London report
Apr 10th, 2004 | 11:50 AM
#1
Original Poster
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 157
Likes: 0
London report
Message:I posted this message as a reply to discount? London and thought some people might miss it so I'm repeating it w/the new title.
We just returned last week from a fantastic week in London. Weather was great!!! Low 60s, one day near 70. Never took our umbrellas out of the suitcase. A few 5 mins showers when we were inside. Flowers and trees in bloom.
Perhaps these thoughts will help you.... the first 2 days we did the Big Bus and loved it. We used it to ride the route and get our bearings then as transportation to get places. Be sure to ride upstairs for the best view. As you probably know the tickets are good for 24 hours. We took it at 1PM the first day then had the following morning to use it.
The best deal of all has been mentioned many times on this site. The 2fer coupons on the www.londontrainoffers.com site. We used them at Tower of London (a ticket is $25 if I remember correctly), at London Bridge (which we thought was definitely worthwhile) and at St Pauls. No one asked to see our train tickets.
The rest of the time we took the tube which was so easy and (being used to NYC) I might add very clean.
We stayed at the Thistle Trafalgar Square and liked the hotel very much. The rooms are normally 158GBP but we got them for 84 through londontown.com. We did book back in Nov. It was one of the very few hotels we have stayed at where you couldn't hear the shower or people from the adjoining room. Very good full breakfast w/the room and very helpful staff and concierge. Best of all the location, 3 blocks from Trafalgar, one block from Leicester Square and the tube station. Thanks to advice from Ben Haines, we took the Piccadilly Line back and forth to Heathrow. Very short walk to the hotel.
2 days we took all day tours through Golden Tours (Grayline). One to Bath, Salisbury, and Stonehenge. The other to Oxford, Waarwick and Stratford upon Avon. Very satisfied w/them. The advantage to a tour like that is that the guides explain everything while you're riding on the bus so you don't waste time when you get there standing around listening and you can go at your own pace. Each person is more interested in a different thing. Also you don't have to cue up in the long lines to buy tickets. Just walk right past the mobs!
Lastly, same as the last time we were there 35 years ago, we found the English people to be so helpful, friendly and delightful. A couple of times we were standing on the sidewalk looking at a map and someone stopped to ask if he could help.
Have fun! Wish I were you!
We just returned last week from a fantastic week in London. Weather was great!!! Low 60s, one day near 70. Never took our umbrellas out of the suitcase. A few 5 mins showers when we were inside. Flowers and trees in bloom.
Perhaps these thoughts will help you.... the first 2 days we did the Big Bus and loved it. We used it to ride the route and get our bearings then as transportation to get places. Be sure to ride upstairs for the best view. As you probably know the tickets are good for 24 hours. We took it at 1PM the first day then had the following morning to use it.
The best deal of all has been mentioned many times on this site. The 2fer coupons on the www.londontrainoffers.com site. We used them at Tower of London (a ticket is $25 if I remember correctly), at London Bridge (which we thought was definitely worthwhile) and at St Pauls. No one asked to see our train tickets.
The rest of the time we took the tube which was so easy and (being used to NYC) I might add very clean.
We stayed at the Thistle Trafalgar Square and liked the hotel very much. The rooms are normally 158GBP but we got them for 84 through londontown.com. We did book back in Nov. It was one of the very few hotels we have stayed at where you couldn't hear the shower or people from the adjoining room. Very good full breakfast w/the room and very helpful staff and concierge. Best of all the location, 3 blocks from Trafalgar, one block from Leicester Square and the tube station. Thanks to advice from Ben Haines, we took the Piccadilly Line back and forth to Heathrow. Very short walk to the hotel.
2 days we took all day tours through Golden Tours (Grayline). One to Bath, Salisbury, and Stonehenge. The other to Oxford, Waarwick and Stratford upon Avon. Very satisfied w/them. The advantage to a tour like that is that the guides explain everything while you're riding on the bus so you don't waste time when you get there standing around listening and you can go at your own pace. Each person is more interested in a different thing. Also you don't have to cue up in the long lines to buy tickets. Just walk right past the mobs!
Lastly, same as the last time we were there 35 years ago, we found the English people to be so helpful, friendly and delightful. A couple of times we were standing on the sidewalk looking at a map and someone stopped to ask if he could help.
Have fun! Wish I were you!
Apr 10th, 2004 | 08:29 PM
#5
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 137
Likes: 0
I'm chomping at the bit for July to come around for our visit to London. I'm really interested in feed back on your tour to Warrick, Stratford and Oxford. Did you feel rushed at all, or did you get a good feel for each place, time to explore a bit on your own at Oxford, and Stratford? I'm glad you had a great time. Thanks for sharing!
Julie
Julie
Trending Topics
Apr 12th, 2004 | 11:15 AM
#9
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 4,611
Likes: 0
Peggy, thanks for the report!
You hit nicer weather than I did. I must have been there right after you (April 2-8). It was cooler and rained every day but the first one, sometimes very hard and/or with high winds.
But I didn't let the rain stop me and often the sun was out 30 minutes later.
Keith
You hit nicer weather than I did. I must have been there right after you (April 2-8). It was cooler and rained every day but the first one, sometimes very hard and/or with high winds.
But I didn't let the rain stop me and often the sun was out 30 minutes later.
Keith
Apr 13th, 2004 | 06:21 AM
#10
Original Poster
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 157
Likes: 0
reply re: Oxford etc
Jarmnm,
yes, we did find the tour to Oxford, Warwick, Stratford rushed although it was about 10 hours. 2 days would have been nice but we didn't have that luxury. Everything was explained on the bus so we could spend the time doing our own thing at Warwick. We had the chance to go up to the top of the tower and wander the castle at our own pace which was really interesting b/c of the Tussard figures in each room preparing for a party. Be sure to go up to the top of the "mound" for a nice view. We saw everything we wanted at Warwick although we had to keep moving. didn't have time for the dungeons.
We had plenty of time at Stratford. Even time to shop!
The place I really would have liked more time was Oxford. We went into Christ Church (the most prestigious college) and courtyard and had everything explained to us. Saw a bit of the town walking back to the bus and driving around. I would have liked to wander the campus more. Not sure if one can get into other colleges.
All in all, definitely rushed but it also saved having to pack and leave the hotel in London for one night and stay in another. Maybe next trip we'll have more time and not stay every night in London.
Janis, glad you caught my mistake to clear it up for others. I certainly know the difference between London Bridge and Tower Bridge after all the reading and tours. I must not have had my second cup of coffee when I typed that!
Jarmnm,
yes, we did find the tour to Oxford, Warwick, Stratford rushed although it was about 10 hours. 2 days would have been nice but we didn't have that luxury. Everything was explained on the bus so we could spend the time doing our own thing at Warwick. We had the chance to go up to the top of the tower and wander the castle at our own pace which was really interesting b/c of the Tussard figures in each room preparing for a party. Be sure to go up to the top of the "mound" for a nice view. We saw everything we wanted at Warwick although we had to keep moving. didn't have time for the dungeons.
We had plenty of time at Stratford. Even time to shop!
The place I really would have liked more time was Oxford. We went into Christ Church (the most prestigious college) and courtyard and had everything explained to us. Saw a bit of the town walking back to the bus and driving around. I would have liked to wander the campus more. Not sure if one can get into other colleges.
All in all, definitely rushed but it also saved having to pack and leave the hotel in London for one night and stay in another. Maybe next trip we'll have more time and not stay every night in London.
Janis, glad you caught my mistake to clear it up for others. I certainly know the difference between London Bridge and Tower Bridge after all the reading and tours. I must not have had my second cup of coffee when I typed that!
Apr 13th, 2004 | 12:26 PM
#11
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 17,268
Likes: 0
Peggy:
Glad you enjoyed your trip. Excellent report. Do you object to two niggly points for anyone using this for research?
Ch.Ch. is traditionally Oxford's snootiest college. But it's the most highly rated only among its own members.
Ch Ch used to produce prime ministers about as often as New Labour produces terminological inexactitudes - but Somerville and University, for instance, have better records in producing recent heads of major governments (Ch Ch hasn't produced a democratically-accountable one since Alec Dougls-Home, or any at all since Zulfikar Bhutto - neither of whom are among their countries' greatest statesmen): Magdalen, University, St Catherine's and Balliol beat it hollow on Nobel prizes. St John's is richer, and Balliol probably has the biggest cachet in most governments, universities and global businesses.
Ch Ch is, however, the college that most gets up the nose of other colleges' members ("cream of the university: rich and thick"
Almost all colleges are open to visitors: a list of them, with opening times and charges, is at www.ox.ac.uk/aboutoxford/colls.shtml.
Glad you enjoyed your trip. Excellent report. Do you object to two niggly points for anyone using this for research?
Ch.Ch. is traditionally Oxford's snootiest college. But it's the most highly rated only among its own members.
Ch Ch used to produce prime ministers about as often as New Labour produces terminological inexactitudes - but Somerville and University, for instance, have better records in producing recent heads of major governments (Ch Ch hasn't produced a democratically-accountable one since Alec Dougls-Home, or any at all since Zulfikar Bhutto - neither of whom are among their countries' greatest statesmen): Magdalen, University, St Catherine's and Balliol beat it hollow on Nobel prizes. St John's is richer, and Balliol probably has the biggest cachet in most governments, universities and global businesses.
Ch Ch is, however, the college that most gets up the nose of other colleges' members ("cream of the university: rich and thick"
Almost all colleges are open to visitors: a list of them, with opening times and charges, is at www.ox.ac.uk/aboutoxford/colls.shtml.
Thread
Original Poster
Forum
Replies
Last Post
isabel
Europe
40
Apr 3rd, 2005 11:50 PM
Wesch
Europe
8
Jun 9th, 2004 05:27 AM
