London can be overwhelming even before you get there, how do you know where to start booking your hotel, when can you book the cheapest transport, and where do you get the best deals on food and drinks? We have put together a little guide with some of our top tips to make the planning of your trip to London a breeze.
When booking a hotel:
Use hotel comparison sites, as well as the hotels, own official websites to see where has the best rates. Not only that, some may have extras included in the deal as well as things like free cancellation which is really handy right now. You may also be shocked to find that the weekends aren't always the most expensive, London has a lot of tourists but it also has many business people staying through the week so the demand isn't just for weekend dates. Pick a few neighbourhoods where you want to stay and you can use the filters on the booking site to see what hotels are on offer. You could also use the filter 'so many miles from the city centre' if you don't want to stay far out.
When booking transport:
Sign up for an alert on the official page to be notified when the tickets go on sale for the date you want to travel. This will ensure you get the cheapest ticket before the demand goes up along with the ticket prices. You can also check if splitting your ticket makes it cheaper, while still travelling on the same route you had originally planned.
When booking an experience:
Head to the official site of the event or experience and sign up to the mailing list for discounts such as 10% off. Also check discount sites such as Wowcher, Fever and Buyagift, and the same thing applies to these mailing lists too as Buyagift offers you ÂŁ10 off just for signing up.
When booking the theatre:
More signing up is required with this one, check out sites such as London Theatre, WhatsOnStage, ATG, Today Tix and Stagedoor as well as the theatre direct as prices can vary. Once on the mailing lists, you will be notified when new dates are released which gives you the best chance of getting a good seat at the best price,
You can also head to the Box Office in Leicester Square while in London where you can usually grab a bargain, this is great if you don't mind what you see but not so much if you have a specific show in mind.
When booking restaurants & bars:
Head on over to the official website of the restaurant or chain you are wishing to visit and you should be able to see what offers are on as well as if they have a happy hour. Also check if they have a loyalty program you can join for further discounts, exclusive offers and other perks. These bars will give you a FREE COCKTAIL just for signing up.
We also suggest downloading the app if they have one, sometimes offers are exclusive to app users and you may also be able to use the app during your visit making the experience smoother. Check out their social media accounts for the most up-to-date information as it is easier to update Instagram than an actual website.
Book online:
Especially during covid times, it is always a good idea to book online to make sure you get the time and date you want. Places will be operating with a reduced capacity and lots of London's attractions already sell out quickly. You want to avoid just turning up to an attraction and being turned away as there is no room or no tickets left.
Check locations:
London is BIG, so make sure you're not planning to do things in locations far away from each other all on the same day. List the things you want to see and do during your trip as well as the location, you can then see what is closest together and plan to do them on the same day. This should also save you money on travel costs.
Give yourself some free time:
You definitely need to plan what you want to do in London but we also advise giving yourselves a few hours here and there, or even a full day, to just see what you come across and take it all in. There is so much to do here and new things arrive all the time, so you might stumble across a cute pop-up cafĂŠ, a new sculpture or just a neighbourhood you like the feel of but wasn't on your list. Give yourself some time to chill - you are on holiday after all.
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