As our family trip was extended, our 17 years old son suggested to be alone in London while we tour Belfast and Dublin for 3 nights. He is responsible for his age, and I'm considering this as an opportunity for him to be on his own traveling in an English-speaking country. He has traveled alone in Australia before and though worried I'll consider his request to do so in London. First question: are minors allowed to stay alone in hotels in London? The plan would be that we leave him in our hotel in a single room after we leave for Dublin. Second question: if we stick to this plan, we'd reunite in Brussels. One option is that we take a morning flight from Belfast to London, then another evening flight to Brussels together, but that east up a whole day and all flights we need are very pricey. Actually, Dublin -Brussels is showing up as much cheaper than London-Brussels. Is there a way to buy a ticket so that our son flies to Brussels with a connecting flight in Dublin that we'd catch from there onward to reach Brussels? Third question: is the area near Canary Wharf safe? I have found an excellent hotel deal there, and there is where my son would be alone for 3 days with an Oyster card to travel elsewhere he wants to.
Posted by
Honolulu, Hawaii, USA
35 posts
18 is the age of majority in the UK, so someone under 18 cannot check-in to a hotel unaccompanied. The question becomes if your son can extend his stay unaccompanied. Legally, I would have my doubts but contact the hotel executive management office and see what they have to say on the issue. I don't thing it is something I'd do without informing or asking management. AerLingus has many daily flights from Heathrow to Dublin and three from Dublin to Brussels. And LHR is easily accessible on the Picadilly line. I can't imagine that option is cheaper than a nonstop LHR-BRU. Look at ITA Software for all airfares and connections but you have to go to the airline site or a consolidator to purchase: http://matrix.itasoftware.com/ Canary Wharf is a safe area and home to Britains tallest building which has a lot of shops and restaurants in the Plaza at the base. Access to the area is via the Jubilee line to Canary Wharf station.
Posted by
London, United Kingdom
4684 posts
One warning I'd say is that the area around Canary Wharf is one of the few bits of London where it's possible to get without warning from an upscale area to a very, very rough one on foot within a few minutes. Tell him to keep aware of his surroundings if he starts taking a walk from the hotel.
Posted by
Troy, Oh, USA
2804 posts
I would suggest getting your son a room in a different location before you go to Ireland. The Falcon Hotel, 11 Norfolk Square, Paddington is a great place and in a great location.
Posted by
OP
Perth, Australia
22 posts
Thanks for some feedback. I was browsing Google Street View around the serviced flat we're renting in Canary Wharf and there is indeed some streets looking more low class/dodgy called CDubbit Town. I'm still considering his request but we'll likely let him stay. He will be 3 months shy of his 18th birthday and he has traveled alone within Australia before and trains with an explorer/light mountaineering group and went on an expedition with them to NZ last year. The official manager of the place is on vacation and his 'deputy' said me in principle they don't let minors check-in alone there, but that if I rent a room under my name, check-in, then skip town while leaving him there it shouldn't be a problem. So I'll wait the manager return from his holiday and give me an answer. South Quay Docklands Light Railway Station is just half-block of our place, so I think he could easily manage in and out of the area without venturing into rough places.
Posted by
victoria, Canada
11507 posts
Fabbiana, my nephew grew up in a rural area here( west coast Canada) , he lived in an area with no public bus service, and he had never travelled more then 300 hundred miles from home even with his parents.. He turned 18 on June 23( this was 4 years ago) , and inherited some money from his granny. The first week of July he left for a 3.5 week trip to Europe. It included a 14 day tour, but he scheduled his arrival in London for 10 days before the tour started. He found a hotel ( well I helped) and toured London by himself for the first 10 days of being out the country ever in his life.. I was even a bit nervous for him as I knew he had never even really been to a large city in his life. He did absolutely fine. Since that made him only a few more monnths older then your son, and much less experienced,, I think your son will be fine. I agree that it would be easiest and best if you help him check into hotel then go off and do your own thing for a few days.. Give him all the usual warnings,, don't get drunk and walk around late at night, etc,, money in safe or moneybelt .. and he will be fine.
Posted by
Fontainebleau, France
893 posts
One other thing you might want to check into - will your minor son be able to leae the country alone? Since he'll be going from a non-Schengen country to a Schengen country, there will be a passport check. I've sent my child to/from England without me, but she was with an escorted group. It's likely not to be a problem, but I'd hate for your son to be stuck and you have to go back to get him out. And I think you should do this only if he has a way to quickly get in touch with you. It's one thing for him to travel with a group where there's someone else there that can act on your behalf, it's another for him to be on his own and absolutely need your involvement if something happened to him.
Posted by
Stuttgart, Germany
3050 posts
Parents know their kids better than strangers, and since you think he's mature enough to do this he probably is. My caveat would be that I wouldn't do this without you both having cell phones that work in Europe. You could buy "burner" handys for cheap. You want to be able to get a hold of him unfailingly at a moment's notice.