London Hotels - Family of 4

[bumbershoot]

In case you aren't familiar, unless you take a crazy expensive (1000s per person) tour of Stonehenge you won't get anywhere near the site. You will be seeing it from afar.

 

[holula]

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.

I love Windsor too, but prefer Bath. Windsor is very easy to get to from London on your own and much closer than Bath or Stonehenge. Salisbury is also a nice place but much smaller than Bath or Windsor. Windsor Castle has hills but I don't remember many steps other than the ones inside the castle. I really enjoyed it when I toured a couple of years ago - I visited once when I was younger and didn't remember it.

Windsor isn't as far west as Stonehenge is so that seems like a really weird combination to me. From London, Stonehenge is only slightly out of the way if you are traveling to Bath or Salisbury.

 

[DISNEY FANTASY]

In case you aren't familiar, unless you take a crazy expensive (1000s per person) tour of Stonehenge you won't get anywhere near the site. You will be seeing it from afar.

I would disagree if you book a tour that visits it then, you get the Visitor Shuttle service. It operates frequently from outside the shop. No need to pre-book.

It takes 10 minutes to reach the Stones. Shuttles stop at Fargo Plantation (about halfway to the Stones) so that visitors can walk part of the way if they wish.

Official website.

It is not 1,000s per person.

 

[DISNEY FANTASY]

I love Windsor too, but prefer Bath. Windsor is very easy to get to from London on your own and much closer than Bath or Stonehenge. Salisbury is also a nice place but much smaller than Bath or Windsor. Windsor Castle has hills but I don't remember many steps other than the ones inside the castle. I really enjoyed it when I toured a couple of years ago - I visited once when I was younger and didn't remember it.

Windsor isn't as far west as Stonehenge is so that seems like a really weird combination to me. From London, Stonehenge is only slightly out of the way if you are traveling to Bath or Salisbury.

Windsor castle is built on one hill, from the River Thames in the valley the Train from Slough to Windsor and Eaton Central come in half way up the hill into the most fantastic old station and you walk out and see the castle in front of you. The other station Windsor and Eton Riverside like its name implies is on the Thames and a walk up the Hill.

There is only one hill the entrance is up a ramp. I would say to go from Paddington change at Slough and then your most the way up the one town hill.

I go there about twice a month and in Slough this week.

Windsor Town website.

Windsor Castle website.

 

[bumbershoot]

A friend of mine was just there in July, and she stated there wasn't a way for normal visitors to get right up to the stones. I had also looked into it when we were in England in June, and never managed to find the site you linked to. All that I could find in June was evidence of special sunrise tours that stated they were the ONLY way to get right in the circle, and they were, indeed, 1000s per person.

I personally go to monolithic sites to be close; from that site linked, 30 feet isn't what would float my boat. Not after Hill of Tara, Carrowmore, climbing Knocknarea, etc, in Ireland.

So what the OP can take away from this is that apparently there are many ways to see the place, and the closer you want to get the more expensive it gets. (and the access tours are filled months in advance, per the sites) Good to know what you want out of a tour or visit, too.

 

[DISNEY FANTASY]

A friend of mine was just there in July, and she stated there wasn't a way for normal visitors to get right up to the stones. I had also looked into it when we were in England in June, and never managed to find the site you linked to. All that I could find in June was evidence of special sunrise tours that stated they were the ONLY way to get right in the circle, and they were, indeed, 1000s per person.

I personally go to monolithic sites to be close; from that site linked, 30 feet isn't what would float my boat. Not after Hill of Tara, Carrowmore, climbing Knocknarea, etc, in Ireland.

So what the OP can take away from this is that apparently there are many ways to see the place, and the closer you want to get the more expensive it gets. (and the access tours are filled months in advance, per the sites) Good to know what you want out of a tour or visit, too.

You can get close, details on the website posted.

 

[jenf22]

Windsor castle is built on one hill, from the River Thames in the valley the Train from Slough to Windsor and Eaton Central come in half way up the hill into the most fantastic old station and you walk out and see the castle in front of you. The other station Windsor and Eton Riverside like its name implies is on the Thames and a walk up the Hill.

There is only one hill the entrance is up a ramp. I would say to go from Paddington change at Slough and then your most the way up the one town hill.

I go there about twice a month and in Slough this week.

Windsor Town website.

Windsor Castle website.

Sorry to resurrect an old thread but I didn't want to bog down the Copenhagen one with London questions. We're hoping to see Windsor Castle on our last day in London. We're staying at Premier Inn County Hall. I think the station that is really close will get us directly to Windsor. Is that true? We have a ticket on the Eurostar to Paris at 3:30pm. If we plan to get to Windsor when they open, do you think we'll have enough time to see the castle, take the train back to the hotel, and then take a cab to the Eurostar station? It all looks good on paper, I just don't want to miss our train.

One more question - we get to London at 10:20 on a Sunday morning. Do you think we should book the 11:30, 12, or 12:30 shuttle to the hotel? We've never flown international and have no concept as to how long customs will take. Thanks so much for your help!

 

[DISNEY FANTASY]

Sorry to resurrect an old thread but I didn't want to bog down the Copenhagen one with London questions. We're hoping to see Windsor Castle on our last day in London. We're staying at Premier Inn County Hall. I think the station that is really close will get us directly to Windsor. Is that true? We have a ticket on the Eurostar to Paris at 3:30pm. If we plan to get to Windsor when they open, do you think we'll have enough time to see the castle, take the train back to the hotel, and then take a cab to the Eurostar station? It all looks good on paper, I just don't want to miss our train.

One more question - we get to London at 10:20 on a Sunday morning. Do you think we should book the 11:30, 12, or 12:30 shuttle to the hotel? We've never flown international and have no concept as to how long customs will take. Thanks so much for your help!

So Windsor, funny enough I was there last week on Tuesday, there are in fact two train stations there Central and Riverside, both serve Winsdor and Eton across the river.

Both are an easy walk to the castle, a Central is further up the hill and the closet to the castle entrance, riverside is a slightly longer walk up the full hill.

Now as you are at the Premier inn the easiest but slightly longer route is a train from Waterloo next to you, it's a direct service, normally from the higher end platforms 17/18/19. So that's Waterloo > Windsor and Eaton Riverside and a walk up the hill to the castle. It takes just over an hour as it's a stopping service.

The alternative route would be Tube Bakerloo line to Paddington, then any train that stops at Slough, ( there are half hourly direct non stop services, and local stopping services). Then at Slough walk over the platform to the little shuttle that goes to/ from Windsor and Eaton riverside. This route if you get a fast train is far quicker.



One more question - we get to London at 10:20 on a Sunday morning. Do you think we should book the 11:30, 12, or 12:30 shuttle to the hotel? We've never flown international and have no concept as to how long customs will take. Thanks so much for your help!

If you get in at 10.20 they need then to park at a gate that can take time, then you go through border control and get your bags and out. 11.30 is just feasible I would book the noon so your not clock watching .

 

[jenf22]

Thanks Disney Fantasy!

 

[dcassetta]

Sorry to resurrect an old thread but I didn't want to bog down the Copenhagen one with London questions. We're hoping to see Windsor Castle on our last day in London. We're staying at Premier Inn County Hall. I think the station that is really close will get us directly to Windsor. Is that true? We have a ticket on the Eurostar to Paris at 3:30pm. If we plan to get to Windsor when they open, do you think we'll have enough time to see the castle, take the train back to the hotel, and then take a cab to the Eurostar station? It all looks good on paper, I just don't want to miss our train.

One more question - we get to London at 10:20 on a Sunday morning. Do you think we should book the 11:30, 12, or 12:30 shuttle to the hotel? We've never flown international and have no concept as to how long customs will take. Thanks so much for your help!

Since you have not been to London before, I would recommend the train from Waterloo to Windsor Riverside. Getting to Paddington and changing in Slough might be a little faster, but not as simple, and you already have a full day. I would not leave Windsor much after 1 to make a 3:30 Eurostar. It seems to me the castle opens relatively late - like 10:00. This a a rather hectic departure day. Is there any other day you can visit Windsor?

You don't state whether you are arriving into Heathrow or Gatwick. Gatwick baggage and immigration, in my experience, has always been very efficient, while Heathrow is more hit and miss. If Heathrow, I agree that the noon shuttle would be safer. If you miss it, can you catch the 12:30? A car service may give you more flexibility and not be much more expensive. You could take the tube, if your luggage is not massive - Piccadilly line to Green park and then Jubilee line to Waterloo

 

[jenf22]

Since you have not been to London before, I would recommend the train from Waterloo to Windsor Riverside. Getting to Paddington and changing in Slough might be a little faster, but not as simple, and you already have a full day. I would not leave Windsor much after 1 to make a 3:30 Eurostar. It seems to me the castle opens relatively late - like 10:00. This a a rather hectic departure day. Is there any other day you can visit Windsor?

You don't state whether you are arriving into Heathrow or Gatwick. Gatwick baggage and immigration, in my experience, has always been very efficient, while Heathrow is more hit and miss. If Heathrow, I agree that the noon shuttle would be safer. If you miss it, can you catch the 12:30? A car service may give you more flexibility and not be much more expensive. You could take the tube, if your luggage is not massive - Piccadilly line to Green park and then Jubilee line to Waterloo

We're only in London 2 nights. The first full day is one of those see everything all-day tours. So I was hoping to squeeze in Windsor on the day of departure. I booked the 3:30 Eurostar to try to give us as much time as possible. But we will have to go back to the hotel to get our luggage before making the train. I think you are correct that Windsor opens at 10am. I was looking at getting a skip-the-line ticket to help with time. I figure we'd probably only have 2 or 2.5 hours there, but at least we could see it. This whole vacation is going to hectic!

We are arriving at Heathrow. Based on the website, I think the shuttle is every 30 minutes. The website says they will meet all prebooked travelers, so I think that means we're guaranteed a spot. But I'll book the noon to be safe. Maybe if we're early, they can get us on an earlier one.

Thanks much for the help!

 

[dcassetta]

Have a good time and take notes so you remember everything you want to see the next time you go back to London. It's my favorite city in the world.

 

[MickeysPal49]

There are many temporary flats in London that are fully furnished and have a couple of bedrooms, laundry facilities, a small kitchen, and a living room. When we were assigned to a post in London, we stayed in one for a week prior to and after vacating our permanent housing. If you need more space, this might be a good option.

I just read your itinerary. I don't know how much you have traveled abroad, but I found the time change to just beat me up. A full day of touring is going to be exhausting after a long flight.

 

[DISNEY FANTASY]

Have a good time and take notes so you remember everything you want to see the next time you go back to London. It's my favorite city in the world.

Agree ... As I look out on the London Eye now.

 

[MeeskaMooska13]

We're only in London 2 nights. The first full day is one of those see everything all-day tours. So I was hoping to squeeze in Windsor on the day of departure. I booked the 3:30 Eurostar to try to give us as much time as possible. But we will have to go back to the hotel to get our luggage before making the train. I think you are correct that Windsor opens at 10am. I was looking at getting a skip-the-line ticket to help with time. I figure we'd probably only have 2 or 2.5 hours there, but at least we could see it. This whole vacation is going to hectic!

We are arriving at Heathrow. Based on the website, I think the shuttle is every 30 minutes. The website says they will meet all prebooked travelers, so I think that means we're guaranteed a spot. But I'll book the noon to be safe. Maybe if we're early, they can get us on an earlier one.

Thanks much for the help!

What shuttle do you speak of?

 

[jenf22]

What shuttle do you speak of?

It was heathrowshuttle.com. The price was good, but now that the trip is over I would not recommend them. We had to be picked up in a different terminal than we arrived at and it took forever to get there. The driver had to pick up another set of people so we got to sit in the van for about an hour while he found them. Then the driver proceeded to tell us all about how much he hated the company and it was his last day there. We did make it to the hotel safe and sound but it was about 2.5 hours after we landed.

 

[ldo]

As long as you can manage your own luggage (including stairs), it's quite easy to take the Tube or the train to London and then connect by tube. I have also booked a private transfer on viator.com for my elderly mother, who was meeting us 2 days later, and it worked out fine and was not too expensive.

 

[DISNEY FANTASY]

As long as you can manage your own luggage (including stairs), it's quite easy to take the Tube or the train to London and then connect by tube.

True -but crowded.

 

[DizC1288]

Can I ask where you stayed? We are going next year on the British Isle cruise and staying in London Pre cruise for 3 nights.
thanks

 

[DISNEY FANTASY]

Can I ask where you stayed? We are going next year on the British Isle cruise and staying in London Pre cruise for 3 nights.
thanks

A lot of cruisers are staying in the Waterloo area, the premier inn there for an example, other areas like Bayswater, Kensington are good.

Beware we have a lot of construction in London at this time.

Crossrail
Avoid staying at Paddington, Bond Street, Tottenham court road.

Others

Avoid using and staying at London Bridge, and avoid staying directly near Victoria.