vivi

If I take the Tube fron LHR to Covent Garden, how far will the walk be to Strand Palace?
I will have one medium roller bag that is easy to manage. I am a terrible map reader, if anybody has easy directions I'd appreciate it! (I hate bumbling about looking for a hotel after a 12 hour flight but don't mind being "lost" when I am refreshed and luggage-free!)

PatrickLondon

Down the slope to the market, straight through. Once you get to Tavistock St, either
- turn right, then right on to Burleigh St and right once you get to the Strand
or
- left, then left on to Southampton St and left once you get to the Strand.

Or go on to Holborn, and take a 91 bus to Strand/Savoy St, or a taxi.

PatrickLondon

Oh rats, wrong way round.

turn LEFT on Tavistock St, then right on to Burleigh St, etc
or
turn RIGHT on Tavistock St, then left on to Southampton St, etc.

The point is, going straight through the market (though bear in mind, if you have wheeled luggage, you've got cobbles and some narrow archways to go through), you eventually come out directly behind the Strand Palace, and you've got to round it, one side or the other.

walkabout

I find that area around Covent Garden a bit confusing, particularly if you are tired, jet-lagged, and don't know where you are going.

An alternate route is to take the Piccadilly line from LHR, change to the District or Circle line at South Kensington, and get off the tube at Embankment. Walk through the tube station and go straight up Villiers St, which is a narrow pedestrian street. When it ends you will be on The Strand. Turn right. The Strand Palace will be about 4 blocks down on the left,directly across from the Savoy Hotel.

The distance is only about a block further than the Covent Garden station, and IMO easier and more straightforward to navigate, even with having to make a tube change.

When you get off at Embankment, there are only 2 ways to go through the tube station--toward Villiers or toward the Thames. If you see the Thames when you walk out the station, you know you went the wrong way, so just turn around.

Even if you are not good at reading maps, you can look at this google map and compare the locations of the Embankment and Covent Garden tube stations.
http://maps.google.com/maps?rls=com....d=0CNYBEPwSMAA

Strand Palace is my favorite London hotel because it is in such a terrific location. Hope you enjoy it as much as I do. Good luck!

dorfan2

There is a sign at the exit of Embankment tube station that say, "Villiers St. exit" with an arrow to follow.

walkabout

Forgot to mention that you could also take the Circle line one stop further, and get off at Temple. Walk up Surrey St to The Strand, turn left, and the Strand Palace is a couple blocks down on the right.

I think it's easier to get to the Strand Palace from Temple or Embankment than from Covent Garden because I think it's easier to make a tube change than to wander around lost in the Covent Garden area (which I have done!)

Have fun in London, whichever route you choose.

janisj

If you are going to use the Embankment or Temple stations -- do NOT change at South Kensington.

Change at Hammersmith, literally walk a few feet across the same platform and catch the next eastbound District line train. a MUCH easier transfer than at S Kens.

But honestly - I'd just walkover from Covent Garden . . .

cynthia_booker

Having stayed at The Strand Palace, my preferred route was to change at Hammersmith, get off at Charing Cross, and walk straight down the Strand to the hotel. The Strand is a broad and easy street for walking, and after walking not very far to the east from Charing Cross you can see the hotel. Very little chance of getting lost, no matter how jet lagged.

PatrickLondon

There's no direct train from Hammersmith to Charing Cross, nor much point changing at Embankment just (in effect) to get up Villiers St, though you could if you wanted to.

xyz123

You could change at Picadilly for the Bakerloo line or at Leicester Square for the Northern Line to get to Charing Cross. Neither is a horrible change in terms of distance but not as easy as the change at Hammersmith.

walkabout

I have never had a problem changing at S. Kensington. However, consensus is that it's easier to change at Hammersmith (thanks janisj and xyz123).

PatrickLondon, you're right. The OP could just get off at Temple and walk up Surrey, which is what I suggested in my second post. I always get off at Embankment and walk up Villiers when heading to the Strand Palace, but that's more out of habit than anything.

Just shows that after many trips to London over the past 30 years, there is always something new to learn. Even something as simple and basic as which tube stop or tube station is best.