Flying into Heathrow with 6am arrival. Hotel is Premier Inn St James. Hired a bus to Stonehenge and port two days later. Does it make sense to stay in St James or closer to airport? What would be a good two day (Friday/Saturday) itinerary ?
Posted by
Freedonia
19157 posts
If you want to explore London then it is better to stay in London and not at the airport.
As to what to do, that depends on your interests. Why not research what London offers and then decide.
You are aware that the Premier Inn you booked is a Hub by Premier Inn (smaller rooms) than a regular Premier Inn.
Posted by
Land of La
10233 posts
Hired a bus to Stonehenge? A bus?
What do you want to see besides Stonehenge?
Parliament? Tower of London? Westminster Abbey?
Why would you want to stay closer to the airport if you are taking a cruise?
Are you a foodie? Photograper?
Posted by
OP
4 posts
Seems other on our cruise are staying close to airport but maybe because they are coming in the evening and didn’t want to use transportation to hotel after a long flight?
I am a plant based foodie who prefer to be outdoors and husband enjoys museums - we make it work 😊
Changing of the horse guards, theater and maybe lunch on the Thames, Tower of London are high on our list I guess.
Posted by
10175 posts
If your cruise departs from Southampton, recommend staying your last night near that port city.
Posted by
Duluth, MN🌲
12498 posts
Hello, ifabisch, it sounds like a great vacation!
As Frank said, what you see in London will depend on your interests. But you could start off by looking at this London itinerary that Rick Steves came up with called London in 1, 2 or 3 Busy Days. Choose the places you like in there, and start with that. You can always shuffle things around and mix and match ideas. And there are links attached, so if you're interested click on one for more details about the sight.
https://www.ricksteves.com/europe/england/london-itinerary
EDIT: I don't know when you are going to London, but you might be interested in seeing the Ceremony of the Keys, which is the traditional 700-year-old nightly locking up of the Tower of London. It is enacted every evening at around 9:50 PM and is the oldest surviving military ceremony of its kind in the world. It's really wonderful but you have to book tickets ahead of time, and get in right away because the audience is limited in size, and tickets sell out quickly. https://www.hrp.org.uk/tower-of-london/whats-on/ceremony-of-the-keys/
Posted by
Bellingham, WA
1960 posts
I assume the hired van is the cruise line's transfer from Heathrow to the ship. So you have to be back at Heathrow on Sunday morning to catch the van. Other cruisers may be staying near the airport because they are basic. I doubt you'll find good vegan food out by the airport.
Definitely stay in London. It's easy to get to and from Heathrow on the Tube. Make sure that your hotel will store your luggage on arrival. Some Forum folks book the room for the night before they arrive, letting the hotel know about the arrival time so they don't give the room away. This way, baggage storage is guaranteed, along with whatever freshening up you want to do. This should not include a nap, BTW. Get out in the air (and sun should that be available).
Of your stated priorities, the Tower of London likely requires booking ahead for a timed entry. I recall someone saying they booked the first entry and went straight for the Crown Jewels. They were the first one there and had a nice chat with the security guard. This was probably not a recent visit. I would schedule this on Saturday, if possible, in case of flight delays. Maybe do a matinee after. If it were me, I'd probably fall asleep during an evening theater performance, especially on the first night after a transatlantic flight.
Posted by
OP
4 posts
No it’s not a hired van by cruise line, i booked it privately. Ok so will stay in London as planned. Gotcha on the timed entry will do that now. I will also check the other resource for ideas. I did book the hotel for the night
Prior so we could check in immediately- will NOT nap 😉
Posted by
Land of La
10233 posts
Things to enjoy in London and surrounding environs:
Bletchley Park https://www.bletchleypark.org.uk/
Postal Museum https://www.postalmuseum.org/
Hunterian Museum https://hunterianmuseum.org/
Spitalfields Market https://www.spitalfields.co.uk/
Crossness Pumping Station
Little Venice
Witness For The Prosecution at County Hall
https://witnesscountyhall.com/
Operation Mincemeat https://operationmincemeat.com/
Also if cruise is later in the year so try to get a tour inside Elizabeth’s Tower to see Big Ben.
https://www.parliament.uk/visiting/visiting-and-tours/big-ben-tour/