London it is. Now, to pick a neighborhood. We'll be flying out of Heathrow from Terminal 1 around 11 AM, so would like to be near a convenient Tube station (i.e. one that won't require a transfer). So, should we aim towards Kensington, Earls Court, Victoria Station area? If not, where? Once we can narrow down a neighborhood, I'll search the rchives for hotel suggestions as well as check out Trip Advisor. As always, thanks for advice and tips.
Posted by
NC, United States
970 posts
Mary, I'll recommend that you think about staying at one of the Heathrow hotels on that last night before that 11am flight. You can spend a full day in London the day before an avoid the hassle of dragging you and your luggage around London and the Tube the morning of your flight, in the rush hour, not to mentioned being able to get some more sleep. Although it is hard to predict, I've found that you really do need to check in at Heathrow 2-3 hours before flight time. It's a mess of an airport. That said, there are only a couple hotels actually in a Heathrow terminal. But, there are several very close that offer shuttle rides. You should check on them before making final plans.
Posted by
Leesburg, VA, USA
342 posts
Mary, You realize you'll be on the tube during morning rush hour, and it will take about a hour to get to Heathrow. To avoid transfers, I suggest staying someplace near the Piccadilly Line, around Earls Court or South Kensington. From that area, getting to most major tourist sights will be just a quick tube ride, and then a straight shot to Heathrow on the morning of your departure. My husband and I have stayed in this area before, and we find it very convenient. Have a great trip!
Posted by
Troy, Oh, USA
2804 posts
Hi Mary, I would suggest staying in the South Kensington area or Earls Court. We really like the South Kensington area. I see that JC recommends you staying at Heathrow the night before your flight, I would recommend staying in Windsor, it's a 15 minute taxi ride from Windsor.
Posted by
Los Angeles, California
1986 posts
Best location for sightseeing though would be Leicester Square/Piccadilly Circus (both on the Piccaddilly line) you can tube from there to Heathrow. At 7 in the morning you are going out of town, while the commuters are coming in, so once you are past Piccadilly Square the Tube should start emptying out). I would be sorely tempted though to take Heathrow express or connect from paddington. The lines to get through security at heathrow are mind boggling.(You are going to need that 3 hours) And also 11am is a very popular time for flights to anywhere in USA- so there will be tons of people there (all with funny accents0