Pre Cruise hotel in London when leaving from Dover

[Tybro]

I'm leaving from Dover in September and want to spend a few nights in London. I saw that the train station from London to Dover is Kings Cross/St. Pancreas so would probably want to stay somewhere with easy access to that station. Would like to hear from anyone who has stayed in this area.

Thanks

[Ray66]

You'll get more and quicker answers if you ask in the British Isles forum here:

 

http://cruiseforums.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=233

[John Bull]

Although the fastest Dover trains leave from St Pancras (spelling), there are a number of other options. You can also take the train from Charing Cross (near Trafalgar Square), Waterloo East (near London Eye), London Bridge, or Victoria (near Buckingham Palace). You can also take the National Express coach from Victoria, and this is likely to be your cheapest option.

 

The area around St Pancras/Kings Cross is a little "mixed", if you chose that area make it south of the station/Euston Road. Perhaps a hotel handy to the British Museum & Russell Square tube station.

Mebbe it's just me, but I don't rate north central London, for either convenience or locality.

 

Around Charing Cross is the most central & convenient area, but it's also one of the most expensive.

 

I'd not recommend close to London Bridge station, but that station is the most convenient if you want to stay in the Tower Bridge/Tower of London area- that's the easternmost end of "tourist London".

 

Between Waterloo East & Westminster Bridge is very walkable to a great many sights, such as Big Ben, Westminster Abbey, Churchill War Rooms, Horse Guards Parade, & along the South Bank (south bank of the River Thames), but don't book far from the river. The County Hall area is a good compromise between cost & convenience, and it's where I would choose.

 

Victoria has the best transport links to Heathrow & Gatwick airports and to Dover. It's at the western end of "tourist London", but a number of sights are walkable. Popular with tourists because of its transport links, its range of small hotels, & its compromise between cost & convenience.

 

Those stations are the green letters B to F on this map, and "tourist London" is very vaguely within the blue box.

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?saddr=Victoria+Rail+Station,+London&daddr=51.5063824,-0.1295978+to:Charing+Cross+station,+Strand,+London+to:51.5125888,-0.1611887+to:51.5183284,-0.1384803+to:51.526005,-0.1175501+to:Grays+Inn+Rd%2FA5200%2FA5203+to:51.5229973,-0.1145107+to:51.5141712,-0.09443+to:51.5099814,-0.0747043+to:51.5051961,-0.0894779+to:51.5043148,-0.0762344+to:London+Bridge+Station,+Railway+Approach,+London+to:London+Waterloo+East,+London+to:Victoria+Rail+Station,+London&hl=en&sll=51.513764,-0.117931&sspn=0.073285,0.229168&geocode=Feq4EQMdusP9_yEeIpiyas-0CSnN57FNHwV2SDEeIpiyas-0CQ%3BFc7sEQMdwwX-_ymzguM70AR2SDFe_N87ttMXBw%3BFe7zEQMdlxf-_yE3Fj417Mlh3ykRu63qzgR2SDE3Fj417Mlh3w%3BFQwFEgMdXIr9_ykJwQf5NAV2SDFhDZT8SMVxrg%3BFXgbEgMdEOP9_ynbsrNaKht2SDF_8b0G_Q78bQ%3BFXU5EgMd0jT-_ymtuZP-Rxt2SDGSqa5_XKvF_g%3BFf1LEgMd_iH-_w%3BFbUtEgMdskD-_ym_-2BWSBt2SDFzavdOODWWnA%3BFTsLEgMdIo_-_ylhLy2kqgR2SDFRk8lAsUflNw%3BFd36EQMdMNz-_ykrMlngSwN2SDGAsuHCYsoANw%3BFSzoEQMde6L-_ylljDdmVwN2SDHGZQk-GlACyA%3BFbrkEQMdNtb-_ykp1pa5SAN2SDFM5KrgrzynuA%3BFUzpEQMdXqz-_ynZI1K5UAN2SDF6BDlxNgZnDw%3BFczjEQMdt1b-_yknZhp8ugR2SDE6wHuO8TQ3tg%3BFeq4EQMdusP9_yEeIpiyas-0CSnN57FNHwV2SDEeIpiyas-0CQ&oq=Victoria+rail&mra=dpe&mrsp=8&sz=13&via=1,3,4,5,7,8,9,10,11&t=m&z=13

 

Best to choose a hotel convenient to a tube station & a ho-ho route.

 

http://www.nationalexpress.com/

Your departure is London (Victoria coach station).

Your destination is Dover (town centre) or Dover (ferry). Ignore the cruise terminal option, this applies only to Fred Olsen cruises, but drivers usually drop cruise passengers at the terminal "as a favour".

 

http://ojp.nationalrail.co.uk/

Your departure is London (all stations), your destination is Dover Priory. This will offer trains starting at St Pancras, Victoria & Charing Cross.

For London Bridge and Waterloo East stations, select a journey from Charing Cross & click on "details", then "show calling points"

 

The two major ho-ho operators:

 

http://www.theoriginaltour.com/

 

http://www.bigbustours.com/eng/london/custompage.aspx?id=london_sightseeing_tour&gclid=

 

Avoid the Golden Tours hop-on, which has limited frequency & routes, though their (not hop-on) London Tour may suit.

 

As Ray suggests, repeat your question over on the Britain forum for other local & visitor opinions.

 

JB :)

[Di Princess]

JOHN BULL:

 

Thank you, Dear, for all your answers. I never did find the Diet Mountain Dew in Southampton; however, I just bought the regular Mountain Dew at Sainsburys near my flat near Tower Bridge.

 

Next, I am on a cruise leaving from Dover. Is there a direct flight from LHR or one of the other London airports that flies to Dover? Twice I have done the National Express Coach from London to Southampton. This time, I do not plan to stay in London but I would like to stay in Dover a couple of days. I have more questions about places near Dover.

 

Thanks,

Donna I.

[Tybro]

John,

Thanks for the info. We ended up booking a hotel by King's Cross so will go to Dover from that station instead. Appreciate all the details you provided.