To go on holiday in London?

Me and my daughter do this and have a great time on a budget. We stay at the Greenwich Travelodge.

I went last week, just for the day. Left home at 10am,slight detour (15 minutes due to roadworks) brunch when I arrived in West Kensington, art exhibition, walk around to see the lights, a bit of shopping and a snack, gig in the evening.
A great day.
Until it was time to drive home. A4 and M4 were both closed,massive congested diversion half way around the world to get back, and I love driving.
Really spoiled the day.
No trains back to where I live at that time of day, so driving only option.
Much better to stay over given the chance which I couldn’t do on this occasion.

Couldn’t face doing it 4-5 days on the trot.

@RessicaJabbitwe have stayed a couole
of times at the Travelodge at Waterloo. It was quite reasonable priced (was a few years ago). There is a bus from outside that goes along strand / Charing Cross Road so good for Covent Garden / theatre land. Also good tube links.

The YHA ones in London ones are really lovely and are more like travelodges. They’re not rough and ready at all.

Great idea. Check out travelodges etc for cheaper times to stay, and plan your days beforehand in terms of museums, exhibitions etc which are in the same area, so as not to waste time travelling while you're there. Food really bumps the costs up, so we took porridge pots to have in the hotel room for breakfast, supermarket meal deal for lunch then a pub for dinner - worked out well for us.

We always used to have a night in a central London hotel to see lights and do some bits without worrying about getting home when children were younger. I live in zone 6!

ew not sure that’s appealing at all

I have had a London holiday, Monday to Friday, for last 2 years, currently planning this years.
I only live a 60 minute drive to west London but love the extra time of being there. I wouldn’t drive back and forth every day and get the same experience.

Another option is the university accommodation when the students aren’t there. Affordable and good.

https://www.universityrooms.com/en-GB/city/london/home/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=EN-Leeds&utm_term=Accommodation-Exact&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=23105553967&gbraid=0AAAAAD81swsOfdZCZY3f1G4jXtT23VGsw&gclid=Cj0KCQiAuvTJBhCwARIsAL6DemjefMcNDQ9cHXoVkwczfZpxBLwh_t6SOTIFYnnW7p-uHOakmweMvb8aAnrYEALw_wcB

yes this is what I was going to say. Travel is always a lot more involved with a kid to think about (as you know!) so I see the appeal of staying in town if you can afford it. But I would still aim to not try to do everything because the tube is exhausting for local kids too. Ie if you mainly want to see things inner west, stay west and don’t attempt cable cars in east London etc.
London early in the day is much much nicer before crowds and tourists arrive. And lights look lovely this time of year - but be careful to avoid rush hour at both ends.

one thing I do recommend with kids is catching the uber boat to Greenwich to see Cutty Sark/National maritime museum/GMT line etc. good views through the city from the boat each way and you sit inside in the warmth and comfort so it’s pain free and you aren’t using up energy for the little people. from memory 30mins each way or so from central London

Consider youth hostels to stay in. The London ones I’ve stayed have been really nice, and you can get family rooms now.

https://www.yha.org.uk/places-to-stay/london?gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=906487151&gbraid=0AAAAADpWiI_2Lic35SByKvA-Vil3ob-ez&gclid=Cj0KCQiAuvTJBhCwARIsAL6Demh-GEpcSbbF6O1lmMh9c8AVxxhNfKJrx5GYrg2-xpCl76L_Q--1zN0aAusfEALw_wcB

Go for it @RessicaJabbit

I think it’s a lovely idea. I know someone who lives in london - pretty central too - but periodically books a couple of nights in a really swanky hotel to lounge about and enjoy the spa facilities and room service

Sometimes DD and I book a hotel and do the theatre / walk around St James park in the morning, lovely breakfast. Love it.

No, we did during covid year, and we live half hour train ride away and go to London a lot. We had a great time. Expensive but we hadn’t been away for a while due to covid.

We had a week in London when our 3 DC were around 9 to 6. My DH was dead against it as he commutes there every day. We are about 45 mins away from St Pancras. The week felt so different to a day trip.
We all loved it. No rush home every night. We did a show, ate at Rainforest Cafe, walked down the Thames at night. We did all the touristy things, Madam Tussards, museums etc.
We stayed in a Premier Inn and no it wasnt cheap, but it was a holiday. Nothing wrong with spending a holiday budget on a London holiday
We went Oct half term.

Do it! I live 40 mins away and regularly stay with DC, it’s lush just going back you your room to recharge, watch tv, leaving bags behind, try a hotel with a pool. Children’s breakfast normally free. Park Plaza’s are good, if budget allows The Dilly.

Every time I’ve had the time for cable cars the weather has been poor, was it a good experience?

Not at all unreasonable. Just have a think up front about what you want to see this trip and pick a location to stay carefully from that. It still takes a while travelling around central London and you could still spend a fair chunk of time travelling. It's not an everything on your doorstep location.

Can’t believe the number of people who spend money on hotels instead of going home each night

I must be doing something very wrong to not have the money to even consider doing this

But you are going to have to get a tube to different places anyway so to save on a 30mins commute (you could order an uber from your door to the station for a few quid each way) and looking up the train times and how to get to places to get the quickest route in and out you are going to spend £1000++

Unless you are missing out that you are super rich and have pots of money I think you have more money than sense.

I live near Liverpool and still stay over for a long weekend there fairly frequently. Sounds like a great idea.

Used to live in London. Now an hour by train. Go regularly for nights out and music. Always stay the night and will often stay 2-3 days.
So much to do. It's on your doorstep and the perfect city break. Do it!