Bruce Mann
Visited June 2024
Greater London
See everyone who visited Greater LondonAbout the trip
London is a great place to visit. If this is your first trip to London I'd start with the Hop-on Hop-off bus tour. If you are taking children or grand-children see the Changing of the Guard, Tower of London, ride on the "London Eye" ferris wheel, Thames river cruise, Natural History and Sience Museums, Warner Brothers studio for the making of Harry Potter, boating and playground in Hyde Park. Sights for adults include the Churchill War Rooms, Westminster Abbey and the British Museum. London has great theater including revivals of U.S. musicals in the "West End", but doesn't have a secondary market for tickets like New York, so get your tickets at the offical London Theater Site, box office, or through your hotel concierge. The orchestra seats are called "stalls". Serious plays are produced at the National Theater and Shakespeare's Globe, which are across the Thames River, the Donmar Warehouse near Covent Garden and the Royal Court in Sloane Square. Best times to go are late spring and fall for the best weather, but I prefer Christmas time for theater, shopping and the festive atmosphere.
Where to stay
Depending on the price and where you want to stay (Covent Garden for theater and restaurants but tends to be noisy, Mayfair or Marylebone are quieter and more residential). I would pick a hotel close to a "Tube station" (the London subway, which is faster than taxis and runs frequently). You can choose expensive hotels like Claridges and The Savoy, less expensive chain hotels like the London Hilton (on Hyde Park near Buckingham Palace), Holiday Inn and Travelodge. If you'll be there for a week, I'd rent an apartment or B&B, which will be less expensive, larger and has a kitchen. We frequently buy food at the Harrods or Selfridges "food halls" for gourmet groceries and prepared take-out food. You can rent through Airbnb or VRBO but we've have had the best luck using The Plum Guide). If you belong to a private club with reciprocal clubs in London such as the Lansdowne, Army & Navy, Reform, Sloane and Caledonian clubs, which have more local character and private dining rooms, but many have dress codes requiring jackets and ties for men.
Restaurants
Many restaurants in London close too early to eat after the theater. To eat late there are many Indian restaurants ( Gymichana if you want a Michelin two star meal or Paro or Dishoom for a less expensive meal near Covent Gardens and the theaters). The Ivy has a broad menu and is less expensive than the top London restaurants. My favorite is the original Ivy in the theater area, but it has several branches and the branch in Marleybone is quite good.
Questions?
Reach Bruce Mann at bruce.mann2240@gmail.com