2 night stay in the London area

[CVA34]

for a 2pm flight to the US. We are arriving on Saturday (am) in Dover and departing on Monday at 2pm. Would it be better to stay in a hotel in London (city) or a Heathrow hotel. If in the city what transportation would be best to Heathrow (terminal 3 AAL).

 

Thank you

 

Dennis

[Alsagman]

Probably worth staying in London and take the Heathrow express train from Paddington to the airport.

[Hawaiidan]

London today is pretty crowded and expensive. Your time is short you basically have 1 day to see stuff.

 

I would stay outside at Heathrow that offers a shuttle to the terminals and to the Underground. I use both the Heathrow and Hounslow stations. save money and save time.

 

Settled in your departure hotel you can take the tube in the first evening and then again the next day .

 

You need to be at the airport 3 hours prior to departure.... it is a zoo. ( a British zoo but a zoo nevertheless )

[LHT28]

I vote for London you can get a hotel close to the sights that you are interested in or just on the HOHO bus for a tour

 

There are smaller hotels or b&B's that are not a 5* but are a reasonable price

Just depends on what your preferences are

 

Check Trip advisor for reviews

[Lady Meer]

I vote for London you can get a hotel close to the sights that you are interested in or just on the HOHO bus for a tour

 

There are smaller hotels or b&B's that are not a 5* but are a reasonable price

Just depends on what your preferences are

 

Check Trip advisor for reviews

 

I agree - stay in London. It's a waste of time to go all the way out to Heathrow and then back into London for sightseeing.

[no fuss travel]

Stay in London, then at least you can go to a show and not have a long way to go to get back to your hotel, or B & B.

[canuck.qc]

I, personally, would stay nearer the sites that interest you. We stayed in Westminster at the Rubens. The HOHO Bus started right outside the doors, Buck.Palace across the street. There is an Evening tour available for the palace if that interests you. The Victoria theater is around the corner if dinner & a play is more to your liking. If the weather is nice you can wander till late. Taxis are inexpensive and everywhere, take them to get around, time saver. There are reliable transfer companies that can pick you up to get you to the airport for a reasonable price. Book entrance tickets, tours & transfers online. I did not find the airport challenging.

[triplestar]

I have stayed both in London & at Heathrow hotels, there is not a great deal of difference in the price. The shuttle buses to the hotels are not free & do quite a large circuit so you have to take that in to account when allowing for time. Also remember that you have to get from Dover & it may be easier to go to central London rather than Heathrow.There are cheap hotels around Victoria,but remember you usually get what you pay for.We stayed in one it was clean & adequate but no lift & we were on the 6th floor!We have stayed at the Citadines at Trafaglar Square which is an apartment hotel ,it was very central in a quiet tree lined street &we made our own meals (Sainsburys close by).They front desk arranged a car to Hethrow door to door for 50 pounds .The train fare on the Express from Paddington is around 24 pounds pp. We have also done the trip by ordinary tube which includes changes & escalators But never a working lift--not much fun with luggage & crowded carriages. Fine if no luggage. London is expensive crowded & rather dirty, but still agreat place to visit. Have you thought of hiring a car in Dover & touring part of the south east Canterbury Cathedral. Leeds Castle & Windsor & then returning it to Heathrow. Whatever you do enjoy your 2 days

[Mumofnine]

for a 2pm flight to the US. We are arriving on Saturday (am) in Dover and departing on Monday at 2pm. Would it be better to stay in a hotel in London (city) or a Heathrow hotel. If in the city what transportation would be best to Heathrow (terminal 3 AAL).

 

Thank you

 

Dennis

 

We have stayed 1, 2...plus nights in London many times in many different areas. It doesn't really matter where you choose but it is a slight advantage being close to a Tube Station if you intend on using the Tube to access sightseeing points. We had 1 night in London recently post Baltics Cruise which ended in Southampton ( were in London by 1030am after disembarkation and train trip); stayed at the Hilton Paddington which was easy access to the Tube ( this hotel has direct entry from Main Station) and for the Heathrow Express next morning. Apart from very hard bed was a great, convenient hotel.

With 1 plus at least half day after disembarking at Dover would definitely stay in London!! Keep in mind that the Underground/Tube trip between Heathrow and e.g Picadilly Circus takes about 50mins.

Happy planning!

[brian_uk]

LONDON

 

A bit like saying stay at JFK and commute into New York.

 

Brian

[jpalbny]

I like brian_uk's analogy! I'd stay in London. Though we've never ended a cruise in London, we've started cruises there 3x (once Dover, once Southampton, once Tower Bridge). It's easy to navigate the Tube, and there is a TON of interesting stuff there. We're going back again next August.

 

I'd definitely take Hawaiidan's advice, if I had an early morning flight from LHR. But, since you're flying out at 2PM, you could very easily take the Heathrow express from Paddington and you'll be at Terminal 3 LHR in 15 minutes. A one-way saver fare (pre-purchase online) is running (L)20 per person. Even for two people, that's cheaper and WAY faster than a cab to LHR. The Heathrow express leaves every 15 minutes.

 

There are plenty of luggage racks on the Heathrow express, and it's a level entry without steps so you can roll your suitcases aboard without difficulty. If you're traveling light you can take the tube from your hotel to Paddington, otherwise take a cab from your hotel. We managed fine on the Heathrow express with 3 full suitcases, but took a cab to our hotel (this was back before we started traveling light).:o And yes, the tube to LHR is cheaper, but it's WAY slower as previously mentioned.

 

If you arrive at your hotel too early Saturday you may not be able to check in, so you could look at hiring a driver to pick you up at Dover, take you to Leeds castle and/or Canterbury for a few hours, and have you at your hotel by mid-afternoon. There are tons of companies out there who'd do this for you, and on other threads, people have made recommendations.

 

OTOH, if you come directly from Dover, arrive at your hotel early, and dump your luggage, then you could manage to have almost 2 full days in London. This would allow you to get in a good amount of sightseeing, though you'll certainly never come close to seeing "everything" in two days.

 

If you do this, consider buying a 2-day London Pass with unlimited transportation. That way, you can see as many sites as possible without feeling like you have to stay at each attraction for a long time to get your money's worth. We've used the London Pass a few times and for us, it's worth it. You can also skip lines at some attractions with the Pass.

 

A previous poster recommended the Rubens; we've stayed at its sister hotel next door, Hotel 41. To this day it's one of our favorite hotels in London. It will put a dent in your wallet, though... Though it's very close to Buckingham Palace, which is convenient, most of the other big sights are a tube ride away which may be a problem if your time is limited.

 

You got some good advice earlier. Figure out what you want to see in your 1-2 days, and stay central to those attractions. There is no shortage of great hotels in London.

[RJB]

for a 2pm flight to the US. We are arriving on Saturday (am) in Dover and departing on Monday at 2pm. Would it be better to stay in a hotel in London (city) or a Heathrow hotel. If in the city what transportation would be best to Heathrow (terminal 3 AAL).

 

Thank you

 

Dennis

I would never end a cruise in London again. The taxes and fees to fly out of London are over the top. Probably 3 or 4 times as much as we paid anywhere else in the world. NEVER AGAIN. A total rip off. :(:(:(

[brian_uk]

RJB

 

That's a bit of a sweeping statement. I wonder if you can actually cite any examples of charges 3 to 4 times higher than anywhere else.

 

Brian

[RJB]

RJB

 

That's a bit of a sweeping statement. I wonder if you can actually cite any examples of charges 3 to 4 times higher than anywhere else.

 

Brian

. June this year London/Miami 500.00 taxes and fees for business class millage ticket. Next Feb. R/T Fla. to Sidney via Tahiti 112.00 taxes and fees. As I said before stay away from ending a cruise in London. London is a wonderful city and I would start a cruise there but will not be ripped off anymore. :mad::mad:

[Mike2131]

Stay in London (Apex Hotels have some great advance purchase rates) and take the Heathrow Express to the airport. The Apex by the Tower is around the corner from a tube station and you should be able to connect to the station where the Express runs (Paddington, I think). There are 2 other Apex Hotels in London. Take a look and enjoy London!

[orchestrapal]

After 30 some visits to London I would say of course stay in town preferably around Trafalgar Square and Leicester Square. The HOHO buses begin there and the half price ticket booth is right there should you want to squeeze in a show.

The Radisson Edwardian chain has two hotels right on Leicester Square from which you can walk to the South Bank, Covent Garden several museums including the National Gallery as well as three underground stations. Two days is just a small taste of one of the greatest cities in the world so make the most of them. Enjoy,

[Hawaiidan]

. June this year London/Miami 500.00 taxes and fees for business class millage ticket. Next Feb. R/T Fla. to Sidney via Tahiti 112.00 taxes and fees. As I said before stay away from ending a cruise in London. London is a wonderful city and I would start a cruise there but will not be ripped off anymore. :mad::mad:

 

I got a quote for $323 per person one way flying London to Hawaii. on a free ticket !!! in Business. British taxes are some of the highest in the world... exceeded only by Norse countries like Sweden

 

A full 1/4 of your hotel price will be taxes in London.

 

Flying Hawaii to Hong Kong the same distance is $6.50 !! in Business.

 

I would take the train from Dover to either Paris or Frankfurt where it is $130 pp tax and skip London. Yes it is interesting but obscene priced.. I have been living and working in London on an off since 1977.... and it has gotten

[Alsagman]

Yep as if the Briish Government were not happy enough taxing Brits, they want to tax anybody else they can.

 

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[Louby-Lou]

Just because the taxes are higher it doesn't necessarily work out that the overall ticket price is dearer. Taking a random date - March 10, 2014 and a flight from London to New York a coach seat on BA is £1055, from Paris to NY on United it's £2164 and on Air France £1998.

[RJB]

Just because the taxes are higher it doesn't necessarily work out that the overall ticket price is dearer. Taking a random date - March 10, 2014 and a flight from London to New York a coach seat on BA is £1055, from Paris to NY on United it's £2164 and on Air France £1998.

I am talking about millage seats with frequent flyer miles. The taxes and gov. fees are over the top. DO NOT end a cruise in London. :mad::mad::mad:

[Cancun01]

We have stayed 1, 2...plus nights in London many times in many different areas. It doesn't really matter where you choose but it is a slight advantage being close to a Tube Station if you intend on using the Tube to access sightseeing points. We had 1 night in London recently post Baltics Cruise which ended in Southampton ( were in London by 1030am after disembarkation and train trip); stayed at the Hilton Paddington which was easy access to the Tube ( this hotel has direct entry from Main Station) and for the Heathrow Express next morning. Apart from very hard bed was a great, convenient hotel.

With 1 plus at least half day after disembarking at Dover would definitely stay in London!! Keep in mind that the Underground/Tube trip between Heathrow and e.g Picadilly Circus takes about 50mins.

Happy planning!

Agree. Would recommend staying at the Metropole Hilton rather than Paddington Hilton - a couple of blocks over but still very convenient to the Heathrow Express; across from the tube and if you are up to it Oxford Street is within walking distance.

[freddie]

This thread seems to have degenerated into a discussion of the merits of flying into or out of LHR, rather than addressing the OP's inquiry regarding staying for the week-end in the city or nearby to the airport. As someone who has been to London many times on business and leisure travel, I would agree heartily with those posters who have suggested that the OP should stay in the city. It is quite preposterous to suggest staying way out at Heathrow and taking the long ride into the city on two different days.

 

As for where to stay, I have a strong preference for the Paddington Hilton, as it sits so very conveniently right on top of the station that takes one on the Heathrow Express to the airport of the same name. It is quite "priceless" to go down the escalator from the lobby of the Hilton to the check-in counter for the Heathrow Express.

 

Also in that same complex is a major Underground station that will take one to almost anywhere in London. Once again, just an escalator ride down from the hotel to the Underground station and all of London.

 

Cancun01 - I would respectfully point out that the Hilton Metropole (in addition to being one of the largest, if not the largest, convention hotel in London, with all of the unpleasant aspects that entails) is not "a couple of blocks" from Paddington Station and the Heathtow Express. Rather, it is about a half mile from Paddington Station. Further, Edgeware Road, on which the Metropole is located, can be quite unpleasant in the evening. All things considered, not a pleasant walk.

 

In summary, dear OP, stay in the city and enjoy one of the most vibrant and exciting cities in the world.

Edited December 4, 2013 by freddie

[PVPatti]

We finished our Baltic cruise in late Sept. After disembarking the ship in SouthHampton we took the train into London. We arrived on a Friday morning and flew out of Heathrow on Monday. We stayed at a hotel recommended by our TA. It is called The Kensington - in Kensington. By London standards for cost it was not bad. It had a great restaurant that we frequented over the time we were there. Breakfast was included with our room charge. We had not been in London in 45 years - we were there on our honeymoon - many moons ago! We got all around the city using public transportation and made a trip to a suburb of London to visit friends living there. We would have used the train to Heathrow, but decided we didn't want to hassle with our luggage and took a taxi instead. We loved our time in London - only regret we had was not planning ahead to get theater tickets and since we were there over the weekend tickets to the shows we were interested in seeing were unavailable. Stay in London -- it's a wonderful ending to a vacation.

[DOJO466]

I am not trying to hijack this thread and do agree that OP should try to stay in London. We however have a different scenario and are trying to work it out. We disembark in Dover and have already arranged for a shared private car to LHR early that same day. However we were not willing to pay such a high tax LHR

To US so booked a "domestic" flight to Reykjavik with a 2 hr layover then on to BOS for one half the price. Due to admonishments from TA via O we decided to book a day later and stay at LHR. Going on trip advisor and chatting with some of you on CC a lot felt we should take the fast train to London then perhaps take a private car to airport next day thus enjoying a day in a London (we have been numerous times) . We have never been one for schlepping our luggage and the tubes of London will not work. So my question is this. Do we take the fast train (2hrs) to London arriving at St. Pancreas. Then stay at new Premiere Inn opening a few months before we arrive, then take private car/taxi to LHR

(Flight leaves @1pm), or fast train, then cab to Hilton Paddington, then Heath exp or just stay with the share car we have and just hang around the Holiday Inn near airport overnight and take a cab the next day (please do not tell me about the busses from hotels to airport...cabs will work better. Btw out terminal is #1 not 3 or 4.

[no fuss travel]

WE used a private car to get to the airport. From London to the airport the rate is more reasonable than from the airport to London. I can't remember the name but it was a company that recommended on Trip Advisor.