LA

I am planning a trip to London by myself -- social woman in my thirties. Any suggestions as to where to stay (safe, good location and value) and on restaurants, pubs, nightlife, museums, cafes, shopping, etc. In otherwords any advice is appreciated. Thanks so much!

Philip

Some of my favorites:<BR><BR>Buying goodies at Fortnum & Mason<BR>Selfridges Department Store<BR>Cafe in the Crypt at St. Martin in the Field<BR>Sandwich from Pret a Manger<BR>Westminster Abbey<BR>Standing under Big Ben as it chimes the hour<BR>Tea at Brown's Hotel<BR>Shops in and around Covent Garden<BR>A show at the National Theatre<BR>London Walks http://london.walks.com/<BR>Globe Theatre & Museum<BR>Geffrye Museum<BR>A walk along Embankment<BR>Watching fireworks on Bonfire Night (late Nov).<BR>Standing in front of one of the webcams on camvista.com and waving to my friends back home

bob

Visit website www.londontown.com It was helpful to me.

Pam

I've been to London every Nov. for the last three years and try to get my Christmas shopping done. I'm going a little early this year so I prob won't get the Christmas lights, sigh. I'll and to Phil's list.<BR><BR>Crepe's Suzette at Harrods - yummy.<BR>British Airways Big Eye on London - the giant enclosed ferris wheel <BR>Thornton's Chocaltiers - the Continental Collection<BR>Hamley's Toy Store - its wonderful but don't go with a headache it will be packed (though it's not as good as it was 30 years ago.)<BR>The British Museum<BR>The National Gallery<BR>The Tate Modern with lunch at the OXO Tower<BR>If the weather is good down the Thames by boat all the way to Kew Gardens. It goes on and on and Phil have several of my faves, too.

Pam

Excuse the typos I must be tired LOL

Ben Haines

Dear Ms Marsden<BR><BR>Are there really hotels in USA cities in places that are unsafe ? Anyway, there are none such in London: they would close for lack of custom. Certainly you will see homeless doorstep sleepers in hotel areas, but they are no trouble to anybody, poor souls.<BR><BR>A good location is anywhere along the Circle and District Line: Earls Court, Gloucester Road, South Kensington, Sloane Square (expensive) Westminster, and Charing Cross, including the Strand. To the e mail copy of this message I am attaching notes by Fodors readers on good and bad choices in Victoria, and notes by me on hotels along the Strand. From Bloomsbury to most tourist spots takes a change of tube train.<BR><BR>I am attaching also notes on restaurants upstairs in pubs, and on other cheap meals.<BR><BR>I haven't counted the museums in London: must be fifty to a hundred. In a newspaper kiosk in the arrivals concourse at Heathrow or Gatwick you can buy the little, spiral-bound, A-Z London guide, about four pounds, with a good long list. You will probably go to the big and famous places that people have named, but please look also for places related to your profession and interests, such as the Florence Nightingale museum on nursing, the Bank of England museum on money, or Babbage s calculating engine in the Science Museum for computer buffs. In fact, if you will tell me your interests and your job I shall be glad to make suggestions -- not always museums. If you do, please would you give dates in November ?<BR><BR>Nightlife is covered in the weekly listings magazine Time Out, which, also, you can buy on arrival.<BR><BR>No web sites cover all restaurants, pubs, nightlife, museums, cafes and shopping, but you can dip into a few. <BR><BR>Listings, updated several times daily by the Evening Standard --<BR>includes their pub listing. http://www.thisislondon.com <BR>Theatre Directory http://www.officiallondontheatre.co.uk/main.html <BR>Reviews of plays<BR>http://www.albemarle-london.com.<BR>http://www.whatson.com/<BR>http://www.whatsonstage.com <BR><BR>More general guides are found via<BR>http://www.netguide.com/Snapshot/Archive?guide=travel&id=1316<BR>http://london.cjb.net<BR>http://nav.webring.org/cgi-bin/navcgi?ring=londonring;list<BR>http://londonguide.cjb.net<BR>http://www.budgettravel.com/london.htm<BR>Time Out magazine, with coverage of many areas of London: http://www.timeout.com/london/sight/, (but this is brief compared with the printed magazine)<BR><BR>The point of this forum is that you read differing views, so here are some of mine<BR>Cafe in the Crypt at St. Martin in the Field. There is a better meal at Gordon's Wine Bar, 100 yards away near Embankment underground station<BR>Standing under Big Ben as it chimes the hour. I am not sure why people do this.<BR>Shops in and around Covent Garden. Pricey. For window-shopping without buying I prefer the arcades that run north and south of Piccadilly, and the shops of Bond Street.<BR>A show at the National Theatre. Yes, but there are many others: please see Time Out magazine<BR>Watching fireworks on Bonfire Night (late Nov). Bonfire night public shows will be on 2 and 3 November<BR>British Airways Big Eye on London - the giant enclosed ferris wheel. Not worth the money unless you know London well enough to name buildings. For a free view of London from on high please try the top of Guy's Tower in Guy's Hospital beside London Bridge station<BR>The British Museum. Especially the Anglo Saxon room upstairs<BR>The Tate Modern with lunch at the Oxo Tower. There is a cheaper lunch with good views at the Founders Arms, 100 yards upstream of the Tate Modern<BR><BR>I look forward to your note on your tastes, interests, and dates.<BR><BR>Welcome to London<BR><BR>Ben Haines<BR><BR>

Char

You might try the Moat house website. They were offering rooms at 70 GBP inclusive of service and VAT and including breakfast at Sloane Sq Moat house , which is a wonderful area for shopping, reataurants, and museums.

Al Klein

Ben<BR>Well I once spent the night in a hotel in downtown Newark, New Jersey, USA that closed and locked all the exterior doors at night fall and posted armed guards at each entrance. We were also advised upon checkin to plan to eat dinner in the hotel and to NOT venture outside the hotel after dark. From the room window we could observe the various "night creatures" come to life on the street below, with their drug dealing, fighting, etc. By the way, if you wonder, this was not some fleabag hotel, but a member of one of the premier hotel chains of the world (it shall remain nameless). So, yes Ben there are indeed hotels in US cities that are in unsafe places. Sad but true.

Parrot Mom

Def. recommend London Eye for a clear day...when you take the cruise down the Thames noteall the new and restored buildings...quite an architectural mix...Do stop at Harwich...a charming town now being restored beautifully, wander the market and streets....can't wait to go back

Maira

LA, the Jack the Ripper London Walk was a blast! (walks.com). I recommend the Friday tour, when is hosted by Donald Rumbelow-- the definitive master in the topic. You get together with people, there is a pub stop, and it's well attended. Highly recommend it. The group gathers at the Tower of London metro station (exit level). Ask specfically for London Walks as there will be another Jack the Ripper tour companies there. Have a great time!