A weekend in London
Discussion
It's her indoors' 30th in February and I know she's always wanted to go to the West End and see a proper show. She knows a) I would hate it and b) we couldn't afford it, so she has kind of resigned herself to the fact that she's not going to be able to do it for a long time, so I'd like to sort it out as a surprise thing for her birthday.
We're on a pretty tight budget at the moment (Tsk, a commoner - how very un-PH!) but I have been shuffling some money out the way for a few months so she's completely unsuspecting of it or anything like it.
Now my problem begins with the fact that I want to do this 'properly', so a hotel for Friday and Saturday night, a matinee show on the Saturday afternoon and perhaps dinner somewhere (there's also a possibility of a few mates coming up to London and meeting us, again, another surprise). I have a few questions for the more well versed amongst the ranks:
- On a budget of about £300-£400 (pref lower end of that!!), what kind of hotel could I expect in, or within walking distance of, the West End? Recomendations would be appreciated.
- What shows are good? I'm not bothered if it's girly/camp/ghey etc as it's not for me anyway, it's for her, so I'll live with it.
- Another thing she would love is to go to one of these celeb chef places where you get half a teaspoon of soggy chips for dinner. Are there any around that area and what could I expect to pay for a dinner for two?
Sorry for all the questions and the long thread, but only just begun really thinking about this!
We're on a pretty tight budget at the moment (Tsk, a commoner - how very un-PH!) but I have been shuffling some money out the way for a few months so she's completely unsuspecting of it or anything like it.
Now my problem begins with the fact that I want to do this 'properly', so a hotel for Friday and Saturday night, a matinee show on the Saturday afternoon and perhaps dinner somewhere (there's also a possibility of a few mates coming up to London and meeting us, again, another surprise). I have a few questions for the more well versed amongst the ranks:
- On a budget of about £300-£400 (pref lower end of that!!), what kind of hotel could I expect in, or within walking distance of, the West End? Recomendations would be appreciated.
- What shows are good? I'm not bothered if it's girly/camp/ghey etc as it's not for me anyway, it's for her, so I'll live with it.
- Another thing she would love is to go to one of these celeb chef places where you get half a teaspoon of soggy chips for dinner. Are there any around that area and what could I expect to pay for a dinner for two?
Sorry for all the questions and the long thread, but only just begun really thinking about this!
Go onto Lastminute.com and look up their 'top secret' deals - basically you're guaranteed a 4* or 5* but not exactly which one it is. Mrs FB and I have done brilliantly twice from this (£150 for 2 nights in a new 5* in the shadows of St. Pauls cathedral once in January this year a suite at The Landmark). I saw the Lion King earlier this year and it was something I didn't think I'd like - how wrong I was, bloody brilliant.
ETA: Last Minute not late rooms.
ETA: Last Minute not late rooms.
Edited by Fun Bus on Monday 5th December 20:34
Edited by Fun Bus on Monday 5th December 20:35
Cant help with Theatres, but I understand they are all "good", so it depends on what she likes. Is Spamalot still showing??
As for the weekend in London, we did this a while back. Friday we had afternoon tea at the Ritz. Its worth dressing smartly for it (shirt/tie), and you can east enough we didnt need dinner that evening. Its a "lovely" event, with stunning toilet decorations (!!)
Saturday we went to the science museum (free), then on a river cruise, then a very posh michelin starred restaurant (££££)
Sunday we went to the the IWM in vauxhall, then back on the train.
The transport network is so good that you dont need to stay close by. We stayed at the "Baileys Hotel" near Glocester road tube station, which is good for bars and car watching on the evenings!
Be careful though: the wife got pregnant that weekend!!!
As for the weekend in London, we did this a while back. Friday we had afternoon tea at the Ritz. Its worth dressing smartly for it (shirt/tie), and you can east enough we didnt need dinner that evening. Its a "lovely" event, with stunning toilet decorations (!!)
Saturday we went to the science museum (free), then on a river cruise, then a very posh michelin starred restaurant (££££)
Sunday we went to the the IWM in vauxhall, then back on the train.
The transport network is so good that you dont need to stay close by. We stayed at the "Baileys Hotel" near Glocester road tube station, which is good for bars and car watching on the evenings!
Be careful though: the wife got pregnant that weekend!!!
Tickets can be pretty cheap. You could either leave it until the day, go to the TKTS booth on Leicester Square and see what you (or her) fancy, or there are often theatre+hotel deals on sites like lastminute.com. February should be a bit cheaper as it's away from peak tourist season.
FWIW, I'm not much of a musical fan but I enjoyed Jersey Boys (Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons) and more recently, Rock of Ages (80s rock).
For a posh dinner, you could try Dinner which is the Heston Blumenthal restaurant at the Mandarin Oriental. Approx £15 starters, £30 mains, £10 desserts, so quite a bit cheaper than the Fat Duck. There are also various Gordon Ramsay restaurants (or Jamie Oliver, and others) where there's different restaurants to suit all budgets. However there are loads of great restaurants around the west end - Time Out even do a "best cheap eats" book (and there's a section on their website) pointing them out.
FWIW, I'm not much of a musical fan but I enjoyed Jersey Boys (Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons) and more recently, Rock of Ages (80s rock).
For a posh dinner, you could try Dinner which is the Heston Blumenthal restaurant at the Mandarin Oriental. Approx £15 starters, £30 mains, £10 desserts, so quite a bit cheaper than the Fat Duck. There are also various Gordon Ramsay restaurants (or Jamie Oliver, and others) where there's different restaurants to suit all budgets. However there are loads of great restaurants around the west end - Time Out even do a "best cheap eats" book (and there's a section on their website) pointing them out.
Fun Bus said:
ETA: Don't think I meant Late Rooms. Will get back to you on this one.
You meant LastminuteI've had some great finds out of them as well - but check the location as best as you can so that you get one reasonably close to theatre land e.g. Holborn, Bloomsbury, Covent Garden, Picadilly.
I'm seeing the wizard of oz with the missus Xmas eve, also seen dirty dancing and grease all winners.Â
Some of the nice restaurants do set menus so you get to go somewhere nice but doesn't cost you an arm and leg.  We are going L'escargot but maze is also nice.Â
Also if you book a hotel through last minute there's a deal called top secret hotels where you get a % off, could be worth looking into
Just seen other replies but seeing as it took me ages to write I'm posting anyway !
Some of the nice restaurants do set menus so you get to go somewhere nice but doesn't cost you an arm and leg.  We are going L'escargot but maze is also nice.Â
Also if you book a hotel through last minute there's a deal called top secret hotels where you get a % off, could be worth looking into
Just seen other replies but seeing as it took me ages to write I'm posting anyway !
If going for the top secret hotel option, you can usually find which one it is before booking via http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.php...
Managed to get 4 nights in Hilton Tower bridge for the price of 1 via the link!
Managed to get 4 nights in Hilton Tower bridge for the price of 1 via the link!
How important is the hotel 'name'? Frankly, the recent build or refurb Premier Inn hotels are spacious, clean, have a monster size bed for fun/sleeping and are great value when booked well in advance. I'd maximise the money available for enjoying the stay and keep the hotel spend sensible.
The one at Kings Cross is really nice, for example.
Don't go anywhere near any London Travelodge though!
The one at Kings Cross is really nice, for example.
Don't go anywhere near any London Travelodge though!
Shows; Billy Elliot was good; to see a 8/10 year old swearing on stage was amusing, no matter what you go and see you will have a good time
Dinner; we did Rules a few years ago, keep meaning to go back, may not be in the budget if you are staying over as well though
Very old fashioned and professional
Keep an eye on Groupon for meals out as well
Dinner; we did Rules a few years ago, keep meaning to go back, may not be in the budget if you are staying over as well though
Very old fashioned and professional
Keep an eye on Groupon for meals out as well
V8mate said:
How important is the hotel 'name'? Frankly, the recent build or refurb Premier Inn hotels are spacious, clean, have a monster size bed for fun/sleeping and are great value when booked well in advance. I'd maximise the money available for enjoying the stay and keep the hotel spend sensible.
The one at Kings Cross is really nice, for example.
Don't go anywhere near any London Travelodge though!
The 'name' would be an ideal world situation, being able to tell her we were staying at the Savoy or the Dorchester etc would be amazing, but it just ain't gonna happen! I think she'd much rather be able to do all the things she wants to do (dinner, drinks, show, stay over) than just have the room and a show, and looking at the cost of some of the 'big players', I think that would be the choice.The one at Kings Cross is really nice, for example.
Don't go anywhere near any London Travelodge though!
I've looked at the Premier Inn's, but someone further up the thread mentioned Marlin Apartments which seem fantastic value at about 2/3rds the price of Premier Inn for what appear to be self contained flats, which would be nice and something that I hadn't thought of.
We saw 39 Steps last year and was incredibly funny at the Criterion I think - Picadilly Circus next to Lillywhites - no idea if it is still on though.
For food - Rainforest Cafe on Shaftsbury Avenue - great simple food and nothing like it down here in Cornwall.
Great hotel the Thistle Barbican though was ten minutes walk from the tube, but there is a Starbucks/Costa en route.
Try Hamburger Union - Leicester Square - Brilliant.
London Eye - Brilliant - (get fast track if its busy) - we met NDubz and Tinchy Stryder there the morning they were on GMTV (we recognised his hat - said hello!)
Science Museum - Brilliant
History Museum - Brilliant
The mexican restaurant on Leicester Square - awesome.
Aberdeen Angus Restaurants - avoid like Aids!
Covent Garden for drinks of an evening.
Stay central and you will have an awesome time. Can't recommend the Rainforest Cafe enough though. Have been there on our last two visits.
For food - Rainforest Cafe on Shaftsbury Avenue - great simple food and nothing like it down here in Cornwall.
Great hotel the Thistle Barbican though was ten minutes walk from the tube, but there is a Starbucks/Costa en route.
Try Hamburger Union - Leicester Square - Brilliant.
London Eye - Brilliant - (get fast track if its busy) - we met NDubz and Tinchy Stryder there the morning they were on GMTV (we recognised his hat - said hello!)
Science Museum - Brilliant
History Museum - Brilliant
The mexican restaurant on Leicester Square - awesome.
Aberdeen Angus Restaurants - avoid like Aids!
Covent Garden for drinks of an evening.
Stay central and you will have an awesome time. Can't recommend the Rainforest Cafe enough though. Have been there on our last two visits.
If only you weren't men I would find you and kiss every one of you, YOU f
kING LEGENDS!!
- 4* in Hyde Park for the Friday and Saturday,
- Dinner with (probably not actually with) Gordon fking Ramsey on the Friday (Saturday is tbd),
-Two tickets to see the lion king somewhere in the west end.
- her sister + her sisters other half and 4 of her girly mates are coming on the Saturday too!
Mostly thanks to last minute.com and the wondrous brains of the learned PH!
Now, next question, how far am I from this OXO tower that everyone raves on about......
kING LEGENDS!!- 4* in Hyde Park for the Friday and Saturday,
- Dinner with (probably not actually with) Gordon f
king Ramsey on the Friday (Saturday is tbd),-Two tickets to see the lion king somewhere in the west end.
- her sister + her sisters other half and 4 of her girly mates are coming on the Saturday too!
Mostly thanks to last minute.com and the wondrous brains of the learned PH!
Now, next question, how far am I from this OXO tower that everyone raves on about......
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