After enjoying many fine Belgium beers over a 10 day arranged tour we decided to tack on 3 days at the end & take the train to London and then fly home from there. This will be fall 2006.

Can someone give me an idea of what area would be best to stay in for this short trip and most convenient to the major sites. Any hotel recommendations? Any other general London advice welcome as I’ve only just begun to research this trip (besides the Belgium part).

Do a search on London lodging,or London areas to get some ideas.

of course it depends on your budget or lack thereof . . . however, one really convenient hotel is the Thistle at Victoria station- I think now called Thistle Victoria (or vice versa!).

It is absolutely central--walking distance to Westminster Abbey and on down to Trafalgar; walking distance to Buckingham Palace--and to Trafalgar that way, too. That's the National Gallery and National Portrait Gallery, both wonderful.

I think it's reasonably walkable to Harrods, if you're a shopper.

And, if you do the brew thing again, reminscing about your travels, if you are at Victoria, the morning after the night before departure won't be too arduous: You'll be right there at Victoria to go on out to Gatwick (if that's your departure airport!).

Thanks CJS! That’s the type of info I was looking for. We would like to be centrally located. We will be taking off from Heathrow Airport. Is it fairly easy to get there?

I’m just beginning and I know I need to do a lot more research.

The best transport to Heathrow is the Heathrow Express (train) which departs from Paddington station. So your lodging options are (1) a place near Paddington (not the best idea), or (2) a cab to Paddington from your hotel elsewhere (what we do) or (3) near a tube stop with a direct line to Paddington.

The hotel we like is the Sanctuary House Hotel, which is a block from Westminster Bridge and Westminster Abbey, Big Ben, etc. The rates are very good on weekends; less so during the week.

Another popular area, particularly if you're planning on theatre trips and the British Museum, is Bloomsbury.

enzian, I have reservations at the Sanctuary House this summer and I understand they only have dial up internet available. Any tips on how much they charge or how to connect to my US ISP with my laptop?