London 2012 Guidebook
Guidebook corrections:
Please note: The following corrections were submitted by readers and have not yet been confirmed by Rick. Check updates from Rick for the latest.
Page 66 you mention the daysoutguide 2-for-1 program by National Rail. If one purchases a return (roundtrip) ticket, then the 2-for-1 vouchers may be used anytime, not just on the date of the first journey. In the case of Gatwick Express, we left our return to Gatwick open, as it was not required to reserve the return date online.
We always had our rail tickets with us when using the 2-for-1 vouchers, but no one ever asked for them.
The only major attraction that we didn't find 2-for-1's for was Westminster Abbey.
One may print out as many vouchers as they wish before leaving home, and of course rail trips may be booked and ticketed online also.
Jimmie Tatum in Hendersonville, NC USA 01/30/2012
The Cherry Court Hotel will not honor the special room rates listed in the 2012 London guidebook. If you insist, they simply stop responding to your e-mails.
Mae Lum in Oakland, CA USA 01/11/2012
The Oyster card deposit is now 5 Pounds. Also, BEWARE if you use a credit card to pay any part of the Oyster card cost, deposit or top up, they WILL NOT refund your remainder
Robert Denton in Weems, VA USA 10/26/2011
Madame Tussaud's: The online "late in the day" cheap tickets are impossible to get in the summer unless you buy weeks in advance. They all sell out.
This isn't a "correction," but the closing times given in the book for some of the museums - Victoria & Albert, Museum of London just to name two - of 6 pm, are their official closing times but not their actual closing times. They start rounding people up and kicking them out of the galleries at 5:30 or 5:45. They should state this as their closing times, but in any case readers should know that you cannot browse these museums until 6:00.
Katherine Hutchison in Chicago, IL USA 09/03/2011
Only a comment: We were not impressed with Sir John Soane's Museum. Once we entered, we found it difficult to move around because of all the items and it was VERY dimly lit. My 70-year-old mother couldn't see a thing, and even I had so much trouble, we finally gave up and left before we finished the lower level. Really disappointed because it was one of the sites I was looking forward to since I'm an "off the beaten path" kind of girl!
Allison Britting in Milford, CT USA 08/30/2011
The map page 374 has the wrong location for Wolseley's. The description is also wrong, saying it is "right next to the Ritz." It is across the street from the Ritz.
Howard in Millwood, NY USA 08/17/2011
Oyster card deposit is 5GBP, but still worth it as the convenience can't be beat.
Robert in Jackson, MI USA 08/13/2011
The guidebook should explain a little more clearly that the Spitalfields Market is a modern, covered facility, and is not open every day.
Steve Macfarlane in Carmchael, CA USA 08/07/2011
No more 8 pound guided tours at the British Museum.
Granville in Durham, NC USA 08/06/2011
Currently, admission to St. Paul's Cathedral in London costs 14.50, which now includes an audio guide.
Ryan Gjerde in Decorah, Ia USA 06/24/2011
As of March 2011, Temple Church now charges 3 pounds entry.
Shelia Self in Van Buren, AR USA 06/23/2011
Beginning in March, 2011, they started charging (a lot! - 7 pounds) to enter the Royal Naval Observatory in Greenwich. That was a shock when your 2011 guidebook said it was free.
Cindy in Littleton, CO USA 06/21/2011
Platform 9 3/4 (Harry Potter) has been moved to near the entrance of King's Cross station, probably because of the extensive renovations that are going on at the station.
Al Prete in West Islip, NY USA 06/12/2011
Holly Villa Guest House - Bath, have retired. they are refering people to The Apple Tree Guest house 7 Pulteney Gardens- Bath
Sue Fritz in Bethel, mn USA 05/22/2011
I am searching for the London Travelcard online in March of 2011. Your 2011 book says the 7 day card costs 25.80. The site says it is 47.60. Has the price really gone up 21.80?
Amy in Nashville, IN USA 03/26/2011
There is also a Marks & Spencer for food next to the Kensington High Street tube station that is convenient to B&Bs in that area (e.g. Vicarage Hotel). Vicarage Hotel has more than 17 rooms (21 is correct I believe). Most of the rooms have a shared toilet and shower. No lift, so the rooms on the 4th floor can be a handful with luggage. No real common area or TV room either. Rooms do not have phones.
Thomas Ivey in Greensboro, NC USA 12/06/2010
"London 2009" p.59 on Harry Potter. I suggest the wording "they're located on the way to platform 9 - walk toward the pedestrian bridge and make a left at the arch." be changed to "they're located on the left of platform 8. Do not go through the turnstiles towards platforms 9-11. Walk along platform 8 towards the pedestrian bridge and make a left at the arch."
Frederick Metcalfe in North Vancouver, BC Canada 10/15/2010
Canterbury West also has options to go to London Charing Cross--for point to point tickets less expensive than those to St. Pancras
tom reiser in chiago, il usa 10/14/2010
yes, in London 2010, page 225, guidebook states that "Use the free visitor's map to find the tombs of....Florence Nightingale". The crypt at St. Paul's contains a memorial to her, but she is buried in East Wellow, Hampshire (according to guide at St. Paul's and to Wiki answers). Therefore, her tomb is not at St. Paul's.
Linda Haber in Fort Wayne, IN USA 09/23/2010
The Belgravia Pub (sports bar) you recommend in the Victoria area is now called Riley's Sports Bar The British Library has moved the Da Vinci collection you have in your guided tour as well as some literature pieces
Steve in La Crescent, MN USA 09/19/2010
No, the guidebook was complete, well written and accurate. We really appreciate this!
Jon and Jenny Davis in Fredericksburg, Va USA 07/21/2010
Please correct your current reference to Tower of London Beefeater guides as entertainers to also state the requirement of being retired military. As a retired member of the American Armed Forces, it is demeaning to refer to retired volunteer defenders of freedom without telling the whole story. While, as you say, they may no longer defend the monarch, they have still given many years of service to their country. Regardless of your personal political views, they deserve better and I believe you are a better person than this incomplete reference would indicate.
C. Halsey in APO, AE USA 06/02/2010
Kensington Palace is undergoing renovations. In order to preserve the jobs of the staff there, they've put on an "exhibit" called the Enchanted Palace.
The price is the same (I believe - we used the London Pass), but half the palace is closed and the rest has been turned into the equivalent of a haunted house. It really was tragic to see such beautiful rooms with dim lighting, spooky music and strange "art". It seems like a disservice to the beauty of the place.
Jordan Simpson in Shreveport, LA USA 04/12/2010
I am trying to mail for tickets to Ceremony of the Keys at the Tower of London. My New Braunfels TX post office and also the San Antonio, TX post office told me they no longer sell International Reply Coupons and have not been available for 4 months. Any suggestions?
Ruth Libby in New Braunfels, TX USA 04/01/2010
Rick Steves' London 2009 I strongly resent your remark that the two World Wars 'helped to turn a colonial superpower into a cultural colony of an American superpower' - it is arrogant and disrespectful and I do not know one English person who would consider themselves such.
Also some of your 'facts' are facetious and incorrect eg those regarding Queen Mary I and Queen Elizabeth 1. First Mary was not 'meek' it took a person of courage and fortitude to stand up to her father Henry VIII and remain a Catholic and loyal to her mother. Mary suffered much inhumanity at the hands of her father but she did it with strongly and with dignity. Mary and Elizabeth did not 'dislike' each other as you so glibly put it - they did in fact share a great bond - both abandoned by Henry VIII they at times through their young lives took comfort from each other. If Mary had 'disliked' Elizabeth it is unlikely she would have walked out of the Tower of London as she did.
Your books are great travel guides, giving tips that are useful and workable please don't ruin them with slick inaccurate remarks that further no one's education of great countries and people.
Gloria Squires in Gosford, Australia 03/24/2010
On page 63 of the London 2009 guidebook, under the description of the National Army Museum, the bus which now stops in front of the Museum is #170, not #239
Chris Peter in El Cajon, CA USA 03/21/2010
Contrary to your guidebook on London – the train from Waterloo to Hampton Court only takes 30 minutes. Not the 2 hours and 30 minutes mentioned in the book. We almost sacrificed touring Hampton Court castle because the length of the train ride seemed so long. For those of us who depend on the information in the guidebooks to be accurate, this one was way off.
[Editor's Note: Perhaps you misread our notation of "2/hr, 30 min." This means that there are two train departures per hour, and that the journey duration is 30 minutes long. This is our standard method of describing transportation connections in all of our books.]
Patricia Keithan in Minneapolis, MN USA 02/15/2010
Harcourt House in London 2008. Under new ownership, you need to remove if it's still on your reccomended list.
Donald Smullen in Oreland, PA USA 11/10/2009
London 2009 page 272. Beefeaters "are entertainers employed by the amusement company that has been hired to run the Tower of London profitably." Absolutely not true and never has been. Beefeaters have to have been in the British service -- army, or whatever, which I believe is the way it always has been. Our Beefeater guide had recently served in Iraq. Very entertaining, but not a "hired entertainer." They are all required to live at the Tower, also. I'm wondering where you could have possibly come up with that idea.
[Editor's Note: You are correct that all Beefeaters are retired military with exemplary service records, who are required to live on the grounds. But they are employed by a private company that runs the Tower as a concession and, as such, are chosen partially for their ability to entertain the Tower's 3 million annual visitors. ]
Carrol Morris in Olympia, WA USA 10/08/2009
This may have been corrected since the "09" edition, but the section that gave info on Churchill's life said he had been in South America as a young man. I think it was S. AFRICA.
Kay Britto in Wrightsville Beach, NC USA 09/27/2009
Bus ride to Windsor. Do not wait inside Victoria Coach Station for buses 700 and 702. Wait in the covered bus area and pay the driver directly. It is a nice scenic ride in a comfortable bus. Try the Windsor Royal Shopping Centre on Thames Street for lunch, tea or pastries. We enjoyed this day trip much more than the long train ride from Paris to Chartres.
Watts in Portland, OR USA 09/14/2009
Took the Beefeater Tour at the Tower and London and the Beefeaters are aware of your book and offended--you say on pg. 272 that they are entertainers employed by the amusement company---They were quick to tell me that was wrong and indeed all 35 of them must be retired from the military and have served at least 22 years and be at least 50 years old. So who is right? Can you let me know?
Penny Brown in Chicago, Il USA 09/09/2009
The prices were higher than published in the book, but you can't help that.
Vic S. in Idyllwild, CA USA 08/05/2009
Westminster Abbey now 15 GBP entry up from 12.
Jim C. in Reno, NV USA 06/03/2009
As of May 17, 2009, you do have to pay the £3 deposit for the seven-day Oystercard. My sister and I got one last week and were charged it. Then there were signs posted throughout the Underground that all Oystercards will now have the £3 deposit.
Valerie Shestakow in Old Bridge, NJ USA 05/31/2009
The London Zoo closes at 17:30 on Saturdays. Also, the description for the Westminster Abbey should be clarified to explain what Evensong is. It is an actual church service for which the church is closed to sightseers, except for people who want to attend the service. No wandering around the Abbey is allowed afterwards. It was a beautiful service, but it was unclear to me when we went that we wouldn't be allowed to sightsee afterward.
Marina in St. Paul, MN USA 05/27/2009
Correction to another's correction:
The copy I have of London 2009 (page 133) is CORRECT in stating that the BRITISH MUSEUM late night hours are on THURSDAY and FRIDAY.
Kathy W. in San Francisco, CA USA 05/21/2009
St. Paul's Cathedral no longer offers discounted admission between 15:30 and 16:00, the price is always £11 at all times. However, you can enter the cathedral at 16:30 at no charge, and view the nave while awaiting Evensong at 17:00, which is a wonderful experience.
John Johnson in Covina, CA USA 05/03/2009
I would add the Blades Hotel on the 2010 London Guidebook.
Pros:
A block down from the Pimlico Tube station, and half a block from the St. Georges bus stop on Belgrave. We had no problems navigating thoughout the city, which was my primary concern prior to our visit.
Rooms were always kept clean. Good window view of Belgrave street.
Looked forward to crumpets and tea (w/ a little milk) in the mornings to start off our day.
The host/owner/unabashed Royal enthusiast is Kevin. I can't say enough about this person. He's downright resourceful. My wife and I often had questions for him about the history of the sights we experienced that weren't covered on a brochure or on a tour. So Kevin was knighted our royal "gap-filler" of knowlege. He employed such services without hesitation (except he almost had a heart attack when asked about the Jack the Ripper tour--he's not a big fan). When he didn't know a question he'd have it researched for you the next day. Another thing I noticed about him was his thoughtfulness and generosity. There was a family from Italy who were staying at the hotel. Apparently, the daugther was visiting universities in London and asked Kevin about a certain school they were looking for. Not only did Kevin provide them info on how to get there, but called someone from the school to get information of hours of operation, admissions contact personnel, etc.... I will always have that gesture of kindness locked in my memory. Now, don't get me wrong, he's very sarcastic. But it suits him well with his sense of humor and wit. We sparred a bit in this regard, but I lost miserably. (Hey, he had home field advantage.)
Cons: From a general American perspective, the bathrooms were small. From a frequent traveler's perspective, perfecto mundo.
Nick Chavez in Grand Prairie, TX USA 04/30/2009
just reiterating what someone has already mentione - British Museum late night has changed from Wed. to Fri.
Brenda Clarke in Houston, TX USA 04/29/2009
After spending a week in London, we feel that there should be a note of warning to travelers until 2012-- since there is much construction and refurbishment of the city and underground for the olympics. The tube was more challenging than it should have been, since the District and Circle lines were down for the weekends. The website:http://www.tfl.gov.uk/tfl/livetravelnews/realtime/tube/default.html
shows closures-- it would be good for travelers to know this information before they head out.
A few rooms at the National Gallery were closed -- the possibilities of refurbishment and room closures should be noted.
Catherine Conger in Greenville, SC USA 04/19/2009
National Gallery changed the night it is open late from Wednesday to Friday.
Christy Caldwell in Santa Cruz, CA USA 04/15/2009
It's a minor correction, but the bus fare from the Cambridge train station to Cambridge downtown has gone up to 1.30 pounds (from 1.20).
Grace in Seattle, WA USA 04/05/2009
Kensington Garden Hotel is NOT a recommended accomodation
Andrew Goldman in Crystal Lake, IL USA 03/29/2009
We tried to go to Belgo one night during the times the book said it would still be open and it had already closed. Make sure you confirm the times for the next edition.
lm in Goleta, CA USA 02/12/2009