London for Pence

Many of us return annually to London to experience its cutting edge international food scene and its treasure trove of art, history, and cultural events. I love London for all those reasons, but also because the lack of a language barrier allows a total immersion in the lifeblood of a foreign culture, from chatting up locals to reading the newspapers.

London is also the world’s most expensive city for foreigners, due to the terribly unfavorable exchange rate, so I planned to spend some time there, figuring out how to have a London experience that didn’t sacrifice quality and some luxuries—but cost no more than a week’s stay in New York or San Francisco. Weeks before we were to depart, a series of terrorist bombings of London’s public transport system occurred, and London suddenly seemed to be one of the world’s most dangerous cities as well. Friends and relatives inquired as to my sanity when I didn’t cancel the trip and told them I even planned to use public transport to keep within the mandate of my article.

And we did. We used buses and the tube every day without incident. I found London safe, welcoming, and delightfully uncrowded for a typical August week. The odds of being a terrorist victim in London, despite the tragedies, are still less than being injured in a car accident on the way to the airport.

Tip 1: Have a Frugal Mindset
The best way to save money in London, but not sacrifice quality, is to plan your trip with value as the top priority. Going when the weather is best or the kids are on break may not be an option. You may need to eat your main meal at times that don’t suit you or stay in a hotel that isn’t closest to the hot spots. If your idea of a great trip is to do everything on a whim, you will inevitably spend more than you want in London and should instead focus on a budget experience, not a value-driven, amenity-laden one.

Tip 2: Go When You Can Save
Airfares are usually cheapest in late fall and winter, which is when the weather is at its worst (merely damp and mild by Minnesota standards). If you shop the sales, you’re likely to find a roundtrip from MSP for $500. Expect to pay double that in summer. For a family of four, that’s a $2,000 savings, but it means pulling kids from school.

The problem is, lodging is likely to be most expensive when the airfares are the lowest. Summer is the time to get bargains on good hotel rooms—since the best London hotels primarily cater to business travelers and that’s when business travel is slackest.

At Christmas and Thanksgiving (not a holiday in the UK), the major carriers often offer superb sales on business-class seats—for $1,000 roundtrip or even less. Northwest and alliance partner Continental are typically instigators.

We saved by using frequent flyer awards, thus Northwest Airlines decided when we could go.Tip 3: Stay Smart—Ditch the Exchange Rate
I don’t subscribe to the philosophy that a hotel room is only for sleeping so why bother on amenities. A bad hotel room ruins my trip. But London hotels will bankrupt you quickly. When you factor in the exchange rate plus the 17.5 percent value-added tax, a £250 room can be $529 a night. Ouch is an understatement.

London hotels offer modest periodic sales and value periods. And instead of cutting the rate, they may add elaborate breakfasts, spa services, or theater tickets to the package. Avoid those. They’re rarely as good a deal as they sound unless you really want all those extras.

But there is one option that radically cuts the cost: The single best London hotel deal in times of poor exchange rates is the Athenaeum Hotel’s “dollar per pound” promotion. It simply eliminates the exchange rate, so that £250 room is $250 (plus tax), not $450. The Athenaeum is a five-star hotel right on Piccadilly across from Green Park. It is a faultless, traditional London haven. It’s privately owned, kept in immaculate order, and even offers apartments for longer stays—we bunked in one. The Athenaeum’s deal is offered year-round. It’s a virtual half-off sale, and the only limitation is that the rooms are subject to availability, and they go quickly.

Tip 4: Find a Flat
My other lodging strategy is an apartment stay—always the right choice for long-term stays (a month or more), but not always right for tourists, because they can be more expensive than hotels for the same occupancy. What you gain is space and amenities such as a kitchen and washer/dryer. If you’re traveling with small kids, this can be invaluable. As can living room sofa beds, which suit kids and teens just fine, and make the net cost cheaper than two hotel rooms.

The other advantage to an apartment stay is saving on meals. If you’re reading this magazine, I doubt you’d go to London to cook your own dinner, but the ability to make breakfast, especially a hearty breakfast, is a great savings over the course of a week when hotel breakfast can cost $40 a person, and even a pastry and coffee at Starbucks tops $10. I’ll recommend a great apartment later in this article.

Tip 5: Move like a Local
No one in their right mind rents a car in London, but most of us use taxis. But London traffic can be crippling, and six or seven taxis a day can easily eat up $150. The buses/tube will cost less than $4 a day for an all-access pass. The Underground is easy to use, well staffed, and, though overcrowding and aging infrastructure have taken a toll, billions of pounds are now being spent to bring things up to standard. It has become a very customer-oriented operation.

Airport transport in a taxi or hired car can cost as much as a luxe dinner. Express train services operate to central London from all major airports, running several times each hour. Unless you are in a group of five or more, they will save you a lot of cash and avoid the stress of traffic jams. Switch to a taxi at the rail station to get to your hotel or apartment.
Tip 6:  Flatten Entrance Fees
Although London is noteworthy for its many free museums, free admissions only cover the permanent collection, which, at places such as the Tate Modern, aren’t that special. So be prepared to spend $18 to see the current special exhibition. If that’s not worth it to you, choose museums with extraordinary and deep permanent collections, such as the Victoria & Albert Museum or British Museum.

One way around these fees is the London Pass, which will get you into a number of attractions, such as Kew Gardens and the Tower of London. The pass is pricey, and priced by duration. I would avoid the one- or two-day versions, in favor of the three- or six-day pass (starting at $127), but do first spend some time online determining if it syncs with your sightseeing agenda.

Another savings strategy: Skip it! When my son wanted to tramp through the touristy London Dungeon, with its $32 admission, I peeled off and visited something free—no wasted time, less wasted cash.

Finally, be efficient. You can do a lot more in a day if you plan your sightseeing in a reasonable geographic progression. Or, quicken your pace or extend your day. You can experience as much in a five-day visit as in a week.

Tip 7: Save on the Show
In summer, there is a plethora of free outdoor concerts and festivals. Year-round, you can queue up at the half-price ticket booth at Leicester Square for same-day seats. But be prepared to waste some time in line and not get perfect seats or tickets to the hottest shows.

Tip 8: Saving Doesn’t Mean McDonald’s
If your game is visiting some of the city’s best restaurants, go at lunch. We had a superb three-course lunch at Gordon Ramsay’s Boxwood Café for a set menu price of $37, including tax and tip. A three-course dinner there would easily run $100 a person. If you’re not willing to set aside two hours of sightseeing for luxe lunches, then stop at Pizza Express, London’s delicious and ubiquitous whole-foods pizza chain, or Pret a Manger, the equally ubiquitous sandwich/salad stop. The food at both is cheap, quick, high-quality, and delicious.

Shy away from expensive hotel breakfasts (unless you’re skipping lunch) and bottled water at meals. If you’re parched, a table of four can easily drop $25 on water in a better restaurant. London’s tap water is fine.

Tip 9: Shop Warily
London’s January sales are not what they were before the days of year-round discounting, and most of what you’ll find is available far cheaper in the United States. The exception is one-of-a kind goods, including art, crafts, and antiques, but due to the exchange rate, expect final prices well above similar stuff in the United States.