London Marathon Accommodation

[ilovedplaydays]

Hi

DH running London Marathon in April. We have booked to stay in Holiday Inn in Bloomsbury. However it looks quite a distance from the start of the marathon in Blackheath. Can anyone tell me how long we should allow to get to Blackheath? The marathon starts about 9am I think. The hotel are providing a courtesy coach to get us there, but I'm wondering if the tube connections would be quicker. The hotel are offering a marathon package of £150 per night, which includes the transport to the start. Is this good value, do you think or can anyone recommend another hotel closer to Blackheath.

Thank you!

Hi,

I would imagine if the hotel has a package then they will be well set up to get him there on time. The hotel I stayed in when I did it was right by St Pauls (sorry name has escaped me) and although they didn't organise their own transport they did give me a little sheet detailing the travel times to blackheath which was v useful. The tubes and trains get very busy so the coach sounds like a good option to me.

Personally I would not recommend staying near the start as I have heard that it is a bit of a nightmare to get back there at the end of the race as well as being quite a long way to travel if you have aching legs (and apparently its quite a tiring day for spectators too!). A hotel nearer the finish much nicer as your DH will be nearer somewhere to have a bath and lie down :)

The other thing I would recommend that you check out somewhere to eat after the race as lots of the pubs and restauraunts near the finish get heaving. We ended up in a pizza hut which even though I was so hungry I was willing to eat anything was still a major disappointment!

Lastly (sorry if he's done it/other marathons before) I organised with my DH that he would be at certain points along the route to meet me at my predicted time. I found this very very helpful especially when I was struggling around Canary Wharf as I knew in a few miles I would see a familiar face (turned out most of my family turned up too which was a v nice surprise). Make sure you are wearing something so he can spot you easily amongst the crowds of spectators!

Good luck to your DH - I still smile when I remember doing my marathon in 2005. It is one of the best days of your life :o

Bloomsbury sounds like a good bet to me. Agree with runningmonkey that if the hotel has organised a package they will be well set up (cold you check to see if they have organised this package before?)

Tubes are quicker - when they work. I ran the London Marathon in 2007 and, living in London, had 2 different train routes to choose from. I was fortuante in that I chose not to take Docklands, as there was a derailment, leaving many runners to make their own way to the start (a mile or 2 away. If I had been involved in that, I think I would have given up!

Plenty of small Italian places around Bloomsbury area, though not sure if they will be open on a Sunday. There is a Pizza Express though, on Coptic Street, also another chain of Italian restaurants in Tott Court Road area which I imagine might be. Will try and find out more info if you wish...no longer in London but used to work in Bloomsbury area, hence plenty of eating out..

Agree that it will be easier to be "central" than nearer the start. How old are your DCs? Their age is something to consider if trying to see from multiple view points, found it quite a struggle when MIL, DC1 and I tried to spot DH. DS1 was in a buggy, and we struggled. MIL did spot DH at one point, but I didn't and felt quite sad. The crowds were a problem, hard to navigate buggy through to good view point. On the other hand when I ran in 2007, DH and DCs (then aged 10 and 6) did manage to see me, both at Tower Bridge (12 or 13 miles I think) and at 22 miles. DC2 did find it hard though, was a long boring day.

I have a place for next year as well, but injured at the moment, so wondering if to pull out. Hoping to try a little run this week to see how it goes....good luck to your DH

SOrry, this has ended up so long....

Thanks so much for your messages. I love to hear your experiences. Our hotel is about 15 min 'drive' from end so maybe we will stay there bearing in mind what you have said.

My friend did the Dublin marathon the other week - she was plagued with injury but kept up the sports massage when she could afford it. Her leg was sore after a few miles and she hobbled over the finishing line - but she did it!! Inspirational - don't give up your place yet ibbydibby!

I am never likely to run the Marathon but was a volunteer start marshall. The unique atmosphere got me out of my bed at 6am on a Sunday for 6 or 7 years, and even DH (who will do nothing for nothing) joined me.

Definitely get a hotel near the finish, travelling back will feel like forever!

Even if you choose not to use the coach provided, there are special trains laid on to get the runners from central London into the area. At Blackheath we guided the sometimes bizarre contents of a packed train every 5-7 minutes for the 2 hours prior to the start so there will be no problem making your way there.

Good luck

Thanks marriednotdead. I love your id by the way - reminds me of the meaning of my husband's surname 'transfixed but not dead': sums him up nicely sometimes...(and hopefully not for the marathon..)

So no intentions of running it then...? I'm a little intrigued, sorry for my nosiness!

No problem, am a nosy one myself tbh

I am a slim but unfit couch potato

In my poor defence, I have intermittent sciatica and moody insides so am not in a rush to jiggle it all about too much. But then I watch the amputees and little old ladies and feel guilty again...

I have 2 gym bunny sisters who are always nagging me, and their energy levels are the only thing that inspire me to even look at my sports bra. One sis who drew the 'curvy bottom' short straw always complains that I so haven't got the bum I deserve

so you are one of the blessed....! Now I understand!

Sounds like the advice is to stay with Bloomsbury.

Thanks all, and any further advice is very welcome.

I would stay near Waterloo, easy journey to the start and close to finish. I've run 2 x London Marathons (ages ago) and was lucky enough to live near Waterloo hence my recommendation....was able to get bus to Waterloo East for train to start and able to walk home from finish. Suggestions are County Hall, Novotel, Days Inn or Travelodge waterloo or Southwark

Thanks for waterloo reco. I'll have a look at those suggestions.

I stayed at a Holiday Inn in 2007 when I ran (personal sense of achievement as I did not walk at all) - they are well set up.
If it is your 1st marathon would recommend taking the package as you will be so excited / nervous that just getting on the coach will be enuogh to deal with.
If you tube or bus, you are taking energy from when you will probably need it most. I was surprised at my first 'race' that I used do much energy just getting to the start and waiting around.
Good luck - it is the most wonderful experience - I still get pangs of guilt / wonder when I watch it - but I said never again as I went down to just over 6 and a half stone and was really too thin. I physically could not eat enough to keep my weight up.
Are you doing it for a charity?

Resurrecting this thread again. I have booked Holiday Inn Bloomsbury marathon package, but it is quite dear I think. Works out at £150 per night per room, including breakfast and coach to start line. I am just wondering if this is quite dear? I am looking at some hotels which are not so big but half the price; however will they be very jaded...? I do not know London - stayed twice in my life.

BUMP

I don't think that is quite dear at all. for central London on a marathon weekend that seems very reasonable and at least you know it will be pretty good. Cheaper hotels are likely to be really awful I think.

I may have made a bit of a mistake.... I get emails from travelzoo with special offers and I booked hilton hyde park for £119 per night including dinner (one night) and breakfast. (though with taxes it has come out as more...). I cancelled holiday inn. Now I am unsure whether I have done the right thing cos DH has to get to start line independently now (holiday inn were offering coach) and the trip looks complicated. Any idea what the Hilton hotel is like and best way to get to Greenwich Park using public transport.

Ill post this as a new thread also