London Travel Answers

You are right in trying to plan now although you may find that even "cheap" lodging will not be so during the events. Atlanta for the 1996 was pricy and I still had to drive 1.5 hours to venues. I'm headed to the World Equestrian Games in lexington, Ky; have had tickets for almost 2 years and leased lodging for about 1 year. Prices are 400% above normal.

I don't think you will find cheap during that time. Are you aware that London at any time is not cheap and it will be far worse during your time there. As far as staying clean a daily shower should do.

Yes, London accommodation is not cheap. and it most certainly will not be in 2012. You'll need to decide what type of accommodation you want./hostel, 'guesthouse' (small hotel), hotel, apartment. Family-run b&b's of the type found elsewhere in the country are rare in the London; those which are advertised as b&b are usually guesthouses. Best advice is to explore what accommodation exists now, and at what prices, now, using the official London tourist info site, which lists all accommodation and has a useful search engine with different variables: www.visitlondon.com/accommodation and then check rates again on other sites e.g. www.booking.com, which is a reliable site with honest guest reviews. For hostels, www.hostelworld.com and www.hostelbookers.com are reliable sites. Hostels will be lowest-priced. Apartments are not likely to be a good deal if there is just one of you. Some university accommodation will be available during the summer months, and that might be a good option (although it too will be very popular). Some links here; ukstudentlife.com/Travel/Acc... Accommodation nearest to Olympic venues will be highest-priced, of course, but you will need to factor in time and costs of transport from wherever you are staying. The official website is sortof up-and-running, and has a bit of useful info: http://www.london2012.com/visiting/ The stadium is near Stratford, in London's East End..but many other venues around the country are hosting events (and accommodation in those places will not be cheap either). Unless you only wish to see the athletics, you may need to consider this aspect. My advice is to research now, make a basic list of possibilities which appeal then keep checking them then book as soon as you possibly can (I suspect you may be able to do so with many by next August/September).

I'm planning to either attend or volunteer at the Olympics. It's likely that I would be staying in hostels over the two weeks. I would imagine that they would hike their prices up (although I think it'll be still cheaper than staying in hotels) and have to book very far in advance. You can find hostels in central London (try YHA and hostelworld websites) although I'm not sure what is available in East London where the main Olympics activity is happening. Regards Dawn

It will probably be a bit like Wimbledon tennis fortnight. Home owners throughout the south east of England will flee and rent out their homes for extortionate sums. Hotels will increase their prices and even the humblest quarters will cost a lot. That's until a day or two before the event when they find that people are not prepared to spend ludicrous sums of money! The good news is that the main venues in and around Stratford will be easily accessible from just about anywhere in the region by train or bus, so even if you can only find somewhere a distance away you should have few problems. I am sure I read that many event tickets will include train/bus travel. There will, in general, be no access by car for spectators.

You and thousands of others will be thinking the same (or else the Olympics will be a disaster!). So a few random thoughts (which you may already be aware of, so apologies if I'm adding nothing new here): Work out which events you want to see - the venues are all published now but you can't buy tickets yet. You can register an interest and you should do so. Look at existing public transport to and from the events you want to attend. Be realistic about which you think you have some chance of getting tickets for. See how far out existing transport will take you within what you are prepared to travel. Of course, in general the further from London you are the cheaper accommodation will be. Have a look around at prices for accommondation right now. If you're not familiar will London prices they will probably come as a shock. Also, look at the cost of travel within London. You can bet it won't be cheaper. London has a well deserved reputation for being expensive and offering poor serice to tourists. The service might improve but the prices won't. I live 2 hours by train from London. I'm expecting to commute in for the events I want to see. I think that will be cheaper and easier in the end. It wouldn't surprise me if a flat in Oxford or Reading vacated by students (or something similar) and a week's rail pass will be cheaper than staying in London. Hope that helps?

Not knowing what you mean by cheap...... there is a new Express by Holiday Inn at Stratford very near the Olympic site.

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Hello, I've bought some tickets for events throughout the Olympic venues . I am lookinf for hotel(hostel,B&B) reservation. Since I do not know London and take the opportunity to visti its main tourist sites, do yours some questions: 1) what would be best to choose, a location close to Olympic Park or a more central hotel, close to tourist attractions? 2) Another point that occurs to me is that looking at the map of the tube, one of the lines that come to Stratford is the Central Line, imagining that I stay in close to the tubetation Candem Towmn, could you tell me the estimated time spent to get there? 3) It would be more interesting to stay in a place served by Central Line or is this irrelevant? Thank in advance. IF a Londoner want to adopt a tourist VT, I am available (Hehehe).

I hope London is the exception to Olympic housing, but if you don't have your lodgings now, expect to pay a small fortune and a long commute. A friend that is going "managed" to get a small cottage an hour from London by tube 6 months ago. It might have been a price point consideration, but from my experience at bot the Olympics and World Equestrian Games, months in advance are the rule. I booked my Olympic hotel a year in advance and WEG 6-8 months.

Yes, I'm very much afraid that the post above is correct. First, find what Olympic accommodation is actually a available for your dates and b) within your budget. Then you can decide where to stay, if you have any choice. It's not just London which is affected, by the way. Places within easy commuting distance of London (e.g. Oxford, Windsor and so on) also have higher rates and will be very busy indeed. So I suggest you start looking for what is available for your dates *now*, and then perhaps post a new question in the London forum if you find you have a choice of locations. The official London tourist info site lists all accommodation in the city: www.visitlondon.com/accommodation It might be a good idea to re-post your question in the London forum anyway because only people who contributed to this thread will see it here.

I looked at rates for a budget hotel near Kings Cross Station during the Olympics. Usually a room single usually cost 60-70 gbp a room a night but the same room's rate are hiked up to 140-150 gbp a room a night during the Olympics!

Spidermiss, due this fact i am looking for rent a room in the site espcialized like airbnb. there the rent is cheaper although it is pricy.

Yes, I'm afraid even airb&b and suchlike will be upping their prices. Many people intend to let out rooms, even if they do not usually do so.