Lancaster Gate / Hyde Park Area & More

[DaBook]

Our TA has us booked at the Thistle Hyde Park for 3 days in May - any recommendations for eating establishments or places to see within walking distance??

 

is this a safe area, especially at night?

 

We have the London Pass and Oyster card and want to visit:

Tower of London, British Museum, Thames River Cruise, Churchill War Room, and Hop On Hop Off.

 

Any thoughts you may want to share would be greatly appreciated!!

[Host Bonjour]

Hi DaBook,

 

Your hotel is in a lovely area along Hyde Park and near Kensington Park/Palace (where William and Kate live when in London, where Princess Diana lived) and it is indeed a safe area too, day or night. Most of London is quite safe at all hours, but of course always take care when visiting a new area that you are not as familiar with...keep belongings safely tucked away when in "busy" tourist spots as they are always prone to trouble no matter where one might be in the world. I stayed not too far away at a place near Sussex Gardens that my British friends found for me in their local magazine; I'd not have found it otherwise as I'd not seen it advertised here in the US...it worked out fine.

 

The Oyster Card is quite handy but note that since the fares often cross "zones" although many of the places you'll visit are centrally located, going outside just one zone adds onto the cost of a simple ride so refilling the Oyster Card becomes necessary but is easy to do in Tube Stations at the machines or a booth with a clerk. The Tube or buses will get you to every place you wish - of course Tube is fastest depending upon traffic and time of day in the city. Is your Oyster Card pre-loaded? They usually sell them that way so that it's all set and ready to go making it easy to just get right on the Tube or bus.

 

Note that if you want to take a Thames River Cruise there is a combo available if you were also interested in riding the London Eye - great views from upon high - and so for a bit more added on to the cost of riding the Eye you can also get the Cruise. I don't know which items are included in your London Pass - maybe all the items listed in your post....but it might be something to consider. I was on the London Eye at sunset and it turned out to be so very memorable. The ride lasts for about a half hour - the time it takes for the wheel to go around one revolution...it was peaceful, glorious. Just thought I'd mention it.

 

You'll enjoy the Tower of London - the Yeoman Warders (they are NOT Beefeaters!!) give GREAT tours full of character and atmosphere to get you fully in the spirit of all of the history and character of the Tower; for even more of that sign up for the Ceremony of the Keys if you have the time...it's more private and very special.

 

The British Museum is one of the many "musts" of the many London museums (so many!!) so you'll definitely enjoy all of the treasures contained within the walls of that amazing place as will the Churchill War Rooms, a favorite of many WWII enthusiasts and history buffs - just fascinating.

 

The Hop On/Hop Off - what I did was do that the first day I got to London on my 2nd trip to London - for some reason, I didn't want to do it on my first trip to London, I just explored on my own as I tend to do. But for the next visit, the HOHO, I bought the ticket so that I could see the ENTIRE city before I set out to do all my exploring - I had a plan. The bus had two routes, red & blue; a long and short, I bought the long one (color?)....I wanted to see EVERYTHING but, it took almost 3 hours to do it - it was worth it. The sun was out (I was also there in May 3 years ago) it was lovely and I had a wonderful time touring around the entire city. Everyone of course uses these buses in their own way - I had a plan. You'll do whatever suits your plans best for your visit.

 

I don't know about restaurants near your hotel because I tended to eat on the go - when I was out & about, not so much when I was near my hotel except that my hotel included daily breakfast. There were pubs and restaurants within walking of where I was and I am quite sure you'll find the same thing as you are in a very prime spot in London - there's no shortage of places to dine in London. I know having recommendations is a nice thing but in a place with so many places to eat, narrowing it down can be a difficult thing. When people would ask me for suggestions in my home city of NYC I'd often be at a loss for what to suggest - the number of places, variety of choices, prices, everything...overwhelming! I'm not there anymore so I don't have that problem now - I miss it! An idea is to email the hotel and inquire as to what dining options are near to the hotel but I think it's more likely you'll be dining while out & about too. London is such an on-the-go type of place.

 

Here's wishing you a wonderful trip in London - I know you will love it :)

[Bob++]

This is one of the most upmarket areas of London. A quick look on Google doesn't show that many restaurants nearby, although there is a well recommended Greek taverna along Lancaster Gate.

 

There are any number of restaurant guides on the internet and I have no doubt that the Concierge at the Hotel will point you in the direction of a good place which matches your taste and your pocket.

[Morgans]

Locanda Locatelli is a very good Italian restaurant not too far from the hotel - behind Marble Arch in Seymour Street. Recommended.

Although the area is very pleasant, your hotel is a fair way from all of your intended sightseeing spots so make sure your Oyster Card is well topped up.

[John Bull]

As Bob's post, an excellent area & facing Hyde Park (for the puntillious that part of the park is actually called Kensington Gardens), though it's at the western end of central London - for all the major sights you'll be turning left out of the front door......

- A five minute walk (to the left ;)) to the nearest tube station, Lancaster Gate.

- A ten minute walk (to the left ;)) to Paddington station (fast direct trains to Heathrow).

- A ho-ho feeder route passes close to the hotel, but your best bet is probably a 20 minute walk (yes, you guessed, to the left ;)) to a major stop on the main sight-seeing routes at Speakers' Corner / Marble Arch.

BTW, a ho-ho ticket (both operators) includes a river cruise Westminster Bridge to Tower of London.

- Continuing along your hotel's road beyond Marble Arch is Oxford Street, central London's main shopping street with almost all the well-known stores.

- Buckingham Palace is 40 minutes on foot (this time you go across the road from your hotel & across Ken Gardens), and Big Ben or Trafalgar Square are a further 20 minutes. But do consider walking one way, it's all across parks (Ken Gardens, Hyde Park, & Green Park to Buckingham Palace, and then St James's Park for Big Ben or Trafalgar Square). Mebbe walk back to your hotel from Buckingham Palace - you have to get off the ho-ho at Buckingham Palace anyway in order to see it. Or even walk back across the parks from Churchill's War Rooms.

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/dir/Thistle+Kensington+Gardens+Hotel,+Bayswater+Rd,+London+W2,+UK/Buckingham+Palace,+London/Churchill+War+Rooms,+King+Charles+Street,+London/@51.5055805,-0.1654069,15z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m20!4m19!1m5!1m1!1s0x487605543e9c495d:0x6b113d0967fd8c6a!2m2!1d-0.1840993!2d51.5107453!1m5!1m1!1s0x48760520cd5b5eb5:0xa26abf514d902a7!2m2!1d-0.14189!2d51.501364!1m5!1m1!1s0x487604dad55789ab:0xcd8d10d8b2cf95e4!2m2!1d-0.129205!2d51.5022184!3e2

 

Comparatively few eateries near your hotel, but in London you're never far from food.

 

BTW, a five-minute walk from your hotel, in Leinster Gardens near Paddington station, are a couple of quirky houses that are not what they appear to be.

http://www.urban75.org/blog/the-fake-houses-at-23-and-24-leinster-gardens-bayswater-london-w2/

 

JB :)

Edited March 1, 2016 by John Bull

[Bob++]

That's a new one for me JB. I have walked down Leinster Gardens many times but never spotted the fake.

 

Considering property prices in London, I wonder that no one has actually built over the lines now that the trains have no need to 'vent'.

[John Bull]

That's a new one for me JB. I have walked down Leinster Gardens many times but never spotted the fake.

 

Considering property prices in London, I wonder that no one has actually built over the lines now that the trains have no need to 'vent'.

 

Don't go putting ideas into developers' heads. Bob :eek: :D

 

JB :)

[Globaliser]

A quick look on Google doesn't show that many restaurants nearby ...

It should only be a few minutes walk to Queensway. Walk up Queensway and there's no end of restaurants there and on the streets to either side. And more if you walk up to Westbourne Grove (the far end of Whiteleys shopping centre) and turn left into it.

[FritzG]

We stayed at this hotel last year, and we loved it. We were upgraded to a lovely suite which was a wonderful surprise. We took walks daily in Hyde/Kensington Parks which are just across the street, and the area felt very safe.

 

Around the corner is Leinster St., and we enjoyed the Leinster Arms pub. The food was delicious, prices were good, and the staff was very friendly.

[DaBook]

I wanted to Thank Each of You for your invaluable information and the time you took to communicate it!!

 

I feel much better about our location on several levels .... and we do need to walk more, all the better in Parks.

 

Since I am still trying to figure out the different Tube routes - a special Thank You to John Bull for including that info.

 

 

I am still researching so anything you want to add is welcome!!

[SteveH2508]

That's a new one for me JB. I have walked down Leinster Gardens many times but never spotted the fake.

 

Considering property prices in London, I wonder that no one has actually built over the lines now that the trains have no need to 'vent'.

 

That's how they are helping to pay for Crossrail - BFO towerblocks on the new stations.

Edited March 1, 2016 by SteveH2508

[Host Bonjour]

I wanted to Thank Each of You for your invaluable information and the time you took to communicate it!!

 

I feel much better about our location on several levels .... and we do need to walk more, all the better in Parks.

 

Since I am still trying to figure out the different Tube routes - a special Thank You to John Bull for including that info.

 

 

I am still researching so anything you want to add is welcome!!

 

Please don't worry too much about the Tube, you'll do very well with it (when you aren't walking this glorious city!) and in exploring the popular places I found I was often on the Jubilee, District & Central Lines most often so I became familiar with them quickly. Your hotel is near the Lancaster Gate & so should be on the Central Line; transfers to other lines are easy...no worries! The only thing that I ever found slightly daunting about the Tube were some of the very long escalators down (& remembering to stand on the correct side!) but otherwise it was easy to acclimate once there and using the system. I think it LOOKS harder viewing the various lines on a map but once there...it just goes so very well, you'll see!

 

Just keep your Oyster card topped up as some of us have mentioned - it can run down quickly but it's easy to refill in the Tube Station machines BUT your card needs to have the chip in it (not everyone has them yet) in order for the machine to accept it. Otherwise, see the booth attendant to top up.

 

If you have time, go for a walk in Little Venice around sunset...or anytime but I happened upon it at sunset & it was gorgeous. A local had suggested it as it was not far from Paddington (not too far from you either) and I was glad to discover it - it turns up on lots of "hidden London" lists but then there's so much to London. :)

[SteveH2508]

Please don't worry too much about the Tube, you'll do very well with it (when you aren't walking this glorious city!) and in exploring the popular places I found I was often on the Jubilee, District & Central Lines most often so I became familiar with them quickly. Your hotel is near the Lancaster Gate & so should be on the Central Line; transfers to other lines are easy...no worries! The only thing that I ever found slightly daunting about the Tube were some of the very long escalators down (& remembering to stand on the correct side!) but otherwise it was easy to acclimate once there and using the system. I think it LOOKS harder viewing the various lines on a map but once there...it just goes so very well, you'll see!

 

Just keep your Oyster card topped up as some of us have mentioned - it can run down quickly but it's easy to refill in the Tube Station machines BUT your card needs to have the chip in it (not everyone has them yet) in order for the machine to accept it. Otherwise, see the booth attendant to top up.

 

If you have time, go for a walk in Little Venice around sunset...or anytime but I happened upon it at sunset & it was gorgeous. A local had suggested it as it was not far from Paddington (not too far from you either) and I was glad to discover it - it turns up on lots of "hidden London" lists but then there's so much to London. :)

 

Just a heads up - most (if not all) of the manned ticket booths are now closed. There are machines which accept cash to top up Oyster cards. You can also use contactless debit/credit cards directly now.

[Bob++]

If you have time, go for a walk in Little Venice around sunset...or anytime but I happened upon it at sunset & it was gorgeous. A local had suggested it as it was not far from Paddington (not too far from you either) and I was glad to discover it - it turns up on lots of "hidden London" lists but then there's so much to London. :)

 

Little Venice is about a mile from the hotel. Half on busy streets and half on the tranquil contrast of the canal towpath. Well worth the effort if the weather is fine. There are some nice pubs where you can eat there too.

[Host Bonjour]

Little Venice is about a mile from the hotel. Half on busy streets and half on the tranquil contrast of the canal towpath. Well worth the effort if the weather is fine. There are some nice pubs where you can eat there too.

 

The canal was such an unexpected sight to see in this bustling city...so serene and tranquil with interesting, colorful houseboats and barges tethered up. Indeed there are some nice Pubs near the canal to dine...quite a nice place to head to for a meal/walk with some flavor.

 

So many great walks in London, sometimes it's just fun to get a little lost (do bring a map or map app - set a time limit) or perhaps "roam" and let things just happen...or just ask a local for an idea; that's how I got to Little Venice.

 

A little serendipity can go a long way :) Any other fine walks or sojourns we can suggest to our OP?

Edited March 7, 2016 by Host Bonjour

[Host Bonjour]

Just a heads up - most (if not all) of the manned ticket booths are now closed. There are machines which accept cash to top up Oyster cards. You can also use contactless debit/credit cards directly now.

 

Thank you Steve! Things do change quickly but then there has been a major Tube strike since my last visit and even back here in the States one is hard pressed to find an attendant in the stations of most major metros any longer which makes it a challenge for people requiring certain services!

 

Good to know the automated machines do accept cash now as they hadn't back then, it would have been helpful as I'd always had currency with me but alas the only option was to insert a credit/debit card in for top ups.

 

Progress and adjustments always come in steps and take time but it comes...always a bit more of a challenge when we're not all on the same system. The UK/Europe was using chip technology LONG before it took hold here but then we've lagged behind before, sad to say ;)

 

Thanks again!

[SteveH2508]

Just to add - there are a few shops where you can top up your pay-as-you-go Oyster card as well (and they take cash). I believe that the booths at main line stations and the Heathrow tube stations are still manned because of tourists and non-locals.

[Globaliser]

Good to know the automated machines do accept cash now as they hadn't back then, it would have been helpful as I'd always had currency with me but alas the only option was to insert a credit/debit card in for top ups.

:confused: But there have always been machines that take cash! The innovation was actually the machines which would not take cash. These are usually physically smaller, so TfL could put more machines into the same amount of wall space. In addition, people making card transactions are usually faster than those using cash, so they helped a lot with customer throughput.

Just to add - there are a few shops where you can top up your pay-as-you-go Oyster card as well (and they take cash).

About 4,000 shops actually - you can search for Oyster ticket stops here: https://tfl.gov.uk/maps/oyster-ticket-stops

[Host Bonjour]

Thank you Globaliser :) We appreciate the benefit of your knowledge & experience as a London local. Everyone here is sharing their best information & experience too with the hope of helping to make someone's trip fun & carefree. Not all tube stations are the same (or have the same facilities) and London is a big, busy city...here we just try to do our best to make it easier for fellow travelers, less overwhelming in a fun, friendly way :) Thanks again!

Edited March 12, 2016 by Host Bonjour

[mamkmm2]

I was in a panic a bit myself never having had to use a subway. Well, there was a couple of days in Washington, DC but that was years ago and it was mostly just to get into DC without having to use a car.

 

I found a pretty cool way to help me figure out the "Tube" in London.

 

http://www.tubeplanner.com/search/result?from=Marble+Arch&to=King%27s+Cross+St.+Pancras&go=Go

 

You choose a starting point and then you choose where you want to wind up. Press search and vavoom ... it figures out which lines you take, how much time it will take, what the fare zones are, which transfers at what stations, etc.

 

I much prefer trying to figure things out in advance than to wait until I actually have to step foot on the Tube. LOL

 

Hope this helps.

[Globaliser]

I found a pretty cool way to help me figure out the "Tube" in London.

 

http://www.tubeplanner.com/search/result?from=Marble+Arch&to=King%27s+Cross+St.+Pancras&go=Go

Although this site may be of some help, the TfL official website will do this for you anyway.

 

And this site needs to be used with some caution, for the reasons given in this post.