn't true.

Mayfair for 175 US a night - that probably won't happen even if the dollar and pound are at parity.

Get a tube map and cross-check it with the Londontown.com maps. Simple fact is anyplace within the Circle Line and west (or barely east) of the Northern Line segment that stops at Leicester Square would be a decent location for what you need. Bloomsbury, the West End, Trafalgar, South Bank, South Kensington are all areas with good access to the sites you'll likely want to visit.

You CANNOT be near everything you might want to see because London is the largest city in Western Europe - its closest comparative from a US perspective is New York.

Thank you very much,
i continue to learn from you guys
Who knew "High tea, afternoon tea????"