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London Trip Reflections

We just got back from London. Were there for 9 nights. Stayed in an apartment instead of a hotel or B&B and wouldn't do it any differently again. We could eat breakfast at our leisure and wearing our PJ's. We were able to also stop at the grocery store and buy fresh fruit and eggs and bacon and cook our own breakfasts. It was super comfortable!

The London Bus was our number one favorite mode of transportation. Using an Oyster Card really made it easy, we bought the one week travel pass and then afterwards we just put 10 pounds in to each card to last the next couple days.

London has so much to offer, 9 nights is just enough to skim the surface yet also get a good feel of the city.

Rick Steve's map is a priceless resource for finding the sights and interesting streets. I also had a Phillips London Guide which is better than the London A-Z so popularly sold there (found the Phillips version at Half Price Books here in Seattle for six bucks).

If I were traveling alone I would stay at a budget hotel like easyHotel but my wife and I appreciated the comfort of an apartment, a real home away from home! english-manner.com is the website we rented through. Glo in Los Angeles is a real super person to deal with.

Posted by
2804 posts

Ok, Dave you are home now, no excuse for not telling everyone about your "amazing" (your word) apartment you stayed in. There has been four post asking questions about it and they haven't gotten any info from you. Trying to keep it a secret? :)

Posted by
9221 posts

I'm one of the folks who asked about the apartment. That you said you went through english-manner works for me.

So glad you had a great stay in London.

Posted by
9221 posts

Thanks for being more specific about which of the London apartments you found via English-Manner.

LOVE to hear it was near the mews. Always wanted to rent an apartment in some mews.

Thanks again Dave.

Posted by
643 posts

The apartment was on Queen's Gate, a street that runs north to south from Hyde Park to Cromwell Road. The apartment is across the street from the Imperial College of London, as well as the Natural History Museum and the Science Museum. The V&A Museum is also close by. We enjoyed having this home away from home very much, and it was much much better than a simple hotel room. If I were traveling alone, I'd get a hotel room for myself, but having this much space was really luxurious. The bedrooms are at the back of the apartment which looks out to a Mews so it was dead quiet at night. I love South Kensington and hope to stay in the area again, though we couldn't afford any of the hotels there!!

Posted by
42 posts

I was following with interest on your trip Dave. Sounds like you had a great time! I agree with the Oyster card. We're in London right now and we've been using it all over the place. I can't believe how easy the Tube is to take... blows Toronto transit out of the water.

Posted by
643 posts

I'm already scheming a way to get us back to London. We couldn't get enough of that city. What an amazing place!! Oyster cards sitting here still have 6 pounds left on them - enough to get into the city on the tube!!! Ahh can't wait to return. I've become a real Anglophile!!!