How to relax / 26.02.2024

Where to stay in London. What else to see in London? Where are the best places to live in London?

London is a metropolis consisting of the ceremonial county of the City and 32 districts located around it, called “boroughs”. Formally, the city is divided into Inner London, consisting of 12 boroughs, and the surrounding Outer London, consisting of 20 boroughs. All together is officially called Greater London.

City of London

Let's start with the most special area. (City of London) is a unique administrative-territorial entity that has the status of a ceremonial county, and therefore is not subject to royal authority. In the City there are the famous one, created by W. Shakespeare, and others.

The hotels here are mostly luxury, but there are also budget options, such as hostels.

You can book a hotel in the City of London using this link.

Westminster

To the west of the City there is an area (Westminster) that has the status of a “City” - the City of Westminster, one of the historical areas of Greater London. Here is the famous British Parliament and the Royal Court of Justice.

It is in Westminster that the well-known streets of the Mall, Whitehall, Downing Street and Baker Street are located. There are many hotels in this area with different prices, feel free to choose according to your budget.

Book a hotel in Westminster.

Covent Garden

There are fashionable luxury hotels here, but there are also more modest hotels.

You can view the best offers using this link.

Kensington and Chelsea

West of Covent Garden is the area of Kensington and Chelsea. Kensington is an area of embassies and consulates, in which respectability emanates from all sides. There are two nearby - Holland Park and Kensington Gardens. In addition, there are the Victoria and Albert Museum and the Olympia Exhibition Centre.

It is unthinkable to be here and not visit, when there are 2 exhibitions about the life of Queen Victoria at once, and there is.

There are many hotels in these areas and prices are relatively lower. The central city can be reached in 20 minutes.

See the link for hotels in this area.

Hammersmith and Fulham

The Hammersmith area is home to several famous theaters and concert halls. Countless bus routes and several intersect here, including Piccadilly, which you can use to get to. The area is within walking distance of such famous London attractions as the Victoria and Albert Museum and others. There are also interesting places: the exhibition and concert center Earls Court, the famous Empress State Building and Finborough.

Fulham is one of the greenest areas of London, located along the north bank of the Thames. Fans know that Fulham is home to two football stadiums, Stamford Bridge and Craven Cottage, where the clubs "" and "Fulham" train respectively. You can even visit the first stadium as a tour; it also has its own museum (book a one-hour exciting tour using this link).

There are many hotels in these areas and the prices are not the highest. The distance from the center is about 30 minutes or 40-60 minutes by bus. Best hotel deals.

Wandsworth–a quiet, safe residential area on the south bank of the Thames, with many bridges and green spaces, located 30-40 minutes from the city center.

It is not particularly different from other residential areas with an average white population and is considered a good place to live.

There are few hotels in this area of London, but the prices are quite low, see the best offers here.

Lambeth

Lambeth is located in inner London, opposite. It is connected to Westminster by Waterloo Bridge, and on the embankment there is a station of the same name. This is where Lambeth's informal name comes from - Waterloo. Kennington and Vauxhall are widely known as local walks.

Attractions include the Royal Festival Hall, the Royal National Theater and the giant Ferris wheel. The view from it is breathtaking; you can appreciate it not only without waiting in line, but also with other privileges (). The area is interesting for tourists; festivals, fairs and all kinds of shows are always held here.

There are few hotels in the area and they are quite expensive. Search.

Southwark

Southwark is separated from the City by the Thames. Its main part extends along the south coast between Lambeth and Bermondsey. Currently, the development is predominantly modern, with skyscrapers and. One of the remarkable modern buildings–City Hall, which serves as the seat of the Greater London Authority.

The banks of the Thames are connected by the Millennium Bridge, next to which it is located. It is reminiscent of its rich past and has become one of the symbols of London. The area is convenient for tourists.

There are many hotels here, the prices are different, but definitely not low. You can find the best deals by following this link.

Tower Hamlets

To the east of the center is Tower Hamlets, which is adjacent to and includes much of London's East End. It is considered one of the most ethnically diverse areas, with more than half of the population being ethnic minorities. Here is the Museum of Childhood, a branch of the Victoria and Albert Museum.

The Isle of Dogs is home to the Canary Wharf business district. The area is very large and diverse. Overall quite safe, with convenient transport routes and cheap accommodation.

You can find very inexpensive hotels using this link, but silence is not guaranteed.

Hackney

Hackney is an area in northeast London. Tourists should know that Hackney is most often associated with poverty and gangsterism. There are reasons for this: for more than a hundred years it has been famous for its high crime rate. But there are also attractions! For example, Victoria Park, opened at the beginning of the 19th century, was where workers held rallies.

Today it is one of the largest landscaped parks in Britain. There are museums, theaters, and contemporary art galleries here. Music festivals, concerts and other creative events are often held. But we don’t recommend staying there (if you dare, check out the hotels at the link).

The Islington area is famous for its antique shops, trendy wine bars and... Londoners love it: famous science fiction writer George Orwell lived here, and later former British Prime Minister Tony Blair lived here.

The area is quite prestigious and inexpensive; there are many hotels at reasonable prices. It is convenient for tourists: located close to the center, beautiful and neat.

Camden Town

Camden Town is a charismatic and fashionable area. This is a kind of “underground paradise” for representatives of various subcultures. Every second passer-by here is a goth, emo, punk or just a fun-loving reveler.

Perhaps the most important attraction of Camden Town is. Millions of people come here every year in search of exclusive wardrobe items. There are plenty of hotels and hostels, and they are quite cheap. A great place for modern youth.

Brent

Brent is a mixture of residential, industrial and commercial land. Wembley is the main area of Brent and is home to the stadium and arena of the same name.

The area is safe, but not very interesting for tourists. Very multinational and multicultural.

Hounslow, Richmond upon Thames and Kingston upon Thames

The areas of Hounslow, Richmond-upon-Thames and Kingston-upon-Thames are the quietest prestigious areas of the city, famous for the number of schools, parks and gardens.

It's safe and cozy here. There are many middle-class hotels in these areas, but they are located far from the center. You can find hotels in them by clicking on the names: Hounslow, Richmond-upon-Thames and Kingston-upon-Thames.

Merton, Sutton and Croydon

The southernmost districts of Merton, Sutton and Croydon are far from the centre. Merton and Sutton are safer than parts of Croydon. Maybe low hotel prices will attract you, but it is better to live closer to the center, and in more interesting places. Hotels in these areas can be found by clicking on the names: Merton, Sutton and Croydon Croydon).

Lewisham and Bromley

Near south-east Lewisham and far south-east Bromley are also less attractive areas for tourists. They are far from the center, and do not reach Bromley, but pass the Overground lines.

Transport in Lewisham is better: there are the Docklands Light Lines, which operate without conductors. Before checking into one of these areas, it is better to find out about the location of the hotel and the level of security. Hotels here are usually not very expensive.

Greenwich

To the east of Lewisham is the borough, the "sea gate" of London. Since time immemorial, its history has been closely linked with the British Navy. The Prime Meridian and the Greenwich Observatory are famous all over the world. It is considered one of the most prestigious areas. The main attractions of Greenwich are, as we have already noted, the famous observatory, Greenwich Park, the maritime museum, and, interesting for Russian tourists, the monument to Yuri Gagarin.

This is a tourist area, but we would not recommend settling here: you have to take a train to get to the center, and it takes about an hour. But be sure to visit the park; from its site there is a beautiful view of London and the Thames.

If you decide to stay here, there are interesting hotel options at this link.

Bexley, Havering, Barking, Dagenham

The easternmost areas of Bexley, Havering, Barking and Dagenham are industrial outlying areas of the city with little tourist interest. It has a lot of working class people, pubs and football. For example, the famous footballer John Terry is from Barking.

Wide range of cultural events including dance and literature festivals, exhibitions, concerts and tea dances. You can live cheaply in this area, but it is far from the center and there are many visitors.

Find all accommodation options in Redbridge using this link.

Newham

The eastern borough of Newham has the highest proportion of young people and one of the lowest proportions of white British people. It ranks as the second most ethnically diverse area after Brent.

Newham is not too far from the center but is very noisy. In the southern part of the borough is London City, serving predominantly London's business districts. There are also few tourist spots here, but housing prices are low.

Waltham Forest, Harringey and Enfield

Waltham Forest, Haringey and Enfield are green residential areas. Over 11% of the area is green, and 40% of Enfield is part of the London Green Belt. On its territory there are historical buildings and estates, the most famous of which is the Forty Hall estate.

It’s nice and safe here, but for a tourist trip you should choose a closer area. If you want to breathe clean air, admire quiet villages or exercise under the sunny sky, then come here. There are few hotels in these areas, but the prices are not high.

They are of little interest to tourists, and are considered to form Outer London: they are far from the center and there is nothing attractive there to settle during their visit.

That's all the boroughs of the city. Travel and enjoy. Remember the location of your hotel is important and that London is unpredictable and full of adventure. Have a nice rest!

TOURISTS' ANSWERS:

The cost of living space in the capital of Great Britain is very high, and this also applies to rental housing. The result of this is the high cost of hotel rooms. The best solution would be to book your room in advance on one of the sites - such as Booking.com. Another option is to book a room upon arrival - for this there are special agencies at the airport and train stations, which will be discussed below.

In London, you can rent a room in a regular hotel, or you can stay in an apartment - this accommodation option is more convenient for those who travel with family, with children, as well as for those travelers who are used to cooking their own food.

Company branches British Hotel Reservation Center (BHRC) located at Heathrow and Gatwick airports and Victoria Station. Finding and booking accommodation with this office costs £5. She provides substantial discounts on her services, they can sometimes reach more than 50%. But this is mostly for long-term bookings, for two weeks or longer. At the branch you will receive a booking voucher after paying for the first night of your stay at the hotel.

From a well-known travel company Thomas Cook has an office on Regent Street, as well as its own network of hotel accommodation offices. They can be found at Gatwick Airport, Charing Cross, King's Cross, Victoria and Paddington stations, as well as South Kensington and Earl's Court tube stations. At Thomas Cook you can also get a big discount, which will allow you to check into a four-star hotel somewhere close to the main attractions without hurting your wallet. However, it is most profitable to contact an agency when you plan to stay in the UK capital for more than two weeks.

There is also such a company with a similar profile as London Tourist Board: its offices can be found in different parts of the city, they are in the subway, and at train stations, as well as at airports. Attractive offers can be found on the website Lastminute.com.

Travelers who are young and come to the capital of England with a company and want to save money can be advised stay in hostels– in addition to the cheapness of the rooms, you get savings on transport, since for the most part such establishments are located in the central part of the city. To book an inexpensive room in a hostel, go to the website Hostellondon.com– prices start from 14 euros.

When you book a room (no matter how you do it) – check if the price includes VAT, because in England it is 17.5%, which is quite a lot.

As usual, the cost of breakfast is already included in the price of your stay. Breakfast can be continental - Continental breakfast, or English - English breakfast. Continental will cost you less, it is not very dense and consists of milk, cereal (or muesli), croissants, fruit, jam, cheese, ham, coffee and juices. In contrast, the English breakfast is more expensive and consists of scrambled eggs and bacon, fried sausages, mashed potatoes, beans and vegetables.

In a hotel room of any class you will find an electric kettle and tea and coffee. It’s absolutely not worth using the phone from your room - the cost of communication can exceed the regular tariff by as much as eight times.

Almost all hotels accept the main common plastic cards for payment. As for fluctuations in the cost of hotel accommodation, in the summer it is slightly higher, and the period of lowest prices is January-February.

The most interesting hotels in London

Hotels in London are very diverse. Thus, many visitors prefer to stay in historical hotels, which are located in ancient buildings; these hotels have preserved the style of interior decoration and archaic atmosphere over a long period. There are quite a lot of such establishments in the capital of England, so let’s talk about them now.

St Ermin's Hotel 4*

The hotel is located in an old red brick building in the central part of Westminster. Parliament and Buckingham Palace are located very close - you can walk to them in just two minutes. The hotel is surrounded by a beautiful garden. If you are a fan of walking, then most likely you will like it here.

Rubens at the Palace 4*

This hotel also belongs to the historical group. It is closest to Buckingham Palace. Here you can see directly from the window how the changing of the guard takes place. The interior strikingly combines Victorian style and modern trends. Recently, in 2011, it was 100 years since the founding of this hotel. It is a respectable age, but the establishment has not lost its charm and has managed to preserve to this day the true spirit of aristocratic England.

Millennium Hotel London Mayfair 5*

This hotel is located in a huge house, which was built in the eighteenth century outside the city. Significant events took place within its walls - such as, for example, the declaration of Wellington's victory in the battle with Napoleon. The hotel is interesting as a museum and comfortable as a private residence; the ancient spirit of history is felt here.

Dorchester Hotel 5*

This hotel is located north of Hyde Park. It was founded in April 1931. Where it was built, there was previously an old building dating back to the nineteenth century. Dorchester Hotel has been a leader in various ratings more than once, such as Forbes Traveler 2008 - then it took second position. This hotel hosted the most famous people in the world - Winston Churchill, Eisenhower, Elizabeth Taylor. The room where Eisenhower stayed is located on the ground floor and is called the “Eisenhower Suite” - every guest can now stay here.

There is also another group of hotels in London - designer: famous masters were involved in their design. For example, you can mention a hotel such as Blakes Romantic 5*(this is the Kensington area), which was created by the famous designer Anushka Hempel. The originality of the author's style, elegance and high quality service are the distinctive features of the Blakes Romantic Hotel.

There is another positive point: the luxurious Harrods department store, Albert Hall, Hyde Park, museums and parks are located nearby.

Is the answer helpful?

As we all know from English lessons at school, London is the capital of England. England itself is not a cheap country, and London, as you might guess, is its most expensive city.

This is why prices for accommodation in London are significantly higher than in other European cities. Below I will give a brief overview of London hotels.

Two-star hotels and hostels

The cheapest option for a traveler who would like to save money is a hostel or the most modest hotel (that is, a two-star hotel).

In the hostel you can stay in a shared room (that is, pay for a bed) or rent a private room. There are quite a few hostels in London, which are very popular among young people and budget tourists.

The cheapest accommodation option in London is a bed in a 20-bed shared room. It will cost you only 600 rubles per day, but it is worth considering that this is a small room, in which there is nothing but bunk beds, which occupy almost the entire space. You should also remember that guests of both sexes can stay in the room (the so-called mixed room). There are several bathrooms, as well as a hairdryer and iron. Whether you can relax in a room with so many strangers is up to you to decide. This hostel is located in the heart of the city, very close to Hyde Park. It is called Smart Hyde Park Inn.

Prices for a single room with a shared bathroom in a hostel or modest hotel already start at 2 thousand rubles per night. The hostel has a very simple environment, but good service and cleanliness. Most often, wireless Internet in hostels is provided only in common areas - at the reception and in the recreation area, which is often equipped with vending machines selling snacks and other fast food, as well as a TV.

Three star hotels

There are a huge number of three-star hotels in London, both in the city center and at some distance from it. Prices for a room in a 3-star hotel start from two and a half thousand rubles per night, the average price is three to four thousand. For example, a hotel called Ravna Gora, located near Notting Hill, offers a single room with breakfast for just over 3 thousand rubles. This hotel is located in an old building, but all rooms are equipped with wireless Internet and a flat-screen TV. The hotel owners are Serbian, so if you don't speak English very well, pay attention to him.

A hotel located in the very center of London, in Westminster, will cost you significantly more - about five and a half thousand rubles per night. But it is very comfortable to live in it - the hotel itself is located in a quiet place, so no one will disturb your rest, and the rooms are equipped with everything you need - air conditioning, satellite TV, safe and work desk. It's called Comfort Inn Hyde Park.

Four-star hotels

For those who want more comfort, there are also four-star hotels in London - as a rule, the rooms have more space than three-star ones, they are better equipped and more elegantly furnished. Often in four-star hotels you can visit a gym or spa center. Prices for hotels in this category start from four thousand rubles per night and can reach 12-14 thousand rubles per day of stay.

Such hotels include, for example, Park Plaza Sherlock Holmes London, located on Baker Street, a stone's throw from the museum dedicated to the famous detective. It positions itself as a boutique hotel, equipped with a gym, spa, and also offering dishes made from organic products. The hotel also has a bar offering a variety of cocktails. The hotel staff speaks Russian. A room in this hotel will cost you 12 thousand per night.

There are also cheaper hotels in the center - for example, Belle Cour Hotel Russel Square, located near King Cross railway station. Guests are offered spacious rooms equipped with everything necessary for a pleasant stay - they have wireless Internet, tea and coffee making facilities, a hairdryer and an iron. A night in this hotel will cost you 8 thousand rubles per night.

Five star hotels

In the cheapest five-star hotel in London you will have to pay 12 thousand rubles per day of stay - this is a hotel called The Cadogan, located in the heart of London. At your disposal are luxurious and spacious rooms, LCD satellite TV, wireless Internet, a bathroom with toiletries, and a private fitness studio.

Well-known London hotels also include hotels of the Hilton chain - a night there will cost you 14-15 thousand rubles, as well as Mariott, where you will be asked for 15-16 thousand per night.

London is also home to a world famous hotel Savoy, which was discovered back in the 19th century. It is located on the banks of the Thames, in close proximity to the British Museum. Here you can visit restaurants, including the restaurant of the famous chef Gordon Ramsay (called Savoy Grill). The Savoy rooms are decorated in an Edwardian or Art Deco style. The room has everything for a comfortable stay - a work desk, DVD and CD player, flat-screen TV, electric kettle, iPod docking station. The bathroom is stocked with Miller Harris toiletries. A night in this hotel will cost you 30,000 rubles.

Another hotel belonging to a global chain is Intercontinental, which is located in the heart of the English capital. Its rooms, unlike the Savoy, are decorated in a modern style. The spacious rooms not only have a TV and DVD player, but also a games console, so hotel guests can play video games. The Intercontinental also has a spa center that offers massages, relaxation in the spa area and various relaxation programs. In addition, the hotel has a gym for those who want to stay in shape even on vacation. A night in a classic double room will cost you 20 thousand rubles.

London stands apart from all other European cities. Although the British, perhaps, stay a little aloof from everyone. They jealously guard their culture, history and individuality, which were formed under the influence of many factors, including climatic and geographical. This is one of those cases where the location determines the future of the country and the character of its inhabitants. The bustling areas of London, which is a major port city, are one of the business centers of the world, holding influence on the entire global economy for centuries. The legendary London fogs shaped the character of the local residents: the calm and self-possessed English seem to many to be strict, prim and arrogant. But this is far from true. They are just really very polite and observe the rules of decency. And this only benefits the tourist. Just ask for directions and they will literally “not let you go” until they are sure that you understood everything correctly. They will explain the route to you in detail over and over again for a long time, patiently and with a smile. It’s worth coming and seeing for yourself how welcoming and hospitable the British are. And in general, get rid of many stereotypes associated with this wonderful city.

For example, to lose the illusion that only English people live in London. The capital of Great Britain is one of the most densely populated and cosmopolitan cities in the world. Some areas are generally “under the rule” of residents of other countries, most often Africa, India, Pakistan, and Vietnam. There are many migrants from China, Greece, Turkey, and Israel. There is nothing “Londonian” in these neighborhoods, as enthusiastic tourists expect the city to be. Therefore, when planning a trip on your own, you should carefully consider the choice of place of residence. It’s not very easy to figure this out on your own. The fact is that the capital of Great Britain is a very large city, in general, the largest in Europe, and very diverse. London is divided into 32 boroughs. At the same time, the historical center - the City - does not belong to any district at all. And besides this, there are 3 more administrative units that have a special status. And all of them, forming London, are divided into 6 zones. And this should definitely be taken into account, since the London Underground system is built in such a way that the fare directly depends on this division.

London boroughs map

It is worth noting that the tube in London is very expensive. And when choosing a hotel in a remote area, out of a desire to save money, you risk spending more. In some cases, even a taxi ride (if you are not traveling alone) will cost you less.

However, it may also turn out that where you live there will be no metro at all. And you will have to get there by bus, it’s good if there are no transfers. From this point of view, we do not recommend the following areas: Bexley, Croydon, Enfield, Hounslow, Sutton. There is a tube in Barnet, but sometimes the address you need is half an hour away by bus.

The situation is a little better in those areas where it is, but it will take you at least 40 minutes to get to the center. These are, for example, the areas: Waltham forest, Newham, Redbridge, Richmond upon Thames, Havering, Harrow, Haringey, Baku Dagenham (Barking and Dagenham), from some areas of Bromley it will take you an hour and a half to get there.

If you are coming for a couple of days, you are unlikely to want to spend so much time on the road. In addition, we repeat once again, this makes absolutely no sense, since with such travel prices, you won’t even be able to save on housing. The price of a hotel is a good guide when choosing a hotel in London. You should be wary of any offers below £100 for a mid-range room. The price is not small, so if you want to save money, try to find hostels, which are located in almost all areas of London.

In the center, naturally, housing will be more expensive. Still, it is better to look for housing in this area - in the first zone. The main attractions and historical sites, museums, galleries, shops and restaurants are concentrated here. Here you can search for a hotel anywhere without fear. Everything is very decorous, noble, aristocratic.

How to get to London cheaply and find accommodation?

Use the search for cheap air tickets from aviasales.ru. To do this, you can use the search form directly on our website:

To find a place to stay, use our convenient search for cheap hotels in London.

Everything that is outside zone 1 should be studied carefully. Not all areas will be pleasant for you to settle in, and some are simply dangerous. For example, we do not recommend settling in the Peckham area. One of the poorest and darkest areas remains on crime news reports. Mostly migrants from South Africa live here. The area of Hackney is also a migrant area, but is populated mainly by Turks. It bears little resemblance to traditional London; it is mainly built up with gray and dull high-rise buildings. But here is one of the most famous cheap markets, Hackney Wick, where it seems that you can buy literally everything. From groceries to household appliances and very cheap. The following areas are notorious: Lambeth, Islington, Paddington, Brixton. Brixton is the area with the worst reputation: a former working-class neighborhood where prostitution and drug trafficking used to flourish, but now, thanks to the efforts of the authorities, the situation is being corrected. Therefore, visiting it now may be interesting and not so dangerous, but it is better to live elsewhere.

The famous London bus with Big Ben in the background

Conventionally, London is divided into western and eastern. So all the industrial centers, migrant waves replacing each other, poverty, squalor, dirt, bustle and new buildings - this is east London. Of course, there are exceptions, but it is still better to settle in central or western London. Great areas to live: Greenwich, Mayfair, Knightsbridge, Kensington, Belgravia, Chelsea, St Djohns Wood, Regents Park , Marylebone, Highgate, St James, Holland Park, Bloomsbury, Earls Court, Victoria, Bayswater, Maida Vale Mayda Vale, the government center of Westminster, where the most famous architectural monuments are located.

Question " Where to stay in London during your trip» will be one of the first to arise.
We won’t give you any specific recommendations to “settle here” - it’s a huge city, choose according to your taste and budget, we’ll give you basic principles of housing selection.
To select a hotel and make a reservation, use trusted sites like booking.com or hotels.com, they have many reviews in Russian.

General points

London is an expensive city in which real estate in the center is especially worth its weight in gold. A room in a hotel not located on the very outskirts will most likely be small The size is normal for London hotels.

By prices for a room for a family of three (parents and child) it is better to estimate from 100 pounds per night. Of course, it is possible to find cheaper, but often this will be either at the expense of quality, or somewhat away from the main tourist routes.
Be sure to check whether VAT is already included in the indicated hotel price (it is more than 17%), so that this does not become an unpleasant surprise later.

In almost all hotels, even very inexpensive ones, the room will have kettle and tea/coffee bags, which is a great help for a tired tourist.
Breakfast is also usually included, although you can find rooms without breakfast. It happens continental(cereals with milk, jam, juice, fruit, coffee) and English(more filling - scrambled eggs with bacon, sausages, vegetable puree).

It’s difficult to give such advice, but if possible, don’t try to save an extra pound, choose not the hotel with the cheapest price, but the hotel with good reviews(for example, there are already quite a lot of reviews in Russian on Booking).
Yes, you will most likely come to the hotel only to spend the night, but staying at the hotel is also part of the perception of your trip, the hotel will remain in your memory no less. A bad hotel will spoil any impression of the best attractions.

When traveling with children, this option is risky, but if you are young, you are ready to take risks and want to live in London for a long time(at least two weeks), then we can advise the following: book a cheap hotel for one day in advance, and upon arrival directly at the airport, find booking agencies Thomas Cook or British Hotel Reservation Center (BHRC), they have excellent accommodation options in the center, with good discounts.

What area to live in London?

When choosing where to live in London, you need to start by determining a rough overall travel plan. The main thing is to decide whether you will leave the city, where and how often, whether you will have luggage with you.

For reference: commuter trains go from Waterloo (direct) and Paddington (with transfer), to Cambridge - from Kings-Kross station, to Oxford - from Paddington station, Edinburgh - from Kings-Kross station. There is also a direct train from Paddington Station to Heathrow Airport.

For short trips from London, it is not necessary to stay near the station! If you want to go see Windsor Castle for half a day, then you don’t need to choose a hotel next to the one opposite Waterloo Station - you can easily get to the station by bus.

If you don’t have any specific plans, then The choice of the area where the hotel is located is not so important. “A hotel in the center of London” - this phrase is not entirely true for the capital of Great Britain, since the center as such is difficult to identify here. The main ones are scattered throughout different areas of the city; in any case, you will have to use transport. It's not difficult at all, London has an excellent transport network. And children will be delighted with rides on the second floor of London buses. The purchase will save you from any problems with moving.

Russian travel agencies often lodge their budget tourists in the area Bloomsbury(for example, in the huge Royal National Hotel, there are already many reviews about it on the Russian Internet). The hotel is not the worst, but if you are traveling on your own, you can find more interesting options. The Bloomsbury area is quite decent, within walking distance is the British Museum, and you can easily get to Trafalgar Square and shopping Oxford Street by bus.
There are many reasonable hotels in the area around King's Cross and Paddington stations, in South Kensington (an area great for children).

Which hotel to choose in London?

As they are affordable in terms of price/quality ratio, and what is important for our tourists, easy to settle in, we can recommend paying attention to large chain hotels, such as Premier Inn. They are usually located near tourist routes. You shouldn’t demand much from them, but on the other hand, they are predictable in terms of the quality of service provided, since they are obliged to meet their network standards.

On the contrary, you can pay attention to the small private hotel. Although you are not necessarily guaranteed a purely English flavor - such hotels are often run by Indian families. Here, in order to understand whether it is worth settling there or not, all hope is only on the reviews of tourists who have already lived there, it is better to read English-language reviews (Google Translate will help you).

Apartments in London

You can pay attention to the apartments - this is some kind of small apartment, with its own kitchen. This is a very good choice for a family; booking.com has many offers for apartments in London. Undoubted plus- their size, you will feel like you are in your own apartment, and not in a small hotel room.
However, it is necessary to warn about possible cons of the apartments in London:
— their price is comparable to the price of a hotel room. However, when staying at a hotel, you can have a quick breakfast in the morning. In the apartments, the responsibility for breakfast falls entirely on your shoulders.
- You yourself usually have to take care of such little things as the availability of soap and toilet paper.
— quite often the key to the apartment is received (and handed over) at another address, and not necessarily next to them. Pay attention when describing the apartments - this nuance is usually indicated there. Traveling with luggage to get the key is not the most convenient option.

Apartment in London

For a week for a family, an excellent option for housing is usually apartment. However, oddly enough, for London this is Not certainly in that way. The choice of apartments for rent for tourists in London is much smaller than in other cities - apparently decent housing is being taken away by local tenants, leaving only expensive or inconveniently located options. However, you can try searching - here is a proven site for booking apartments directly from the owners Airbnb.com .

Is there some more cheap accommodation options in London, but it’s difficult to recommend them for traveling with children. These are youth hostels, and during the summer holidays you can find places in student dormitories.

Where to buy cheap flights to London? How to get a UK visa? Where to find an inexpensive hotel? How to save money on a cultural program? Where is the cheapest place to eat in London? These questions concern many tourists who plan to spend a week or two in the capital of Great Britain.

First - visa

UK visa not easy to get. In the first half of 2009 alone, every 11th Russian citizen who applied was denied entry into the country. In addition to providing a passport, application form, income certificate, and hotel reservation, you need to go through an oral interview, which lasts quite a long time.

At an interview at the consulate Most often they ask about work and financial situation. For example, they may ask: “Would you go to England if you didn’t have money?” To which you should firmly say “No.” Or they may ask the following question: “What is the first thing you do when you come to work.” If a person works, he will say without hesitation what he is doing in the morning when he arrives at the office. For example, the first thing I do is press a computer button. The British side pays serious attention to the income of the visa applicant and the availability of property.

They may also ask what do you want to see in the UK. This is not only a test of your erudition, but also a desire to find out if you have any other purpose for traveling to London, maybe you want to find a job, which is not covered by a tourist visa. The consular fee is 3685 rubles. and in case of refusal it is not returned.

How to get there

Fly to London it is possible from Moscow and St. Petersburg, but much cheaper - through Finland, Estonia or Latvia on budget airlines (for example, a round-trip ticket from EasyJet costs from 30-40 euros). The earlier you buy a ticket, the cheaper it will cost. I bought tickets a month in advance and for specific dates, so they cost me 100 euros. It is expensive for budget airlines, it is better to buy tickets in advance.

You have to pay for luggage additional 20 euros. But I like to travel light, so I flew only with hand luggage, which can be taken for free, but it must be of a certain size. Also, this airline, like many budget airlines, does not indicate seats on the boarding pass. True, you can also buy the “priority boarding” service for 20 euros - it gives you the opportunity to be among the first to board the plane. I counted about 20 first-line passengers on my flight. The rest went on a first-come, first-served basis. There is no crowd, everyone goes to the plane, keeping their distance.

I flew from Tallinn, it’s convenient and the cost of the flight is even slightly lower than from Finnish Tampere. There are several buses a day from St. Petersburg to Tallinn. From the bus station in Tallinn you can get to the airport by bus number 2, the stop is at Tartu Mnt, a three-minute walk from the station. The airport is located about 2 km from the bus station, the ride takes 7-10 minutes. The bus arrives directly at the departure hall.

From Stansted to central London

There are five airports in London. I arrived at Stansted airport. At the airport, following the signs, it is easy to find the ticket office that sells tickets to London. A bus ticket to Victoria Station (you can get off earlier) costs £17 return (one way £10).

Ask where the landing is to the bus, it’s about 100 meters from the ticket office. While waiting for the bus, a line forms, and an employee helps you find the right platform. Buses run every 20-30 minutes. Travel time is about 1.5 hours. There is a toilet on the bus. Website: www.londontoolkit.com.

Stansted Express Ticket to Liverpool Street station costs 18 pounds, round trip - 28.80, discounts when buying a ticket on-line. Travel time is 45 minutes. The train runs from 5.00 to 23.30. Website: www.stanstedexpress.com/ Another option, not at all budgetary, is a taxi. How to order a transfer

Where to stay in London

Hotel in London You should not book in advance; it is difficult to find a cheap room during the high season. I flew in November, booked an inexpensive hotel near Victoria Station 10 days in advance, there were places. A room with all amenities, a 15-20 minute walk from Buckingham Palace and 5 minutes from Victoria Station, cost me 40 pounds (1900 rubles). The location of the hotel is very convenient.

To what is “cheap” London Hotel”, you need to prepare in advance. The rooms, even with a private bathroom, are very tiny. The shower can be adjacent to the bed, and another half meter from it is the exit from the room. When we first stayed in this hotel, the toilet was outside the room, although it was “private”. You leave the room and immediately come across a toilet that says “Only for room 7.” And the room only has a shower and a sink. During my second stay at this hotel, I had a room in which both the toilet and shower were already inside the room. All the hotel receptionists were from India, nice and helpful, and the rooms were clean.

In the center of London A room with amenities on the floor can be rented for 30-35 pounds (about 1500-1700 rubles), and further away from the center - starting from 26 pounds (about 1250 rubles). A place in a hostel can be found even cheaper - from 8 pounds (about 400 rubles), but rooms for 4-8 people are very cramped, and they are occupied regardless of gender, that is, a woman can easily be shared with three men. And vice versa.

In many hotels In the UK, the bathrooms have separate taps with hot and cold water. Also, the sockets here are different than in Russia and you need an adapter. You can read about this here: At my hotel the receptionist didn’t have an adapter, so I had to give him the batteries to charge. Considering that his working day was from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m., this was not always convenient.

In almost all In hotels there is a kettle in the room, as well as bags of tea, coffee, cream and sugar, some hotels even have brown sugar. You don't expect much from breakfast in a cheap London hotel - it's coffee, rolls, toast and butter. Breakfast started quite late - from 7.30.

Here you can see prices and book a hotel.

How to cheat in London

In markets, especially on weekends, and in transport, often in the subway, there are a lot of pickpockets. You need to keep an eye on your bag, especially if it has a long strap, and it is best to carry money in the inside pockets.

Also in London You need to be careful at currency exchange offices and in shops - they can deceive you. The tactics here are as follows: sellers and employees of exchange offices find a victim: as a rule, this is a tired tourist who speaks little English. For example, he gives 100 pounds for exchange, but they only change him 50. It’s the same in stores - the seller gives change from a banknote of a lower denomination than the one the buyer handed over. They hope that a novice tourist will not notice. It's difficult to prove anything here. It is better to change money in banks, and in the store to be collected and not look absent-minded.

Transport in London

It’s quite convenient, but sometimes you have to wait for the bus – there are traffic jams in the center. If there are more than one trip per day, then it is profitable to buy a pass for one or several days. They are sold in vending machines and cash registers at the entrance.

The travel card is valid on buses, underground, DLR, suburban trains within a certain area, on trams. Keep in mind that the cost of the pass depends on what time of day it is valid for. The cheaper one is valid on weekdays after 9.30, and on weekends throughout the day. More expensive - no time limit (Day Travelcard Anytime - £7.40). Website: www.tfl.gov.uk

Available in London There is an ordinary underground metro, but there is a light one (Doklendovskoe), in which trains mainly run above the ground. For example, you can use it to get to the most beautiful suburb of London - Greenwich.

Getting there from London to other cities is also easy. For example, to Oxford an express bus runs every 20-30 minutes from early morning until almost 2 am, and an electric train runs once an hour. Both the bus and the train travel quickly, it’s nice to look out the window. It is more profitable to buy tickets for a train or bus both ways at once - it is much cheaper.

Cross the streets You have to be careful - there is right-hand traffic here. And although in the center at the crossings it is written directly on the asphalt “Look right” or “Look left”, out of habit you begin to turn your head in different directions. At many crossings you can press a button to turn the light green. But pedestrians here are impatient and often run across the road at red lights. Moreover, not only tourists, but also locals.

What to see

When planning a route We must remember that it gets dark very early in London in autumn. So, in early November, it begins to get dark around 16:00, and by 17:00 it’s already pitch black. In winter it is warmer here than in St. Petersburg, and in summer there is rarely extreme heat. On my trip in early November, at other times it was up to +17, but in the evening it was always quite cool.

If Paris sometimes Petersburg is compared, then London is compared to Moscow. Ancient mansions and churches here are often sandwiched between glass and not-so-glass skyscrapers. You can quickly see London in a week, but there are so many attractions here that you can’t get around it in a year.

An event that Tourists love to watch the changing of the guard at Buckingham Palace. It takes place at 11:30 - every day in spring and summer, every other day in autumn and winter. When the changing of the guard will take place is announced on a large sign near the palace. If you want to take photographs, you should “take” a place near the palace fence in advance. The people in the crowd are polite, there is rarely anyone jostling.

Many "big" museums free in London. Here is the list:

British museum,
Imperial War Museum,
Museum of London,
National Maritime Museum,
National Army Museum,
National Gallery,
National Portrait Gallery,
Victoria and Albert Museum,
Natural History Museum,
Royal Air Force Museum,
Science Museum,
Theater Museum,
Tate Britain,
Tate Modern.

But a visit to the Tower of London costs 17 pounds (converted to about 800 rubles), but how can you not look at the famous beefeaters - the guards who live there!

But with the spirit of London You won’t be able to get into it unless you visit the markets. There are a lot of them here - floral, antique, grocery, and clothing, similar to the St. Petersburg Aprashka, but, as it seemed to me, cheaper. London also amazes with the abundance of flowers and parks. Roses in Hyde Park and beyond can be seen even in November.