London & Partners

Accommodation
& Travel
Essential information to help you book a place to
stay and navigate your way around the city
ACCOMMODATION ESSENTIALS
& TRAVEL
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KEY:
: Telephone
Ë : London Underground
Ë : London Overground
Ë : Docklands Light Railway
t : National Rail
: Website
To dial the United
Kingdom remove the first
0 and add +44.
Accommodation
There is a vast range of
accommodation in London.
Stay in world-famous hotels,
B&Bs (bed and breakfasts),
guesthouses, self-catering
apartments or good-quality
hostels. You’ll find something
to suit all kinds of tastes
and budgets.
Accommodation
If you want a treat, then
London has some of the best
hotels in the world. Names
like the Savoy ( fairmont.
com/savoy), Claridges
( claridges.co.uk),
the Dorchester
( thedorchester.com), and
the Ritz ( theritzlondon.
com) are internationally
famous and offer
complete luxury.
For those on a budget,
boutique hotels, B&Bs and
guesthouses offer stylish and
comfortable accommodation
at very good prices. Most
offer ensuite rooms, although
smaller establishments might
only have shared bathrooms.
Many hotel groups and
chains offer special deals.
By far the cheapest
places to stay in London are
hostels such as Generator
Hostels ( generator
hostels.com) and YHA
London ( yha.org.
uk). These offer a secure
environment and sociable
atmosphere, often for less
than £15 per night.
If you’re looking
for something more
flexible, try self-catering
accommodation. Having
your own kitchen gives you
more control over your meal
times and schedule, plus
self catering often works out
cheaper than hotels or B&Bs.
Accommodation
Booking
It is advisable to make your
accommodation reservations
before you arrive in the
capital. London’s premier
information website
visitlondon.com offers
online booking for
a range of hotels, B&Bs
and hostels, plus great deals
on hotel prices. You can
also call the official London
accommodation line
08701 566 366
to book by credit card.
Accommodation
Ratings
Star ratings are the official
mark of quality, awarded
to accommodation by
VisitEngland and the AA.
Standards of service,
hospitality, food, cleanliness
and comfort are checked
annually by trained and
impartial assessors. All
participating establishments
are awarded between one
and five stars. The more stars,
the higher the quality and
range of services and
facilities provided.
Take care to check the
star ratings for guest houses
and guest accommodation,
as they are not the same
as hotels, and different
criteria apply. For details,
go to enjoyengland.com
VisitEngland recognises
the top scoring properties
across the spectrum
by awarding Silver and
Gold awards.
Accessible
London
Visitor Information
For information on the
city’s disabled facilities,
maps including accessible
attractions, and details of
accommodation for disabled
travellers, please visit the
following websites:
visitlondon.com/
access or
openbritain.net
For the most up-to-date, detailed information on planning
your trip, plus special deals, register at London’s official
visitor website visitlondon.com or call 08701
566 366 (UK only). If you have a smartphone, download
the London Official City Guide app for free, at
visitlondon.com/app
Tourist and Travel Information Centres (TICs) are
situated at key points across the capital, including: City
of London Mon-Sat 09.30-17.30; Sun 10.00-16.00. St.
Paul’s Churchyard, EC4. Ë St. Paul’s. Map B7. Euston
Mon-Fri 07.15-21.15; Sat 07.15-18.15; Sun 08.15-
18.15. Opposite platform 8, Euston Station, NW1.
Ë t Euston. Map A5. Victoria Station Mon-Sat 07.15-
21.15; Sun 08.15-20.15. Victoria Station, SW1.
Ë t Victoria. Map D4. Liverpool Street Station Mon-
Sat 07.15-21.15; Sun 08.15-20.15. Liverpool Street,
EC2. Ë t Liverpool Street. Map B9. Greenwich Daily
10.00-17.00. 2 Cutty Sark Gardens, SE10.
Ë t Greenwich. Map inset. For more on TIC locations,
go to visitlondon.com/welcome
The Original London Visitor Centre offers a range of
services, such as booking theatre tickets, days out, entry
into attractions, car hire, hotels, airport transfers, coach
tickets, tours and cruises. Mon-Sat 08.30-18.00; Sun
09.00-17.30. 17-19 Cockspur Street, W1.
theoriginaltour.com Ë t Charing Cross. Map C6.
The British Hotel Reservation Centre provides much
more than hotel bookings, arranging theatre, sightseeing
and travel tickets too. There are branches in Heathrow
Airport, Stansted Airport, Trafalgar Square,
Ë t Paddington, t St. Pancras International and
Ë t Victoria. See map p. 49-51. 020 592 3055.
bhrconline.com
November 2012|LONDON PLANNER|visitlondon.com | 93