One day in London

We are sailing on the Caribbean Princess on 5/9, arriving at Heathrow early morning on 5/8 and staying at the Doubletree near the airport as we're being picked up there on the 9th by a shuttle that stops in Stonehenge and drops us at the ship. We will be staying in London, Doubletree Hyde Park, for four nights at the end of the cruise.

What suggestions do you have for spending our time wisely on the full day prior to the cruise, knowing we'll be jet lagged, but won't want sleep until evening. We can drop our luggage at the hotel or at the hold at the airport before starting our day.

I would consider doing something on the west side of London that is on the Picadilly line.

A few possibilities might be a brewery tour and tasting at Fullers Griffith, the Victoria and Albert Museum, shopping at Kensington High Street and a walk through Kensington Gardens (an easy walk from Earl's Court).

When you return to LHR, make sure you get on the train heading to the proper terminal, and be careful not to get on the Uxbridge train.

The suggestion of Kensington is good. You could also consider visiting Windsor for the day, the other side of LHR.

What suggestions do you have for spending our time wisely on the full day prior to the cruise, knowing we'll be jet lagged, but won't want sleep until evening.

If you go as far as the places suggested by ducklite, you might as well go anywhere in central London. You'd want South Kensington Tube for the V&A and Kensington Gardens (or Gloucester Road for the latter - not Earls Court), but if you've got as far as that, it's only another 15 minutes to (say) St Paul's or 20 minutes to the Tower of London, and they're on the far side of central London.

And if you've gone to central London, it makes no sense to spend that night near Heathrow. You should not underestimate the difficulty of getting from central London to any hotel that's near Heathrow airport but is not actually an on-airport hotel (or, for that matter, the difficulty of getting from such a hotel to central London). They are not good places to stay if you want to see anything that's actually in London.

So if you want to spend your time wisely and you want to go into London, then my number one suggestion is not to spend that night near Heathrow.

Add my vote for Windsor - The castle and the town. It is a small town and has some pleasant riverside walks and pubs and the Castle is well worth a visit.

I suggest you drop your luggage at the hotel and take a taxi to Windsor. Have a nice lunch and a stroll to unwind, followed by an early night.

If you're going to spend that day in central London, then as G's comment it would make far more sense to spend that night in a central London hotel and travel direct from central London to Southampton next morning.

But you've booked a Heathrow hotel & transfer - and you're going to have 3 to 4 days in central London post-cruise.:)

So, as other posts Windsor & its castle is an obvious choice for that day. It's only about 9 miles from Doubletree Heathrow on Bath Road. Public transport is a little slow & complicated, hence the suggestion of taking a taxi. Your hotel can call for one, or mebbe pre-book one yourself from your arrival terminal to Windsor via dropping off your luggage at Doubletree - but don't just use a black cab from the airport rank to take you to Windsor cos it'll be expensive.

A similar option is Henry V111's palace at Hampton Court, only 8 miles from Doubletree Heathrow. In a different direction but similarly slow & complicated by public transport, so same advice re transportation.

But if you want public transport advice for either Windsor or Hampton Court just ask.

JB :)

we stayed at an airport hotel in much the same way. there is a bus that picks up right close to the airport hotels. right to windsor.

We used Uber a few times in London earlier this month. It does require a local phone number and you'll have to put the app on your smart phone, but if you are planning on buying a SIM for your phone, it will save about 30% off the cab fare price, plus you get 10 pounds off the first ride.

we stayed at an airport hotel in much the same way. there is a bus that picks up right close to the airport hotels. right to windsor.

That'll be bus route 77.

Slow at about 50 minutes, but fine for Terminal 5 & some hotels west of the airport. :)

A bit more complicated for the OP's hotel. ;)

JB :)

it was some time ago to Windsor so foggy on the details. We were at the Sheraton I think. I have a dislike for cabs having been cheated more than a few time...

I googled this and found tripadvisor suggestions:

http://www.tripadvisor.ca/Travel-g186216-c184679/United-Kingdom:Heathrow.Layover.Windsor.Castle.html

local Windsor cab might be best choice for time and $

Thanks so much. I booked with one of the cab companies listed in the TA article and we will be going to Windsor with a stop first to drop our luggage at our hotel.

Hello we will be arriving in London around 5pm staying in Lambeth. Can anyone recommend a restaurant or pub that is not too expensive ? We will have until 5 the next day for sightseeing before leaving for Southampton. We will already left our luggage in storage at train station. Can anyone suggest tips for what to see and how to get there (Buckingham Palace.... Big Ben...? Also will be in Camden area for an evening staying at the Montana Excel there and looking for place for dinner as well. A place where the locals go as well. Thank you. Cathy

London is a very cosmopolitan city with a huge range of cuisines. In Lambeth there are literally dozens to choose from - From Meze at one end of Clapham High Street, to American at the Common End. This is via Spanish, Greek, Italian, French and various parts of the Indian Sub-Continent. If you wanted to go up market - there is always Le Gavroche on Wandsworth Road.

London is a very cosmopolitan city with a huge range of cuisines. In Lambeth there are literally dozens to choose from ... If you wanted to go up market - there is always Le Gavroche on Wandsworth Road.

If someone asked for a recommendation for a good modern Indian in Lambeth, that would be easier to deal with.

However, there's one thing I'm pretty sure of: Le Gavroche won't be found on Wandsworth Road. :D

Depends whereabouts in Lambeth. Le Gavroche in Lambeth - have we missed something??

Le Gavroche is in 43 Upper Brook Street, Mayfair, London, W1K 7QR

Maybe you were thinking of

Chez Bruce, 2 Bellevue Road, Wandsworth Common, SW17 7EG

Sorry to have asked a stupid question, now if someone were to ask me where to eat in a neighbourhood of Boston or Miami or San Francisco I would have given my personal favorites.

Sorry to have asked a stupid question, now if someone were to ask me where to eat in a neighbourhood of Boston or Miami or San Francisco I would have given my personal favorites.

Not a stupid question at all - it just needed a bit of refinement. I am a Londoner but I have never eaten in Lambeth (or much in Camden) so I cannot give you any recommendations.

There will be plenty of restaurants of all cuisines - an indication of your particular preferences would help with an area to visit (e.g. Chinese in Soho).

Most pubs nowadays have quite decent food (I would give the Wetherspoon's chain a miss for food personally).

The thing is, Lambeth is a long, thin borough running North (by the river) to South, probably about 7 miles long. So it really does depend where you are staying - the northern parts of Lambeth are going to be closer to the West End than to the southern parts of the borough, so it would be silly to recommend you travel from one end to the other. No point travelling from central London to the suburbs for a meal.

thanks you two. I understand now

Sorry to have asked a stupid question, now if someone were to ask me where to eat in a neighbourhood of Boston or Miami or San Francisco I would have given my personal favorites.

Not stupid at all but most people don't get to the area you inquired about.

After 37 London visits for 2 or more weeks and since retirement 5-6 weeks a year, we only know Lambeth as an underground stop which we have never used. As for Camden we have only been to one museum there and have never found a restaurant that we would recommend. Come into Siho, Coven Garden, Mayfair or the south bank to eat well.

Come into Siho, Coven Garden, Mayfair or the south bank to eat well.

Close. ;)

But that's Soho Broadly behind Leicester Square, and

Covent Garden In the complex itself the broadest range is for grazing & people-watching rather than full-blown meals. But stax of proper restaurants nearby such as along The Strand or - better value - the side streets off.

South Bank you'll perhaps pay a little more for the great location, well worthwhile day or evening if the weather's fine.

Mayfair. Take your platinum credit card ;)

All these places, and elsewhere in central London, watch out for service charges and separately-priced side-dishes which boost the check - by law they have to be quoted on the menu. Tax is always included in the price.

JB :)

We still don't know whereabouts in Lambeth you are staying. It's quite a large borough.

 

However, there's one thing I'm pretty sure of: Le Gavroche won't be found on Wandsworth Road. :D

Google it :p

Le Gavroche Ltd

537 Wandsworth Road

LONDON

SW8 3JD

I believe that is the address of the company as opposed to the restaurant. Le Gavroche is in Mayfair.