wrong hotel in London?

[Genessa]

My head has been swimming lately and when I booked our hotel using rewards points, I picked one that sounded wonderful, but I got it confused with another I was looking at, located near Hyde Park.

 

the hotel is The Milestone. We're only staying 2 nights, mid-week.

I've been confused over the best (not necessarily the cheapest) way to get from Heathrow to the hotel. I did see a shuttle service, but it doesn't drop us off exactly at the hotel and now I can't find the link I thought I saved.

 

We'll only have 2 suitcases, with wheels, and two carry-ons (relatively small - either sling over top of suitcase or shoulders) for the 2 of us.

 

My main concern is getting to the hotel with our luggage and leaving the hotel to get to Southhampton. Any suggestions?

The three things we want to see are the Tower, the tower bridge, and Westminster Abbey. British Museum would be "gravy", as would anything else we see.

 

thanks for any help!

[rebeccalouise]

the Heathrow express goes to Victoria Station. We stayed at hotel within stumbling distance then later took the underground all around London. I think the name of the hotel was the Quality Westminster. It was just one block away from Victoria Station. The next morning we took the train to Southampton. I highly recommend the hotel (was about $ 150 per night). We had a very utilitarian room but it was clean, the front desk was nice and we had dinner in the lobby- Chicken Korma and Pancakes (my 6 year old). Food was reasonable and very good. There was internet in the lobby- not cheap but available.

[Jetdriver787]

The hotel you have picked looks very nice. You will be able to use the "tube" to get around london on a day pass to all the attractions you have chosen.

 

From Heathrow to your hotel the most convenient door to door experience (barring traffic) will be a cab, but that will be quite expensive. The Heathrow express (train) will take you to Victoria station and you get a cab from there (cheaper).

 

From London to Southampton you can take a train from Waterloo station,(approx 90 minute journey to Southampton) which runs every 30 minutes for about £28 ($54) one way. It is about a 4 mile cab ride from the hotel to the station, and a short cab ride from Southampton station to the docks.

[Genessa]

the Heathrow express goes to Victoria Station. We stayed at hotel within stumbling distance then later took the underground all around London.

 

that was the area we were originally looking to get a hotel in, but none were available with our rewards points - we only booked very recently.

[Genessa]

The hotel you have picked looks very nice. You will be able to use the "tube" to get around london on a day pass to all the attractions you have chosen.

 

From Heathrow to your hotel the most convenient door to door experience (barring traffic) will be a cab, but that will be quite expensive. The Heathrow express (train) will take you to Victoria station and you get a cab from there (cheaper).

 

From London to Southampton you can take a train from Waterloo station,(approx 90 minute journey to Southampton) which runs every 30 minutes for about £28 ($54) one way. It is about a 4 mile cab ride from the hotel to the station, and a short cab ride from Southampton station to the docks.

 

thanks for the info. The express train to Victoria station sounds like a good idea.

I've been trying to cram a years worth of planning into the last week and sorting everything out has been fun but confusing.

[c-to-sea]

Correction

The Heathrow Express goes to Paddington Station, not Victoria. Your hotel is about the same distance

from either station, though and there are lots of taxis at Paddington to get you

there. Another option would be National Express coach from Heathrow to Victoria

Coach Terminal and taxi to hotel. Advantage - cheaper, disadvantage 60 minutes

vs. 15 minutes on Heathrow Express.

Go to http://www.heathrowairport.com/portal/site/heathrow/menuitem.e87da634aa88e3fba4b12871120103a0/

to see all of the options.

[Jetdriver787]

Apologies, C to sea is quite right the Heathrow express does go to Paddington station, although that will make little difference to you. The Gatwick express goes to Victoria. For Southampton you need Waterloo station for the mainline train service. All of the stations are well served by the tube network. The tube also runs to Heathrow airport and Kensington, although with a fair amount of baggage you will probably find the Heathrow express service quicker and less bothersome.

[Jana]

Genessa,

 

The Red Carnation Milestone is one of the best hotels in London, top of the line. You'll be so happy that you chose that one, especially with reward points! compared to one near the station. It's a gorgeous, sweet hotel in a wonderful area.

 

We stayed in a nearby hotel the last time we were there. I think we ended up at Victoria because we had come in from Gatwick, but either way, just get a cab from there to the hotel. The tube is great while you're in the city, but please don't try to schlep cruise luggage with you -- you'll be fighting either steep stairs or very steep escalators-- and you'll be really, really sorry.

 

Jana

[rebeccalouise]

My apologies. We did use Heathrow express and it does go to Paddington. I have also used the train from Gatwick and that does go to Victoria.

 

Sorry if I fouled you up!

[Genessa]

thanks so much c-to-sea and jetdriver

 

the info on Heathrow Express is fantastic.

 

Definitely the way we will go!

 

 

 

Silly question ... if my American Airlines flight is leaving from Terminal 3, can I assume, if all situations are normal, that my arriving flight at Heathrow will also be terminal 3?

[Genessa]

Genessa,

 

The Red Carnation Milestone is one of the best hotels in London, top of the line. You'll be so happy that you chose that one, especially with reward points! compared to one near the station. It's a gorgeous, sweet hotel in a wonderful area.

 

We stayed in a nearby hotel the last time we were there. I think we ended up at Victoria because we had come in from Gatwick, but either way, just get a cab from there to the hotel. The tube is great while you're in the city, but please don't try to schlep cruise luggage with you -- you'll be fighting either steep stairs or very steep escalators-- and you'll be really, really sorry.

 

Jana

 

Jana,

 

thanks for your help. The hotel does look fantastic and we never tend to use those points, so we figured, let's go for it. Then I started second guessing myself because of my mix up with the location.

 

I had the feeling that the tube wouldn't be a great idea with luggage - kind of like the schlep in NY on public transport - easier to just get a cab.

[Genessa]

My apologies. We did use Heathrow express and it does go to Paddington. I have also used the train from Gatwick and that does go to Victoria.

 

Sorry if I fouled you up!

 

rebeccalouise - don't give it a second thought.

CC is great thanks to all the wonderful people here.

[Globaliser]

Silly question ... if my American Airlines flight is leaving from Terminal 3, can I assume, if all situations are normal, that my arriving flight at Heathrow will also be terminal 3?

Yes: American Airlines only operates to/from Terminal 3.

 

Of course, if you have a ticket for a flight bearing an American Airlines ("AA") flight number but it is operated by another airline, you must go to that airline's terminal. However, you will know if this is the case because your documents will tell you that the flight is operated by someone else (if it is).

[Genessa]

Yes: American Airlines only operates to/from Terminal 3.

 

Of course, if you have a ticket for a flight bearing an American Airlines ("AA") flight number but it is operated by another airline, you must go to that airline's terminal. However, you will know if this is the case because your documents will tell you that the flight is operated by someone else (if it is).

 

thanks. It is definitely AA, not another airline. But for some reason, I can only find in writing about departure from Heathrow.

[JaneBP]

Try Dot2Dot, a relatively new van service from the airports to central London hotels. Much easier, door to door service with a minimum of stops.

 

Dot2Dot.com

[Genessa]

Try Dot2Dot, a relatively new van service from the airports to central London hotels. Much easier, door to door service with a minimum of stops.

 

Dot2Dot.com

 

thank you.

I think that is the one that I had, then lost the link for. I'll check it out again, but I'm pretty sure we're gooing to try the express train.

[NancyIL]

Try Dot2Dot, a relatively new van service from the airports to central London hotels. Much easier, door to door service with a minimum of stops.

 

Dot2Dot.com

 

Thanks so much for this info. The correct URL is http://www.dot2.com

[Genessa]

The dot2. one was the one I was looking at. When I put in the hotel's address, though, it doesn't go there.

 

And the express train is so fast and reasonable I am going to stop looking for alternatives.

 

thanks everyone for all your help!

[Genessa]

we ended up taking the Heathrow Express to Paddington Station. The express was a fantastic experience in and of itself. I pre-paid and pre-printed our boarding passes. The cars were roomy and had plenty of room for luggage. The station had a sign telling you when the next train was coming.

 

From Paddington Station we took a taxi THROUGH Hyde Park - fabulous!

 

The hotel is wonderful! The staff were the best ever. And, it was only a few blocks from the High Street Kensington tube station. If I ever win the lottery and get back to London again, I'd definitely stay there.

 

We walked and walked our first day in London. Through Kensington Gardens and then to Harrods, then in a sort of semi-circle around from the other direction and had dinner at Whole Foods ;).

 

The day we left, we took a taxi to Waterloo and the train to Southampton.

 

Thanks again to everyone who helped so much with such great, detailed info on London!

[Jana]

 

The hotel is wonderful! The staff were the best ever. And, it was only a few blocks from the High Street Kensington tube station. If I ever win the lottery and get back to London again, I'd definitely stay there.

 

 

Tolja! ;)

 

OMG I am so jealous! Did you get tea on the gardens?

[Genessa]

Tolja! ;)

 

OMG I am so jealous! Did you get tea on the gardens?

 

 

:)

 

No tea :(.

 

We had champagne and fruit in our room, though.

 

I was amazed that every time we passed through the lobby the staff would greet us by name.

We felt a little like John Goodman in the movie when he suddenly discovers that he's a king ;). It was so much fun!

[terri910]

When you ask about having tea on the gardens, do you mean Kensington Gardens?

 

Back in 2003 I stayed at the Copthorne Tara Kensington (not even a block away from Kensington High Street tube station) and made a point of having tea at the Orangery, just a few yards behind Kensington Palace, in the Kensington Gardens.

 

I recomment it highly.....here is one of the photos I took...

 

[PhilbeachTraveller]

The Orangery is in Holland Park, just off Kensington High Street (Kensington Gardens is just down the road). I don't think they do tea there anymore. I live very near there and it's now mainly used as an art gallery or hired out for weddings etc. Holland Park is really lovely though and there's a nice cafe and an excellent Restaurant (Belvedere - expensive for dinner but not bad for lunch as a treat). If anyone's staying the area it a good place for a walk (make sure you see the Japanese garden)

[terri910]

The Orangery is in Holland Park, just off Kensington High Street (Kensington Gardens is just down the road). I don't think they do tea there anymore. I live very near there and it's now mainly used as an art gallery or hired out for weddings etc.

Well, that's disappointing. I'm travelling to the UK with a friend next year and had hoped to have tea there, again. :(

[terri910]

Actually, I just did a little internet searching.....

 

I don't live in London, but at least on the internet someone somewhere thinks it is is Kensington Gardens (or darn near it)...It is definitely in the Gardens of Kensington Palace. And according to the website linked to below, it is still in operation for tea. It gives the dates (in 2008) it will be closing early.

 

http://www.hrp.org.uk/KensingtonPalace/CafesAndRestaurants.aspx

 

Perhaps the early closings are due to private parties hiring the venue....but it does appear they are still open....and advertising a yummy menu!

 

For myself, I'll take the fruit scone with Cornish clotted cream and strawberry jam for 3.50 pounds!