Quality London Apartments shares 10 Tips about travelling on a budget in London

London is a Mecca for business and leisure travellers throughout the world, and quite rightly so. There is so much diversity, beauty and exciting things to do and see in London. The only downside is that London is one of the most expensive cities in the world! Don't panic, with a little creativity and ingenuity, staying in London on a budget is possible.

Our team at Quality London Apartments have compiled some ideas to help all travellers visit London without breaking the bank.


Tip 1: Shop around when booking for a taxi or airport transfer service. Prices vary wildly so best to not leave it to the last minute. Ask your travel agent or someone you know in London and they can direct you in the right direction. But do not try to cut too many corners by going with an unlicensed taxi, as this is dangerous and potentially hazardous to your health.

Tip 2: Travel by underground station or buses instead of taxis. Buy Oyster card for pay as you go, or if you are staying in London for 7 nights or for longer, you can purchase a weekly travel card. Buses are generally cheaper than train, so if you don't mind a slightly longer journey (dependent on road traffic) a bus fare start from £1.10 one way instead of £2.20 train fare.

Tip 3: Needless to say shop around for a hotel promotion to ensure that you get the best deal or just call them up directly to negotiate. In hotels, there is usually a mini bar, but don't eat or drink anything in there as the prices are extortionate. You can buy some of your own drinks and snacks from a local shop and replace them in the mini bar for your own consumption. However, do check that some mini bars have sensors and will know if you move any of their products.

Tip 4: Be prepared to stay in accommodation out of the central areas of London. Some good areas, with convenient underground links are Kilburn, Canary Wharf, Stratford, and Fulham. Areas like Oxford Street and Mayfair are very expensive because of their location.

Tip 5: Avoid overpriced tourist traps and visit the free museums, galleries and parks. Free museums include Victoria and Albert, Science museum and Natural History museum. Free galleries include Tate Britain, National Gallery and many others. Free parks are Kensington Gardens, Hyde Park, Regents Park as well as many others.

Tip 6: If there is a group of 3-6 people, forget hotels and book London serviced apartments instead, as self catering flats can accommodate more people, so the average price per head is cheaper than a London hotel. There is also the benefit of having a separate lounge and kitchen to cook meals, which again saves you money over your stay. If you are really on a budget, don't try to book a two bedroom to accommodate 4 people, just book a one bedroom or even a studio which has bedding for 4 people, this will save you even more money. It will be a bit tight but if it is just a place to sleep after a hard day's traipsing around London then it will suffice. For more information about London apartments for short stay visit www.QualityLondonApartments.co.uk

Tip 7: London bars and restaurants can be very expensive, but there are always lots of deals going on especially on Toptable.co.uk. Deals can range from 30% discounts off normal menus, or even drinks.

Tip 8: To save money in bars and pubs, go there during happy hour which is normally from 5-7pm daily. Many offers range from half price or 2 for 1. The trick is to buy a lot of drinks during happy hour for a reduced price, and drink them throughout the evening!

Tip 9: Did you know that as a traveller from outside the UK, you may be entitled to reclaim VAT tax when departing the UK? If you are registered as a business in a non-EU country, or as a temporary visitor, usually tourists, from outside of the EU, you can sometimes get the VAT refunded on goods you buy in the UK shops. To find out more visit www.hmrc.gov.uk

Tip 10: For business travellers, as the downturn has taken chunks from your company's budget, you can show them that you are cost effective by choosing to stay in accommodation, whether London hotels or London Apartments, which offer free internet. You can save more by hiring a UK mobile instead of using expensive international phones.

These tips are really just the tip of the iceberg, but we hope that they are of help to all travellers. If you have any more money saving tips, we look forward to hearing from you.

Binh Zientek is an Accommodation Specialist for Quality London Apartments. To enquire about London serviced apartments you can either email sales@qualitylondonapartments.co.uk or call 0044 (0)20 7476 8963. www.QualityLondonApartments.co.uk

© Binh Zientek, please do not reproduce without either a link or permission

Regents Park Apartments joins our Portfolio by Quality London Apartments

Quality London Apartments is proud to announce the new addition of Regents Park Serviced Apartments to our portfolio.
The Regents Park apartments are a collection of modern and clean one, two and three bedroom apartments. Each has separate bedrooms, bathrooms and open plan lounge with kitchen.
The open plan kitchens are fully equipped with cutleries, hobs, washing machine and fridge/freezers. Each serviced apartment has TV, DVD player, direct dial telephone and free wireless internet access.
The stylishly furnished Regents Park apartments are all located in a modern building in one of the most desired districts of London. The building is situated in the vicinity of many popular tourist destinations including the Regents Park or Primrose Hill Park that offers magnificent views of Westminster and the City. The nearby Camden High Street is famous for its colourful street markets while the closest underground station is just a few steps away, should you decide to visit places situated a little further. If you are too tired to cook after a long day of sightseeing, there are many excellent restaurants and cafes nearby.

Quality London Apartments assist discerning travellers search and book service apartments in London. We offer one of the most comprehensive portfolio of short stay London accommodation to fit all budgets and location.

Binh Zientek
Accommodation Specialist
Tel: +44 (0)20 7476 8963
Email: sales@qualitylondonapartments.co.uk
W: QualityLondonApartments.co.uk - London
W: QualityCityApartments.com - UK and Europe

Quality London Apartments adds St Christopher's Place to our portfolio

We have commenced a partnership with a new apartment in the heart of London called St Christopher's Place.
The St Christopher's Place London apartments are a collection of modern and contemporary open plan designed studios and one bedroom apartments. Each has beech hardwood floors and a fully tiled bathroom with bath and shower.
Large windows provide a light and airy environment. The studios have sofa beds with working areas and fitted wardrobes whist one bedrooms have separate double bed in bedroom, separate lounge and kitchen. The kitchens are fully equipped with gas hobs, washer dryers and dishwashers. Each apartment has a dining area for four, entrance ways, DVD, video and CD facilities, mini safe, direct dial telephone, internet access, Sky TV and entry phone for added security.
St Christopher's Place, a fashionable pedestrianized street lined with exclusive shops and cosmopolitan restaurants. It is a very elegant, discreet yet lively oasis in the heart of such a famous shopping street. Only a short walk to Selfridges on Oxford Street, Bond Street and Central Line trains for the city. The underground tube stations of Bond Street and Baker Street are a few moments walk away providing easy - twenty minute, access to Canary Wharf and London Docklands.

Benefits of these apartments:

Complimentary Broadband internet throughout your stay

Sky TV

Only a stone's throw from all the local and best shops in London

Cheaper and more spacious than a hotel suite

Entry Phone

Ideal for business or leisure travellers seeking a more cost effective London accommodation

Price is from £840 per week for studio and £1050 per week for one bedroom, rate includes VAT. Minimum 7 nights stay. If you are on a budget, please do tell us so we can try to assist you.

Binh Zientek
PR contact
Tel: +44 (0)20 7476 8963
Email: sales@qualitylondonapartments.co.uk

London Apartments: Stunning Brand New Flats Earls Court

Quality London Apartments is proud to showcase a brand new serviced apartment to our portfolio. The Think Earls Court is a brand new complex of London Apartments, and has Executive apartments/studios.

The Executive apartments/Studios are furnished in a refreshingly modern colour palette of green and cream, the bed area has a divider from the kitchenette and sitting area, thus giving you an open plan studio with an element of privacy. All of the apartments enjoy a kitchenette with microwave, fridge/freezer, kettle.
Being so new means that these studios are hot of the press and modern.

Benefits of these apartments:

Complimentary Broadband internet throughout your stay

Open plan studio but with divider between bed area and lounge/kitchenette

Modern, contemporary and brand new

Compact kitchenette: microwave, kettle, fridge/freezer

24 hour reception with emergency support

Price starts from £89.00 per night which includes VAT, free internet and all utilities.

Earls Court is only 3 minutes walk away and it is only a short walk to local shops and restaurants.

Binh Zientek
PR contact
Tel: +44 (0)20 7476 8963
Email: sales@qualitylondonapartments.co.uk

How Quality London Apartments uses Twitter for Business

Thank you for visiting our Twitter page.

If you have signed up to Twitter, why not follow us on LondonApartment or even if you are not signed up yet why not give it ago? It is fun, informative and you can make many new connections.

So your thinking, what do Quality London Apartment tweet about? Well as you know we specialize in helping discerning travellers search and book for London serviced apartments, so our tweets are not only up-to-date information about apartments but also about London events.

Here is a small list of our tweets:

Special London serviced apartments promotions

New London serviced apartments launch

Free articles to help you

Free checklist for all travellers

London events and news

London promotions for theatres, restaurants, tourist sites etc

Twitter exclusive deals

We also forward tweets about business, Twitter, internet and news which may be of interest to our followers

But Twitter is a social network which means that it is about relationship and not just about us tweeting to you! You are welcome to share your feedback with us and forward any tweets that you think will be interesting to us. It is essentially a two way conversation so we are looking forward to following you too.

If you are new or considering signing up to Twitter, do read this article from Nikki Pilkington as it is very useful and will help you to understand and control your Twitter account better.

I hope this is of help and look forward to connecting on Twitter.

© Binh Zientek c/o Quality London Apartments Please do not reproduce without either a link or permission

Quality London Apartments: Events in London for Free

London does not usually bring to mind 'cheap' let alone 'free', but this a real mistake, as there is so much available cheaply or free. The capital has some of the grandest art galleries, museums and parks in the world, and many are open to everyone. If transport is expensive, you can always walk through the city. This is not as silly as it sounds because London is a rambler's dream, with its small alleys, oasis of historical gems amongst the modern architecture. You would miss so many of the city's quirky character if you just stick to the car. Here is a useful website for walks www.walklondon.org.uk. Throughout a year in exciting London, there are many brilliant events for free, so to save some money why not plan your visit to London accordingly?

Please see list of events:

January
Chinese New Year
A spectacular annual celebration in the heart of London's Chinatown, which attracts large crowds. The event changes every year as Chinese New Year also changes from either late January to early February, so make sure that you check ahead for the specific date. There are fireworks, martial arts exhibition and exuberant parades of the dragons. Of course, if you feel a bit hungry, you can then pop into one of the excellent restaurants for dim sum or an evening meal. www.london.gov.uk nearest station is Leicester Square.

London Parade
This New Year's Day parade is a sight to remember, because it is really bright, loud and hugely entertaining. It attracts hundreds of thousands into the heart of London, rain or shine because it helps them feel the optimism and gaiety of the New Year. There are thousands of majorettes, floats, dance displays and clowns to amuse you and the children. The route starts from Parliament square at noon and the band reaches Berkeley Square in Mayfair about 3pm. You will also see the procession of horse drawn carriages with the Lord Mayor of Wesminster and mayors of all the London boroughs. www.londonparade.co.uk

February

Pancake Day races
On Shrove Tuesday, also known as Pancake Day, groups of people compete to run while tossing pancakes at Spitalfields or Covent Garden. This usually occurs at noon or so. Nearest station is Liverpool street.

March

Oxford & Cambridge Boat Race
Is this possibly the world's most famous boat race? Starting with the first race in 1830, the two universities have never lost their rivalry and hence this grand tradition keeps everyone enthralled even though it only lasts for 18 minutes or so. One of the best places to view the race is at Hammersmith as it is half way for the race and there are places where you can rest with friends and have some food! Nearest station is Hammersmith, Putney Bridge. www.theboatrace.org

April
Flora London Marathon
Makes me tired just imagining those poor thousands of people running for 26 miles, which is why I prefer to be a spectator at this world famous marathon. From its humble beginning in 1981, the London marathon has grown exponentially to attracting over 35,000 runners, half of which is running for charity, and half a million of spectators.
It is also a great chance to spot some famous people as they run for charity, especially if they are wearing a costume. The race starts around 9am at Greenwich Park and ends outside Buckingham Palace. www.london-marathon.co.uk

May

Coin Street Festival
One of the gems of this city is the South Bank, because on a beautiful day, you can see the vista of the city and the Thames while listening to free street music. This very popular festival takes place from June to September and is a recognition and celebration of all the types of people who visit, work and live in London. There are street performances like African storytelling, live music and workshops for children. Nearest station is Waterloo, Southwark. www.coinstreet.org

May Fayre & Puppet Festival
In the heart of St Paul's Church, this event is about celebrating the art of puppetry, so expect to see puppet performances, especially the traditional Punch and Judy show. Nearest tube is Covent Garden, Leicester Square www.alternativearts.co.uk

June

Trooping the Colour
A Saturday in early June sees the celebration of the Queen's official birthday, when she inspects a military display at Horse Guards Parade. Around 1pm there is an RAF flypast down the Mall. You can watch this exciting spectacle for free in the Mall. Nearest station is St James' Park. www.trooping-the-colour.co.uk

City of London Festival
The Financial district of London really comes into its own in June with this popular festival to celebrate the beauty of world music. There many free events mainly around lunchtime in the Square mile, with jazz, latin, brass bands and many other type of music. www.colf.org

Pride London
This is the capital's largest gay and lesbian festival attracting around 750,000 people in 2008. It is recognition of London's diversity.www.pridelondon.org

July

Croydon Summer Festival
For about two weeks in July, the home town of the famous model Kate Moss, host free events for all the family, ranging from free live jazz and Caribbean music. One of the highlight of this event is the Asian music festival. www.croydonfestival.com

August

Notting Hill Carnival
The august bank holiday hosts one of London's most colourful and fantastic parties in London. The carnival celebrates Caribbean culture with vibrant costumes, floats, music and food. So if you like your reggae, hip hop and much more, this is the place to be for an unforgettable street party. Nearest station is Notting Hill Gate, Ladbroke Grove. www.nottinghillcarnival.biz

September

London Open House
Spread throughout the month, many of London's houses are opened to the public, ranging from theatres, colleges, cinemas and many others. This event is really a chance for the public to take pride in London's architectural heritage and show the hidden gems in the city. Throughout various locations, so check the website www.londonopenhouse.org

October

St George in Southwark Festival
A multicultural festival commemorating St George, who is the patron saint of England. The celebration is dotted throughout Southwark and London Bridge with performances by the local theatre groups, talks and guided tours of the Cathedral. So if you want to learn more about England's patron saint, visit the website for more details. www.stgeorgefestival.org.uk

State Opening of Parliament
On this grand day as tradition dictates, Queen Elizabeth rides from Buckingham Palace to Westminster to deliver the Queen's Speech and then returns to Palace. This ceremony is the queen's way of allowing parliament to 'open for business'. The Queen is decked out in the royal regalia and rides in her coach. Nearest station is Westminster. www.parliament.uk

November

Lord Mayor's Show
I cannot underestimate how popular this show is, so if you do wish to go there, make sure you start early otherwise it is nigh impossible to find somewhere to stand with a good view of procession. Since 1215 there has been an annual Lord Mayor's Show, where the Lord Mayor meet the Queen's Justices. The show takes place on the second Saturday of November annually and begins at the Guildhall at around 11am. There are horses, floats, bands and the Lord Mayor's gilded 18th century coach. A great day out for families and children. Nearest tube is either Bank or Embankment . www.lordmayorsshow.org

December

Christmas Tree
The largest Christmas Tree in the UK which is erected in Trafalgar Square is a beautiful sight to behold. There are the twinkling lights and carol concerts as well to turn you into the Festive mood. And conveniently just around the corner are the art galleries if you are looking to end your day with some cultural enjoyment, or if you just want something to eat, just pop to Chinatown. www.london.gov.uk

New Year's Eve
In the old days, it was tradition to congregate in Trafalgar Square and bathe in ice cold water from the fountain. But as this became more and more crowded, thus dangerous, the focus has moved toward the fireworks on the embankment and the London Eye. To get to the Embankment go the Embankment station, for Trafalgar Square go the Leicester Square station. There is no other way to say goodbye to the old year and in with the new, but if you are scared of crowds, this is not for you as it can become claustrophobic.

I hope this is of help to you reader. Whilst visiting London, you will need quality accommodation, so before choosing a small hotel room, do consider London serviced apartments as they are cheaper and can accommodate a whole family. To cap it all, our search and book service is FREE for you, so do call for an up-to-date quote.

Binh Zientek
Accommodation Specialist
Tel: +44 (0)20 7476 8963
Email: sales@qualitylondonapartments.co.uk

Official Company Websites:
www.QualityCityApartments.com – Europe and UK cities
www.QualityLondonApartments.co.uk

Our company Blogs to insider tips:
www.qualitylondonapartments.blogspot.com
www.qualitycityapartments.blogspot.com

London Serviced Apartments: Luxury Modern 23 Greengarden House

We would like to introduce you to another new London serviced apartment to our portfolio. The 23 Greengarden House is a newly refurbished, luxury and contemporary serviced apartment in London. It really is an oasis in the heart of St Christopher's Place.
23 Greengarden House offers luxurious one and two bedroom serviced apartments in the heart of London's West End. The apartments are situated in the exclusive St Christopher's Place, a fashionable, pedestrian only street minutes from Bond Street and Oxford Street - the heart of London is on your doorstep.
Whether its for one night or several months, the elegant accommodation, personalised service as well as space, independence and flexibility, makes 23 Greengarden House a gem in London's West End you just cannot afford to miss.
Greengarden House is located in St Christopher's Place, a fashionable pedestrianized street lined with exclusive shops and cosmopolitan restaurants. It is a very elegant, discreet yet lively oasis in the heart of such a famous shopping street. The management team at Greengarden is renowned for their hospitality, warmth and exceptional dedication to caring for their guests.
There 23 apartments comprises of one (max 2 people) and two bedrooms (max 4 people) which vary in size. All apartments are designed in the contemporary style. What they all have in common is the element of elegant and tasteful luxury. Some apartments have king size beds which can be split into twins, and others are double (Queen) size which cannot be split. All two bedroom apartments have walk-in shower cubicle and a bathroom in a separate room.

Benefits of these apartments:

Complimentary Broadband internet throughout your stay

Modern, contemporary and luxurious

Air conditioning in all apartments, and free gym access at a top 5 star hotel

Set in the heart of St Christopher's place just off Oxford street

One bedroom starts from £316.25 per night. Two bedrooms are also available at this property starting from £454.25 per night. So for discerning travellers needing a luxury alternative to hotels, 23 Greengarden provides a superb solution. For more information please do call the Quality London Apartments team on 0207 476 8963.