London One Week Early May
 

Researching my first trip to London with a friend. We want to be well located for museums, shopping and dining. Our preference is a one bedroom suite hotel with breakfast included. But the breakfast is not a deal breaker. Would rather have a hotel then an apartment rental. But that's just a preference....we are open.

My other question is, if we got in on a mid week day and stayed for 7 nights, how would you break up your days in site seeing and evening entertainment? Thank you!!

What is your budget for a hotel, and what do you mean by suite hotel? Is that a hotelroom with kitchen facilities, or just a suite in a hotel? Do you and your friend share a bedroom? The Capital Hotel apartments, in Basil Street, would be good if these are in your budget.

It's impossible to advice you on how to spend your days without knowing you; are you elderly and frail or young and up for long days of walking and sightseeing?

Your questions are terrible. LONDON IS THE LARGEST CITY IN WESTERN EUROPE, there is no single area "well located for museums, shopping and dining." There are various areas well located for specific museums, shopping at certain areas, and dining in certain neighborhoods.

<<if we got in on a mid week day and stayed for 7 nights, how would you break up your days in site seeing and evening entertainment?>>

This is one of the worst questions all year - what sites? What type of entertainment?

SMH.

I am dashing out to the gym so can't answer -- but tulips is right - you need to give us more info re budget and interests. Just about ANY hotel in central London will be convenient since the transport is very good.

A good compromise would be a Citadines -- they are ApartHotels which are flats with hotel services.

We also need to know what you plan to do, or at least the sorts of things you like to do.

London has lots of museums, but many would appeal only to people interested in certain areas. E.g. the Museum of London has two branches, one in or very near the "City" --that is, the financial district-- and the other in the Docklands to the east. Both are fascinating for students of history but may not appeal to everyone.

Another way to look at this is to tell us what you would hate!

Thank for your replies. At least most replies. BigRuss can leave his/her insults elsewhere. Don't even reply, if you think my questions are stupid. Why make someone feel badly...Unless you are into misplaced self importance...

Anyway, thanks all for the suggestions. Usually when my friend (we are two women) and I travel we get a hotel or apartment with one bedroom. One of us sleeps in the living area. No kitchen necessary, unless included anyway. Our hopeful budget is around $200 a night. Breakfast included would be nice. We are in our sixties, but we are big walkers, super fit and liberal minded. We love museums (I love history and art), theater, site seeing, restaurants, clubs (she loves tango). I love being able to walk to some of these sites and not have to always rely on transportation. Not much that we hate. Anyway. I hope that helps a little. Thanks again and happy holidays.

Take a look at OneFineStay.com — apartment rentals, but everything is vetted and professionally managed, unlike the AirBnB's of the world.

I seriously doubt if you'll find a hotel with bedroom and sitting area with sofa for $200 a night. An apartment, maybe.

BTW, it can be very frustrating to many of us when someone posts questions without providing any information. Regardless of where you end up staying, you will still have to rely on public transportation to get you to some sights. I am also a great walker but can't manage walking to all the places I want to visit or revisit. I would strongly urge you to get a guidebook which will list most of London's museums, galleries and top tourist sights. Unless you have a specific interest, almost any of London's top museums would be worthy of a visit. For example, a short list might include the following:

The Victoria and Albert
The National Gallery
The National Portrait Gallery
Tate Britain
Westminster Abbey
Covent Gardens
British Museum
Tower of London
St. Paul's Cathedral
Inns of Court
Shakespeare's Globe
Kensington Palace
Cabinet War Rooms

There are many more possibilities, so see what I mean by getting a guidebook so you can decide which places will hold the most interest for the both of you.

Sorry can't help with clubs.

<<BigRuss can leave his/her insults elsewhere. Don't even reply, if you think my questions are stupid. Why make someone feel badly...Unless you are into misplaced self importance...>>

Your questions were terrible. Ask a proper one. Once you clarified, you received useful information. And I jumped on this thread to help you and immediately found that I could not because your questions were . . .

Sure enough, you gave out all the information everyone else needed to best assist you after I was "insulting."

You're welcome.

Thank so much for all your help. It gives me a starting point and a reality check. I'll try to do better on my questions in the future. Happy holidays.

Hi seeksocean, I also use onefinestay, have a look at their site. You stay in a flat, but only deal with Onefinestay, never with the owner. They offer an iphone for local use with all information on the area and the flat in an app.

Otherwise Citadines could be an option.

Anywhere near South Kensington station is convenient - walk to some of the museums, close to lots of restaurants and good transport. Look at the London map; anywhere within the area of the Circle Line is good, and close to a station that has the Piccadilly Line, Central Line or several lines.

(I just posted this to another thread.)

Don't miss the Tower. It's the best (and most "Londonish" for tourists) sight. (Of course, I am a history buff, so somewhat biased.) I tell friends that if you can only be in London one day and see only one sight, visit the Tower.

Take a walk (with a guidebook self-guided walk) from Westminster Abbey along Whitehall to Trafalgar, and down the Strand.

Take a river boat ride from the Tower to Westminster or v.v.

Like art? Choose based on your taste (All are free):
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;National Gallery - medeval-19th c
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Tate - British art
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Tate Modern - late 19th/20th/21st C.
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Nat. Portrait Gallery - History to the present portraits

Like History?
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;British Museum - one of the greatest in the world
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Museum of London (the main one) - comprehensive history
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Tower of London - see my opening comment
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Cabinet War Rooms - the underground WWII HQ just as they left it at the end of the war
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Globe Theatre museum - Shakespeare et.al.
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Maritime Museum in Greenwich - history of the world's once-greatest naval power

See a play: My taste makes us avoid the same musicals (in huge venues) you can find elsewhere. We look for British dramas & comedies in smaller theaters. You can often stop by the box office the day of the show and get tickets on discount, depending on how crowded it is that day.

Unless you like standing around in crowds for long periods, avoid the changing of the guard at Buckingham Palace. Just MHO.

London is HUGE...I just scratched the surface

ssander

One more thing...

Don't forget to check out the Day's Out 2-for-1 vouchers.

https://www.daysoutguide.co.uk/

ssander

If you're there for 7 nights, consider getting a 7-day travel card for zone 1 & 2.

Covers unlimited tube and buses (and tram and local train) in the two zones that included most of what you'll want to see.

...I <em><strong>think</em></strong> that if you buy a travel card at a rail ticket office (rather than at a tube/bus location), it qualifies you for the 2-for-1 vouchers...not sure about that.

ssander

Amazing and appreciated from all! ssander..especially big thank you! I'll check all of this out and find a good travel book. Any other suggestions? Please feel free to continue to help my journey along. Thank you all again :)

yes, you need to buy a national rail 7 day pass to qualify for the 2for1's. The Oyster card is not valid for this. Be sure you bring a passport photo if you plan to do this.

http://www.daysout.co.uk/London

Thanks! Favorite London travel guide/book/map?

Maybe Vancouver Studios would work for you? Specifically, their triple studio which has more space.

http://vancouverstudios.co.uk/en/room

It will be a bit over your budget but not too much and maybe they would make a deal for a week.. dunno.

The way we did it was look on VRBO for an apartment. There are lots of ways to filter your search criteria. Just make sure is is near a tube station that can take you wherever you want to go.

Suggestion: Ceremony of the Keys at the Tower. Reserve well in advance.

Also check London Walks for very low cost guided tours. We did Westminster Abby and Oxford/Cotswolds.

A nice day trip is train to Hampton Court

Get a good guide book that shows subway lines.