First time London travelers

The train service from Paris that runs through the Channel Tunnel is called Eurostar. Buy tickets direct from Eurostar, well in advance to get the best price. This has nothing to do with the “tube” - which is used exclusively for London Underground services.

Kensington is a nice area. Not right in the centre but a really good place to stay - somewhere near the Gloucester Road tube station is recommended by many. However there are many other more central areas. Bloomsbury, somewhere between Russell Square and Holborn tubes, is also very good. This is very close to St Pancras, where Eurostar arrives.

You won’t find a hotel that runs its own shuttle service - London public transport makes that unnecessary. You can get to Heathrow by tube, or get to Paddington then use the train, or use a car service. Once you’ve chosen your hotel, we can help suggest the best way to get to Heathrow. If you choose one bear a tube station on the Piccadilly line (have a look at a tube map to see what I mean) you could get a cheap tube train all the way to Heathrow.

Have a great time!

We will be arriving in London from Paris. What is the name of the "tube" or underground tunnel that does that? There are many tube stations; trying to pick hotel convenient to one of them.

It is not a ”tube” but rather a train called the Eurostar. The Eurostar arrives at St Pancras station where you can connect to the tube (tube station is Kings Cross/St Pancras)

Which district of London is most conducive to easy tourist travel? We've been told Kensington. True or false? If not, which?

Sites in London are spread out all over the city. A lot of tourists stay in the Kensington area. It is a fine place to stay, but it is not necessarily the “most conducive” to travel. Bloomsbury, South Bank, and South Kensington are all good areas to stay. Look at the tube map (you can find one on https://tfl.gov.uk/). I’d recommend selecting a hotel within zone 1 in close proximity to a tube station that is on multiple lines.

Can anyone suggest a moderately priced 3-4 star hotel that provides shuttle to Heathrow when we're ready to depart?

The Premier Inn is a moderately priced chain with hotels all over London. The Premier Inn County Hall is in an excellent location right across the river from the Houses of Parliament. I frequently stay at a hotel called The Resident Kensington which is near the Earl’s Court tube station and it is easy to get to Heathrow by tube from here. I am not aware of any hotels with an airport shuttle in London. Public transit can easily be used to get to Heathrow.

The “tube” is the underground railway system in London, nothing to do with the tunnel under the English Channel. That train is the Eurostar and is a regular train that goes from Paris to London, through the Channel Tunnel. The Eurostar station is St. Pancreas which is a regular train station but with a tube station also. In fact all main London train stations have an associated tube stop.

The Premier Inn chain is recommended on the forum and it has locations in many areas. What are you interested in seeing in London? Sights are spread out over a huge area. I’d chose something central ti Westminster lots to see within walking distance and good bus and tube connections.. take river cruise down the Thames to Greenwich great way to travel.

There is no hotel shuttle to Heathrow. There are convenient transportation options. Taxi/Private Car (most expensive), tube to Heathrow Express at Paddington Station (middle cost if use advance purchase far enough in advance) Elizabeth Line or Tube (least expensive).

I suggest Premier Inns are exactly the type of accommodation that you are looking for. They are also my "go to" when I head to London. My favorite location is Premier Inn Waterloo with Premier Inn County Hall (located just a few blocks away) as my second choice. These are near a major transportation hub (Waterloo) where you can get the tube, train, or bus easily. They are across the river from Westminster and that is an easy 5 minute walk.

Hints: Put the CityMapper App on your phone. This gives you real time transit solutions. You put in where you want to go, it figures out where you are, and gives you the best choices with map and real time answers. It might say walk 2 blocks and then give you a map to follow and then show you the bus stop or tube station you need and tell you when the next one will arrive. It will track your path in real time and tell you when to get off.

You tube is your friend: Use it to watch videos about "how to" use the tube, various sightseeing locations in London, etc.

Be careful of "overscheduling." I would not schedule more than 2 major attractions a day, possibly 3 if you are headed out to a show or something. Take time to enjoy and don't think that you have to see "everything." You can't and you will drive yourself crazy if you try to do that. Prioritize what is important to you and focus in on those sites.

Very little actual cash is needed in London. Don't load up on a lot of pounds because you will still have them at the end of your trip! You should plan on having a contactless credit or debit card with no foreign transaction fees. Apple Pay is another option.

Have fun!

I stayed in Bloomsbury both times I was in London and love the location. It's a charming area that is close to the major sights and tube stations, but has a residential feel to it.

When is this trip?

How long will you stay in London?

Great advice from above.

Its not the cheapest city on the planet but
Premier Inns are good. County Hall and Victoria probably best for first timers.

Been going to London since Nixon was in office.

Kensington neighborhood is fine. So are Bloomsbury, Chelsea, and a number of other neighborhoods.

Returning for another stay in a few days.

The RS guide contains practical info that will help you manage London.

You should also use the search engine on the Travel Forum website. Lots of posts about lodging, 2 for 1 deals, transport and dining options.

Great city. Enjoy it.

I’ve stayed in several areas in London but to me the most convenient was the area around Victoria Station. You’ll be close to the tube and buses that will take you around the city. You can even take the National Express bus from Heathrow and walk to your hotel. That’s a tip I got from this forum, by the way. I have stayed at Luna Simone and Cherry Court. Both are in the RS guidebooks. Cherry Court is closer to Victoria station in terms of walking distance. I’ve also stayed at Premier Inns in other areas and would recommend this hotel chain. You may also see Hub by Premier Inn-they have very small compact rooms. Maybe a little too tight for 2 people!

We always stay near the Gloucester tube station because of its easy access to Heathrow (Piccadilly line) and because it is served by three tube lines; Piccadilly, District, and Circle. From it, it is very convenient to get to anyplace in the city. I know of no hotel that provides free shuttle service to Heathrow.

Hello from Wisconsin,

The Chunnel is the under the channel rail tunnel Paris-London. It empties out at St. Pancras/Kings Cross railway stations. They sit side by each.

If you are exiting England via Heathrow, you might consider staying near Kings Cross. No shuttle from the Premier Inn. If I recall correctly a line runs between Heathrow and Kings Cross. It must, that way people can take the Chunnel and get to Heathrow easily. There is a Premier Inn right there at St. Pancras, directly across Euston Road from the British Library. The library is a place you should look into. It is new, but the library's display of famous documents is fantastic. And it is FREE.

If you stay at Kings Cross you will likely want to take the tube each morning to get near where your sight seeing destinations are located. The Yellow line is a loop that can drop you near many of the famous locations. London is very walkable. Again, If I remember correctly you can buy a packet of underground passes and that makes it easy to navigate the underground.

Enjoy, they almost speak an English you can understand.
wayne iNWI

I like Kensington and South Kensington but I wouldn’t stay there, it’s definitely fine and perfectly safe. I prefer Soho or Covent Garden. Premier Inn is an excellent choice anywhere in the U.K. I happen to love their Hub hotels but they’re best for one person or a very close couple that doesn’t have any boundaries.

Shuttle service doesn’t exist. You can get a car service if you’re adverse to using the Tube. I don’t know when you’re traveling, but if it’s soon consider getting there 4 hours early for an international flight. I am an experienced traveler, been to Heathrow many times, and barely made my flight with a 3 hour early arrival. Absolutely horrible and had to run for my gate and I’m a runner in decent shape.

Hello, travel is great and doing research teaches us so much, reading and looking through sites like this, where seasoned travelers have good thoughts, read maps to see about distances and start to put a trip together. Planning to me is part of the fun. Enjoy!

When we took the Eurostar from Paris to London, we stayed at the Kings Cross Premier Inn just a few yards away from the train station. Perfectly safe neighborhood, if not the poshest with supermarkets and pubs nearby as well as Costa Coffee. The rooms were perfectly adequate and were also nearby the tube station which takes you to Heathrow Airport so there is no need for a shuttle.

I stayed in Bloomsbury my first trip and have returned there, convenient to British Museum and lots of B&Bs. But really the Tube is so easy, you can get anywhere. I once stayed near Heathrow b/c I had to make an early departure, and even that was a short Tube trip to London; I discovered a lot of ethnic (Eastern European, etc.) cafes and groceries nearby. If you find an affordable hotel you like, go for it; just make sure you are near a Tube station. I even stayed in Golders Green to be near an event at Kenwood House near Hampstead Heath.

Happy 4th of July

Are you still here, bgodof?

We stayed in the Covent Garden area last month and found it convenient to a number of locations (Trafalgar Square, British Museum, Covent Garden, War Rooms, etc) all reachable by walking. There are so many places worth visiting that at some point you'll be taking the tube but it's nice to be in a location where at least some are in walking distance. A few years ago we stayed in the Kensington area near the Gloucester station and found that to be less centrally located.

Claudette, thank you for the National Express info, LHR to Victoria Station. I am staying at Cherry Court Hotel. I’d planned to take a cab but this is much cheaper.

FYI, Cherry Court has been very easy to work with. I need two rooms, one for me and one for my friend from Dublin. Friend’s plans have changed a couple times. Emails from the hotel were fast and cooperative. I haven’t stayed there yet but so far I’m happy. Anyone considering the Cherry Court, be aware that the rooms are tiny and there is no elevator but the reviews are good.

Howdy, also from Florida,
YouTube is now your good travel friend. Start by typing in "Visiting London" and view any of the ample opportunities to visually visit London. You are simply strolling the HUGE sampling of menu options available to a London visitor. Keep expanding the posts to gain a perspective of what might interest you for visiting. Once you have found some interesting areas start taking deeper dives in to how to visit them.
Have you any hobbies? Seek to define where your hobbies can be found while on your journey for this is a great way to meet people with a common interest.
Also, start using google maps to become familiar with London. We find taking a virtual walk helps reduce the travel stress of comprehending "where we are". Do the same with Underground route maps.
London is a wonderful and friendly place to visit. Slow down and absorb as much as possible!