Random London questions

So, of your questions, I have experience with number 3. One option is to look into the Heathrow Express. If you are close to Lancaster Gate you are not far from Paddington. The first train is at 5:10 and it takes 15 minutes so you can take a later train. It costs more, but its easy and gives you peace of mind.

Just based on my experiences:

1 . If you're returning your Oyster cards at the airport on your way out and you're owed more than the 10/15/whatever the machines will pay back in coins, there's a manned window where you can return them in person for a full refund (charged back to the card used to buy them, IIRC.)

3 . No need to arrive 3 hours early - 2 is plenty.

5 . London Walks is cash only, no need to tip.

7 . Wear comfortable shoes!! You will be on your feet a lot!! Sneakers and jeans at touristy sites will fit right in...weather of course is variable, but in May 2018 we had a solid week of warm, sunny days.

3) 3 hours early is guidance. Check in online the day before and you will be able to skip the check in line. Either the tube or Heathrow Express will work, but if I were staying near Lancaster Gate, I’d go for the Heathrow Express. Buy your ticket online now. If you buy a ticket now (90 days out), you can get a weekday ticket for just 12.10 GBP; the weekend is cheaper.

4). I don’t tip housekeeping in the U.K.

5) London Walks does not take cards. Get cash. They are always happy when you have exact change. You do not need to tip the guide as you have paid them for their tour.

1. TEA: The best places will offer extra, if they see you’re enjoying a particular sandwich or cake. They may also offer to pack uneaten cakes. But don’t order extra and immediately get them doggy-bagged - that’s cheating!

2. HOUSEKEEPING: No. (Incidentally I’m shocked to discover you’re supposed to do it in America as I’ve travelled extensively there, and would never even have considered it.)

3. COACH DRIVER: No, although sometimes they will make a pitch for tips & then it’s up to you to decide whether to give them something as you get off the coach. See what others do.

4. CLOTHES: Seriously? What do you think we all wear over here in the U.K.? We wear jeans and trainers, like the rest of the world, unless we’re at work (and even then my workplace, like many others, is very jeans/trainer-friendly). Dress up a bit if in a posh hotel for tea but otherwise you’re fine. June is usually warm (I’d expect it in the 20s Celsius) but could rain at anytime. Bring a packable waterproof top layer (not a poncho).

Oh, it’s numbering my answers all wrong. So I put a subject title in next to each answer.

1. Take extra cash and decide day of based on what others do? ??

2. No, totally fine with jeans and sneakers. You’ll have to watch weather ahead of time I’m sure, but when I was there may and early June, on a couple days I ended up needing a light jacket, moreso to repel rain.

1) Manned booth at Heathrow will give you full refund.

2) Sorry, not my thing.

3) No need to get there three hours ahead of time. As stated, print out your boarding pass ahead of time. If you have luggage to check you can do that easily. Two hours should be enough.

4) No. But they won't turn it down if you do.

5)Cash only. Tips are optional but not expected.

6) See Number 5.

7) That's what I wear most of the time and I spend 3-4 months/year in London. You won't be out of place.

Last June it was hot in London. You can never tell what the temperature will be. Bring a sweater or light jacket. Rain may or may not happen. This website will show you the daily highs and lows from June of 2018:

https://www.accuweather.com/en/gb/london/ec4a-2/month/328328?monyr=6/01/2018

Thanks all for your quick replies! And thanks, Laura for the info about the inexpensive 90 day advance ticket. Somehow I completely missed that on their ticket site. I think we will take the slower tube Piccadilly line upon our arrival so we can use our Oyster card. And get the Heathrow Express just for our departure day. You just saved me a bunch of money. Thanks!

I don't know if they were typos when you said "I don't mind using our Oyster card", "we can use our Oyster card" (singular) - but FYI you'll need one for each person in your party - I know people don't always realize this.

I don't tip housekeeping but I do try to make things a bit easier for them by stripping the bed, clearing up all rubbish and placing towels in the bath/shower.

Never tipped a coach driver or guide. I've paid for their services, no need to pay twice.

I've never had afternoon tea so I can't advise you on expectations.

Jeans and trainers are fine but if you're going somewhere quite expensive/posh I'd suggest that garish trainers or the type that are intended for sport should not be worn, plain 'fashion' trainers would be ok but I would be inclined to wear smarter footwear.

Right now, looking out of my kitchen window, I would describe it as chilly and damp. I can't recall a day in June that I would consider chilly and damp and last June was so hot it was uncomfortable to sit outside at times. Generally June can best be described as pleasant.

Afternoon tea - it would be considered to be uncouth to ask for a doggy bag, so please don’t do it. Many places will offer more tea, but they usually provide enough food, so you shouldn’t need to ask for more. Afternoon tea is a stop gap between lunch and dinner. It’s not a meal replacement.

You need to be at the airport at least 3 hours before departure.

You don’t tip housekeeping in the UK. Tip in restaurants and taxi drivers, but not when ordering just drinks.

You may want to tip your guide and coach driver, but you don’t have to - follow the lead of others on the trip. That’s a long time sat on a coach!

Jeans and trainers are ok. You maybe too warm in jeans. Smarter establishments may prefer you to wear something else.

We're all supposed to be more conscious about reducing wastage so I'm not against asking for a doggy bag. But perhaps ask for a box rather than doggy bag (always conjures up poop bags in my mind!).

I'd probably opt for a short walk to Paddington Station and then train to Heathrow with advance tickets. Of course if everyone on your flight turns up 3 hours before the flight you'll all be in a line together. 2.5 hours wouldn't cause me concern.

I really don't think you need to spend all that money (even with discount) on Heathrow express. It shouldn't take an hour and a half on the tube, and even if it was a few minutes over that, the three hours you are allotting yourself is enough. You are talking a total of four and a half hours before your flight for tube and time at the airport and that's more than enough.

I have never been to "high tea" but even for the theater there are plenty of people in jeans. Maybe some foot ware other than trainers for some things, but you can dress up jeans to be perfectly acceptable for most things.

Rather than asking for a 'doggy bag' (or even some other word for it) just bring a small zip lock baggie and if you have a couple pieces of biscuits or sandwich left, just slip it in the baggie and don't make a big deal out of it. Less work for the server, lots of places in Europe don't have 'left over' containers like in the US (it's just not common). But obviously don't do this if you asked for 'seconds'. I'm talking about food that was delivered to you, paid for, and must be thrown out if it's left on your plate when you leave.

I also had an early flight home, and for arrival had a pre-booked ticket for a museum exhibit that was sold out and it would have killed me to miss seeing Frida Kahlo's personal belongings, so I used the Heathrow Express round trip. I was very pleased with it--every 15 minutes like clockwork, peace of mind well worth the cost. I stayed 3 blocks from Paddington so very convenient for me.

You will be fine in your jeans and whatever super comfy shoes you choose--I don't wear athletic sneakers, instead opt for a nicer looking pair of Ecco leather sneaker-oxfords in either navy, mahogany, red, or black.

I do tip a guide, but not the driver--between 5 - 20 pounds depending on the quality of the tour.

I keep my Oyster card and use it the next time I'm in London, so haven't bothered with a refund. In 5 days I spent about 30 pounds, ran it down to about 7 pounds.

Yes, please stop calling it a "doggy bag" unless you are planning to actually feed the leftovers to your dog!

I used to hear that term a lot when I was growing up. But the last I heard it used other than on this forum was at least 35 years ago. It is always referred to as "a box to go" or something similar. It just sounds better.

And yes, don't ask for the tea time snacks to be refilled and then immediately ask them to be boxed up to go. Just plain rude that.

Some London Walks allow you to pay in advance with a credit card, I only know this because I follow a few of the guides on Twitter. It probably isn’t worth it , although I’ve never done Jack The Ripper which is supposed to be popular. Plus, booking ahead commits you to the walk or be out the £10. I’d just shown up and pay. No tipping, but I’ve had a couple that have ended near a pub and bought the guide a pint.

1. Unless the policy has changed (I was last in London 6-7 years ago, sadly), you must make sure that you use the same payment method for the Oyster and any topping up in order to get the on-the-spot refund. The £10 maximum is the balance on the card (you can check it most any tube station or bus). The deposit is not included. If you paid cash, you will get a cash refund. If you used a credit card, they'll credit you. If you're taking Heathrow Express to LHR, then get it on your last evening at a tube station.
2. I was never offered seconds at tea. I once had tea with a group (locals and tourists organized on a travel forum) and the local "host" did ask for more savories, since there were very few. I don't remember anyone taking leftovers away, though I'm not sure there were many. I like to eat tea slowly, savoring each bite, and will go through a second and maybe even a third pot of tea. I never manage to finish everything and if the server doesn't offer to box them up for me, I request it. Some places have a dress code (or maybe it's just a recommendation?). Check before you go. You may have to book in advance for some places to ensure seating.
3. My impression is that housekeeping staff get low wages for doing a crap job (the nature of the job, not the quality of their work). About the only times I haven't tipped are on tours when the guide has assured me that s/he tips for the group. I leave a daily tip, usually with a little note that says thank you in the local language and/or a smiley face, both to show appreciation and also because more than once, I've left money without a note and found it waiting for me when I returned. I have no way to know for sure, but I believe I usually get better service when I leave a daily tip - maybe it's extra toiletries or towels, sometimes it just feels like someone's taken more care to clean.
4. I usually average one play a day when I'm in London (I go to matinees too), always wear whatever I'm wearing on my sightseeing during the day. I can't think of anywhere I've felt out of place in casual clothes.

I leave a daily tip, usually with a little note that says thank you in the local language and/or a smiley face, both to show appreciation and also because more than once, I've left money without a note and found it waiting for me when I returned.

That reminds of an occasion when we took our kids to Warsaw for a long weekend during which it was one of their birthdays. We took all his birthday cards with us and he opened them in the hotel room in the morning. My parents had given him some Zloty as his present so he had started writing a thankyou note but didn't get to finish it before we went out. He left the note with the money (about £15) on the bedside table. Of course, when we returned both the money and the note were gone (there was more money placed elsewhere but that was still there), the cleaner obviously thought it was for her. We didn't chase it up, we found it amusing and could see how it could have been interpreted so we gave him some more money and hoped she enjoyed her surprise 'tip'.

Most of the forum members did an awesome job in answering your questions. I do want to clarify one thing on the Oyster Card refund as it caught me by surprise at the airport. I used the kiosks and I received my 5 pound deposit, plus the balance (under 10 pounds) on each of my cards. Even though I charged the original Card purchase, my refund was in cash. Luckily, we were planning to have breakfast at the airport and paid for it with my refund. I was not aware you could go to an attendant for a credit refund, but the kiosk definitely gave me cash back. Note this was in December 2018.

I had the same experience, I finally cashed in an 0ysyer card that I’ve had for several trips. I’ve used both cash and card to top it up. It gave me the refund in coins.

I didn’t need the Oyster since I have a contactless card now.

Two tips:

1. Try not to have too high of a balance on it, you might lose it or else your plans may change and might not have as much transit as anticipated..

2. You can use coins 10p and higher to top it up, a good way to spend some of the small value coins. I wouldn’t recommend doing this while it’s busy.