Base for london and surrounding areas holiday

[mummyof2boys30]

Thinking of taking the kids to London and incorporating a day at Chessington,a day woburn safari park and a day at thorpe park. Happy to stay in two places or get train into London as hiring a car. No clue on what area to look at as a base. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

DS went to uni in Egham, Surrey so we spent a lot of time in that area.
I can thoroughly recommend the following hotels:

• Devere Beaumont Estate, Windsor (although it's actually closer to Egham than Windsor town),
• Runnymede on Thames Hotel & Spa, Egham.

Both hotels are about 35 mins train into London and 15 mins drive into Windsor. They are close to Thorpe Park, Legoland, Runnymede visitor centre and the Thames.

We stayed at both hotels a few times and enjoyed them.

Those places are not really London though are they? You have two theme parks close together just inside the M25 and a safari park near Milton Keynes. You don't need to go into London at all if you are hiring a car. Stay near the two closest and drive round the M25 and M1 to get to Woburn.

Just really confused by your reasons for asking ....

What are you planning to do in London and for how many days?

Where are you coming from?

Coming from Northern Ireland. Was thinking doing a few days sight seeing in London and then the theme parks as well as kids love theme parks. Coming for a week. Happy to stay outskirts london to do the theme parks etc and then stay in London the rest. We arent entirely sure ourselves. Just trying to make something work as cant do foreign holiday this year

How old are the kids? I think that unless they love animals or are under about 7 Woburn is a bit of a trek from the others.
Chessington, Thorpe Park and Legoland make more sense. Harry Potter at Leavesden very good if they like the films, easy train from Euston and bus laid on from Watford

Is there a specific reason for Woburn? It's nice but nothing really special in my opinion.

You have two theme parks south of London. If you stay in the area you spent easily. 2-3 hours driving. to Woburn if you. go during rush. hour, the M25 is mayhem.

You. could stay. for 2 days near the theme parks and then the rest in London and visit the zoo there.

No just seen it recommended. They are 12 and 9 so maybe that's not a good idea. We have done legoland before but would consider it for one day. So hard to know when we have no real idea on the area.

Staying near Heathrow might work as excellent transport links otherwise I recommend South Kensington as a base for central London as near the museums or just see what is in your price range

I would concentrate on looking what you want to do in London. There are tons of service appartments available, you have more space than in a typical London hotel room. It. also saves you time and money on tube travel.

Do you need Chessington and Thorpe? DD went to Chessington last year with a friend and the friend's younger sibling, she was just 13 and I think she liked it for nostalgic reasons and because she is afraid of roller coasters. Most of her friends in secondary only go to Thorpe Park.

Depending what your children like, you can also do a day at Hampton Court (easy by train from Waterloo) or rent a car and drive into Kent for other castles like Hever, Leeds Castle, Dover

I like woburn but I'd say you could do London zoo instead and save yourself driving up that way