From Heathrow Airport take the Heathrow Express to Paddington (15 minute journey, trains every 15 minutes), then change to the tube -- you want Eastbound Circle (yellow on tube map) or Hammersmith and City lines (pink on map) to Euston Square. You can also take the Picadilly Line (blue) tube to Russell Square (or change to Northern (black) line at Leicester Square and go to Warren St. or Euston), but it'll probably take longer.
From Gatwick Airport take the Gatwick Express to Victoria Station, change to the Victoria Line (light blue) tube and go to Warren Street or Euston.
From Luton Airport trains go from Luton Airport Parkway to Kings Cross Thameslink, then a short walk to Kings Cross station, then Northern Line (black) to Euston or Circle (yellow), Hammersmith and City (pink) or Metropolitan (purple) trains Westbound to Euston Square. Alternatively, if the train stops at Farringdon, then you can go there and switch to any of the same lines to Euston Square.
From Stanstead Airport take train to London Liverpool Street Station, then Circle (yellow), Hammersmith and City (pink) or Metropolitan (purple) trains Westbound to Euston Square.
Eurostar arrives at Waterloo station. Take the northbound Northern Line (black) to Warren Street or Euston Station.
Weather information for London can be found here or here. Useful tourist/entertainment guides include LondonTown, Time Out, This Is London, and London Live. Useful pub guides include London's Virtual Real Ale Pub Guide (UCL is in WC1), fancyapint? and pubs.com. You might also find Jon's IETF info page useful...
For other hotels in the london area there are many websites available. Feel free to try: Time Out's Bloomsbury & Fitzrovia selection, London Tourist Board, Milesfaster.co.uk, Tripadvisor.com, londontown.com, or just google your way to one....
All prices in pounds sterling and include VAT unless specifically noted.
Imperial
London Hotels
Russell Square, London WC1B 5BB
will book the following hotels:
The following hotels are within walking distance of UCL:
There are presently seven YHA
hostels in London, with a new one about to open,
but they are crowded during summer. Sometimes they can't even accept
advance bookings. If they have room, they all take advance bookings by
phone (if you pay by Visa or MasterCard). They do hold some beds for
those who wander in on the day, but wander in early, and be prepared to
queue. All but one offer 24-hour access and all of them provide a
bureau de change.
You can join the association at the YHA London headquarters (tel +44 (0)20 7836 8541), 14 Southampton St WC2 (tube: Covent Garden), where there's also a bookshop, excellent outdoor equipment and a branch of Campus Travel.
Enquire at the headquarters about the new 150-bed hostel, St Pancras International, which should be open by the time you read this. It will be in Euston Rd opposite the new British Library, conveniently located close to the Kings Cross, Euston and St Pancras rail links.
Rotherhithe Tel +44 (0)20 7232 2114 Salter Rd SE16 (tube: Rotherhithe), is an impressive, purpose-built hostel. Unfortunately, it's a bit far out, and the area is not great; transport is fair. On the other hand, the hostel is good; rooms are mainly six-bed, although there are some fours and a few doubles; all have attached bathroom. There's a licensed restaurant as well as kitchen facilities.
Carter Lane (tel +44 (0)20 7236 4965), 36 Carter Lane EC4 (tube: St Paul's), is virtually next door to St Paul's Cathedral in an intelligently restored old building, which was the cathedral choir's school. The position and the hostel are excellent, although this end of town does get pretty quiet outside working hours. Rooms are mainly four, three or two beds. There's a licensed cafeteria but no kitchen.
Earl's Court (tel +44 (0)20 7373 7083), 38 Bolton Gardens SW5 (tube: Earl's Court), is an old townhouse in a tacky, though lively, part of town; it is not the best equipped of the hostels, however. Rooms are mainly 10-bed dorms. There's a cafeteria and kitchen.
Hampstead
Heath (tel +44 (0)20 8458
9054/7196), 4 Wellgarth
Rd NW11 (tube: Golders Green), is in a beautiful setting with a
well-kept garden, although it is a bit isolated. The dorms are
comfortable, and each room has a basin with hot and cold water. There's
a rather average, though licensed, cafeteria and a kitchen.
Highgate Village (tel +44 (0)20 8340 1831), 84 Highgate West Hill N6 (tube: Archway), is in an attractive Georgian house close to Hampstead Heath; once again it is a bit isolated. There are kitchen facilities, but no evening meals and the absence of 24-hour staffing means you need to be in by midnight. It's the cheapest YHA option in London .
You should be a member of the YHA or one of it's international counterparts, but most hostels will do day membership for a couple of pounds. Phone them first to check. Prices are approximately 15-20 pounds depending on your age and the hostel, and are slightly higher in summer.
Holland House (tel +44 (0)20 7937 0748), Holland Walk, Kensington W8 (tube: High St Kensington), has a great location in the middle of Holland Park and is close to everything. It's large, very busy and rather institutional, but the position really can't be beaten. There's a cafeteria and kitchen.
Oxford St (tel +44 (0)20 7734 1618), 14-18 Noel St W1 (tube: Oxford Circus), is the most basic of the London hostels, but it is right in the centre of town. There's a large kitchen, but no meals. Rates are £17.30/14.10.
Epping Forest hostel (tel +44 (0)20 8508 5161), High Beach, Loughton, Essex (tube: Loughton), is over 10 miles from central London and a good two-mile walk from the nearest tube station, but it may be worth considering if all else is full. Rates are £6.75/4.60 (but allow for the tube fares).
University halls of residence are let to non-students during the holidays, usually from the end of June to mid September. They're somewhat more expensive than the youth hostels, but you usually get a single room (there are a small number of doubles) with shared facilities, plus breakfast. Bookings are coordinated by the British Universities Accommodation Consortium (BUAC) (tel 0115-950 4571), Box 653, University Park, Nottingham NG7 2RD, although you can also contact the colleges direct.
The London School of Economics (Room B508, LSE, Houghton Street, WC2A 2AE) has a number of its halls available at Easter and summer.
Carr Saunders Hall (tel +44 (0)20 7323 9712), 18-24 Fitzroy St W1 (tube: Great Portland St), is not the greatest part of town, but it's central enough; open Easter and summer holidays; singles/doubles with full breakfast are £17.50/30 over Easter, £22/42 in the summer. Self-catering flats of different sizes are also available on a weekly basis in the summer only, ranging from £238 for a two person flat to £539 for five persons.
High Holborn (tel +44 (0)20 7379 5589), 178 High Holborn WC1 (tube: Holborn), is centrally located and has self-catering singles/doubles for £25/43, with continental breakfast, in the summer only.
Passfield Hall (tel +44 (0)20 7387 3584), Endsleigh Place WC1 (tube: Euston), consists of ten late-Georgian houses in the heart of Bloomsbury. A bed and full breakfast is £17.50/30 at Easter, £19/35 in the summer.
Similar rates apply at Rosebery Avenue Hall (tel +44 (0)20 7278 3251), 90 Rosebery Avenue EC1 (tube: Angel).
Imperial College of Science & Technology (tel +44 (0)20 7589 5111), 15 Prince's Gardens SW7 (tube: South Kensington), is in a brilliant position near the Kensington museums; open Easter and summer; B&B £25/40.
Regent College (tel +44 (0)20 7487 7483), Inner Circle, Regent's Park NW1 (tube: Baker St), is a converted Regency manor right in the middle of beautiful Regent's Park, convenient to Camden and central London; open May to September; singles/doubles £25/36.
John Adams Hall (tel +44 (0)20 7387 4086), 15-23 Endsleigh St WC1 (tube: Euston), is central and facilities include a swimming pool; open Easter and summer; B&B is £19 per night for more than seven nights, £21.40 for less.
King's Campus Vacation Bureau (tel +44 (0)20 7351 6011), 552 Kings Rd SW10 0UA, administers bookings for a number of central King's College residence halls. Rates range from £14 to £23 per person, include access to excellent facilities, and most include a continental breakfast.
Finsbury Residences (tel +44 (0)20 7477 8811), Bastwick St EC1 (tube: Old Street), comprises two modern halls belonging to City University. Available over Xmas, Easter and the summer, you get a bed and continental breakfast for £19.50 per person per night or £97.50 a week; evening meals are available on request.
University of Westminster (tel +44 (0)20 7911 5000), 35 Marylebone Rd NW1 (tube: Marylebone), has singles and doubles for £15.70 per person under 26, £21.50 over 26, and £3 for an optional continental breakfast.
Last updated by Piers O'Hanlon