London hotel location - help needed

[Baseball fan]

Hello, I am planning on spending a few nights in London prior to catching a cruise from Southampton. I arrive on a Sunday and the ship leaves on Thursday.

 

My hotel areas I am looking at are Gloucester Rd (easy to get from LHR) or Victoria Station(easier to get the bus to the ship and the tour I want to Stonehenge). How difficult would it be on Thursday morning to get on the tube with my luggage if I stay near Gloucester Rd?

 

I've previously stayed near Gloucester Rd and Russell Sq.

 

Thoughts?

 

Thanks in advance

 

 

 

 

 

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[epixx]

Can you walk to the Earl's Court tube station, rather than Gloucester Rd. station, with your luggage? If so, you should have no problem with the luggage. We stayed within walking distance of Earl's Court tube station and had no difficulty accessing the tube, due to the presence of a lift.

 

Here's info on London tube stations with a lift:

 

http://www.tfl.gov.uk/cdn/static/cms/documents/avoiding-stairs-tube-guide.pdf

[SwissDave]

In either case, I would highly recommend waiting until at least 9.30 before taking the tube. Up until then it will be very busy with commuters, and after 9.30 it will just be 'busy'. You will not be very popular with the commuters if you're dragging suitcases through the station and onto very busy trains.

 

Is your bus leaving from victoria coach station? if so be aware that it is not connected to Victoria rail station but is a few minutes walk from it.

[orchestrapal]

Hello, I am planning on spending a few nights in London prior to catching a cruise from Southampton. I arrive on a Sunday and the ship leaves on Thursday.

 

Thoughts?

Thanks in advance

/QUOTE]

 

Personally after 37 Lodonstays (second home) I would never choose any of these areas for many reasons. Check the Underground site for works being preformed over the weekend as much is done Saturday and Sunday.

Much better areas to stay in for site seeing would be the Strand, Soho, Covent Garden, Leicester Square or the South Bank around Waterloo. Manny more sites in walking distances and many restaurants as well as multiple tube lines.

These areas put you in walking distance to most museums and all the great theatres, Yes and shopping too! which we don't do.TRIP Number 38 in September/October for 6 weeks and we will be staying in the wonderfully staffed and located Radisson Blu Edwardian Hampshire again. Perfect location for central London and only one block form Mr Kong in China town and Cote' Brssierie right around the corner on St. Martins Lane.

Edited January 10, 2015 by orchestrapal

[paddingtonbear]

We stayed at the Premier Inn Kensington which was a short walk from Earl's Court Station.

It was on the Piccadilly line (Heathrow line) and the District line so was very convenient for all the places we wanted to go. The tube is fantastic to get around. The trains came every 3 minutes to get into town (a bit over a ten minute ride I think).

 

We took our luggage on the tube from Heathrow to the hotel at 8:30 am on a weekday and didn't have any trouble getting around on the tube. Just make sure you stand to the right on the escalators or the Londoners get very angry. There are a lot of signs to remind you. The tube's a bit daunting to start with but quickly becomes familiar.

 

Once in town you can walk to a lot of the attractions but no matter where you stay there will be something you want to see that will require a trip on the tube.

[lamchops]

Hello, I am planning on spending a few nights in London prior to catching a cruise from Southampton. I arrive on a Sunday and the ship leaves on Thursday.

 

My hotel areas I am looking at are Gloucester Rd (easy to get from LHR) or Victoria Station(easier to get the bus to the ship and the tour I want to Stonehenge). How difficult would it be on Thursday morning to get on the tube with my luggage if I stay near Gloucester Rd?

 

I've previously stayed near Gloucester Rd and Russell Sq.

 

Thoughts?

 

Thanks in advance

 

 

 

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

 

For ease and cost I would just take the national Express from the airport to Victoria Coach Station and choose a hotel in the area. The tour bus depot is across the street from the coach station as well as the tube station so all transportation is right there. You can buy their "fun fares" online and are quite inexpensive. Our trip from the coach station to Southamption station was $5bps each. The coach took a little bit longer than the trains but we didn't want to struggle with the commuters during rush hour.

 

There's a Premier Inn, a Doubletree Inn, a Best Western, as well as many small boutique hotels in the area.

 

We stayed at the Best Western Victoria Palace (3 blocks from Victoria Station) which had small rooms but suited our needs. We just walked there with our luggage as you'll see many others doing the same thing.

Edited January 21, 2015 by lamchops

[Baseball fan]

Thanks for the advice. I did find a b&b near Victoria station. I am planning on the bus for LHR to Victoria and Victoria to Southampton.

 

 

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[itsanita]

Hello, I am planning on spending a few nights in London prior to catching a cruise from Southampton. I arrive on a Sunday and the ship leaves on Thursday.

 

Thoughts?

Thanks in advance

/QUOTE]

 

Personally after 37 Lodonstays (second home) I would never choose any of these areas for many reasons. Check the Underground site for works being preformed over the weekend as much is done Saturday and Sunday.

Much better areas to stay in for site seeing would be the Strand, Soho, Covent Garden, Leicester Square or the South Bank around Waterloo. Manny more sites in walking distances and many restaurants as well as multiple tube lines.

These areas put you in walking distance to most museums and all the great theatres, Yes and shopping too! which we don't do.TRIP Number 38 in September/October for 6 weeks and we will be staying in the wonderfully staffed and located Radisson Blu Edwardian Hampshire again. Perfect location for central London and only one block form Mr Kong in China town and Cote' Brssierie right around the corner on St. Martins Lane.

 

We are booked into the K and K right by Earl Court tube station. Is that not a good area to be in? This is our first time on London, and it was recommended by friends.

[Globaliser]

We are booked into the K and K right by Earl Court tube station. Is that not a good area to be in?

That area doesn't really offer a huge amount to tourists, and you'd need to take public transport to get to anywhere with things of interest. If you were to go to the theatre in the evening, for example, it would probably take you something like 45 minutes to get home, whereas if you were staying in the Hampshire as orchestrapal is planning to, you might be able to walk home in 10 minutes or so (depending on where your theatre was, obviously). That's the main point as far as convenience is concerned.

[paddingtonbear]

 

We are booked into the K and K right by Earl Court tube station. Is that not a good area to be in? This is our first time on London, and it was recommended by friends.

 

We really liked Earls Court. It is on a combination of tube lines so can go anywhere from there. It was great to get to and from LHR and Kew Gardens. Also easy to get into the city centre - about 10 mins and trains come every 3 mins. Use this link to check times:

 

http://tfl.gov.uk/plan-a-journey

 

Lots of cheap eateries right on Earls Court Road. It was friendly and social and felt really safe.

It's also close to the Victoria and Albert museum and Tescos etc.

 

The hotel was a really great price too.

Edited January 22, 2015 by paddingtonbear

[itsanita]

For ease and cost I would just take the national Express from the airport to Victoria Coach Station and choose a hotel in the area. The tour bus depot is across the street from the coach station as well as the tube station so all transportation is right there. You can buy their "fun fares" online and are quite inexpensive. Our trip from the coach station to Southamption station was $5bps each. The coach took a little bit longer than the trains but we didn't want to struggle with the commuters during rush hour.

 

There's a Premier Inn, a Doubletree Inn, a Best Western, as well as many small boutique hotels in the area.

 

We stayed at the Best Western Victoria Palace (3 blocks from Victoria Station) which had small rooms but suited our needs. We just walked there with our luggage as you'll see many others doing the same thing.

 

After reading all the comments we have reconsidered and booked at a hotel near Victoria station. Ease of transport from airport to hotel and hotel to cruise port..and the 'yellow' tube line that seems perfect. Can you recommend any good place for breakfast / dinner in that area? And even more important is there a laundromat in the neighborhood? We will need one before heading off to our 2 week cruise. LOL

[Globaliser]

"Near" Victoria station still covers a pretty wide area. If you said which hotel, it would be easier to give recommendations.

 

Nevertheless, here are two next door to each other on Wilton Road:-

• About Thyme (map)
• Seafresh (map)

[lamchops]

"Near" Victoria station still covers a pretty wide area. If you said which hotel, it would be easier to give recommendations.

 

 

Nevertheless, here are two next door to each other on Wilton Road:-

• About Thyme (map)
  
• Seafresh (map)
  

 

We had take out fish and chips at Seafresh one night and the large order fed the 2 of us and I'm a "big" eater. You literally get one side of a filleted fish. The sucker was 16" long and 6" wide at one end and 2" wide at the tail end.

 

There's lots of trendy little restaurants, pubs, and quick service restaurants in the area. Victoria station also has a foodcourt and a 2 convienience (M&S, Sainsbury) stores in the complex. There's also a large Sainsbury (similiar to Whole Foods) a couple of blocks from Victoria Station.

[itsanita]

We had take out fish and chips at Seafresh one night and the large order fed the 2 of us and I'm a "big" eater. You literally get one side of a filleted fish. The sucker was 16" long and 6" wide at one end and 2" wide at the tail end.

 

There's lots of trendy little restaurants, pubs, and quick service restaurants in the area. Victoria station also has a foodcourt and a 2 convienience (M&S, Sainsbury) stores in the complex. There's also a large Sainsbury (similiar to Whole Foods) a couple of blocks from Victoria Station.

 

Sounds perfect...any laundromats in the area?

[Cotswold Eagle]

You're still not saying where your hotel is, so hard to help you precisely.

 

You probably need to go down towards Pimlico to find a laundrette (our term for a laundromat). I can think of ones in Tachbrook Street (the end near Pimlico tube) and Regency Place/Street, and online I see the Pimlico Laundrette in Westmoreland Terrace. All these within about 1/2 - 3/4 mile from Victoria Station, I guess.

[itsanita]

You're still not saying where your hotel is, so hard to help you precisely.

 

You probably need to go down towards Pimlico to find a laundrette (our term for a laundromat). I can think of ones in Tachbrook Street (the end near Pimlico tube) and Regency Place/Street, and online I see the Pimlico Laundrette in Westmoreland Terrace. All these within about 1/2 - 3/4 mile from Victoria Station, I guess.

 

We are at corner of St Gregory street and Hugh Street..Comfort Inn

[Globaliser]

... St Gregory street ...

???

 

St George's Drive?

[itsanita]

???

 

St George's Drive?

 

yes, so sorry. St George's Drive. Any good breakfast places in the area?