to be angry at dh, not booking travelodge in london for school hols last night

[clumsymum]

DS hasn't had a trip to London yet (he's 8, needs to see some sights). So we are going to take him in the summer hols.

Travel lodge mailed out yesterday, offers.
Told dh, found room available at Kings Cross £49 per night (2 nights). He didn't book it as asked. Now it's all booked up, and we'll have to stay at Southwark to get that rate.

I think it'll just be harder getting to and fro, cost more in taxis & stuff (i'm disabled, find the underground V hard work).

How about the new Youth Hostel ? They have family rooms at that sort of rate.

Well I've booked southwark now, otherwise they would have booked up too I guessed.

Are there Youth hostels in central London? Not sure if I'd get on with a youth hostel, before ds I was always a 5* traveller

But why do DHs not do things when they are asked to?

He complains when ds doesn't do things he's asked to do.

There is a rather swanky looking brand new youth hostel between Oxford Circus tube and Gt Portland St tube. I thought it was fancy flats going up but turns out it's a YH. Will google for you.

why didn't u do it?

Dunno would be annoyed too. We are off to London tomorrow for long weekend with DS (7) and DD (4). Hope DD's legs are up to what we have planned.

Could you do buses a bit?

here

Is a really nice location. Walking distance to Regents Park which is gorgeous atm. Easy bus journey to all the sights.

Its really nice looks v modern. And wheelchair accessible etc

I'm wondering about buses. Probably easier than tube, but find standing waiting V tiring. Was toying with idea of taking my small mobility scooter (I know MNers hate them, but on occasions v helpful for me, I don't mow down children with it), wonder if buses are wheelchair friendly, cos if so the scooter will go on.

Misdee, cos I was getting tea/dealing with ds, and dh was sitting at work waiting for something to finish.

Um, do you get a private bathroom in YH?

Yes it says they have en suite.

Sorry I didn't notice you were disabled - hence short walk to Regent's Park comment. The bendy buses are I think wheelchair accessible but possibly not the older buses? TFL could probably tell you exactly which ones are and are not.

I'll consider it for another time then Margo. As I say, I've booked Southwark travellodge now, because I didn't want to lose any chance at all, and I reckon £100 for 2 nights is pretty good.

Now I need to plan where we will go. Is the London Eye V expensive (will make dh go on it now, even tho he hates heights)? Where can we eat reasonably?

I don't think staying in the Kings Cross area would have been a great location TBH especially not the best place to be in. DH used a hotel in the Kings Cross area recently for a work trip and said it wouldn't be very pleasant to walk around if our dcs had been with him.

Have a nice time in London though.

I know Snora, it's just reasonably central to get to everywhere, and we won't be out very late with ds.

Suppose the good thing about being in southwark is that the southbank is lovely - usually lots going on there on the weekend, borough market I think runs on a saturday as well, globe theatre, tate modern etc... Just trying to make the best of it!

Also, if you take a mobility scooter, you could cross the wobbly bridge by the tate modern (that new footbridge), and then it's not too far by taxi or bus to a lot of west end places?

Oooh Hopefully, the wobbly bridge is a good idea, yes I could do that.
We won't be there on a Saturday, going Sunday to Tues.

Will we have probs getting taxis to take us back 'south of the river'?

Southwark is a great location. It's right next to Waterloo so loads of taxis around, you'll have no probs getting them back there. It's a 5 minute walk to Waterloo, Jubilee Line has excellent wheelchair access so you could get the tube if necessary (Westminster also has good access if you're planning on seeing houses of parliarment etc).

You're right on the South Bank for good restaurants overlooking the river and loads of galleries close by. Most buses have wheelchair ramps, haven't been on a bus in a long time that doesn't have a ramp, even the old ones have the attachment!

A blessing in disguise I would say!

Southwark a much better location than King Cross for accessibility to things to do. You can walk right down the Southbank to th London Eye (lots of things to do and nice places to eat around South Bank). You can pick up buses and taxis with no difficulty if going further afield.

just to answer your mobility scooter query.. my mum has one and it goes on and off ALL types of London buses with no problems

hope that helps

Oh you have cheered me up so much, I might stop being cross with dh now.

I have to say Southwark is an area I don't know at all. Used to go to London lots before I was married (15 yrs ago), but of course there has been lots of development since then.

Great news about the scooter and buses.

Thanks. Any other hints/suggestions gratefully received.

The London Eye is quite expensive and if you don't book the queues seem to be pretty bad. We toyed with going up last time we were in London but couldn't face the queuing.

Looks like you can book but it makes it even more expensive.

Have a lovely time

Thanks Niecie. Hmm if we can queue then it costs £23.00 for us all (dh goes free as my helper), but if we book not to queue then it will cost £75 (cos we all have to pay full price).
DS not good at queues, dh not patient with ds when queueing.

What to do.

Maybe the river cruise instead. I would sooooo like to go on the EYE tho' !!!

If you get to the eye early enough on a week day the queues aren't usually too bad. I've never had to wait more than half an hour and have been plenty of times on a Saturday in high tourist season. Your DH could take DS for a wander whilst you queue on everyones behalf? There's loads to do/ look at nearby. Don't forget the Aqaurium either, right next door. Expensive (what isn't in London though?), but brilliant.

Katie, Deffo, good idea. Might make that our first stop on Monday morning, point out all the other places we can go and see in London.
Then do the cruise. dh would go free as my helper again on that (sorry, seems unfair when everyone else has to pay so much).

I'm suddenly getting quite excited about this !!