London Overnight
 

We will be arriving on the Eurostar from Brussels at 11:00 am and departing LHR T5 the next day at noon. I’ve booked The Resident Victoria overnight. Hoping to do a quick walkabout, catch dinner, then hire a car to the airport in the morning. Due to weather and luggage figured this was a fair decision. Thoughts?

That Residence is fine but probably not where I'd have booked. It isn't that convenient to St Pancras and since you've decided on using a car service to LHR anyway, you could stay absolutely anywhere in central London. It is close to Buckingham Palace/the King's Gallery (it still seems strange to be saying 'King's Gallery) and St James's Park. But not really anything else. Where did you plan on 'walking about'?

IF you have manageable luggage I probably would have looked somewhere along the Elizabeth Line and take it out to LHR -- but again it depends on where you want to meander.

If you can change hotels, the Resident Soho is barely a minute's walk from Tottenham Court Road station on the Elizabeth Line (travel at the rear of the train from LHR to be near the Dean Street exit). To get to St Pancras, EL one stop to Farringdon, then one stop on the northbound Thameslink train. Easy, well signposted interchanges.

Patrick's suggestion re the Resident Soho is good. However his directions for the Elizabeth Line are 'backwards' for you since you are arriving at St Pancras and departing from LHR.

If you have a lot luggage I'd consider taking a taxi from St Pancras to the hotel and taking the Elizabeth Line out to LHR. The EL is totally flat floor, there are no steps at either end of the trip and there is generous space for your bags.

I’ll reconsider the Soho area. (I realized the mixup btw) I took the EL last year to LHR. It was quite easy, but my niece who lives in Cambridge chaperoned me to the airport. There are three of us traveling and we will all have a medium sized suitcase. Figured a taxi/shuttle to LHR would be easiest. Thanks as always.

Oh heck -- medium sized suitcases are easy. As long as you aren't taking behemoth 28 or 30 incher, medium bags on the Elizabeth Line are fine.

But a car service is fine too - note my edit of your post. Prices for car services have gone up a fair bit because of the £15 congestion charge imposed by the city but they are still much cheaper than a taxi. This is a good one https://www.justairports.com

73 pounds + tip for Holborn to LHR last week for Just airports.

I saw the “Justairports” suggestion in another post. We’re taking trains from Cambridge into London and back twice and then the Eurostar to Brussels and back, so maybe I’ll feel more comfortable by the time we get back to London for the overnight and just take the EL to the airport. Thank you for the suggestions and current fare.

That Just Aitports quote -- would be for between 7AM and 6 PM on weekdays (noon-6PM on weekends) because of the congestions charge. It would be £15 less outside those hours.

Yes our flight left at 0935 so unfortunately congestion tax. It was about 12-13 pounds each for Elizabeth Line from LHR to Bond street inbound which worked well as we landed 8:35 evening and entered a empty train and our hotel was about 30 yards from the tube exit.

mjs: Which hotel did you stay at near Bond Street station -- I'm thinking of going back next month and haven't stayed in that area for ages.

Our flight is on Saturday at noon so we’ll have to be at LHR before the tax kicks in.

I have stayed all over London ranging from a bedsitter to a rental house to Airbnbs and hotels all over London. Have never stayed near Oxford Street probably because I am not much of a shopper. I picked the Bo Tree hotel because I got a good deal on AMX. Five stars, good Booking and TripAdvisor reports. Three nights for the price of 2 so I do not know if this special will be available when you travel. Worked out to about $430/night with $100 free food or eats, 40 pounds for anything in the minibar and free breakfasts. Also got upgraded to a 2 room suite. Located about 50 yards north of Oxford street between Selfridges and John Lewis and a very short walk from the Bond street tube if you come out the right exit. Very convenient to the Elizabeth Line. The hotel is modern and clean. Good service. Nice restaurant and bar with good breakfasts. I think the lower priced rooms are a bit small maybe 240 sq feet if my memory serves me but our suite was about 430 sq feet so decent sized. I tend to think 5 star hotels having a separate bath and shower and toilet and two sinks and plenty of shelf space and good towels and fixtures. This just had the typical Euro shower and no bath but was quite serviceable. Would stay there again at these prices. We left London for 4 nights and on our return stayed at the Holborn Hoxton. Good location but disappointing, especially for the cost. Would have rather stayed at the Holborn Citadines for half the price.

I will be flying around noon, please tell me about this tax. I will be taking the Elizabeth line to LHR, does it affect me?

It isn't a 'tax' as such -- it is a congestion charge for motor vehicles and has absolutely no affect on public transport.

Thanks janis.