LONDON DESTINATION GUIDE |
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| London is a city of multiple facets, where a rich culture coexists with a modern outlook and the royal monarchy reins hand-in-hand with the world’s second oldest democracy. A travel destination that captures the imagination of vacationers from around the world with its attractions, London reflects the multifaceted personality of this city. On one hand, the castles and palaces adorning the country’s landscape make you step back in time and on the other, there are modern-day attractions such as the London Eye, which symbolizes the nation’s growth vis-à-vis modern technologies. No matter how you want to view this city, a London holiday rental will make your vacation one that you will remember for years to come. |
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Tips for London Holiday Rentals : |
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Enjoy Shakespeare’s play at the Shakespeare’s Globe Theater. |
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Get aboard the British Airways London Eye and enjoy breathtaking views of London. |
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Take a tour of the world without budging from London with a visit to the British Museum. |
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Shop by the day at London’s top shopping avenues including Notting Hill and Bond Street, dine at the Ivy or any of the fine dining restaurants in the area, and end a fine day by attending an excellent opera performance at the Royal Opera House. |
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If you want to dance the night away or simply hang out, then go bar hopping or head to the Ministry of Music, one of the hippest nightclubs in London. |
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Holiday Rentals or Self-catering apartments : |
Holiday rentals in London can be some of the best accommodations you can find for your upcoming vacation. Besides being comfortable lodgings, these holiday rentals offer more space, privacy, and amenities equivalent or better than of a hotel at a tremendous value without being too far or too close for your convenience from the city’s major attractions. Ranging from self-catering apartments and studio houses to holiday homes, cottages, and bungalows, the London vacation rentals are fully furnished and offer comfortable and luxurious accommodations for all.
Although self-catering holiday apartments in London are the more popular form of accommodations for small families, you can find studio houses for couples, charming cottages for parties of 4-6 and the more spacious bungalows and holiday homes for larger parties as well. With amenities like well-equipped kitchen, internet access, daily maid service, and entertainment facilities like DVD player, TV, Stereo, CD player, Video player, these holiday rentals offer vacationers the comfort of a home away from home. No matter what your budget or your requirements, you can easily find a London holiday home that suits you to the hilt.
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FEATURED HOLIDAY RENTALS - LONDON, ENGLAND |
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Important London Holiday Rentals Information : |
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Nightly and weekly rates are available for most holiday homes in London. |
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Rental rates may vary by seasons and increase during the holiday season including Christmas and New Year. |
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Minimum stay varies, with some holiday rental owners requiring as little as 3 days and some as long as a month. |
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To book a London apartment or any other holiday rental eight or more weeks before occupation, an advance deposit is required. |
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Many holiday rental owners in London also charge a refundable security deposit in addition to the rental rates. Once you vacate the holiday rental, the owner surveys the property to check if everything is in order and there are no damages, and then refunds the deposit. |
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Rental rates for short-term holiday rentals may include the costs for gas, electricity, and maid service, according to the owner’s discretion. Long-term rentals that have a minimum stay requirement of 1 month may charge these expenditures as extras. To avoid any unpleasant surprises kindly check with the owner about these details beforehand. |
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Some holiday rental owners in London offer discounted rates for bookings of more than 2-3 weeks. |
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Most holiday rentals in London are not pet-friendly. |
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Holiday rentals that allow smoking are hard to find in London. |
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Popular Destinations : |
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British Airways London Eye: Get aboard the world’s tallest observation wheel for a spellbinding experience, which leaves you short of words. Panoramic views of London stretch out around you as you embark on a journey aboard a fully-air-conditioned capsule, which takes you to the top and back while rotating simultaneously to give you 360-degree views of London. From the highest point of 135 m, you can see around 25 miles / 40 KM and as far as Windsor Castle. You can even celebrate special occasions such as product launches, hen/stag parties, civil partnerships, and even weddings; or simply make an ordinary special by choosing a private champagne capsule or going in for a wine-tasting special aboard London Eye’s Vinopolis Wine Tasting Capsule.
Opening Times vary with seasons. In the summers (June - September), the London Eye opens at 10.00 AM and closes to the public by 9.00 PM, while in winters (October - May) the operating hours are from 10.00 AM – 8.00 PM. |
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Tate Modern: A must visit for art aficionados, Tate Modern in London offers a feast for the senses with the works of great artists like Picasso, Dalí, Warhol, Bacon, Pollock, and Rothko forming part of the exhibits. One of the four Tate Galleries, the Tate Modern is located on the banks of the River Thames in an out-of-use power station and displays a selection of the Tate Collection, which includes the national collection of British art from the year 1500 in addition to the collection of international modern art. At Tate Modern, you can tour the exhibits displaying the works from almost all major movements – starting from the Fauvism. Apart from the permanent collections, temporary special exhibitions of individual artists and other British art works; seminars, free gallery tours, workshops, and other events are held regularly.
Opening hours vary with the weekdays. From Sunday to Thursday, the Tate Modern Art Gallery remains opens at 10.00 AM and closes by 6.00 PM with the last entry at 5.15 PM. On Friday and Saturday, the Gallery remains open from 10.00 AM until 10.00 PM, with the last entry at 9.15 PM. There are no entry charges. |
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Buckingham Palace: The official London residence of the British royalty, the Buckingham Palace, has been one of the most popular London attractions ever since it threw open its doors to the public in 1993. The venue of many official events, receptions, and royal ceremonies, the Buckingham Palace forms the centerpiece of the British monarchy and invites the public to tour its State Rooms during the Annual Summer Openings in August and September. Lavishly furnished with the finest English and French furniture and adorned with some of the greatest masterpieces of artists like Vermeer, Rembrandt, Rubens, and Canova, the State Rooms form the heart of this working palace and is used extensively by the Queen and the members of the Royal Family to entertain and receive guests on the official and state levels. Apart from the State Rooms, the Buckingham Palace’s gardens are worth a visit. Home to over 350 types of wildflower and over 30 species of birds, the gardens are a “walled oasis in the middle of London”. Another must see at Buckingham Palace is the Changing of the Guard Ceremony. Held at the forecourt of the palace, the Changing of the Guard or the Guard Mounting Ceremony involves the handing over of guard duty from one guard to another to the accompaniment of a Guards band.
Opening Hours for tourists at the Buckingham Palace: The Palace is open to the public in the months of August and September, when the Queen is not in residence. The hours of admission are from 9.45 AM till 6.00 PM, with the last entry at 3.45 PM. Entry to the palace is according to the timings and date specified on the ticket, with no latecomers being entertained.
Timings of the Changing of the Guard Ceremony at Buckingham Palace: If you are planning a holiday in a self-catering London apartment between May and July end, then you can witness this ceremony on almost all days of the week with the exception of Sundays at 11.30 AM. During the rest of the year, the Changing of the Guard Ceremony takes place every alternating day (weather permitting). |
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Tower of London: Leave the pages of history books behind and enrich yourself with the knowledge that a tour of the Tower of London bestows you with. Founded over 900 yrs ago by William the Conqueror, the Tower of London is a very important landmark with a rich historical significance. Over the centuries, this tower has been expanded from its original structure and been used for various purposes. It has been a home to some monarchs, a prison for many, and the venue of many murders as well as ceremonies including weddings. It was here that King Henry VIII wedded Anne Boleyn and later imprisoned and executed her for bearing a daughter (Queen Elizabeth I) instead of a son and the fort where Queen Elizabeth I was imprisoned by her half-sister Queen Mary. No matter what the era, the Tower of London has always stood as a symbol of power, a fortress for England’s monarchs, and has imprisoned their enemies within its strong walls. Currently the Tower of London is a museum that displays the Crown Jewels and is open to all who wish to tour it. You can enjoy the Yeoman Warder tour; view the various exhibitions including the Crown and Diamonds exhibition in the Martin Tower.
Opening hours of the Tower of London vary with the seasons as well as the days of the week. Throughout the year, the tower opens at 10.00 AM on Mondays and Sundays and from Tuesday to Saturday at 9.00 AM. From March to October, the last admission to the tower is at 5.00 PM and during the rest of the year, i.e. from November to February, entry to the Tower of London ends at 4.00 PM. |
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Westminster Abbey: Formally known as the Collegiate Church of St. Peter, Westminster, the Westminster Abbey, enjoys a prominent position not just in England’s royal history, but also in the itineraries of tourists and vacationers in London. Located in the Westminster neighborhood, next to the House of Parliaments, Westminster Abbey is in essence a living church and a part of the Church of England. Boasting magnificent medieval architecture with some of its parts dating as back as 1050, the Westminster Abbey is owned by the royal family and has been the traditional venue for almost all royal coronations, with the exception of Edward V and VIII, royal weddings, as well as burials of the United Kingdom’s monarchy, major politicians, and important artists. Here, you can come across tombs of notable personalities like Winston Churchill, Elizabeth I, and Charles Darwin, as well as poets such as Williams Shakespeare at the Poet’s Corner. Tourists and visitors to London’s Westminster Abbey can enjoy audio-guided tours, Guided tours, as well as the more memorable Verger-led tours.
The Westminster Abbey is open to tourists from Monday to Saturday, but the opening times for its various parts including the abbey itself vary. On Sundays and religious holidays like Easter, only the abbey is open for worship and all can join in at the services. Moreover, since the Westminster Abbey is a working church the visiting times may change at short notice. During various royal occasions and national celebrations, the abbey may be closed to visitors. You can check the official website for such events. |
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| Westminster Abbey |
9.30am - 3.45pm |
| Chapter House |
10.30am - 4.00pm |
| Pyx Chamber |
10.30am - 4.00pm |
| Westminster Abbey Museum |
10.30am - 4.00pm |
| Westminster Abbey Shop |
9.15am - 5.30pm |
| Cloister |
8.00am - 6.00pm |
| College Garden |
Closed |
| St Margaret's Church |
9.30am - 3.45pm |
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St. Paul’s Cathedral: During your upcoming London vacation, one of the attractions you must visit is the St. Paul’s Cathedral. Located on the north banks of the Thames River, the St. Paul’s Cathedral enjoys a prominent position in the city’s skyline. With a world-famous dome, which is the second largest in the entire world; an interior that deviates away from the interiors of traditional gothic churches with stone carvings, glittering mosaic, and exquisite paintings, and the Whispering Gallery, Stone Gallery, and Golden Galleries, which are significant in their own right, the St. Paul’s Cathedral has never failed to enthrall any visitor. Though not traditional in its architecture, this Sir Christopher Wren’s neoclassical architectural masterpiece has been a popular place of worship as well as a major tourist attraction in London.
Opening hours of the St. Paul’s Cathedral for sightseeing is from 8.30 AM until 4.00 PM from Monday to Saturday. Special services or events may lead to closure of the entire Cathedral or just part of it at short notice. |
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London Museums: London is home to numerous museums and art galleries, which are great for outings even if you are not an indoor person and certainly not a museum lover. Scattered over London, these museums are a cut above the traditional museums and range from museums dedicated to great artists like Dalí to Textile museums, and museums devoted to the royal collection. Some of the museums that you just cannot miss visiting while vacationing in a London holiday rental include the British Museum, the National Gallery, and Madame Tussaud’s. |
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The British Museum: The British Museum offers everyone an interesting and educational experience and takes you beyond the barriers of time and space. Depicting the world and the diverse cultures inhabiting it through the centuries with the help of various exhibits of art and antiquities, books, and documents, the British Museum has and continues to stand on the principle that humans can understand each other through mutual agreement, despite their many differences. Open to all without any charges, the British Museum is housed in an architectural landmark – the Montagu House and over the years has expanded to include the White Wing, the King Edward VII’s Galleries, the Parthenon galleries, the New Wing, and the Great Court. The British Museum can be visited on any day of the week from 10.00 AM to 5.30 PM with the exception of 1st January, Good Friday, and 24th – 26th December, when the museum is closed. |
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The National Gallery: A must visit for all lovers of art; the National Gallery is home to the national collection of Western European paintings. With great works of art and masterpieces of artists from the year 1250 onwards, the National Gallery’s art collection covers almost all major European schools of painting. You can see the masterpieces of great artists such as Giovanni Bellini, Uccello, Van Eyck, Leonardo Di Vinci, Michelangelo, Raphael, Caravaggio, Rembrandt, Rubens, Van Dyck, Vermeer, and works of recent artists. The National Gallery can be visited for a guided or a self-guide tour of the over 1000 paintings on any day of the week. The doors to the Gallery open to the public at 10.00 AM daily and close by 6.00 PM on all days with the exception of Wednesdays, when the Gallery stays open until 9.00 PM. There is no entrance fee. The National Gallery is closed on 1st January and from 24th – 26th December. |
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Madame Tussuad’s: Counted among London’s most famous tourist attractions, Madame Tussuad’s offers tourists a day out, in the glittering world of fame with some of the world’s most noted personalities. Get out your best dress and your killing smile to pose with stars like Kate Moss, Beckham, Tiger Woods, and the Royal Family as well. Boasting wax statues of Hollywood Stars, Sports personalities, important politicians, rock stars, and the entire royal family, with new figures being launched every year, Madame Tussuad’s is continually expanding and manages to exceed the visitors ever-increasing expectations. You can visit Madame Tussuads, London at anytime of the year on all weekdays with the exception of Christmas Day. The opening time of Madame Tussuad’s varies with the weekdays and school holidays. |
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Opening Times - all weekends and all school holidays
9.00am - 6.00pm
26th May - 3rd June (Half Term)
21st July - 2nd September (Summer Holidays)
20th October - 28th October (Half Term)
19th December to end of the year (Christmas Holidays)
Opening Times - weekdays (excluding school holidays)
9.30am - 5.30pm |
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Shakespeare’s Globe Theater: Though not the original, the Shakespeare’s Globe Theater, to date holds spectacular performances of some of the playwright’s greatest plays. Nestled on the south bank of the River Thames, the Shakespeare’s Globe Theater comprises of the Globe Theater, which is a replica of the original; Globe Education, which explores Shakespeare’s plays with students of all ages; and the Shakespeare’s Globe Exhibition, which puts together the playwright’s works and all those involved in preparing and staging his plays. A memorial to the greatest playwright of all ages, the Shakespeare Globe Theater offers you the chance to step back in time and enjoy the plays during the theater season, which runs from April to October and gain an insight into Shakespeare’s life and all that influenced his works with a tour of the exhibition. The opening times of the Shakespeare’s Globe Exhibition varies with the seasons – from 10th October till 17th April, the globe is open daily for theater tour and exhibition from 10.00 AM to 5 PM, except on 24th and 25th December, when the Globe is closed. From 18th April to 9th October, the globe will be open daily from 9.00 AM – 5.00 PM, with an half an hour break from 11.30 AM to 12.00 PM on Sundays and from 12.30 PM to 1.00 PM on the rest of the days. |
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Useful holiday renter information : |
| London – what a wonderful holiday destination it is! Why wait longer, when you can easily book a London holiday rental of your choice and enjoy a holiday in this amazing destination with your near and dear ones. Easily accessible via road, rail, sea, and air, London is where everyone can enjoy the vacation of their dreams. You can fly in from almost anywhere in the world into London; enjoy the rolling countryside as you cover the distance to the city by road; or simply relax and have fun aboard a ferry as you sail into the ferry ports of the nation and then drive over to your London holiday rental. Within London, commuting is easy and simple, thanks to the London Tube, amazing bus services, and a fleet of cabs and car rentals. No matter which part of London, your holiday rental lies, you can easily commute to the city’s attractions and back. |
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