Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
LONDON'S olympic & PARALYMPIC GAMES
Returning to London for the first time in
over 60 years, this pageant of sporting
excellence will transform the city. Most of
the action will take place in and around
Stratford (Tube/Train: Stratford), and it is
here that you will find the new Olympic
Stadium, Velodrome, Aquatics Centre,
Basketball Arena, and Hockey Centre.
Away from the East End there will be
equestrian events in Greenwich Park
(Train: Greenwich), beach volleyball at
Horse Guards Parade (Tube: Charing
Cross), and everything from boxing to
table tennis at ExCel, Royal Victoria Dock,
1 Western Gateway, E16 ( &   020/7069-
5000; DLR: Custom House).
For up-to-date information on what's
on, where, and when—plus details of the
associated non-sporting events that will
accompany the Olympiad—check www.
london2012.com. Applications for tickets
closed in April 2011, but if you missed
out there may still be a chance to see
some of the action. London 2012 will be
releasing tickets for a select few events
closer to the games and those who have
bought tickets they can no longer use
will be able to re-sell them through the
official London 2012 site. Finally, there
are always the men's and women's mar-
athons and road cycling events, which
will be run through the streets of central
London and start and finish on The Mall.
For hotels situated handily for the
Olympic Park, and recommended nearby
restaurants, see p. 116.
4
www.workersplaytime.net. Tube: Bethnal Green), one of the funniest karaoke
nights in town, running approximately monthly. Out-of-tune singing is just half the
fun, so leave your inhibitions at the door and prepare to get involved in everything
from synchronized dancing, through to hot dog eating competitions, while making
liberal use of the dressing-up box. Tickets usually cost £5-£10.
WHERE TO STAY
Recession? When it comes to hotel openings and revamps, the question appears
to be, “What recession?” Barely a month goes by without a new boutique hotel or
a multimillion-pound refurbishment being announced—London is a boomtown
for accommodations.
At the cheapest and most expensive ends of the spectrum, the city's offering is hard
to beat. The grand hotels of Mayfair still offer the kind of gracious service and
country-house ambience that are copied around the world. The more recent rise of
the no-frills crashpad has been a welcome development in a city where rooms remain
among the most expensive on the planet.
There are surprises in store for anyone not used to London's idiosyncratic ways,
however: Air-conditioning is far from standard; the venerable age of many of London's
best hotels means that rooms are smaller, and more variable, than in most modern
cities; and hidden charges—especially for international phone calls and Wi-Fi
access—are regrettably still common.
A recent boom in London hotel building, combined with the demands of an inter-
national clientele, means that the standard of rooms across the city is better than it
has ever been. Unfortunately, it hasn't made prices any easier to swallow. An ever-
increasing number of travelers coming to the city each year has left some hoteliers
unembarrassed about over-charging and poor service.
 
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