GABIT attendees thread

[Fresh_Horse]

There are 10 of you this time.

Mumsey

Really? 10 Aussies?? OMG. Hope you guys are ready!!

Does this mean there will be more Aussies than guys?

[Chelle DB]

I won't be bringing the TimTams...I could bring the vegemite tho.
I'll be packing blue jelly & caramello Koala's.

[starsong101]

Vegemite and chocolate ? There is something very wrong with that combination, ugh!

[penjab]

Since we are asking for hotel recommendations, I will be at the Ren from Wed on but am looking for something more centrally located beforehand. Last time I stayed at the New Amsterdam. It is nice but the prices seem to have increased significantly. Any other recommendations?

There used to be a Travel Lodge located in the building near the London Eye that was very reasonable but not in any way plush. It is functionary and clean. I have never stayed there but it was recommended by someone here who travels and recommended it.

[Fresh_Horse]

There used to be a Travel Lodge located in the building near the London Eye that was very reasonable but not in any way plush. It is functionary and clean. I have never stayed there but it was recommended by someone here who travels and recommended it.

I have yet to find a reasonably priced, clean hotel in London that doesn't put you in a closet-turned-hotel-room if you are travelling alone.
Even if you pay way above 100 £ you sometimes still end up in a room the size of a wardrobe. A small wardrobe.

The best prices can be had around Heathrow but I'd rather stay in the city if I am going to see a play.

Oh, and I once nearly booked a room but then read the reviews and they mentioned that the hotel wouldn't store your luggage on the day you left. If you had a late flight that meant dragging a trolley around the city for the day.
That is a no-go!

[Sarai]

I have yet to find a reasonably priced, clean hotel in London that doesn't put you in a closet-turned-hotel-room if you are travelling alone.
Even if you pay way above 100 £ you sometimes still end up in a room the size of a wardrobe. A small wardrobe.

The best prices can be had around Heathrow but I'd rather stay in the city if I am going to see a play.

Oh, and I once nearly booked a room but then read the reviews and they mentioned that the hotel wouldn't store your luggage on the day you left. If you had a late flight that meant dragging a trolley around the city for the day.
That is a no-go!

Hotels in London are notorious - I wish you the best of luck in finding somewhere! Regarding the luggage, did you know that most of the major railway stations have a "Left Luggage" service? You have to pay for it of course, but at least the option is there if your hotel doesn't offer it at all

[rderoch]

Okay guys time for your input again. I have spent way too many hours trying to find a place to stay in London that I don't have to give an arm and leg (or all four for). After looking I thought I would stay at a Heathrow airport hotel. I would like one near the REN just because I know what bus to take to get there. If I stay at the airport I'll get a BritRail pass since it is also good for the Heathrow express along with all of my other train travel.

By the way thanks for the input on other places to stay. Jumble I have had the pleasure of visiting the Peak District. My father's step-fathers family is from Ashover. I spent a week there tramping through graveyards and I found the family house; Sabine Hey. Actually almost literally ran into it when a big truck carrying concrete blocks nearly ran me off the road just outside the Sabine Hey gate; fate? I did get to do some hiking also such a beautiful place.

Thanks in advance

Heathrow Express ends at Paddington Station. It's about a block from "Hotel Row". We stayed at a nice little place over there (though the name escapes me). The room was small and not fancy, but was reasonably priced for a London hotel.

[SWMBOTGSG]

Does this mean there will be more Aussies than guys?

Nope. There are 20 fellas this year.

Mumsey
(Mine of information)

[MidwifeOnBoard]

Does this mean there will be more Aussies than guys?

[Fresh_Horse]

Regarding the luggage, did you know that most of the major railway stations have a "Left Luggage" service? You have to pay for it of course, but at least the option is there if your hotel doesn't offer it at all

Some do, some don't. Not sure which ones in London do and I don't care because I simply expect that service from a hotel.
The thing is that usually do some shopping on the last day and I don't want to find myself at a busy railway station trying to repack my suitcase.

I stayed at a hotel near Paddington in a single room which was located near the elevator shaft. The sounds reminded me of the tripods in War of the Worlds.
I stayed at a hotel near Victoria which was surprisingly quiet although it overlooked the railway tracks but the bathroom was a joke.
You had to step into the shower sideways as the door was narrower than my shoulders ( I wear t-shirt size M!) and it wouldn't open all the way because of the sink.
I had to leave the bathroom door open (located opposite of the sink) when I brushed my teeth because if I took a step back to bend over I would have stood outside of the bathroom.

Anyone a bit heavier would have gotten claustrophobic in the shower, if they managed to get into it!

I stayed at a rather inexpensive place a bit out of the ways. The room was huge and it was newly renovated but the whole place had the atmosphere of a hostel. Because they were still renovating the breakfast room was a bunch of tables (with either sticky plastic table cloth or fringed table cloth with yesterday's stains) that you had to share with others. Something I usually don't mind but I do mind it when people show up in their PJs, fresh out of bed, unbrushed teeth, reeking of last night's beer and smokes.
Oh, yeah, and the breakfast sucked. Instant coffee or tea. Toast and jam, cornflakes.
Then again, the place was really inexpensive.

Does this mean there will be more Aussies than guys?

Nope. There are 20 fellas this year.

Mumsey
(Mine of information)

Woah, can it be? That must be a new record!

[NZNeep]

The two place I stayed in were quite lovely.

Umi is near Notting Hill and quite lovely. http://umihotellondon.co.uk/

Glenlyn is cheaper because it's up in North Finchley, but very close to Woodside Park tube stop. http://www.glenlynhotel.com/

Both hotels have places to store luggage.

[Celandine]

Some should only speak of that which they recollect paying.

The Glenlyn wasn't truly expensive, but it was by no means cheap. It might do if you find someone willing to share the cost. It is at least an hour ride by tube into Central London though, and at least 1 1/2 hours to Heathrow.

[SWMBOTGSG]

Some do, some don't. Not sure which ones in London do and I don't care because I simply expect that service from a hotel.
The thing is that usually do some shopping on the last day and I don't want to find myself at a busy railway station trying to repack my suitcase.

I stayed at a hotel near Paddington in a single room which was located near the elevator shaft. The sounds reminded me of the tripods in War of the Worlds.
I stayed at a hotel near Victoria which was surprisingly quiet although it overlooked the railway tracks but the bathroom was a joke.
You had to step into the shower sideways as the door was narrower than my shoulders ( I wear t-shirt size M!) and it wouldn't open all the way because of the sink.
I had to leave the bathroom door open (located opposite of the sink) when I brushed my teeth because if I took a step back to bend over I would have stood outside of the bathroom.

Anyone a bit heavier would have gotten claustrophobic in the shower, if they managed to get into it!

I stayed at a rather inexpensive place a bit out of the ways. The room was huge and it was newly renovated but the whole place had the atmosphere of a hostel. Because they were still renovating the breakfast room was a bunch of tables (with either sticky plastic table cloth or fringed table cloth with yesterday's stains) that you had to share with others. Something I usually don't mind but I do mind it when people show up in their PJs, fresh out of bed, unbrushed teeth, reeking of last night's beer and smokes.
Oh, yeah, and the breakfast sucked. Instant coffee or tea. Toast and jam, cornflakes.
Then again, the place was really inexpensive.

Woah, can it be? That must be a new record!

Re the bolded part. Reminds me of the cabin I had on the train trip across Canada. 3 days and nights, and when the bed was folded down to sleep in, I had to open the door to bend to climb in. It had a canvas folding curtain for privacy as well as the solid, lockable door. If I needed to use the toilet in the night, I had to open the door, get out of the bunk, set it back up the wall (it was resting on the lavatory). Then reverse the proceedure to get back into bed. That trip was quite an adventure all told.

Mumsey

[ames]

It is worth mentioning thinking outside the box might help in finding accomodations that work. For example - try B&Bs slightly further out of the city - as long as you're near a tube station, it'll take longer to get in to the touristy sights (and try to avoid returning during rush hour unless you don't have a problem with lacking personal space while impersonating a sardine...) but with a day or Oyster pass, the tube is reasonably priced! Another suggestion is to check out the hostels - I recommend the HI Hostelling International chain. Clean, helpful, friendly, and conveniently located. Yes, to get the best price, you will be sharing your room - but many have private washrooms/shower and laundry facilities. If you happen to be travelling in a pair or larger group, they'll usually accomodate you into a single room, so you don't have to share with strangers - although I've met some interesting people (and shared the news of GABIT/S4K) that way!

[EH-T]

There used to be a Travel Lodge located in the building near the London Eye that was very reasonable but not in any way plush. It is functionary and clean. I have never stayed there but it was recommended by someone here who travels and recommended it.

Thanks. I will check it out.

I have yet to find a reasonably priced, clean hotel in London that doesn't put you in a closet-turned-hotel-room if you are travelling alone.
Even if you pay way above 100 £ you sometimes still end up in a room the size of a wardrobe. A small wardrobe.

The best prices can be had around Heathrow but I'd rather stay in the city if I am going to see a play.

Oh, and I once nearly booked a room but then read the reviews and they mentioned that the hotel wouldn't store your luggage on the day you left. If you had a late flight that meant dragging a trolley around the city for the day.
That is a no-go!

Yes, rather stay in the City the first couple of days to spend less time on the tube. The place i stayed last time was nice it has just gone up about 30 GBP per night.

Heathrow Express ends at Paddington Station. It's about a block from "Hotel Row". We stayed at a nice little place over there (though the name escapes me). The room was small and not fancy, but was reasonably priced for a London hotel.

Thanks that's helpful .

Hotels in London are notorious - I wish you the best of luck in finding somewhere! Regarding the luggage, did you know that most of the major railway stations have a "Left Luggage" service? You have to pay for it of course, but at least the option is there if your hotel doesn't offer it at all

Thanks, that's equally helpful

The two place I stayed in were quite lovely.

Umi is near Notting Hill and quite lovely. http://umihotellondon.co.uk/

Glenlyn is cheaper because it's up in North Finchley, but very close to Woodside Park tube stop. http://www.glenlynhotel.com/

Both hotels have places to store luggage.

I'd rather be closer to the centre and the umi looks pretty good. Thanks.

Re the bolded part. Reminds me of the cabin I had on the train trip across Canada. 3 days and nights, and when the bed was folded down to sleep in, I had to open the door to bend to climb in. It had a canvas folding curtain for privacy as well as the solid, lockable door. If I needed to use the toilet in the night, I had to open the door, get out of the bunk, set it back up the wall (it was resting on the lavatory). Then reverse the proceedure to get back into bed. That trip was quite an adventure all told.

Mumsey

Tiniest bathroom ever on the train! But soooo much fun.

It is worth mentioning thinking outside the box might help in finding accomodations that work. For example - try B&Bs slightly further out of the city - as long as you're near a tube station, it'll take longer to get in to the touristy sights (and try to avoid returning during rush hour unless you don't have a problem with lacking personal space while impersonating a sardine...) but with a day or Oyster pass, the tube is reasonably priced! Another suggestion is to check out the hostels - I recommend the HI Hostelling International chain. Clean, helpful, friendly, and conveniently located. Yes, to get the best price, you will be sharing your room - but many have private washrooms/shower and laundry facilities. If you happen to be travelling in a pair or larger group, they'll usually accomodate you into a single room, so you don't have to share with strangers - although I've met some interesting people (and shared the news of GABIT/S4K) that way!

I love B&Bs and have stayed in them often. Again, though, in this case i'm looking for something more central