My husband and I are traveling to London, my first time, not my husbands, to visit our daughter studying abroad and living in the Marleybone area. We are going for 9 days at the end of March. We need advice on a hotel to stay in. We like pretty upscale hotels. We also would love recommendations for great restaurants. We want to plan a day trip with a driver. Maybe to Cottswalds or any other suggestions??I know my daughter has already gone to Stonehenge so that's out as she will not want to go again. I also was told that there are cool walking tours of graffitti art. Does anyone know anything about that and which tour to go on? Any suggestions/recommendations would be greatly appreciated.

I was looking at this hotel for my upcoming trip to London in July. It's called the Dorset Square Hotel and it is in Marylebone. It is one of the Firmdale hotels, go to : www.firmdalehotels.com

rainsitygirl- Thnaks for that. I will check it out.

It would help to know your budget in $ or pounds. Upscale hotels in London are typically not inexpensive - unless you can win something on Priceline - unlikely for so many consecutive nights.

We liked the Hotel St Ermin's in London, near Westminster. Easy access to the tube, also.

Here is my thread about our visit there, including some activities and restaurants:
http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...tate-rooms.cfm

Peaceout Thanks so much for sharing. I guess as far as privr NYtraveler- I would be willing to go as high as $500 US per night???

So I ended up booking Le Meriden Picadilly. Does anyone know anything about it???

Well - it is very nice but is nowhere near Marylebone. Though it is on a direct tube line to Marylebone.

Re the Cotswolds (note the spelling), you can hire a driver/guide for a day. Blue Badges are probably the best - but will be pricey http://www.britainsbestguides.org/

But also check out London Walks and see if they offer one of their Cotswold away days while you are there. http://www.walks.com/

This might be the art tour you mentioned:

http://alternativeldn.com

It gets rave reviews on TripAdvisor.

janisj Thanks for forwarding both those tour companies. The walks look interesting but they don't offer Bath on the dates we are there. Have you gone on their London tours? How are they?

cynthia_booker I did see that tour. Have you done it?

London Walks is terrific. (I was really suggestion the Cotswolds/Oxford day trip -Bath is very easily done on your own)

There are probably 1000 threads on here that mention LW. They mostly do walking tours in in London. You don't need to pre-book them --just show up at the time/place.

Re the Blue Badges - that really isn't a tour company. It is a guild of certified, independent, professional guides.

>>I was really suggesting . . . <<

You could take an early train to Bath and go on a Mad Max tour. They have a full day tour of the Cotswolds. On your return to Bath, use the guide to walk around the city to see the architecture then enjoy dinner before taking a late train back to London.

http://www.madmaxtours.co.uk/index.p...-full-day-tour

http://www.bath.co.uk/bathcouk/?page_id=3906

rjbriskin, I have not done it, but plan on doing it in April. I think I will do just the walking tour.

lovs2travel- Thanks so much for that. I am going to look into now.

janisj- Thanks for your confirmation that London Walks is a good company to go with. I am looking at what they have to offer and will decide which one makes sense.