Where should I stay in London?

[modiFIed]

Yep, bringing the whole modiFIed crew for to visit the old homeland this spring. Trying to book and I only have about 2,300,000 London hotels from which I must choose...the right one.

Would like to be in central London for ease of touristiness. But it's not absolute if there's something awesome in tube distance.

Any suggestions, my English friends? I mean besides, "Stay out of London"?

For that matter, Paris suggestions are also welcome. Yeah it's the grand tour.

[Farehamer]

I can comment on cheap - travelodge in Blackfriars, £24 a night. Clean and tidy, stayed couple of weeks ago with my kids.

I suspect you want nicer though!

[modiFIed]

Thanks Farehamer - I'm certainly not above staying at the Red Roof Inn when I travel locally either, but yeah this is the big excursion so we'll want the full Monty. Apart from price, I'm just wondering where a good area is when you want to get around easily and be in a nice walk-friendly neighborhood with plenty of nice eateries and shops and such.

I work with a guy who has an office in the financial sector - Indian fellow - and he's like "STAY AWAY FROM HERE".

EDIT: I mean I figure there's "touristy cool" and "touristy uncool", like when I'm in NYC I never stay in Times Square, but I love midtown/Grand Central area, or even Brooklyn if I have a lot of time to dodge the double-wide baby carriages and yellow labs.

[Farehamer]

Probably better asking someone else mate, I'm a budget kind guy! Anywhere round about the South bank is nice though, lots in walking distance to see and do. I really enjoyed Covent Garden too, could spend a load of time there.

[modiFIed]

Probably better asking someone else mate, I'm a budget kind guy! Anywhere round about the South bank is nice though, lots in walking distance to see and do. I really enjoyed Covent Garden too, could spend a load of time there.

Hey no, that's helpful. Looking at a map, it does look like Covent Garden is the place where it all happens. Definitely want to spend some time at the British Museum. There's a place called the Trafalgar Hilton that might do, it's nearby and on the list for my agent site.

[Farehamer]

Some great street performers in Covent Garden buddy, very entertaining. Check out the dog in the box ;-)

[Ra-ra]

I can't suggest hotels, but I have plenty of other suggestions for nice days out, nice cafes etc.

p.s. if you'd like an unusual Paris tour, let me know...

[Ra-ra]

Ok, for Paris:

The public Paris Catacombs museum: http://upgrd.com/mike/paris-catacombs-museum-tour.html is definitely worth a visit. The bones may be scary for very young kids though.

Montmartre/Sacre coeur is a really fun area and Sacre Coeur has views to rival the Effiel Tower without the annoying tourists. A nice area (ok, so slightly touristy but you'll still find lovely little places here)
I recommend the piano bars. The kids will love the pancakes.

London:

I'm with Farehammer, can't beat Southbank. And Covent Garden. Really lovely part of London (although DO watch out for the crowds here).

For less touristy but awesome things to do (i.e. beat the crowds)

The Natural History Museum does something called "The Spirit Tour" ask at Reception if this interests you (it basically means you get to see the giant squid stashed away in the basement levels).

Hampstead Heath is the best park in London (IMO) Hampstead is a really lovely village to see. Hampstead Everyman and the Electric Cinema in Notting Hill are the best cinemas in London by far (be prepared to splash out for the latter, but worth it - beautiful cinema)

Electric cinema:



On Hampstead Heath there is also an English Heritage property called Kenwood - free to enter and recommended. The attached cafe/restaurant does some of the best food I've had. The is surrounded by private lakes, gardens, bridges. It's very nice.




The V&A is the quietest museum and is sometimes open in the evenings (some fantastic artefacts, but maybe not so interesting for kids).

The Science Musuem is arguably best for the kids (and grown up kids like me). They also do fun evenings on the last Wednesday of the month.

Best cafes and bars (and most quirky):

Wiltons Music Hall: http://wiltons.org.uk/text.php?p=236 I believe London's oldest music hall, currently being restored. It has several little rooms which make up the bar. There is often live music and it's generally a lovely place to go.

The Candid Cafe (best in the evenings):
http://www.candidarts.com/sections/g...andid_cafe.htm Lots of paintings, candles, fairy lights, a nice atmosphere and a good choice of music, played quiet enough so you can have a good chat. The food is good and so is the cake.

The Vintage Emporium: http://www.vintageemporiumcafe.com/ (Best cafe on Brick Lane - independent and owned by a lovely couple. Their cakes are amazing. There is sometimes live folk music too.

Scooterworks Bar near Waterloo: http://www.allinlondon.co.uk/directory/1150/140904.php nice independent. It's great downstairs. Favourite cafe for all the neighbourhood cats it seems...

Also on your visit, see if anything is going on in the Old Vic Tunnels:

http://oldvictunnels.com/ Wonderful series of Victorian archway tunnels located under Waterloo station. Atmospherically lit and used prolifically by the Old Vic for events every week - which include music, theatre and art exhibitions. You might also bump into Kevin Spacey (I did).

:)

[modiFIed]

Wow, Ra-ra that is awesome stuff. Yeah it's the 'insider' places to go that I'm interested in. Don't want to trust Fodor. We'll find a hotel, and it is looking like Trafalgar in London and Sacre Coeur area in Paris.

So those are great suggestions. We won't actually have any kids with us. My daughter is 16 now, so she considers herself an adult and will be wanting to hit the clubs. We'll see about that. Other than that, an old friend from NYC will be joining us, he works for Vogue so maybe will get us some inside peeks in Paris. He's sort of a kid, a 45-year-old kid.

We have a few American friends in London and Paris who will want to dominate our itinerary, so I REALLY appreciate having some other suggestions to do on our own. Catacombs rock - we missed the ones outside Rome last time, so Paris it is.

I really owe you one. Hey, I'll buy a nude spelunker calendar!

Serious about the Paris underground tour? Maybe if we're there at the same time...I'll let you know. Mrs. modiFIed would be very into that. We can take the chunnel train together, I think we're doing London, then Paris.

[Ra-ra]

Oh I probably have more suggestions then! I'll post some more at the weekend. :)

I am serious, but it will require a lot of planning (and dedication) which sometimes puts people off. But it would be lovely to meet you both. Let me know when you're planning to go. :)

[fatwoul]

Would like to be in central London for ease of touristiness. But it's not absolute if there's something awesome in tube distance...

...Yeah it's the grand tour.

Doesn't sound all that grand to me.

[modiFIed]

Doesn't sound all that grand to me.

Hey, now, it's grand if you're just a plainsman from the sticks like me. I got a weakness for Europeaners and their cool old buildings and all.

[fatwoul]

What I mean is that a grand tour would normally be a little more comprehensive. London is about as connected with the rest of Britain as Vatican City is to Italy.

[modiFIed]

What I mean is that a grand tour would normally be a little more comprehensive. London is about as connected with the rest of Britain as Vatican City is to Italy.

Oh, well I'll definitely be getting out into the countryside as much as possible.

I imagine London is like Paris vs. the rest of France, or NYC vs. the rest of America. All the bungholes congregate in the big city so they can look down their noses at the rest. Amusing, really, the insecurity that breeds that kind of attitude. There are nice folks about though, too.

Brighton?

Had friends there, but I think they moved. I would have liked to visit in the grimy 1930s, when Pinky and his fictional gang haunted the boardwalk.

My only other English friends are in the London suburbs.

Manchester? Yeah, the stern North. That would be cool. I could visit the ruins of Factory records.

For that matter, I want to get to Ireland, so Mrs. modiFIed can visit the old family potato farm. But that might have to wait.

[fatwoul]

None of those places is Plymouth, so fuck you.