Recommendations sought for a weekend in London

If they like dance, Sadlers Wells has great shows and is very reasonable for London. (book the seats with "restricted visibility" - only means you can't see very top of set where nothing is happening anyway) A few minutes walk away in Exmouth Market there is a very good Meditteranean/Turkish style restaurant called Sade where you can get a 2 course pre-show meal for around £10. Ibis hotels are also worth considering for budget travellers - I stayed in Docklands one last August for around £50 for twin room. Not much around it though in terms of restaurants, as it is very much a work environment. Borough Market might be interesting to explore. How about getting the boat either from Tate Modern to Tate Britain (or vice versa) or from Westminster to Greenwich? Make sure they get an Oyster card, buses are going cashless.

Thanks Tresco. I forgot about the Oyster card, they weren't an option last time I was in London so I'll go on the London Transport website and get clued up about it. Think I'll ask my friend round for supper and we'll both go online and investigate that and the river trips. What did we do before the internet?

I think that Docklands is a bit out of the way for a tourist in London. It is very officey. What about the Lambeth area? The Travelodge in Waterloo Bridge Road gets very good reviews from my work colleagues - and if you're in the right room, you even get a view of the London Eye. South Bank within walking distance and there is so much going on there all the time.

I've got a "pay-as-you-go" Oyster card which is dead simple. You just put as much on it as you need and when we have guests I lend it to them.

There is a website too that tells you how to catch some of the regular London buses that follow the main routes of the tourist buses, I'll see whether I can find it. It's fun!

Here you go, it's the Number 11 bus:

www.londondrum.com/events/?p=17339

Here's another website with info about the buses:

www.londonforfree.net/outdoors/bustour/bustour.shtml

The buses are much easier to use now they tell you the name of the stop you are arriving at, so if you have looked up the route you know where to get off. I agree about Docklands being too full of offices. It all depends on what their interests are. If they are in the Lambeth area, the Garden Museum is a little oasis for some calm. There are great views of St Pauls' from the cafe at the top of Tate Modern. This place is good for dinner and has a great Art Deco style cocktail bar www.brasseriezedel.com near Picadilly Circus. London Review of Books near British Museum has some of the best cakes and a good atmosphere. Can throw out more random suggestions but as I said, depends on interests!

Thanks everyone...lots to work on there. Docklands not a good choice so I'll think again. Thanks Grannyknot for the 'heads-up' on the Waterloo Bridge Travelodge... I would never have thought of that one. I'l send her the links you posted as well.
My friend is very quiet and reserved, but very used to travelling (though not to England.!) so I had already thought museums would be of interest... though don't know what her niece is like. My friend loves 'English tea', so I'll point her in the direction of the London Reveiw of Books if she's going to the British Museum. I would mention 'Tea at the Ritz' but I think she'd probably faint at the price!

It's a bit busy, but how about the William Morris tea rooms at the V&A? Quite extraordinary decor. Somerset House often has interesting things on, and a pleasant courtyard for coffee, plus of course the Courtauld Institute for art.

Apologies, I've just realised its Travelodge Waterloo Road not Waterloo Bridge (Road).

Tresco your a mind of information I love art deck and will be checking out that cocktail bar.
absentgrandma I hope your friend enjoys her trip.

For a weekend trip I would forget Docklands and Olympic Park, etc.

I agree on the Travelodge on Waterloo Road - don't know the hotel but the location is ideal. Many of the famous sites are within walking distance e.g. Houses of Parliament, Millennium Wheel, The Shard, Tate Modern, Trafalgar Square, St Paul's, etc.

It's also near tube stations should they have an interest in places outside the city centre e.g. Kew Gardens. I note she's bringing her teenage niece so maybe places like Camden Market and Notting Hill. Notting Hill can be combined with Kensington Gardens where they could see Kensington Palace (I know the French like the royal family, particularly Diana).

Maybe don't mention the hotel is on Waterloo Road

Oops Riverwalk...... as I clicked 'send' on the email I sent to my friend about the Waterloo Travelodge I realised the significance of it.Fortunately both her and her husband have a great sense of humour (slightly unusual for the French, I have to say!) Also they are both extremely interested in our monarchy ( this time, very French....don't want it themselves but envy ours) so I had though of the August opening of the Buck House state rooms and possibly an exhibition like last year of the royal wedding dresses... would have liked to have seen that myself. Notting Hill for a teenager would combine nicely with Ken. Palace and the Diana connection.
Thanks everyone. I've got loads of info for her now.
It's very flattering when someone asks your advice as she did, as she has other English friends in our village but they are a younger generation so she thought that,at my advanced age(!) I would be the person to consult. Trouble is I haven't been to London since the Millenium

There's a travelodge in Covent Garden which is really central. The V and A is great and there is a wedding dress exhibition on at the moment, there are lots of nice restaurants and cafés near the museum if you didn't fancy the one in the museum. Tate Britain has got a really interesting textile exhibition on at the moment which is fascinating. Peacock Theatre in aldwych usually has some interesting dance shows, I saw a lovely tango one there recently. I would advise your friends to book up a show before they come, especially if they come at the weekend. If the weathers nice there are some lovely gardens to sit in, there's a lovely one behind Somerset house which is not crowded, and Kensington gardens are lovely for a stroll. They can sit on a number 12 bus which goes around the sights, and a river cruise down to Greenwich and a walk around there is lovely if the weathers good.

I don't know if this is a common French response, but when we had French friends visiting a couple of years ago the highlight of our trip to London for them was Harrods - we expected to spend half an hour in there and lost them for the afternoon. They said there was nothing like it in Paris, which I find hard to believe.

Just noticed "art deck" ??? Stupid Kindle. Should of course has read art deco.

My personal choice of walk would be (weather permitting and if your friends like walking):

Maybe start at the National Portrait Gallery/Trafalgar Square, then on to
Westminster, Houses of Parliament, Big Ben.

Cross Westminster Bridge for a walk along the south bank, passing the London Eye, Festival Hall, National Theatre, Tate Modern (can cross the Millennium footbridge here to go to St Paul's), then back to the South Bank past the Globe Theatre, HMS Belfast, Town Hall and Tower Bridge.

Or, for those not wanting to walk so much:

National Portrait Gallery/Trafalgar Square
Westminster, Houses of Parliament, Big Ben.

Then a one day hop-on hop-off river pass between Westminster Pier and Greenwich, with commentary pointing out places of interest and allowing you to get off at various points, such as Tower Bridge. At Greenwich there's the recently restored Cutty Sark, the market (not sure which days), the Maritime Museum, Greenwich Park and the Observatory (from the hill on which it stands there is a lovely view).

St James's Park, Regent's Park and Hyde Park are lovely on a summer's day. And, as you say, Covent Garden is interesting, with markets and entertainment.

What I would avoid (though tourists queue up to go there) is Madame Tussauds - expensive and, in my view anyway, not worth the time or money.

Fingers crossed for good weather, and I hope they have a great time.

Yes I agree don't bother with the tourist traps like Madame Tussauds and the London Dungeon or Oxford Street. Convent Garden is better for shopping and more interesting with street performers and outdoor cafes.

though the London Eye is good fun and you get a great view. You can pre book tickets so you avoid queues

Eloethan's suggestion is exactly what I would have recommended. Another additional possibility is is to go on a London Walk which are guided by extremely knowledgeable people and take to you many hidden places which most people are unaware of. The ones in the City of London are exceptionally interesting. They last about two hours and cost around a tenner. They are listed on their site

Here's the link:

www.walks.com/

There's no need to book, you just turn up at the meeting point, mostly at a tube station, and they take place whatever the weather. If you browse the site you can see what a vast choice there is.

Thanks MiceElf - I've made a note of that link.

The red tourist double-decker bus - do the whole circular trip at least once. Worth every penny and saves your legs! We've done it in most European cities and it works. You see all the best sights without tiring yourself too much. And in the evening - theatre or a nice walk in a park.

The sightseeing buses are good (we've been on the London, Cambridge and Edinburgh ones) but during the height of the season you do risk, in the more central areas, getting snarled up in traffic and hanging about in one place for quite a long time.

Gosh, so many ideas! Thanks everyone. My friend (Veronique) is a great walker (just back from 2 weeks in the Andes) so I'll be printing off your itinerary, Eloethan.

Agree with you Suzied.... I think Veronique wants to do the non- tourist bits if possible(which I guess is why she asked me rather than Google.)

She is going to book a hotel this weekend which I think will be the Travelodge on the Waterloo Road, despite the unfortunate connection!

We are going to get together next weekend over a glass or two of something red and alcoholic to co-ordinate all your good advice (while respective partners discuss/argue the UK stance on membership of the EU!!) We girls will be discussing something far more important!

Thanks again everyone.

Somebody mentioned tea at the Ritz but you have to book a very long way ahead. Most hotels do afternoon tea and sometimes you can get two for one deals on deals websites. Recommend Jason's Trip, a narrow boat trip along the Regents canal which goes through London Zoo. It finishes at Camden Lock. Lots of stalls for browsing all sorts of ethnic jewellery and craft stuff. Very popular with teens! You can get a return ticket if you want.