for a link to a website comparing popular guidebooks and maps

http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34549886

There are a lot of benefits to renting an apartment or flat rather than a hotel room(s) in London. And it's often cheaper than one or two hotel rooms for the week. You will have a lot more room to unpack and settle in, and with a living room, there is space to properly relax after a long day of touring.

Having a kitchen can also mean a big savings on the food bill. A quick stop at a grocery store and you can make breakfast in, keep beverages and snacks on hand and maybe prepare a meal or two. Eating in restaurants for every meal can really add up.

Here are some websites for apartment rentals in central London...

Scala House: <b>www.scala-house.co.uk</b>

Citadines: <b>www.citadines.com</b>

2 Hyde Park Square: <b>www.2hydeparksquare.com</b>

Dolphin Square Hotel: <b>www.dolphinsquarehotel.co.uk</b>

Allen House: <b>www.allenhouse.co.uk</b>

In th English Manner: <b>www.english-manner.co.uk</b>

A Place Like Home: <b>http://aplacelikehomelondon.co.uk</b>

Price Apartments: <b>www.priceapts.co.uk</b>

Paramount Rentals: <b>www.paramountrentals.com</b>

London Connection: <b>www.londonconnection.com</b>

Regent Suites: <b>www.regentsuites.com</b>

London Serviced Apartments: <b>www.londonservicedapartments.co.uk</b>

London Apartments: <b>www.lfca.co.uk</b>

London Accommodation: <b>www.londonaccommodation.net</b>

Chelsea Cloisters: <b>www.chelsea-cloisters.co.uk</b>

London Bridge Hotel: <b>www.londonbridgehotel.com</b>

London House Apartments: <b>www.london-house.com</b>

Central London Apartments: <b>www.cenlonap.co.uk</b>

Yourstay.com: <b>www.yourstay.com</b>

If you do rent an apartment or flat, there are a few staples you may want to bring from home to save having to buy them (at UK prices) once you arrive. Here are a few...

Salt &amp; Pepper shaker
other condiments your family uses
Handi-wipes
Ziploc bags/plastic wrap
coffee/coffee filters/tea
sugar/sugar substitute
paper napkins

Take what you think you'll use in a week's time (or leave behind what you don't use) and you'll have extra room for souvenirs in your suitcase on the trip home.

a source of information on free lectures in London (from our
esteemed Mr Ben Haines)

victorianresearch.org/lectures.html

<u>Transport for London Maps</u>

Underground (The Tube): <b>http://www.tfl.gov.uk/tfl/pdfdocs/colormap.pdf</b>
(more at http://tube.tfl.gov.uk/content/tubemap/default.asp)

Tourist Bus: <b>http://www.tfl.gov.uk/tfl/pdfdocs/tourist.pdf</b>

General Bus: <b>http://www.tfl.gov.uk/buses/pdfdocs/centlond.pdf</b>
(more at http://www.tfl.gov.uk/buses/buses_map.shtml)

The most convenient way to carry these maps is to download them into a pocket computer or PDA that has Adobe Acrobat Reader installed on it. You can zoom, pan, and keep your present location on the screen where you can refer to it without unfolding a map every time. You can get an Audiovox <i>Thera</i> on eBay for less than $100 (it's an 800/1900 cell phone and 56k Web terminal, too).
<b>http://www.canadapocketpc.com/Thera%20Data%20Sheet.qxd.pdf&gt;/B&gt;</b>

Here are a couple of fun threads that contain quite a lot of information about London and England.

<u>Rookie Mistakes: UK</u> - http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34551312

<u>UK: Put the Kettle on</u> - http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34549660

I wonder if there is any way to &quot;sticky&quot; all these superthreads.

ttt

flygirl, don't understand your question, can you further explain?

I have been able to bookmark those threads, but I think you mean something else?

I think she means keeping your thread at the top of the page, rather than it sinking to the bottom.

Monica

I just discovered a great site, called Tube Guru. You just click on a tube stop, and it gives you nearby shopping, restaurants, ATM locations, etc... Here's the link:
http://na.visitlondon.com/tubeguru/

That link didn't work for me. Try going in through Transport for London's front door:

thetube.com

ttt

This is OUTSTANDING! Wish I had a computer and this info before our trip!

Thanks everyone for taking the time to do this!

Thanks to all involved for the great information! Have just copied it over and will now be staying up late (many more nights than I already have!) browsing all the useful info.

Daytrip from London to Stonehenge:
Train from London Waterloo to Salisbury:
http://www.southwesttrains.co.uk/
http://www.thetrainline.com/default.asp
Wilts &amp; Dorset bus from Salisbury to Stonehenge: Route 3
http://www.wdbus.co.uk
http://www.wdbus.co.uk/htm/maps/l2/pages/c3.asp

<u>Historic London Pubs</u>

I happened to come across this great website on London's historic pubs (and it's written by our very own Ben Haines!!)

http://victorianresearch.org/hainesonpubs.html

theatre area dining thread (from 2003, but useful I think)

http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34447854

London shopping

http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34653575

London pubs
pub crawl, by Ben Haines

http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34452782

I find this site useful. You put in a post code (similar to a zip code) and it lists nearby shops restauarants etc as well as useful things like Post Offices and Banks.

www.upmystreet.co.uk