Expert: David Stewart White - 1/5/2006

Question
Hello Dave,

   I am planning a family trip with my wife and 2 daughters(both 20 years old)during the Christmas time period. I have alittle flexibility of the exact dates before and after the holiday to travel, but we want to be in england for at least 2 weeks. I'm coming from the philadelphia/new york area to Heathrow. I would like to spend 2 nights in the city of London to see he sights, then we will spend the rest of the time with relatives we have in England. Which hotels in the city of london are a good deal? and do you know which days are the cheapest to fly there? Is there a way I can get just 1 room for the four of us, instead of 2 rooms (would they really mind)?

             Thanks for your help,
                                    Dan

Answer
Hi Dan,

Ahhh...advanced planning--you're my kind of traveler!  

Regarding when to travel you should be aware that most of the major visitor attractions are closed on Christmas Day and that there is virtually no public transportation on that holiday.  Some, but not all, sights are closed on Boxing Day (Dec 26) and the same situation applies on New Years Day.  During the intervening period, most everything is open and many people take the entire week off from work.  This makes London less crowded than many other times of the year.

Last year (2004-2005 Christmas-New Years) I was in London and found myself able to leisurely stroll along normally busy streets, looking at the Christmas decorations, contemplating post-Christmas sales (but usually avoiding them), and getting into uncrowded museums.  It was cool, but not cold that holiday.  This year (2005-2006 Christmas-New Years) I was not in London, but I read reports about the much colder weather.  

London has thousands of hotels and I can only provide personal observations on a handfull of them.  I suggest that you go to Tripadvisor.com and look through the reports on London hotels posted by other travelers.  That said, I also suggest that you stay in as central a London location as you can find (and afford).  For example, if you stay in Mayfair, St. James's, or the Victoria Station area, you can walk to major shopping areas and to sights like Westminster Abbey, Parliament, Buckingham Palace, the National Gallery, Cabinet War Rooms, etc.  London has an extensive network of subways, trains, and buses, but since you are planning to stay only 2 days, the more centrally-located your hotel, the less commuting you will have to start your sightseeing days.

London hotels are expensive, and the better, more central ones are especially so.  Think Manhattan hotel prices and you won't be too badly shocked.  However, finding a room that will accomodate 4 adults is a challenge.  Some tourist-class, less central hotels offer "quad" rooms, but the typical London hotel room accomodates two people, period.  You did not give me an idea of your hotel budget, or the hotel quality rating you are seeking, so it is hard to be more specific.  

Similarly, judging when to fly, from a cost perspective, is difficult.  Airline prices fluctuate wildly.  I'd start looking at prices 4 or 5 months ahead of time.  When you see what appears to be a good deal, take it.  I assume you have choices about airlines, given your US location.  British Airways gets my nod for the best service, probably followed by Virgin Atlantic.  

Finally, if your family has never been to London before, I think you will find that two days is not enough time to explore the city.  This is certainly my own (biased) opinion, but 4-5 days would allow you to do more than just cruise past the major tourist sights in the city.

I hope this information is helpful.  

David White

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