London Hotels - Family of 4

[lolainkent]

This will give everyone an idea of the transport by rail connections to and from dover and to and from London.




image by Andrew D Porter, on Flickr


Now London Bridge is having major disruption due to ongoing rail works for ThamesLink, so AVOID use Charring cross or St Pancrus.
Many services from Kent, in particular at peak times are not stopping at London Bridge all of this year.

Why would you avoid St Pancras? The ThamesLink work certainly is affecting lots of people, but unless you're going from Kent to London on-peak in the morning or London-Kent between 5-7pm, it's hardly an issue. My husband does this commute every single day (we're one stop from Dover), he's not having trouble If anything, the new Super Off-Peak rate for the high speed is a good thing for people coming this summer!

 

[LisDH]

Definitely get the audio guide for each person (you can't really share them) and if you have kids (maybe more for older kids than toddlers) they have a kids passport where they have to find all the golden snitches.

We had a car and stopped on our way from Edinburgh to London, so didn't use public transport. We did look at trying to go whilst we were staying in London. Depending where you are staying, the tube/train journey might involve several changes of stations. They do have a shuttle bus from the train station near the studio so that helps. If you want simple, maybe book a tour with transportation. If you want an adventure with tube trains, overground trains and buses, go public transport.

Another fun thing to do is go to Kings Cross Station and find platform 9 3/4. Toursit-y, yes, but fun to do. We have some fun photos of our kids 'running' through the wall.

-Kay

Agreed! Just before our charter trip to the Studios we took the tube to Kings cross for Platform 9 3/4! We ended up using the photos of the kids running through the wall for our Christmas cards this year!!!

 

[DISNEY FANTASY]

Why would you avoid St Pancras? The ThamesLink work certainly is affecting lots of people, but unless you're going from Kent to London on-peak in the morning or London-Kent between 5-7pm, it's hardly an issue. My husband does this commute every single day (we're one stop from Dover), he's not having trouble If anything, the new Super Off-Peak rate for the high speed is a good thing for people coming this summer!

Hi you have miss read it I was saying London Bridge Avoid it.

Yes USE St Pancrus or Charring across and NOT London Bridge.

Off peak times as said before might be ok but I have traveled through London Bridge this week and it was a mess trains cancelled all over the place and signal failure the main trains on SouthEastern are not stopping at LB

 

[lolainkent]

Hi you have miss read it I was saying London Bridge Avoid it. Yes USE St Pancrus or Charring across and NOT London Bridge. Off peak times as said before might be ok but I have traveled through London Bridge this week and it was a mess trains cancelled all over the place and signal failure the main trains on SouthEastern are not stopping at LB

Haha yes I read your original comment as 'avoid using Charing Cross and St P' !! And then of course sat there wondering to myself how anyone would get to/from Dover I've steered clear of London Bridge lately as well, def good advice.

 

[kaseyC]

If you buy a Oyster card then go on normally red buses there in the price including tube fares and you can see just the same but far cheaper and a more regular service, yes there's no commentary but it saves money to those who want to.

Re Oyster card - a visitor card can b purchased on line - the site will also recommend amount which should be bought for duration of stay. Also note children travel free on tube. Therefore for family of 4 only adults require Oyster card. Wud highly recommend purchasing these cards as ticket q's can b lengthy.

Thanks for the info on the Oyster card. We are in London for a week this summer and I've been trying to figure out the most cost effective and stress free way to transport our family around the city. We are renting an apartment in the South Kensington/ Earls Court area. I believe our closest tube station is the Earls Court station.

 

[canadakath]

We are staying in London for 7 days pre cruise this summer as a family of 4 plus 2 more (grandparents) in their own room. We have narrowed it down to the Citadines (either South Kensington or Trafalgar Square) which gives us a 1 bedroom with kitchenette or Novotel Blackfriar's (would be ~$1000 cheaper than the Citadines with a corporate rate but no kitchenette and smaller room). I like the idea of being near the Borough Market at the Novotel, and it has a pool and games room for the kids. It seems very close to the trains but I haven't seen any noise complaints on TripAdvisor.

Any thoughts on these hotels? Kids are 11 and 9 but fine sleeping on a pull out sofa.

 

[DISNEY FANTASY]

We are staying in London for 7 days pre cruise this summer as a family of 4 plus 2 more (grandparents) in their own room. We have narrowed it down to the Citadines (either South Kensington or Trafalgar Square) which gives us a 1 bedroom with kitchenette or Novotel Blackfriar's (would be ~$1000 cheaper than the Citadines with a corporate rate but no kitchenette and smaller room). I like the idea of being near the Borough Market at the Novotel, and it has a pool and games room for the kids. It seems very close to the trains but I haven't seen any noise complaints on TripAdvisor.

Any thoughts on these hotels? Kids are 11 and 9 but fine sleeping on a pull out sofa.

I would avoid the Borough London Bridge area due to heavy construction of the station and the new bridges in that area. Kensington is very nice and good shops and easy to get to, Blackfriars is very central and I am. It aware of issues there as the new station is complete however what side if the river? South river side may have a little effect re London Bridge.

 

[DISNEY FANTASY]

We are staying in London for 7 days pre cruise this summer as a family of 4 plus 2 more (grandparents) in their own room. We have narrowed it down to the Citadines (either South Kensington or Trafalgar Square) which gives us a 1 bedroom with kitchenette or Novotel Blackfriar's (would be ~$1000 cheaper than the Citadines with a corporate rate but no kitchenette and smaller room). I like the idea of being near the Borough Market at the Novotel, and it has a pool and games room for the kids. It seems very close to the trains but I haven't seen any noise complaints on TripAdvisor.

Any thoughts on these hotels? Kids are 11 and 9 but fine sleeping on a pull out sofa.

PS Borough Market is very nice for an hour do try the cheeses!

 

[canadakath]

I would avoid the Borough London Bridge area due to heavy construction of the station and the new bridges in that area. Kensington is very nice and good shops and easy to get to, Blackfriars is very central and I am. It aware of issues there as the new station is complete however what side if the river? South river side may have a little effect re London Bridge.

Thanks for the quick response! Novotel Blackfriar's is on the south side, close to Southwark so I think we are good for getting around and avoiding London Bridge area. The neghbourhood doesn't look as pedestrian friendly as the two Citadines locations though, but that's just from what I can see on GoogleMaps. Wth having the grandparents there, I would love to leave the kids one evening and DH and I go for a bit of a wander/hit a couple of pubs.

 

[DISNEY FANTASY]

Thanks for the quick response! Novotel Blackfriar's is on the south side, close to Southwark so I think we are good for getting around and avoiding London Bridge area. The neghbourhood doesn't look as pedestrian friendly as the two Citadines locations though, but that's just from what I can see on GoogleMaps. Wth having the grandparents there, I would love to leave the kids one evening and DH and I go for a bit of a wander/hit a couple of pubs.

Yes that's OK your in a good location you can get to the London eye, you could walk to the tower, there are boat cruises, you can walk over the bridges to St Paul's.

Tube lines Jubilee, ( Southwark) across the bridge Blackfriars District and circle.

A short walk to Borough market, and The Shard.

Waterloo East should have trains for Dover which isn't far.

 

[wendy151950]

The hotel info has been great.

We're planning on spending 3 full days in London post-cruise (repo leaving Copenhagen on 6/29). D wants to do Harry Potter WB, I want to do Highclere Castle assuming I can snag tickets. One issue is a lot of walking for me - had knee replacement last year and the other one should be done but I'm delaying it to do this trip. Does anyone have any tour companies they'd recommend for Harry Potter and Highclere? I'm concerned about killing myself in tube/train stations, particularly if I have to do stairs.

 

[holula]

Highclere Castle is close to where my parents live. It's not close to London at all. So I don't know about tours but this is the transport info.

Newbury station is an hour from Paddington on a good day and that's if you don't have to change trains or get stuck at Reading. A return fare will cost you around £35pp if you do it that way. You should be able to get a taxi from Newbury station to Highclere which I would guess to be £15-20 each way. Neither Paddington nor Newbury station is step free. Newbury has an exit on each side of the station and I don't know which side the taxis wait.

 

[DISNEY FANTASY]

Just to reinforce avoiding London Bridge station this summer, my local TV news BBC London reported travellers having three hour waits and trains can doled last night.

 

[wendy151950]

Highclere Castle is close to where my parents live. It's not close to London at all. So I don't know about tours but this is the transport info.

Newbury station is an hour from Paddington on a good day and that's if you don't have to change trains or get stuck at Reading. A return fare will cost you around £35pp if you do it that way. You should be able to get a taxi from Newbury station to Highclere which I would guess to be £15-20 each way. Neither Paddington nor Newbury station is step free. Newbury has an exit on each side of the station and I don't know which side the taxis wait.

Thanks for the info! It's a toss between this and Stonehenge/Bath. Decisions, decisions!

 

[holula]

Thanks for the info! It's a toss between this and Stonehenge/Bath. Decisions, decisions!

Bath is lovely but Bath is a LOT of walking. For Stonehenge you would ideally need to rent a car. I'm sure there is probably a bus from somewhere but I have no idea about it.

 

[DISNEY FANTASY]

Bath is lovely but Bath is a LOT of walking. For Stonehenge you would ideally need to rent a car. I'm sure there is probably a bus from somewhere but I have no idea about it.

Agree good advice. BTW yes there are daily tourist coaches to Stonhe he from Central London just google them and the often pick up at all major places, it's a bit of a way out of town , time might be best visiting Windsor and Hampton court which are closer.

 

[wendy151950]

Agree good advice. BTW yes there are daily tourist coaches to Stonhe he from Central London just google them and the often pick up at all major places, it's a bit of a way out of town , time might be best visiting Windsor and Hampton court which are closer.

Thank you for the info and on this and the walking in Bath. The tourist trips seem to combine Stonehenge with Windsor, Bath and and/or Salisbury. One that is recommended by Rick Steves does have a 1/2 day Stonehenge only which may be the best option. My Daughter is not that excited about going and that would allow us to be back in the city in the afternoon unless she wants to go to Windsor. I was just watching CBS Sunday Morning and there was a piece on Stonehenge which makes me want to see it even more!

http://www.cbsnews.com/news/uncovering-the-long-hidden-secrets-of-stonehenge/

 

[DISNEY FANTASY]

Thank you for the info and on this and the walking in Bath. The tourist trips seem to combine Stonehenge with Windsor, Bath and and/or Salisbury. One that is recommended by Rick Steves does have a 1/2 day Stonehenge only which may be the best option. My Daughter is not that excited about going and that would allow us to be back in the city in the afternoon unless she wants to go to Windsor. I was just watching CBS Sunday Morning and there was a piece on Stonehenge which makes me want to see it even more!

http://www.cbsnews.com/news/uncovering-the-long-hidden-secrets-of-stonehenge/

BTW Holula posted the good information on Stonehenge.

Windsor was great and easy a fast train from Paddington to Slough then the shuttle train to Windsor and Eaton, you can go via Waterloo but takes a lot longer as its a stopping service via Staines.

 

[clareyfairymouse]

Definitely post if you are looking to visit certain attractions and tie in accommodation near by.
Getting around London is quite simple on the tube and on the buses so you don't necessarily have to stay on the doorstep of all the attractions.

Shout if we can help.

Also do you know the dates your in London as we can check on the sports events to suggest where to head to or avoid.

 

[DISNEY FANTASY]

Definitely post if you are looking to visit certain attractions and tie in accommodation near by.
Getting around London is quite simple on the tube and on the buses so you don't necessarily have to stay on the doorstep of all the attractions.

Shout if we can help.

Also do you know the dates your in London as we can check on the sports events to suggest where to head to or avoid.

The biggest sporting event in the capital this year is the rugby World Cup but that is on well after everyone would have gone. Wimbledon will be on last week June and first week of July close to when cruisers will be here.

Royal Ascot is on in June, that's horse racing.