UK Meet II - The revenge of the lens

[Rob]

I have been looking at hotels online and have found a few resonable hotels. What is the reason not to stay in Central London? Is it the price or something else?
I found the Regent Palace Hotel, which is right close to the Piccadilly Circus, for $70 USD. It would be a little bit more for two people, but would be nice to share a room with someone who wants to save some money by sharing.
http://www.orbitz.com/App/shared/pagedef/results/hotelDetails.jsp?z=9302&r=3c3&z=9304&r=3c5&lastPage=interstitial

Then I found the Bonnington In Bloomsbury for $87 USD
http://www.orbitz.com/App/shared/pagedef/results/hotelDetails.jsp?z=b8cd&r=3i3&z=b8cf&r=3i5&lastPage=interstitial

I recommended that one for the last meet for people who don't mind 2* hotels complete with prostitutes... :lmao:

You'll get a hell of a lot more for your money just outside London, and you get to have a look around more "real" places which are less tourist-rip-off-prone. There's nothing wrong with staying in central London, but don't for one minute think that $70 is going to buy you something with fresh bed linen and a bathroom - hotels here are very expensive.

FWIW, the one I recommended in Bromley is supposed to be 4* and has Spa, Pool, Gym, Conservatory, Air Conditioning, Free Parking, Landscaped Gardens, several Bars, Ensuite facilities.... The Regent Palace will give you a woollen blanket and 920 screaming drunks... Believe me, I used to stay there a lot as a drunken young-un that's missed his last train home - it's fine for that, but I'd really recommend going up to $100 ish and staying somewhere slightly further away if this is a special holiday for you.

Rob

 

[doenoe]

You just wanted an excuse to say 'groovy' again, didn't you?

Well yeah, but groovy is a great word. Sounds really english too, so very fitting for this threat

 

[MommyOf4Boys]

I recommended that one for the last meet for people who don't mind 2* hotels complete with prostitutes... :lmao:

You'll get a hell of a lot more for your money just outside London, and you get to have a look around more "real" places which are less tourist-rip-off-prone. There's nothing wrong with staying in central London, but don't for one minute think that $70 is going to buy you something with fresh bed linen and a bathroom - hotels here are very expensive.

FWIW, the one I recommended in Bromley is supposed to be 4* and has Spa, Pool, Gym, Conservatory, Air Conditioning, Free Parking, Landscaped Gardens, several Bars, Ensuite facilities.... The Regent Palace will give you a woollen blanket and 920 screaming drunks... Believe me, I used to stay there a lot as a drunken young-un that's missed his last train home - it's fine for that, but I'd really recommend going up to $100 ish and staying somewhere slightly further away if this is a special holiday for you.

Rob

Thanks for the advice. I definately do not want to stay somewhere sleezy! LOL!!
I have never been out of the US, so travelling to London is going to be way out of my realm of things and being on the other side of the country I am unable to see what these places are like, so I will rely on you and your judgement! My friend is staying at the Imperial Hotel on the 2nd and I was trying to get close to there, but I am sure we can still see eachother.
I am still trying to convince my husband that spending over $1000 for a two day vacation is worth it!! Sooo keep your fingers crossed for me!! LOL

 

[Rob]

Thanks for the advice. I definately do not want to stay somewhere sleezy! LOL!!
I have never been out of the US, so travelling to London is going to be way out of my realm of things and being on the other side of the country I am unable to see what these places are like, so I will rely on you and your judgement! My friend is staying at the Imperial Hotel on the 2nd and I was trying to get close to there, but I am sure we can still see eachother.
I am still trying to convince my husband that spending over $1000 for a two day vacation is worth it!! Sooo keep your fingers crossed for me!! LOL

No problem! English hotels are the stuff of legend anyway - you know Faulty Towers? Don't expect us to be up the US standards in terms of customer service and size - we're throroughly bad at these things. Anyone not believing me needs to travel more, especially to the East!!

London is one of the most complex places in the world, extremes of everything. There are some gems of places which are reasonable value, traditional and interesting, and there are some horrid rip-offs too.

As you're coming (hopefully!) such a long way and you haven't got too long, it's probably worth us making a list of things which you can look at when you're here and you can choose your favourites and we'll give help in which order you want to look at them (London geography is another art form). The good news is that 90% of things are within easy walking distance from each other - all you need is a pocket London A to Z (map book) and a reasonable sense of direction. Central London is very safe, but some bits on the outskirts can be a bit iffy (Brixton, Hackney, Deptford etc. are not areas you'd want to be on your own at night as a tourist).

I'll try and chuck together a list of the things which are worth doing, and whether they're affected by weather or opening times etc. If everyone adds to it, it could be a good meet-up guideline.

Rob

 

[Rob]

This is worth reading for ideas:
http://www.londontourist.org/time.html
http://www.londontourist.org/time2.html

 

[Lensmeister]

Popped by my local tourist info centre last night, they gave me this website to locate Hotels in the area.

www.croydononline.org

or if you want to email them for info or reservations

[email protected]

Croydon is only a 15-20 minute train ride from central London.

Hope you all make it.

 

[Rob]

Popped by my local tourist info centre last night, they gave me this website to locate Hotels in the area.

www.croydononline.org

or if you want to email them for info or reservations

[email protected]

Croydon is only a 15-20 minute train ride from central London.

Hope you all make it.

Mate, do you know any hotels near East Croydon mainline for the folks? I've e-mailed tourist information.

 

[Rob]

Dear Mr Hesketh


Thank you for your email. The nearest hotels to East Croydon station are the Croydon Park Hotel (tel 020 8680 9200 www.croydonparkhotel.com) and Jurys Inn (tel 020 8448 6000 www.jurysdoyle.com ).



Slightly further away, but still in the town centre, is Express by Holiday Inn (tel 020 8253 1200 www.hiexpress.co.uk ).


Yours sincerely
Diane Harper

Croydon Tourist Information Centre
Croydon Clocktower
Katharine Street
Croydon CR9 1ET
Tel: 020 8253 1009
Fax: 020 8253 1008
www.croydononline.org

 

[JonathanM]

Nitefly, in case you have non-UK members fly in for the meet-up, anything "up north" would include further travelling for them, whereas London is just the place where most transatlantic flights get to first, and that may also apply to flights from the Continent, although Ryanair also goes to Manchester. But that would mean I'd be in Manchester. And from there?

*ahem* Manchester international airport? In terms of a geographically central location for the whole of the UK it is much better than heathrow. train to Glasgow, £60 or cheaper, 3 1/2ish hours, train to london £60 2 ish hours, within an easy hours drive of Manchester you can see industrial history (Wigan Pier, Styal Mill), modern art (Tate North, at the Albert Dock, Liverpool), the splendours of liverpool the european capital of culture 2008 & home of the beatles, and 2 decent football teams (Everton & Tranmere Rovers), North wales/Snowdonia, the Peak District, the Lake District...........

As far as flights all the major carriers fly into manchester, as do many of the budget ones, my wife flew manchester-stuttgart with hapag-lloyd (HLX.com). the choice is endless.:mrgreen:

BTW I can't make it, I'll be at Southport airshow that weekend (thats oop north too!!)

 

[Arch]

and 2 decent football teams (Everton & Tranmere Rovers),

everythings true except that part

 

[Lensmeister]

the ones the Rob has there are close to the station, BUT they are on the pricey side. There are other ones on the Purley Way BUT they are a good long distance from the centre.

There are some nice B&B in the Croydon Area I am told - I've not stayed in them as I live here.

There is the well known Norfolk House hotel which is a short bus ride from East or West Croydon too.

 

[Rob]

everythings true except that part

And the bit about the airport... I've been there - the planes had propellers! :mrgreen:

Rob

 

[PlasticSpanner]

And the bit about the airport... I've been there - the planes had propellers! :mrgreen:

Rob

And made of plywood!

 

[Lensmeister]

Revised List :

Lensmister - Saturday.
LaFoto - Subject to Family commitments.
Hertz - Subject to Cheese being involved.
doenoe - Also subject to cheese and availability.
MommyOf4Boys - Subject to flights, hotels, and family.
tempra - subject to family commitments.
Archangel - Subject to losing his terrible cough ;)
PlasticSpanner - 
nitefly - to be advised.
Rob - Subject ot Cheese being supllied by Hertz.
Duncanp - Possibly.
lostprophet - quote - I WILL be at the next one .... honest guv
Mentos - Subject to getting a pencil.
bigfatbadger - Also subject to getting a pencil.
Simon - Probably coming.
fate - maybe

 

[JonathanM]

everythings true except that part

true, Tranmere isn't premiership, and its on the wirral!!:lmao: