London Hotels Reservations: (UK) 0844 484 8000 (International) +44 161 831 3811
London is a vibrant, multi-cultural city that has something for everyone whether you are in town to visit one of the famous West End shows, do some shopping in London's many flagship stores or visit some of the buildings that have shaped world history.
London is a large city and can be hard to navigate your way around if you have never visited us before, so we have done all the hard work and written a guide to London and some specialist guides on our favourite districts and areas to make it easy for you to make the most of your stay in London.
Hotels-London - The London Specialist.
If you need to call us before or during your stay, local call cost can be made to 0844 484 8000 and our Specialist Agents are here to help.
By far the easiest and cheapest way to navigate through London is by getting hold of an Oyster card. It is a clever bit of kit that you pre-pay and swipe over a sensor when you enter and leave the tube or bus network.
It automatically works out the cheapest prices for your journeys so you never pay over the odds. There is a £3 deposit that is returned if you hand it back along with any unused credit you may have added.
London can be quite a daunting place for visitors and the last thing you should expect is a conversation with anybody on the tube! While we are on the subject of the underground you should also make sure that you stand on the right when using the escalators and leave the left hand side clear for Londoners rushing to their next meeting or trying to catch the train. The tube operates from 5.30 am to 11.30pm.
Once you have ventured out into the daylight one thing that you should remember is that we drive on the left hand side of the road so make sure that you look the correct way when crossing the road. If trying to catch a taxi, be aware that the official black cabs with its orange roof light is occupied, so don't feel bad if they pass you by it is not personal!
London was the first city in the UK to introduce congestion charging. If you are driving into central between 7am and 6pm Mon to Fri (free at weekends and UK bank holidays) you will need to pay £8 per day. The system uses automatic number plate recognition so there is no escaping so make sure you pay within 24 hours otherwise you will be fined £50.
For more information about where you have to pay see the guide at http://www.tfl.gov.uk/assets/downloads/CC-Cameras.pdf
Since London is one of the oldest city's in the world, disabled access can be quite difficult in the cobbled side streets, narrow doors and corridors of many of London's older attractions.
Life is getting easier with new laws to force businesses to made adequate provisions and all the city's buses now have low access floors to enable easy boarding, although the tube network can often be difficult get around.
For more information about disabled access in London's transport network you can visit http://www.tfl.gov.uk/gettingaround/
Children up to 10 years old can travel free on buses and trams throughout the city as well as the tube if accompanied by a full paying adult (up to 4 per adult).
11-15 year olds can get free travel on buses and trams by getting a special 11-15 Oyster photo card and a reduced fare on the underground.For more information about travelling with children visit
Everything you need to know about London before you visit
For police, medical or fire emergencies dial 999 or 112 free from any phone.
Alcohol: 18 | Driving: 17 | Smoking: 18
Britain's currency is pound sterling (£) with denominations of 1 pence (100 pence = £1, 2p, 5p, 10p, 20p, 50p, £1, and £2 coins.
Notes come in £5, £10, £20 and £50. You can withdraw money from cash machines all over the city although be wary that some ATMs in shops may charge for withdrawing money (usually £1.50 - £1.75).
Most places where you need to pay for something will accept card payments by Visa, Mastercard and Maestro although some places may not take American Express so to avoid embarrassment be sure to check before you try to pay. Small corner shops and street sellers will usually operate on a cash only basis.
In general is can be very cold any time from November through to March and April is known for its rain showers;
A good time to visit the UK is May as the weather is usually sunny yet not so hot that the underground turns into an oven.
In the summer months (June to August) it is advisable to always carry a bottle of water with you and be remember to carry medication if you suffer from asthma or hayfever.
EU residents do not need a visa to enter the country and visitors from USA, Canada, Australia and New Zealand can also enter without a visa for up to 6 months provided that you can prove how you will support yourself during your stay.
