Thursday, June 25, 2009

Travel and Review: London Part 8

From Paris, I travel back to London, this time I stayed near the west-end of the city. If you read my blog from earlier on, you will see that London city itself is divided into many sectors. I had the opportunity to stay in a small yet charmed hotel that goes by the name Rhodes Hotel.

 

Its just 5 minutes from Lancaster Gate station which is just a few stations away from Oxford St ~ a shopping paradise.

But the room is small ~ I actually felt like Harry Potter. But you cannot beat the price~ at 70 pounds, its value for money especially considering its location.


Simple amenities, and lovely hosts. What else could you ask for?

My first stop the next day after staying overnight in the hotel is Oxford St. Here you can find rows of shops ranging from average to exorbitant prices. 2 hours on Oxford St is not enough especially if you are a shopaholic.

And if there isn’t enough, just hop onto the train and a few minutes later you will reach the famous Harrods Shopping Centre.

Everything here is equally expensive and whatever you can find here, you can find along Oxford St. The only thing , in my opinion that is not available at Oxford St, are the products branded Harrods which range from teddy bears, to tote bags to cookies. And they do have plenty of Harrods cookies.

I did not take the Hop On Hop Off Sightseeing bus (the picture above) but if you don’t want to take the subway train, this is definitely a good alternative.

At Harrods there is one shop that you need to make a stop and is a must-visit. It is none other than….

The ice cream is just creamy and super duper nice. I am not sure whether its as good as an Italian ice-cream (have not been to Italy) but for me, at the point of time, its the best ice-cream I have ever tasted.

However, if you prefer a cheaper shopping experience, then from Lancaster Gate station just exit one station after at the Marble Arc station. Here the shops are much more reasonable in prices.


After a fun filled shopping spree day, returning to Rhodes hotel for the night was a good time to rest and heal the body from the aches of the muscles.
Next day, however I decided to pack myself up and move to the East side of London city so as to experience a more educational side of the city.

So off I went to stay at Hilton Euston. And I have to tell you, this hotel is impressive. Service is top notch and the room is super spacious. After staying in the Harry Potter’s dorm, this room just felt like a house!

After settling down, I began my walk towards Russel Square which is just 15 minutes away. Since Hilton Euston is around academics centres finding cheap internet cafes is easy as pie.
Once you reach Russel Square, another 5 minutes will allow you to reach the British Museum.

I am always very surprised how something complimentary like the entrance to this museum allows the management to be able to maintain it in such pristine condition. The exhibits were awesome as well.
Free can be good and one example is the British Museum.

If you happen to be in the east of London City, make a visit to the British Museum. Its huge and filled with awesome exhibits.

There are times in which everything must come to an end so does this trip of mine. It was fantastic while it lasts.

Next destination: New Zealand.

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