Posts Tagged ‘London’

Getting Around London


2010
05.29

If youve never been to London before then you may find the thought of getting around the city somewhat daunting. With the population of Greater London estimated at more than 7 million people, this is a bustling city on a grand scale. So whats the best way to get around the British capital?

Fortunately, you do have a good number of options open to you. The London Underground, for example, is the oldest underground mass transit system in Europe and consists of some 275 stations on 12 separate lines. Generally speaking, youll find that the stations are very close together, with central London being particularly well covered (there are 63 stations in central London alone).

Youll find Underground (or Tube, as its known locally) maps at all stations and on platforms. Each of the Underground lines is given a different colour, making the maps easy to read so that you can find your way round.

One thing that youll also notice is that the Underground map is also divided into Zones. This relates to the way in which journeys are priced when you buy a ticket the price that youll pay will be dependent upon your departure or arrival zones. If youre expecting to make a number of journeys in a day then avoid paying for numerous single tickets and opt for a One Day Travelcard theyre more cost effective. Youll need to tell the ticket office operator what zones youll be travelling through during the day.

You can pay for all tickets at ticket offices using cash or payment cards. Youll also find that stations have automated machines where you can purchase tickets. This should also allow you to pay using the same options, although be aware that the automated payment card facilities may not always be functioning.

Aside from the Underground, youll find that a Travelcard will also cover you for journeys on the famous red London buses. The bus network in London is extensive and they provide a great way to see the city. Indeed, you can save yourself a bit of money by avoiding the ever-present tourist buses and simply taking a journey through central London on a standard bus.

If you dont fancy the Underground or the buses then another option is to jump in a black cab. These provide a great experience in themselves, although generally will work out more expensive than the two public transport options already mentioned.

Driving in London is not something that would generally be recommended. Traffic can be heavy throughout the day in central locations, parking is not always easy to find and the London Congestion Charge means that youll pay heavily for the privilege of driving in central London. Luckily, public transport options are generally good, so you should find that you wont need to resort to driving.

How to organize your European Vacation?


2010
05.25

Friends often ask me to plan their European vacations, and more specifically, their vacation in Paris. Why me? Being a native of Paris I have the inside scoop as to cheap hotels, how to get special hotel deals and other cheap vacation tips. I can also tell you about travel weather and other useful information.

The first step consists of determining who exactly is coming on this trip, your destination, the length of the trip, and when do you plan on going. Dont forget the most important consideration- your budget. Believe me, a European tour with two year old toddlers is not the same as the same as a honeymoon or even a vacation in London with just your partner in life. Actually, traveling with a baby may be easier than traveling with a bored teenager. There are ways to get their cooperation however. Young people of all ages, including my 70 years old parents who enjoy roughing it, plan very economical European tours living in youth hotels.

The time of year makes a great deal of difference as well. Summer and mid winter are the peak travel seasons, but those who are looking for resort deals along the Mediterranean shores or for ski resorts in the Alps might consider late spring or early autumn. Here retirees have a distinct advantage planning for travel in Europe, or any kind of travel for that matter, since they can be more flexible.

Talking about time and dates, one of the easiest ways to save money is simply to fly out and return in the middle of the week. Airlines are getting crafty though, and week-end can mean Thursday to Monday! That leaves Tuesday and Wednesday as mid-week days.
Still, if you do fly out on one of those days, it can save you a couple hundred dollars.

Alright, so youve decided on your budget, the number of people in your party, the length of stay and when you want to go. Here are a couple of scenarios.

First, lets take a family of four Mother, Father, 12 year old and 5 year old. This is their first time so they dont want to be too adventurous, yet they do want to have fun. The safe part of their trip is London, since they speak English. The adventure is Paris where obviously most people speak French. So our family decides to spend a week in London, and a week in Paris during their childrens Spring Vacation which occurs in April, since thats outside the peak travel time.

Another scenario could be two retired couples who decide to travel to Europe together. Theyve been there before and know their way around a bit. This group decides to fly to Paris, stay for a couple of days to see the sights and look up old friends, and then take a fast train down to the Mediterranean coast. There theyll stay in Montpelier for a short visit before taking a cruise to the Greek Islands. Whether they opt for a luxury cruise or not, they will have a wonderful time at a very economical rate.

So you see, planning an European vacation is almost as much of a challenge as the vacation itself!

Ten Things To Do in London


2010
05.20

If youre planning a vacation to London, be sure to take advantage of this wonderful city with so much to offer. London is brimming with an array of exciting things to do and things to see for all ages and tastes. As one of the culture capitals of the world, London holds sight seeing and tourist adventures that you cant experience anywhere else. Get the most out of your London vacation and let it loose by visiting these ten must see things to do in London!

1. The British Museum. Sir Hans Sloane had contributed his mass collection of over 71,000 interesting items when the British Museum was founded in 1753. In the nineteenth century, the museum began to flourish, increasing its inventory of interesting items to over seven million; many of these items are over 10,000 years old. The British Museums charter had insisted that the museum remain open free of charge to all those curious and studious persons who wish to enter. Spend and astounding afternoon wandering the eternal corridors and discover some of mankinds greatest cultural achievements and explore the great relics of the Greek and Egyptian empires.

2. British Airways London Eye. Welcoming nearly four millions guests each year, the London Eye has become one of the most popular attractions in London. This observation wheel stands 135 meters over the city of London and is currently the tallest observation wheel in the world. This exploitation of modern engineering allows visitors to view London with a new perspective, revealing sections of the city that are nor visible from the ground. Described as an inspiring and enchanting experience, the London Eye has become an essential to visitors to complete the London experience.

3. Saint Pauls Cathedral. A fascinating depot of British history and an inspirational centerpiece of reconstruction after the great London fire of 1666, Sir Christopher Wrens cathedral still remains a spiritual focus of Great Britain. Famous for hosting royal weddings, birthdays, celebrations and even funerals of Great Britain leaders under the great dome of Saint Pauls Cathedral and a beautiful piece of history.

4. The National Gallery. Located in the heart of Trafalgar Square it houses some of the worlds finest art dating back to the 13th century. Construction of the National Gallery began in 1832 and since then had collected the fine arts of da Vinci, Monet, Renoir, Van Gogh and many more. A visitor can spend days inside the National Gallery trying to view all its contents.

5. London Zoo. Regents Park contains one of the worlds most famous zoos that is home to over 12,000 animals. Animal shows are held daily to allow zoo visitors to learn more about a species through the animals handler. The London Zoo is considered a must see among visitors and residents and is suggested to be visited at least twice in order to complete the London Zoo experience.

6. Tate Modern. Viewed as Londons most innovative gallery, it includes an array of exhibitions and grand collections of modern art. Appealing to children and adults, amateurs and experts, with the collections of artists like Andy Warhol, Matisse and Bacon. Tate Modern is considered one of the top must see galleries of London.

7. Tower of London. Built with imported white stone from France, the Tower of London has been known to protect, imprison, and execute the people of London. The Tower of London was dubbed the bloody tower where Richard III had allegedly murdered his nephews.

8. The Natural History Museum. An attractive gothic building that houses one of the worlds largest collections of dinosaurs with exhibitions dominating the great halls and towering above awe stricken visitors.

9. The Madame Tussauds Experience. A museum of abhorrent waxworks and animatronics displays demonstrating the darkest parts of British history with beheading, torture, murder and plague completed with grisly sound effects. Staff would often dress up in costume and jump out at unsuspecting visitors to add excitement to the mix.

10. Westminster Abbey. A medieval masterpiece and the burial ground for kings, scientists, statesmen, poets and musicians since 1066. Visitors can enjoy the intriguing literary history, the artistic talent that went into the paintings, tombs and murals and be taken aback by the gothic architecture. The Westminster Abbey has become one of Londons most stunning churches.

Book Hotels via internet


2010
05.09

A couple days ago, my mom asked me about summer holiday that is just around the corner. She asked me where do I want to spend our summer holiday together because she didn’t have any idea about where to spend summer holiday this year, neither my dad. When shed threw me that question, I was confused to answer her. At that time I wasn’t thinking about summer holiday because my assignments are still piling up and I just wanted to focus on my assignments. So I talked to my mom the few days later and then I said that I would like to spend our summer holiday this year in Bangkok. When I said so, my mom told me that Bangkok is a good idea but how come we could book available Bangkok hotels?

I told her that we could easily pre-book any hotels in the world on the internet. I realize that my mom is not updated with the internet technology so it is quite normal to know that my mom doesn’t know many things about the functions and the ability of the internet. When I told her that we could book any hotels on the internet, my mom asked me how to do that. So, I open up my laptop and I show how to book hotels on the internet. I explained to her that it is possible to book any hotels such as London hotels, Rome hotels, Barcelona hotels and etc.

After I taught my mom how to book hotels via internet, she told me that internet really has many benefits for people. And I said, “Sure it does”. Well, that’s why you should be able to optimize the use of the internet to assist your daily activity. If you want to travel abroad but you can’t book the hotel, you can do it via internet.

Inside London Hotels


2010
04.23

There are 1000s of hotels in central London, 9,248 officially classed hotels to be precise, and variety and choice is vast, from the beautiful Abbey Court hotel in Pembridge Gardens, to the vast Cumberland hotel at Marble Arch, cheap and cheerful gems like the Hyde Park Towers to the amazing expensive Charlton Tower hotel, this city has it all.

In London hotels whether it is 2 star, 3 star, 4 star or even 5 star, London hotels have worked very hard to improve and develop their product, some much better than others. To look at highlighting each star grading, best leisure hotels, best business hotels, best niche hotels, unique hotel and also aspects like innovation or unique and interesting product offerings, would be near impossible as London hotels continue to strive for that USP.

There are copious negatives about central London hotels, be warned, however air conditioning is possible the worst, This is due to, in the most parts, the age of a lot of the hotel buildings, and then the vast cost of upgrading. However I do accept that in central London, as in any major city that there are some disappointing hotels, but we also know that any city needs a wide range of choice and that is one thing London provides.

One point that you will always seen when searching for a London hotel is that every hotel in the city will talk about having the best location in the city. Location is such a relative point, because it is only the best location if it is exactly where you want to be, and what is quite sad is that some very disappointing hotels charge a higher rate because they believe they have a great location. However if you are coming to the city for a vacation then just about any central London hotel has a suitable location, it really is that simple. So when picking your hotel please do not be over charged or misled by location, location, location.

Another serious is the star ratings, nearly 40% of all London hotels who claim a star rating have either never been judged, or have not had it reviewed for many many years and the system is very seriously flawed. % levels to cover the vast array of different hotels is simply not possible. The 3 star market in London is so populated and the differences between those hotels can be amazing. One London 3 star hotel has a great swimming pool, copious restaurant and food choice, and air-conditioning yet is still judged the same as some hotel that is nothing more than a very good B&B, it simply does not add up, so be careful.

This websites may help, www.central-london-hotel-reviews.com