HoHo in London

[CaroleLee]

Pls need CC help. There appear to be 2 different HoHo Bus lines in London- Big Bus & The Original. Any opinions on either one?

Many thanks

Carole

[John Bull]

They offer much the same sort of service, & much the same sort of extras, at much the same prices.

I guess I've seen more recommends for Original than Big Bus. And Original buses are in the more attractive & traditional red, rather than the drab muddy brown of Big Bus, but there's little to choose.

The main route is identical, but the minor routes do vary - check out your hotel's location against the routes - that might be a deciding factor for you.

 

JB :)

[Ashland]

I used the big red bus "Original" and it was wonderful as many will testify to...Be sure to add the fish-n-chips lunch option which will be at Sherlock Holmes Pub...Enjoy this amazing overview of London !!!

[Giantfan13]

I second what Ashland said. We also used the Original Tour Company, mainly because we wanted to visit, and eat, at the Sherlock Holmes Pub.

 

They also offer a Changing of the Guard Tour but stay away from that one. We did it and the guide had us running along side the band as it was marching towards Buckingham Palace. Not the thing I was looking to do.

But do try the Thames River Cruise. That IS a good deal.

 

Cheers

 

Len

[skisteamboat]

IIRC, one offers live commentary whilst the other uses a recording. Can't remember which is which but you could check if it makes a difference to you.

 

IMHO, the Sherlock Holmes Pub is just OK. Nice display but the food was sub par when we were there a few years ago.

 

Cheers

[fabnfortysomething]

another fun suggestion is London Duck tours-amphibious vehicles painted bright yellow.You start from just behind london eye and drive along roads before entering the river by MI5 building then sailing along the Thames

[Ashland]

IIRC, one offers live commentary whilst the other uses a recording. Can't remember which is which but you could check if it makes a difference to you.

 

IMHO, the Sherlock Holmes Pub is just OK. Nice display but the food was sub par when we were there a few years ago.

 

Cheers

The "Original" (red bus) has a combination of both recorded and live commentary.

 

Sorry you were not impressed with the fish-n-chips.

[phabric]

If you purchase your tickets for the Origianl HOHO online, you save a few GBP.

 

We were also not impressed with the fish & chips from Sherlock Holmes Publ. There are other places with better fish & chips.

[Globaliser]

We were also not impressed with the fish & chips from Sherlock Holmes Pub.

Let's face it: Most pub food in the UK these days is complete rubbish.

 

There are honourable exceptions, but they take work to find.

[skisteamboat]

Let's face it: Most pub food in the UK these days is complete rubbish.

 

There are honourable exceptions, but they take work to find.

 

One of the best posts in this thread, although I did have a passable Crouque Monsieur in Tattersals a couple of weeks ago. ;)

 

Cheers

[goldencup]

How could any pub compete with proper fish & chips from a fish & chip shop? It's just not the same. Have pub food by all means (some of it is great) but not fish & chips.

[Anubi]

How could any pub compete with proper fish & chips from a fish & chip shop? It's just not the same. Have pub food by all means (some of it is great) but not fish & chips.

 

Please don't flame me :( but I thought that fish and chips WERE pub food. What is the distinction? And while on this topic...can you give the name of a great fish and chip place in London near the Houses of Parliament? :)

[Cotswold Eagle]

Please don't flame me :( but I thought that fish and chips WERE pub food. What is the distinction? And while on this topic...can you give the name of a great fish and chip place in London near the Houses of Parliament? :)

 

Ooh, we've opened a can of worms here.... Fish 'n' chips are traditionally a takeaway dish, best bought from a specialist fish and chip shop, served in a paper wrapper and covered in salt and vinegar. Most pubs will serve them too these days, and quality can vary. I can't speak to the Sherlock Holmes, it's not a pub I would frequent (too many tourists :)) There are places that combine a takeaway with a sit down restaurant - you could check out Seafresh in Wilton Road near Victoria Station for a more authentic chippy experience than in a pub.

[John Bull]

Let's face it: Most pub food in the UK these days is complete rubbish.

 

There are honourable exceptions, but they take work to find.

 

 

Yes, I've sampled pub food in the tourist haunts. Disney food is excellent by comparison :D

 

But you gotta get out of The Smoke a bit more often, G ;)

Pub grub in my neck of the woods is generally pretty good, particularly in the village pubs, with very few exceptions.

 

Nah, Anubi - as the Eagle's post, fish n chips is chippy food, not pub food. Yes, pubs sell it, but usually bought-in pre-battered frozen portions - of variable quality.

 

Ashamed to say it, but the best "pub" fish n chips I've tasted in recent yeurs was on the Crown Princess!!!!!

Even if the mushy peas was more of a pea puree - perhaps proper mushy peas offended the eye of the chef. :rolleyes:

Worst has to be in Casemates Square, Gibraltar. But that's back to the tourist thing.

 

By contrast, decent chippies in the UK are disappearing, under the onslaught of such delights as McDonalds, KFC, pizzas, doners, and curry/chinese takeaways.

 

JB :)

[SteveH2508]

<snip>

 

By contrast, decent chippies in the UK are disappearing, under the onslaught of such delights as McDonalds, KFC, pizzas, doners, and curry/chinese takeaways.

 

JB :)

 

Get yourself up to Whitby, North Yorkshire. The trouble is, it spoils you for fish and chips anywhere else!

[Globaliser]

And while on this topic...can you give the name of a great fish and chip place in London near the Houses of Parliament?

Exactly as far away as Seafresh, but in the opposite direction: Masters Super Fish, 191 Waterloo Road, SE1 8UX.

[John Bull]

Get yourself up to Whitby, North Yorkshire. The trouble is, it spoils you for fish and chips anywhere else!

 

Hi Steve,

As it happens, we were there last weekend ;).

'er-indoors had Whitby scampi at the Duke of York, in the Shambles:)

(mine was a chicken panini, which might not be traditional Yorkshire fayre :rolleyes:)

And a good chippy in Thornton le Dale, plus decent pub-grub in Goathland

All at prices that you can only dream about in Chelsea :p

 

Throw in the Sentinel steam bus, the North Yorks Moors Railway, and Eden Camp museum, and it was an excellent weekend.

 

JB :)

 

ps We just might be going a bit off-topic here :D

[Ashland]

If you purchase your tickets for the Origianl HOHO online, you save a few GBP.

 

We were also not impressed with the fish & chips from Sherlock Holmes Publ. There are other places with better fish & chips.

Impressed or not..the fish-n-chips at Sherlock Holmes Pub was just merely a quick easy small priced add on and convenient stop off for lunch during the HOHO...Of course you can find better but is that really the point during your HOHO. ;)

[letsgo39]

We used the "Big Bus' and got a 2 day ticket when we visited London for the first time several years ago.We were satisfied with it and had no problems.I don't think the "Original HoHo bus" sells a 2 day ticket. We went to a Fish and Chips place called ROCK and SOLE that was highly rated on Tripadvisor and was very good.It was near Covent Garden

area which is always fun to spend a evening at.We were able to take a bus back to our hotel in the Westmimster area at night as the HOHO busses stop running about 6:30. London has a great public transportation system.

[Cotswold Eagle]

Exactly as far away as Seafresh, but in the opposite direction: Masters Super Fish, 191 Waterloo Road, SE1 8UX.

 

Oh, good shout, even better for anyone staying in Waterloo. Although every cabby in London probably knows it :)

[Kylie]

I used the big red bus "Original" and it was wonderful as many will testify to...Be sure to add the fish-n-chips lunch option which will be at Sherlock Holmes Pub...Enjoy this amazing overview of London !!!

 

I didn't see this add on option on their website.........am I just missing?

 

Thanks for all the information about the buses - we have been trying to decide how to get around.

 

How many of you have bought Oyster Cards? Can we get from Terminal 5 to Victoria Station using this? A bus stops right in front of our hotel so we could use it for that too.

[Globaliser]

How many of you have bought Oyster Cards? Can we get from Terminal 5 to Victoria Station using this?

Using the Tube, yes.

 

Take the Piccadilly Line from Heathrow Terminal 5 to Barons Court. Get off there and cross to the other side of the same platform (about 10 feet) and get pretty much any District Line train to Victoria. However, I believe that you need to walk your luggage up the equivalent of about 1½ stories of stairs to get out at Victoria.

 

If it's wet, or during the morning peak hour, change at Hammersmith instead of Barons Court.

 

Don't forget to touch in at Heathrow and touch out at Victoria, like for every other Tube or DLR journey - even if the barrier gates are open - to avoid paying a penalty fare. Pretty much every Tube station now has wide gates for pushchairs, strollers, wheelchairs and big luggage. The gates at Terminal 5 are all wide gates.

 

On buses, you only need to touch in as you board.

[Giantfan13]

As a tourist, and a huge Holmes fan, just dining in the place was good enough. I didn't expect a gourmet meal and the Fish and Chips were fine, especially to novice Fish and Chp eaters, like we were. We enjoyed the Pub very much, and even got a look in at the museum on the upper level.

 

Again, this isn't about the best Fish and Chips in London, just a chance to get a discounted meal at a real London Pub for us tourists.

 

Cheers

 

Len

[Ashland]

As a tourist, and a huge Holmes fan, just dining in the place was good enough. I didn't expect a gourmet meal and the Fish and Chips were fine, especially to novice Fish and Chp eaters, like we were. We enjoyed the Pub very much, and even got a look in at the museum on the upper level.

 

Again, this isn't about the best Fish and Chips in London, just a chance to get a discounted meal at a real London Pub for us tourists.

 

Cheers

 

Len

Also my point exactly Len as I posted above...and Cheers to you !

[Cotswold Eagle]

As a tourist, and a huge Holmes fan, just dining in the place was good enough. I didn't expect a gourmet meal and the Fish and Chips were fine, especially to novice Fish and Chp eaters, like we were. We enjoyed the Pub very much, and even got a look in at the museum on the upper level.

 

Again, this isn't about the best Fish and Chips in London, just a chance to get a discounted meal at a real London Pub for us tourists.

 

Cheers

 

Len

 

And that's fine, I'm glad you enjoyed it. But another poster in this thread DID ask for recommendations for good F'n'C, and that is like asking for the best cheesesteak in Philly :) And others might now choose to go with your suggestion, but eat something else at the Sherlock Holmes knowing they can get more authentic fish and chips elsewhere another time.

 

I don't think any of the locals who post here have any particular axe to grind, we just want to give as much information as possible for visitors to enjoy our wonderful country!