midwestgal77

janisj: The flight I am looking at is AA flight 90. It is arriving at 10:40pm on Oct. 2nd..so that is where I am getting the 6 nights.

So any hints on where I can find a hotel in the price range you mentioned in an area I mentioned?

You seem to know what your talking about. Like I said before, I have no clue. I dont even know where these areas are at. Would it really matter if that is where I stayed at? I am just going by what my cousin (the one getting married) has stated. I will only be in Cricklewood that one day..so I guess it really wouldnt matter where I stayed at.

Point me in the right direction and I will do all the research I can.

Thanks for your patience too....lol

WillTravel

If you are interested in Priceline, look at these two sites, and read the FAQs:

http://www.betterbidding.com
http://www.biddingfortravel.com

If you bid on Priceline, you should probably stick to 4* hotels. (Actually, I've also done 3* in London and got great results, but many people aren't comfortable with that.)

Also take a look at Hotwire. Many people feel more comfortable with that for some reason. Betterbidding.com also discusses Hotwire.

Also take a look at Priceline's and Hotwire's vacation packages. These might combine flight and hotel for a more reasonable cost.

PatrickLondon

To choose areas to stay in:

(a) you know you want to get to Cricklewood for the wedding, so check exactly where the wedding venue is on www.streetmap.co.uk, see how close it is to a station (in this case, probably Willesden Green or Kilburn on the Jubilee Line, or Cricklewood on the Thameslink line that passes through Kings Cross, Farringdon and Blackfriars), then look at http://www.tfl.gov.uk/tfl/tourist_map.shtml to see what areas are most easily connected to through those stations.

(b) Use the tourist map to see which of those areas is convenient by public transport to the main attractions you want to visit

(c) As in (a) check the addresses of likely hotels on www.streetmap.co.uk or www.yell.com to see how they're placed in relation to both transport for the wedding venue and main attractions in central London.

The Marylebone/Baker Street area would be well placed for the Jubilee Line, and is central for general visiting.

janisj

W/ your daytime flight you will have 6 hotel nights (though you won't get to the hotel until after midnight) So adding a 6th night at $50-$55 per person and you are stll under $1100.

If you are limited to that flight you probably will have to pay $767 because daytime flights are very popular. If you shop for other flights you might get a better fare. But there are advantages to the daytime flight - especially helping reduce jet lag. So you may think it is worth paying a bit more.

midwestgal77

Thanks for the input. I really appreciate it!!

Feel free to keep it coming!!!!

Merseyheart

Midwestgal77, traveling to Europe for the first time can be very overwhelming. You do have time to familiarize yourself with London. Buy a tourist map of the city (in your small town you may not be able to find one, but I bet you can buy one on-line through Amazon or some other book store). Get picture books of London from the library, or look at photos of London on the internet. Buy some guide books, or borrow some from the library. For my first trip to London, I opened up the map, and studied it every night for several minutes, so I would know which area of the city was which. One of the nicest things about London, too, is the tube ("underground", subway.) Most attractions are near a tube stop, and if you can find the tube stop, you can find your way around. You will love seeing a really big city like London after spending so much time in a small town. (Well, I did.) I'm glad the other regulars are helping you with your airfare and hotel. That's a critical part of any trip. But studying a map of the city will help you, too. If there's anything in particular you want to see, let us know.

midwestgal77

Thank you very much Merseyheart. I'm going to the library to find some books tomorrow. any suggestions on what you used?

Merseyheart

I'd have to say the basic guidebooks like Rick Steves, Frommer's, and Fodors. I remember finding picture books of London, and studying them, just to familarize myself with London. There's also a set of books called "Culture Shock: Britain" and "Culture Shock: London at Your Door" that talks about the British culture. I especially like Sandra Gustafson's "Great Sleeps in London" (which was once called Cheap Sleeps.) In it, she discusses small, budget hotels, as well as some large chains. If you can't find these books at your library, you can try finding some used copies on Amazon or Alibris. Did you write the visitor info center in London (I think there's one in NYC) for some information? That's how I got my first map of London. You might want to get a map of the tube, too, and study that. Even if you are in a small town, you have access to the internet, and that is a great resource. When you come across some attraction you'd like to see, search these pages for a thread. Some of the regulars here know London very well. You will have such a fine adventure! Let us know how you're doing.

PatrickLondon

Do use online resources as well, like the Transport for London site and its maps (address above), and
http://www.visitlondon.com/city_guide/maps_guides/
http://www.timeout.com/london/

Merseyheart

TTT