<BR>looking for a nice tour to Stratford for a few days to see some plays and easy walk from good hotel either direct from Heathrow or from a London hotel any information plus a good hotel near theaters in London.

I'm not familiar with Stratford tours, since I did Stratford "on my own," but in my opinion you don't need "a few days" for Stratford. I enjoyed the town more than a lot of people who've posted here have seemed to, but I can't imagine spending more than a day and a half there. <BR> <BR>If you'd like to see more than one of the RSC's offerings while in Stratford, maybe you'd want to take a jaunt that gets you there mid-afternoon, orient yourself to the town, get settled in, then see that night's show...then spend the next day on the "Shakespeare sights" (which really can be done in a day, and there's a full-day tour package that you can sign up for at the TI or at any of the Shakespeare sights (usually the Birthplace is the first one you'll encounter). <BR> <BR>The RSC has three theaters in Stratford: the main Royal Shakespeare Theatre, the Swan, and the Other Place. The RST's rotating series right now is Othello, Midsummer and Antony & Cleopatra. They're adding Timon of Athens in August. The other two don't usually do Shakespeare; the Other Place is particularly for experimental work. <BR> <BR>One other thing you shouldn't miss in the Stratford area is Warwick Castle, about 12 miles from the town of Stratford. It's truly breathtaking, with a lot to see. We got there late in the day and were frustrated by how little time we had left; if you like castles at all, give yourself several hours for Warwick. <BR> <BR>London: I'm particularly fond of the Shaftesbury Hotel, on Shaftesbury Avenue, for near-theater London accommodations. Their rates are around 85-100 GBP per room per night, which for that part of the city (Soho, very near Piccadilly) is quite affordable. It's very easy walking distance from the Palace (where Les Mis has played for years), several theaters on Shaftesbury itself, Leicester Square, etc., etc. You can book via the Web at http://netlondon.hotelbook.com/stati...ome_21525.html. The staff is very friendly. <BR> <BR>

Can't hep on tours, but would agree you don't need one. I have spent holidas in Stratford all my life, with family, and rallylike it as a place to visit. there is lots to see and do, if that's what you want. If what you want is "If it's Tuesday it must be Stratford" you can do that too. <BR> <BR>The RSC does matinees as wll as evening shown and with a bit of planing you could do 2 plays a day and still have time for sightseeing. <BR> <BR>The Shakespeare Trust does a block ticket fo its properties, which is worth doing if you want to see more than 2 of them. <BR> <BR>Trinity Church where Shakespeare is buried is a good place to visit and no trip would be complete without punting down the river. <BR> <BR>The good central hotels include The Falcoln, the White Swan, and a couple of others whose names escape me but which I will check out for you.The alveston manor on the other sde of the river from the Theatre is meant to be very nice. <BR> <BR>The open top buses do a hop-on hop-off service too. <BR> <BR>Hope you like it.

OK the two I specifically could not remember the names of were the Arden and (Would you believe?)the Shakespeare. <BR> <BR>Of all of those I would choose the Arden for location and the Falcon for atmosphere. <BR> <BR>However I checked those names by searching the web and there are some good guide pages under Stratford upon Avon. Good Hunting

As mentioned by others, I can't imagine spending more than an afternoon in Stratford unless you plan to go to the theater. Most people visit Stratford as part of an excursion into the Cotswold area. The countryside is magnificant and the towns in the Cotswolds are lovely. The towns tend to be quite crowded with tourists in the summer but the countryside seems virtually empty during the height of the tourist season. For walkers, there are many designated walking areas which give you a good view of residential areas and woodlands. <BR>The area immediately north of the Cotwold is thought of by many as an industrial area. It includes such manufacturing centers as Shieffield. But these large centers are contained in surprisingly small areas. The countryside up there is worth seeing. As mentioned above, Warwick castle is quite a sight. <BR>Instead of looking for a tour of Stratford, perhaps the better plan is to take a multi-day bus tour of the entire area.