Frommer's irreverent guide to London

291 Pages·2004·9.126 MB·English

by  Donald S Olson

n
o
d
g u oi d e t on
L
5 t h E d i t i o n
By
Donald Olson
original text by Ben Illis

n
o
d
g u oi d e t on
L
5 t h E d i t i o n
By
Donald Olson
original text by Ben Illis
other titles in the
IRREVERENT GUIDE
series
Irreverent Amsterdam
Irreverent Boston
Irreverent Chicago
Irreverent Las Vegas
Irreverent Los Angeles
Irreverent Manhattan
Irreverent New Orleans
Irreverent Paris
Irreverent San Francisco
Irreverent Seattle/Portland
Irreverent Vancouver
Irreverent Walt Disney World
Irreverent Washington, D.C.
About the Author
Donald Olson is a novelist,playwright,and travel writer.His novel The Confessions of
Aubrey Beardsley was published in the United Kingdom by Bantam Press,and his play,
Beardsley,was produced in London.His travel stories have appeared in the New York
Times,Travel & Leisure,Sunset,National Geographic guides,and many other national
publications.He is also the author of England For Dummiesand London For Dummies,
and has written guidebooks to Italy,Berlin,and Oregon.
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ISBN 0-7645-4298-2
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5 4 3 2 1
A Disclaimer
Prices fluctuate in the course of time,and travel information changes under the impact
of the varied and volatile factors that influence the travel industry.We therefore suggest
that you write or call ahead for confirmation when making your travel plans.Every
effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of information throughout this book and
the contents of this publication are believed correct at the time of printing.Never-
theless,the publishers cannot accept responsibility for errors or omissions or for changes
in details given in this guide or for the consequences of any reliance on the information
provided by the same.Assessments of attractions and so forth are based upon the
author’s own experience and therefore,descriptions given in this guide necessarily con-
tain an element of opinion,which may not reflect the publisher’s opinion or dictate a
reader’s own experience on another occasion.Readers are invited to write to the pub-
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C O N T E N T S
INTRODUCTION 1
Map 1 London Neighborhoods 4
YOU PROBABLY DIDN’T KNOW 11
How to get London smarts (11) • Where to get a drink after
hours (11) • Where are the insomniacs? (12) • Where the hot neigh-
borhoods are (12) • Children’s Hour (13) • Where to park (13) •
When to avoid London (14) • Where the top chefs are (14) • How to
afford that grand dinner (14) • What’s that ringing sound? (14) •
How to save buckets ofcash on museums (15) • How to stay with
London friends when you haven’t any (15) • Where the queen gets her
groceries (15) • How to order Indian food (16) • How to get designer
labels cheap (16) • How to hear Queen Victoria (16) • How to get
theater tickets when they’re sold out (16) • What to do on Sunday (17)
• What not to do on Sunday (17) • What the weather’s like (17) • Do
we need a gun? (17) • How to tell where you are(18) • Why the
Londoner crossed the river (18) • How to enjoy Heathrow (18)
1 ACCOMMODATIONS 20
Basic Stuff 24
Winning the Reservations Game 24
Is There a Right Address? 25
The Lowdown 27
Old faithfuls (27) • Grand duchesses (27) • Favorite uncles (27) •
Where to misbehave (28) • Britishest (28) • Worst simulated
English (29) • Eurotrashiest (29) • Was that Gwyneth Paltrow
inthe elevator? (29) • Suite deals (30) • Silent nights (30) •
Bestpark view (30) • May I get that for you,sir? (31) • Bargain
beds (31) • The millionaire look,at Scrooge rates (31) • Family
values (32) • For history buffs and Anglophiles (33) • For enemies
ofchintz and Regency (33) • Best health club (34) • Taking care of
business (34) • The twilight zone (35) • Try these when there’s no
room (35)
Maps
Map 2 London Orientation––Accommodations 22
Map 3 West End Accommodations 36
Map 4 Knightsbridge to South Kensington Accommodations 38
Map 5 Marylebone to Holland Park Accommodations 40
Map 6 Westminster & Victoria Accommodations 42
The Index 43
An A to Z list ofplaces to stay,with vital statistics
2 DINING 54
Basic Stuff 58
Only in London 58
How to Dress 59
When to Eat 59
Getting the Right Table 59
The Lowdown 60
Book before you fly (60) • Celebrate here (60) • Suddenly starving in
Covent Garden (61) • Caught in Portobello with low blood sugar(61)
• Most comforting (62) • For grown-ups (62) • For kids (63) • Party
hearties (63) • Pre- and post-theater (64) • Beautiful people (64) •
Most romantique (65) • Britburgers (65) • Really old but still
alive (66) • Overrated (66) • Auld London towne (67) • Cockneys
and East Enders (67) • Vegging out (68) • Something fishy (68) •
For oenophiles (69) • Neighborhood places where Londoners go (70) •
Is this a pub or a restaurant? (70) • Cheap ‘n’cheerful (72) • Indian
institutions (72) • Best Asian (73) • The rest ofthe world (73) • The
French connection (74) • Old Italian (74) • Noov Italian (75) • Best
prix-fixe (75) • The great British breakfast (76) • Tea for two (77)
Maps
Map 7 London Orientation––Dining 56
Map 8 West End & Theatre District Dining 78
Map 9 Knightsbridge to South Kensington Dining 80
Map 10 Marylebone to Notting Hill Gate Dining 82
Map 11 Westminster & Victoria Dining 84
Map 12 Dining In & Around “The City” 85
The Index 86
An A to Z list ofplaces to dine,with vital statistics
3 DIVERSIONS 104
Basic Stuff 108
Getting Your Bearings 108
Getting from Here to There 110
Pomp & Circumstance 111
Money-Saving Passes 112
The Lowdown 113
Is this your first time? (113) • London’s special moments (114) • Only
in London (115) • What ifit’s raining? (116) • When the sun
shines (116) • The oldest things (117) • The newest (118) •
Architectural highs and lows (119) • Go out ofyour way for (120) •
The Wren Style (121)• Inspiring spires (121) • Their Majesties
livehere (122) • Modern art (123) • The old masters (125) • Art
alfresco (125) • Won’t bore the kids (126) • Photo ops (127) A day of
romance (128) • For gardeners (129) • For the impecunious (130) •
Go east (130) • The deep south (132) • Street scenes (133) •
Unwinding (133)
Maps
Map 13 London Orientation—Diversions 106
Map 14 West End Diversions 134
Map 15 Knightsbridge to South Kensington Diversions 136
Map 16 Westminster & Victoria Diversions 138
Map 17 “The City”Diversions 139
Map 18 Hampstead Diversions 140
The Index 141
An A to Z list ofdiversions,with vital statistics
4 GETTING OUTSIDE 160
The Lowdown 164
Parks to get lost in (164) • Perfect petite parks (165) • Green escapes
from tourism (166) • Best central jogging (167) • Inline skating (167)
• Balls (168) • Horsing around (169) • Teeing off (170) • On the
water (170) • In the swim (170) • Climbing the walls (171) •
On ice(172) • Getting fit indoors (172)
Maps
Map 19 London Orientation–– Getting Outside 162
5 SHOPPING 174
Basic Stuff 178
What to Buy 178
Target Zones 179
Bargain Hunting 180
Trading with the Natives 180
Hours ofBusiness 180
Sales Tax 181