London Kingston Upon Thames info for visit

[McCallington]

We are visiting a couple for their surprise 40th anniversary party so I cannot ask them directly. We have looked at nearby-ish hotels, probably a Premier Inn and there is one in Kingston Upon Thames which uses the NCP car park on Booth Road. As we live quite a distance away we are thinking of making a mini holiday of it and visiting The Big Smoke.

Questions we have, is this a safe area at night? How easy can we travel into London from here on the train and anything else we should know? I thought I would ask the MN collective for their thoughts.

Only if it doesn't meet the standards. Some do.

@McCallington I would also recommend London Walks. Pick a topic and have a walk around with a guide showing you and telling the history.

https://www.walks.com/

Ah, OK. Mine didn't so we took DH's petrol car instead.

@McCallington there is an online checker so you can check if your car is OK.

Shit I had completely forgotten they had rolled out the ULEZ to the rest of London, just looked and we are fine with our car, but this is all very helpful.

I'm Kingston born and bred and I never knew this, how cool! Thanks, I'm going to check it out when I'm next visiting 😊
OP, just echoing what others say, the Premier Inn is in the least pretty part but it's safe and still close to the town centre/river/station. Easy enough into London on the train, 25 mins to Waterloo. If you want to go to e.g. Oxford Street then you can get off the train at Vauxhall and onto the Victoria line tube. Have a great time!

For the Tower of London, train to Wimbledon then change onto District line to Tower Hill.

I've just seen my terrible typo. Obviously it was "there" and not "they're". Bloody speel chuck.

Nipper was buried there long before the Lloyd's branch was built, but I think it is nice that his memory has been preserved.

The Kingston Premier Inn is nice, they have the Premier Plus rooms there too which are a little more upmarket if you're treating yourself! These rooms have a fridge in which I like. Don't forget to ask about parking at reception, as there's some kind of discount on the NCP car park if you're staying at that Premier Inn.

I love the perception of London from those who've clearly never been. You can go pretty much anywhere at night and be fine. Statistically you'll be more likely to have a car accident in your provincial home town.

It isn't exclusive to London. People ask about towns and cities everywhere in the UK and worldwide.

It's just the unfamiliar with somewhere that makes people ask. I think it is a perfectly sensible question to ask TBH.

@Rosesanddaisies1 I am not saying "London" as one homogenous mass I just wanted to know that I can walk back from that specific NCP at say midnight and be safe. And I live in a city not a "provincial" hometown, nice dig there and the only shitty comment on here whereas everyone else has been helpful. I advise on threads about my own city as I know certain areas of it especially if someone says they are driving in and where to park etc.

@Theredfoxfliesatmidnight we are probably going to book the Premier Plus just for that fridge to make drinks in the room. I hate those little UHT milks.

@McCallington no doubt you'll spot these in Kingston 🙂

https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/out-of-order

Have stayed in that PI numerous times, no issues whatsoever . It's not on the nicest street but no biggie . Within a minute or two you are on a different street!

Loved Kingston.

if you’re interested in history, All Saints Church in the Market Sq is the place when the first King of England was crowned in 925. It’s been restored by Ptomeley Dean and it’s really beautiful inside. There is a lovely cafe there too.

@beetr00 @Kapalika see this is why I love MN. Thank you. I hadn't looked at Kingston before I started this thread in case everyone said the train line is shit or works are planned etc but these two things are worth visiting, along with Nipper. I remember visiting my mate when he was at Hull uni and they had white phone boxes as BT didn't own them. Also Hull is in fact Kingston Upton Hull but they shorten it to Hull.