London Hotels-The Royal National, Etc

A few years ago, back when British Airways was trying to boost ridership on the Concord, they had a costume contest. British Airways was giving away trips to London. Costume contest. British Airways. London. Count me in. The Wife found out the Ride The Rocket costume contest and she has a dead brilliant Borg costume, which has won her a number of prizes over the years. We entered the contest, chatted up the British Airways flight crew, and won four round trip tickets to London. Insert shouts of joy here.

Since it was a British Airways trip, they sent us a packet of London Tourist info and a list of the many properties owned by British Airways. We picked the Royal National, as it seemed to be fairly cheap and was pretty close to many of the London Attractions that we wanted to see. The Royal National is right down the street from the British Museum, for example.

The room was on the small side, but it was clean and we were more than ready for some rest after the nine hour flight and that nice little ride on the Gatwick Express. It was impossible to rest too much with London right outside our window. We wandered down to the British Museum, which is huge beyond imaging, and looked at the Mummy Room, the Totem Poles, and a baffling array of odds and ends from all over the world. We then went back to our London Hotel to watch the telly for the rest of the afternoon. Jet lag is a bitch.

The next day we felt a bit better about being a world away from Texas. We went down to have some of the Royal National's free breakfast, which turned out to be a rather large mound of toast and a lot of small tubs of jams and jellies. Not exactly the Full English Breakfast, but what do you want for nothing? The Royal National was just our home base while we explored London-a place to eat cucumber sandwiches from a local market, and watched British TV shows we had never heard of before.

I'm sure that The Royal National is not the best hotel in London, but it worked for us. Thanks for having that Ride The Rocket contest, British Airways. When are you going to have another one?

The London Pass

London tourist attractions - Londonpass

		You Don't Have To Be Rich to See London! London Pass will save you Money! Your ultimate passport to London! Skip queues and avoid hassle! The London Pass is a must for London sightseeing, offering FREE ENTRY to 55 of London’s top tourist attractions with one affordable ticket. But where to start? Maybe at The Tower of London, or Windsor Castle? How about St Paul's Cathedral, The Queen’s Gallery, HMS Belfast perhaps, or would you prefer London Zoo? With so many great attractions to choose from you will be spoilt for choice. And it doesn’t stop with attractions – there are plenty of activities to keep you busy too! Take a cruise along the beautiful Regent’s canal in a traditional narrow boat through London Zoo and on to Camden Lock FREE with London Pass. If you are a football fan visit the home of that well loved football team, Chelsea, on the Chelsea FC Stadium Tour. The legacy of Chelsea FC is immense and as part of your Chelsea tour you will be offered the chance to have your photo taken with your favorite player’s shirt! You think that’s all? Well, we’re happy to disappoint you - there’s more! The London pass includes discounts and deals at shopping outlets, tours, cruises and other activities, plus a few free things thrown in on top. Get great discounts on tours with the Big Bus Company, theatre tickets for top London shows and a favourite for many, at the famous Harrods department store. London Pass holders are entitled to a FREE gift when you spend £25 or more at the Harrods shop on the Lower Ground floor – just remember to show your pass when you pay for your purchase. After all that sightseeing you must be hungry. Make sure you take your London Pass along when you dine out at the award winning restaurant chain, Wagamama. You’ll enjoy two delicious meals for the price of one – an exclusive deal which is hard to beat. Enjoy more great deals at famous Hard Rock Café and Planet Hollywood, plus at local gems such as Porters English Restaurant and the Medieval Banquet. With so many options to choose from The London Pass really does have something for everyone. Skip queues, see the best of London and make fantastic savings – Enjoy!
Plan Your London Trip With Our Interactive London Map Visit the London Pass attractions virtually before you go! See where each attraction is located, click for more information and add them to your personalised London itinerary using our handy London Planner tool... More > Get Your FREE 160 Page Guidebook Who needs a travel guide when you’ve got the London Pass guidebook? The guidebook contains a comprehensive directory of London attractions, shops & restaurants More >

		MAKE THE MOST OF YOUR TRIP TO LONDON London Pass will save you Money! The London Pass is the ultimate complement to a London sightseeing trip, offering FREE entry to over 56 of the best London tourist attractions and a FREE 160 pages guide book, with one affordable ticket. Visit Tower of London, Kensington Palace, Windsor Castle, London Zoo, Shakespeare's Globe and many more FREE with London Pass. Get £460 worth of attraction entry fees from just £13/day - Visit as many London Pass sights as you like, the more you see the more you save! Enjoy London Pass and get over 40 additional deals, discounts & freebies. Adults Children (age 5-15) Days with transport for all Zones 1-6 without transport Days with transport for all Zones 1-6 without transport 1 £43.00 £38.00 1 £26.00 £24.00 2 £62.00 £49.00 2 £40.00 £36.00 3 £79.00 £60.00 3 £48.00 £42.00 6 £120.00 £82.00 6 £78.00 £58.00
Plan Your London Trip With Our Interactive London Map Visit the London Pass attractions virtually before you go! See where each attraction is located, click for more information and add them to your personalised London itinerary using our handy London Planner tool... More >