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Which is best London Marriott Category 9 to book...

heatherw

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Please explain. I am familiar with the Oyster card, but I don't know what you mean by "contactless payments."

If you have one of these, ( you can check by looking at your card and seeing if it has the marking that look like ))))
then you tap your card on the card reader at the barrier and it saves having to queue to buy an Oyster card at the airport.

I always get the tube too because although it takes longer the heathrow express ends at paddington which is less convenient for me, plus it is so much cheaper £3.10 - £5.10 instead of £25 each, you could get out at knightsbridge or hyde park corner if staying at grosvenor hotel ( you would see Harrods immediately) then get a black cab straight to the hotel which would be about 5mins.
 

BocaBoy

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If you have one of these, ( you can check by looking at your card and seeing if it has the marking that look like ))))
then you tap your card on the card reader at the barrier and it saves having to queue to buy an Oyster card at the airport.

I always get the tube too because although it takes longer the heathrow express ends at paddington which is less convenient for me, plus it is so much cheaper £3.10 - £5.10 instead of £25 each, you could get out at knightsbridge or hyde park corner if staying at grosvenor hotel ( you would see Harrods immediately) then get a black cab straight to the hotel which would be about 5mins.
Or leave the tube at Bond Street for the Marriott Grosvenors Square (requires one tube change before getting to Bond Street), which is then a 5 minute walk to the hotel. No cab required.
 

MOXJO7282

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So we made it to Germany. Flew business with Lufthansa which was a really nice experience. This turned out to be a good move because we are able to use their business lounge for the 4.5 hr layover. Onto London in a few hours.
 

chunkygal

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One thing we LOVED in London,which I thought would be corny was the hop on hop off bus tour. Saw it all and stayed longer where we wanted (tower of London), less where we weren't as interested. Big fun! We stayed at park lane, somehow got a family room
..
 

Fasttr

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We've got an upcoming stay in June at County Hall (using travel package for hotel and flights of course), so this thread has been interesting. First trip to London, so interested in hearing recommendations for restaurants, must see's (beyond the obvious of course), and any interesting day tours outside of London (Stonehenge, etc??). I have already added Marty's recommendation for Trooping the Colour to the list.
 

MOXJO7282

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Just got back a few hours ago from tour of Windsor Castle, Stonehenge and Bath with tour company Evans Evans. They say this is their most popular tour. This was a very good tour and a good value but in hindsight we could've stayed for twice as long as they allocated (2 hours each) at the Windsor and at the town of Bath.

Stonehenge was really fascinating but an 1 1/2 hour is plenty for that. However the Windsor Castle and especially the beautiful city of Bath with the amazing 2000 yr old Roman hot springs bath house are attractions where we would've enjoyed spending much more time than the time allocated.

Today we did Churchills' War Bunker which is real close to the County Hall. We really enjoyed this look back in time during a very difficult time in England's history. Fun fact I just learned today is that Winston Churchill had an American mother. She was of British parents but actually born in Brooklyn NY and lived there for a few years in her early life. Also her father whose sir name was Jerome was a big influence in the Bronx and Jerome Ave is named after him.

As for restaurants - found a wonderful pub called the Red Lion close by where we had excellent fish and chips.

Hopefully when you do come you don't get awoken at 3am by a fire alarm that we had to clear the building. We took a minute to dress but many just sprinted out the hotel in there pajamas and were frezzing for the 15 minutes we had to stay outside. It was a false alarm that was triggered in another County Hall company but it still require the hotels evacuation.
 

BocaBoy

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Today we did Churchills' War Bunker which is real close to the County Hall. We really enjoyed this look back in time during a very difficult time in England's history.
We also found this war bunker to be fascinating and well worth the visit. I also recommend it strongly.
 

jme

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We've got an upcoming stay in June at County Hall (using travel package for hotel and flights of course), so this thread has been interesting. First trip to London, so interested in hearing recommendations for restaurants, must see's (beyond the obvious of course), and any interesting day tours outside of London (Stonehenge, etc??). I have already added Marty's recommendation for Trooping the Colour to the list.

Emailed you my London recommendations based on three stays there-----not food-related, LOL, (except for Sherlock Holmes Pub) but "things to see and do", including out-trips from London that we did. As an example (recalling MOXJO's tour of Windsor/Stonehenge/Bath above), Windsor Castle, imho, deserves a half-day all by itself for a fun train ride and self-tour, plus some great time in little town of Eton.
Ditto for combination of Warwick Castle & Stratford-upon-Avon, a "can't miss", only 9 miles apart. https://goo.gl/maps/coE46CCviqu

Enjoy
 

MOXJO7282

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Regarding tours, beware about the 4 for 2 package that includes the Wax Museum, London Eye, Shrek and Sea Life. We thought it was a good value but it is very inconvenient. You pay in advance but you still have to stand in line to get a ticket which in some cases is a big hassle.

In the fine print it says you have to do the wax museum first and then get the tickets for the other attractions. We didn't realize this and went to the Wax museum and was confronted with a massive line even though we had tickets. I was very disappointing to waste money on the tube to get there and then have to stand in line. We decided against it and now have to go back to the wax museum first hing in the am or stand in line for an hour or more.
 

Fasttr

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Emailed you my London recommendations based on three stays there-----not food-related, LOL, (except for Sherlock Holmes Pub) but "things to see and do", including out-trips from London that we did. As an example (recalling MOXJO's tour of Windsor/Stonehenge/Bath above), Windsor Castle, imho, deserves a half-day all by itself for a fun train ride and self-tour, plus some great time in little town of Eton.
Ditto for combination of Warwick Castle & Stratford-upon-Avon, a "can't miss", only 9 miles apart. https://goo.gl/maps/coE46CCviqu

Enjoy
Marty, we are back from our week in London and had a great time. Like we do in HHI, I had the "Marty Approved" guide printed out and we saw pretty much everything highly recommended on your list. I have posted a few pics of Trooping the Colour which was a nice treat to be occurring while we were there. As usual, thanks for your valuable insights and recommendations.

We loved the Marriott County Hall...can't beat the location...and the upgrade to a Big Ben/London Eye view Jr. Suite which was ready by 8:30am when we arrived at the hotel after a long flight was a nice touch as well.


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jme

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Great pics, Todd, really great------those should be published.

I'm at Hilton Head as I speak, but you've caused my heart to travel back to England.

It's one thing to see these things in books and magazines and on TV, but quite another to be within arm's length as they pass by.
It's an emotional high that cannot be duplicated and will never leave you. The experience for sure will never be diminished by time.
There's a word for such, and it's "priceless".

So glad to hear you enjoyed the trip. London will forever be our favorite city because it was our first European destination,
and that alone made it special. Not to mention the many, many AMAZING sights to see, whether in the London area proper or in the towns, villages, and serene countryside outside London, all easily accessible via half-day excursions (to & from via train) or by car rental (or "hire" as they say there). The train rides were just as great as the destinations we saw. I especially remember the funny, quirky names of the little English villages we passed through---always on a sign at their train stop-----just totally English, like something out of Harry Potter.

We thought everything we saw only existed in books, but our mouths remained agape all day long as we visited castle after castle,
famous towns such as Stratford-upon-Avon (Shakespeare's home), the gorgeous Cotswold villages, and much much more.
Even the experience of listening to English phrases and accents by random people all day, every day, made the trip more colorful.
Every once in a while, when our family is together for a holiday or whatever, at a strategic moment I'll break into my English accent,
and we all laugh. And naturally the kids say "Oh Dad, please...." as they roll their eyes....LOL. But deep down they love it, and I catch them doing the same themselves. A trip like that literally does change your life.

The whole vacation (and we were there in England for 17 nights, in various locations) was like reliving history-----something we never thought we'd see or do. But to stand next to King Henry VIII's personal armor, walking in the rooms where he walked at Leeds Castle, etc, etc., was beyond description---we would just look at each other and shake our heads or pinch ourselves to remind us that this was real and actually happening.

I promise anyone, as you now know well yourself, Todd, the lingering memories of the Thames River at Westminster Bridge, the sounds of Big Ben's chimes reverberating in your head, and the magnificence of the beautifully-lit Big Ben at night out your own window will forever be fresh and immensely special. Doing it a different way was never in our plans, and we are so grateful now to have had the opportunity to experience London from that amazing location and perspective. We felt regal ourselves, and our kids will never forget. We still talk about it all the time. Your report makes me want to return, so we might. Maybe we'll inspire someone to "just do it".

Cheers! :thumbup:
 
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IuLiKa

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Hello,
I am trying to book Marriott County Hall for 3 nights. When I change from 2 aduts to 2adults plus 1 child I am asked for 135K points and 150 GBP per night per child. My child is 5. Seems a little over the top. I would really like to have two double beds, but that's not an option on points.
I stayed there 10 years ago and I got upgraded to a room with a view. It was in december so it was maybe low season. Now I am going in june. Would my gold status be able to get me an upgrade to two double beds? I can live without the view, that will be a plus.

suggestions?
many thanks
 

BocaBoy

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Hello,
I am trying to book Marriott County Hall for 3 nights. When I change from 2 aduts to 2adults plus 1 child I am asked for 135K points and 150 GBP per night per child. My child is 5. Seems a little over the top. I would really like to have two double beds, but that's not an option on points.
I stayed there 10 years ago and I got upgraded to a room with a view. It was in december so it was maybe low season. Now I am going in june. Would my gold status be able to get me an upgrade to two double beds? I can live without the view, that will be a plus.

suggestions?
many thanks
I would reserve what you want at another of the top Marriotts in London...Grosvenor Square if you can get it. County Hall is nice but is not my first choice in any event, and certainly not if you have to pay a lot more or if you dion't get what you want.
 

taffy19

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Landscape and scenery are beautiful in the USA but Europe has the most beautiful cities and no country is the same. That also adds character too. Even the smaller cities or villages have their own charm.
 

hangloose

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I'm looking to take the family to London and Paris in the next year. 4 total. I was thinking of trying to use 5 night Marriott Hotel rewards, one in each city. While I've been to both, not with kids.

Most of the MR Pts certificates appear to be only good for rooms which fit a max capacity of 2 people. Similar to IuLiKa, how do others with 4 ppl total manage this? Can I somehow upgrade with MR Pts to rooms with two beds? or a single bed and a pull out sofa?
 

Steve A

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We always stay at the Park Lane. Smaller hotel. Very convenient location. One block away from from Marble Arch tube stop and the shopping on Bond St. Hyde Park across the street. One year we stood outside the park and listened to a Bruce Springsteen concert. Tour buses around the corner. Walk to Harrods.

We’re an older couple with no children.

We stayed at St Ermins last year. It’s going up to category 9. Good walking around location in Westminster.
 

Palmtreelady1

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Going to London at the end of June to meet our son who is finishing up a study abroad trip. We booked 5 nights at County Hall, then 3 nights in Paris then 2 nights at the Marble Arch in London
Any suggestions, advice, what to avoid, tours ect for both countries would be appreciated!! Any packing advice or laundries near?
So excited!!
 

IuLiKa

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I'm looking to take the family to London and Paris in the next year. 4 total. I was thinking of trying to use 5 night Marriott Hotel rewards, one in each city. While I've been to both, not with kids.

Most of the MR Pts certificates appear to be only good for rooms which fit a max capacity of 2 people. Similar to IuLiKa, how do others with 4 ppl total manage this? Can I somehow upgrade with MR Pts to rooms with two beds? or a single bed and a pull out sofa?

I am going this year in June for 3 nights and I still have not booed a room. Do they really charge extra for a kid? We can all sleep in a king bed but will love to have two doubles..
I did not find anything with extra points. Not sure how easy is to get an upgrade w gold status in london in june..


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

mjm1

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There seem to be no end to London Hotel suggestions so I'll add mine - the historic St. Ermin's Hotel, part of the Marriott's Autograph collection. A 2-minute walk from St. James's Park tube station and an 8-minute walk from the Houses of Parliament, this regal hotel was headquarters to WWII covert operations. My wife and I found it extremely convenient and a real class act. Plus it "felt" like a British property. The walk to Buckingham Palace took just minutes and the St. James Park tube has a lot of connections going in all directions.

We stayed at St. Ermins hotel last year and were very pleased with the hotel. Location was walking distance to many attractions and there was a tube stop one block away. Service and food were very good.

We have a short visit to London in August and decided to stay at St. Ermins using MRP's. Our main goal, since this is not our first trip to London, is to tour Buckingham Palace. The location of St. Ermins seems well suited, so I appreciate the input that both of you provided. We like to walk as well, so we will be able to get to the palace and other local sites very easily. One interesting note is that the room was discounted from 40k to 35k MRP's for our one night stay.

We fly to Naples from there, so will take the Gatwick Express to a Courtyard at the airport the night before our flight. From what I read, we will get the express from Victoria Station, which isn't far from St. Ermins, and it is only about 30 minutes to the Gatwick.

Looking forward to a fun trip. Thanks again for your insights.

Best regards.

Mike
 

mav

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My daughter and her husband stayed at St. Ermin's for 7 nights this past August and LOVED it! Location , hotel ambience, etc. they said it couldn't be beat.
 

BigMac

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Hello,
I am trying to book Marriott County Hall for 3 nights. When I change from 2 aduts to 2adults plus 1 child I am asked for 135K points and 150 GBP per night per child. My child is 5. Seems a little over the top. I would really like to have two double beds, but that's not an option on points.
I stayed there 10 years ago and I got upgraded to a room with a view. It was in december so it was maybe low season. Now I am going in june. Would my gold status be able to get me an upgrade to two double beds? I can live without the view, that will be a plus.

suggestions?
many thanks

I run into this all the time in the Marriott reservation system where it treats your child as an adult even though you've told them he/she is only 5 years old. Just make the reservation for 2 adults. As you are gold status you should get a room upgrade and when you get there tell them about your 5 year old and ask for a rollaway bed. They should not charge you for the rollaway but even if they do it is only 35GBP per night.
 
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