Non-motoring > London Stay Advice Miscellaneous
Thread Author: Bobby Replies: 9
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New Mon 4 Jul 22 22:29 
 London Stay Advice - Bobby
I bought my missus and daughter tickets for the Harry Potter Studio tour thingy for their Christmas. They are planning to go down towards the end of September.

I *think* they are planning to get train down from Glasgow to London on the Friday, do the tour on the Saturday and the p[robably do sightseeing and take in a show on the Sunday, before train back up on Monday. Who knows if trains will be running by that point.....

As far as I can see the train from here goes to both Euston and Kings Cross. I believe to get to the HP studio, its a train to Watford Junction from Euston.

Can anyone suggest what area they should be looking to try and get hotel / accomodation that would fit in with the above? To make it easy for me, even a suggestion of a specific Premier Inn or Travelodge to enable me to look at prices?

Thanks
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New Mon 4 Jul 22 22:50 
 London Stay Advice - zippy
London is usually a day trip for me so I rarely stay over. Saying that, I have stayed at the Premier Inn Hub Hotel at Goodge St.

The rooms are tiny in a Hub Hotel as are the beds (they appear to be prefabricated modules), but it was spotlessly clean.

www.premierinn.com/content/dam/hub/hotelimages/LONSTM/3.jpg
www.premierinn.com/content/dam/hub/hotelimages/LONSTM/2.jpg

Goodge St is about 10 to 15 minutes walk to Leicester Square and a little less to the Palace Theatre (Harry Potter and the Cursed Child) or Soho.

As a rule Premier Inns tend to be better quality than Travelodges and a bit pricier.
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New Mon 4 Jul 22 23:10 
 London Stay Advice - Zero
Holiday Inn or Holiday Inn Express both at Watford Junction would be my advice.

Its a short walk from the station, that is well served by trains, local and fast, on the West Coast main line. Fast trains into and out of London main line or the tube from there. Watford Junction is a popular and versatile base for London.

There is a bus route suitable from Watford Station to Leavesdon Studios where the attraction is.

There is a Premier inn walking distance to the studios but its in the middle of knowwhere.
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New Tue 5 Jul 22 00:32 
 London Stay Advice - James Loveless
Zero is correct. Definitely stay in Watford, near Watford Junction Station.

Just to be clear: the station called Watford Junction is on the West Coast main line running into London Euston. It is also where the dedicated bus to Leavesden Studios leaves from ("Powered by Muggle electricity"). The cost is included in the tour ticket, but you must pre-book (which Bobby has in effect now done).

Watford Junction is also served by London Overground, which you don't want to use to get in and out of London, because it takes for ever.

There is the possibility of much confusion over stations in Watford. "Watford" is at the end of one branch of the Metropolitan underground line. There is also "Watford High Street" (Overground). The three stations are not very near each other.
Last edited by: James Loveless on Tue 5 Jul 22 at 00:34
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New Tue 5 Jul 22 08:52 
 London Stay Advice - Bromptonaut
Watford, near to Junction Station, would certainly work. There are frequent main line trains to Euston operated by London Northwestern in around 20 minutes. The last train usually, i.e. subject to engineering works etc, leaves Euston after midnight.

I'd also endorse Premier Inn over Travelodge.

If they want to stay in London they could explore the offerings of Imperial London Hotels. They're a very long established family business with several establishments, at different price/market points, around Woburn Place/Russel Square. Euston>Woburn Place>Holborn is an easy walk and well served by buses. The 'rack' rates they quote on Bookings.com etc and on their website can be significantly improved by joining their membership per the header on the website:

www.imperialhotels.co.uk/

I stayed at the Bedford on Friday for a little over £100. That was a single but doubles/trebles were only a few quid more. Breakfast (English) was an extra tenner and OK value but there are loads of chain and independent
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New Tue 5 Jul 22 08:59 
 London Stay Advice - R.P.
What Zero said. Used Watford Junction to get to the Rememberance Service in London a few years ago. Avoids the hassle/expense of London - very efficient services.
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New Tue 19 Jul 22 23:13 
 London Stay Advice - Bobby
Ok, the updated itinerary seems to be.

Fri - arrive at Euston around mid day.
Sat - Harry Potter studio tour at 5.30pm
Sun - Matilda (Cambridge Theatre) 3 pm
Mon - Train home

Based on this info, is the recommendation still out Watford Gap way?
Or would it make sense to have different hotels ie no point in arriving at Euston to go out to WG to dump bags and then head back into “town”?

The HP tour closes at 10pm so might be good to have a local hill to go to rather than travelling back into city?

Any further advice would be appreciated and obviously taking costs / train / underground into consideration.
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New Wed 20 Jul 22 07:22 
 London Stay Advice - Bromptonaut
Pedant note: Watford Gap is in Northamptonshire and some way north of the town of Watford.

If the HP event is the only reason to stay in Watford and dropping bags is an obstacle then provided the transfer from HP to Junction Station is good and there are no engineering works getting back to Euston by 23:00 should be do able.

Bearing in mind the HP tour starts at 17:30 what are they doing on Saturday morning?

There's not much in Watford itself to entertain during the day.

If, other than HP, the focus is the West End etc then I think staying in London is best.

If you decide to stay in Watford then bear in mind all trains from the north to Euston run through Milton Keynes and Watford Junction. A few stop at Milton Keynes and others at Watford (to set down only). Can they arrange to change and arrive at WJ from the north?
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New Wed 20 Jul 22 07:27 
 London Stay Advice - Duncan
>> Pedant note: Watford Gap is in Northamptonshire and some way north of the town of
>> Watford.

Good point - well made.

The North begins at Watford, not Watford Gap. A lot of people make this mistake.
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New Wed 20 Jul 22 11:37 
 London Stay Advice - Bobby
Sorry, meant Watford Junction not gap :)
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