Will spend 5 days in London at the Ampersand in Kensington area at the beginning of our 3 week trip. Return for one night from Scotland flying into Gatwick at 4:35PM (only flight available) then Fly out of Heathrow the next day at 2:05PM. Need advice on best place to stay. Figure one last nice dinner and maybe a morning walk before heading back to the US. Any suggestions on accommodations and dining would be greatly appreciated, cheers!
Posted by
Land of La
9265 posts
Arrive Gatwick and take the Gatwick Express to Victoria Station. Mind The Gap and board an Underground train ( Circle Line but double check ) to Paddington Station. It’s an easy walk from Paddington to The Darlington Hyde Park. Spend the night.
Book Heathrow Express tickets NOW. Next day Enjoy the 15 minute ride to Heathrow on the Express
from Paddington Station.
Consider dinner at The Victoria Paddington pub. There’s an upstairs dining area. OR have dinner at Tukdin which is a small Malaysian restaurant. 10-15 minute stroll.
Posted by
OP
Sacramento, Ca, Usa
80 posts
Thanks so much Claudia...amazing how this forum helps ease the stress of planning!
Posted by
Freedonia
16420 posts
I'm going to suggest something different since I believe going to Paddington is out of the way.
Take the Gatwick Express to Victoria then walk a couple of blocks to the Resident Victoria hotel. For a last meal, what is better than a good pub. The hotel will point you in the right direction.
The next day, head back to Victoria station. Take the District line to Hammersmith, walk across the platform (less than 20 feet) and get the Piccadilly line to Heathrow.
Posted by
Tunbridge Wells
6113 posts
I don’t care for the Paddington area, so like Frank, I would stay in the Victoria area and take the tube to Heathrow. It will take about an hour to get to Heathrow, so you will need to depart your hotel around 10am or a little earlier to allow for some wriggle room.
Posted by
Noblesville, Indiana, USA
1412 posts
Since you're arriving later in the afternoon I'd stay in the Gatwick area to enjoy the remainder of your day/evening and then move on to LHR the next day. Several years ago we stayed at the delightful Copthorne Hotel. The hotel is a charming old inn close to the airport and within walking distance of the fun The Prince Albert pub where you can meet locals. Check it out at: https://www.millenniumhotels.com/en/gatwick/copthorne-hotel-london-gatwick/?cid=gplaces-copthorne-hotel-london-gatwick. It appears the hotel is currently closed but that could change. If it's unavailable during your trip then look for a similar option in the Gatwick area.
Posted by
Stratford upon Avon
470 posts
Avoid the Gatwick Express and take any normal train
Cheaper and only a few minutes slower
Posted by
OP
Sacramento, Ca, Usa
80 posts
I like the idea of staying in the Victoria area and using the Gatwick express, however when I search the Gatwick express it says it is not in service? Alternate train looks like an hour and a half. Anyone know if the Gatwick express is expected to be up and running by June?
Posted by
Austin, TX
79 posts
From the Gatwick Express twitter account and website looks like it is suspended at present due to Covid. Probably a combo plate of reduced travel and problem with workers out sick. Have no idea when it will be back up and running, so I’d just follow them on Social media (@gatwickexpress) or visit their website and if it’s not operational, take a standard train.
Posted by
Freedonia
16420 posts
A local train from Gatwick to London Victoria will take 35 minutes.
Use http://www.nationalrail.co.uk to find your schedule. Mind you, it might be too early for June.
Posted by
Northamptonshire, England
34010 posts
I posted about the Victoria shutdown and Gatwick Express closure on the 31st of December https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/england/gatwick-express-shut-down-and-all-southern-railway-from-victoria-all-cancelled-until-mid-january
People are still getting sick and not at work due to the virus therefore there are both fewer tourists who need the Gatwick Express - a service by and large only used by tourists, the locals know that normal trains only take 5 minutes longer for much less money - and fewer train crew to work those largely empty trains. So the first place to be cancelled are those tourist trains.
You don't want a train driver with brain fog from Long Covid trying to drive your train, or the signaller in a similar situation or platform staff.
It is also true that the company which owns both Southern Railway (the local trains on the line and virtually all trains out of Victoria) and Gatwick Express is in deep financial trouble, only posting its financial reports due last year the day before yesterday. The stock had been temporarily delisted for nearly 2 months and when it reopened for trading yesterday it dropped like a stone until a circuit breaker stopped trading again. Good thing I dumped my GTR shares when I retired!!
Just to say that Southern and its sibling Gatwick Express will be doing everything they can to cut costs. If they can arrange to not run services that is what they will do.
I won't get into the political pressures Southern have been under which are at the root of much of the financial pressure.
Just before you fly look to see what services will be running.
It doesn't feel like it but in the age of covid and war and political upheaval 3 or 4 months to June is an absolute age.