London Theatre Break For The Whole Family
First class travel was reasonably priced and the carriages were very spacious making the less than 2 hour trip a doddle with a 3 and 5 year old.
We then took the underground to Waterloo, one of the closest stations to our chosen hotel, the 4* Park Plaza County Hall Hotel, a hotel I throughly recommend especially to anybody staying with children.
The hotel lobby is small, the staff welcoming. The hotel is 14 floors high and rooms have floor to ceiling windows with views over Parliament, Big Ben and the London Eye which facinated my two, especially as our room was on the 11th Floor which we got to in a glass lift with allowing views over the hotel atrium, again to the delight of the kids!
The rooms are spacious, like a 'Studio' room, open plan double bedroom leading to a living area which again sleeps 2 people, ideal for a family. There is also a fridge and microwave, again extremly handy for any families with children or babies. The hotel itself provides children with little goody bags which keeps them occupied while you unpack. We had booked tickets for the Matinee performance of Andrew Lloyd Webber's "Joseph" and the children were so excited, booster seats for young children are always available at the larger theatres and are great so always remember to ask for them on arrival at the theatre. The show was fantastic, really upbeat with Tyler and Connie singing along with every word!
It was then a lovely walk back along the Embankment from the Strand to The Park Plaza Country Hall Hotel, over Millenium bridge and past the London Eye. After a lovely english breakfast, our second day began with a boat trip up the Thames to the Tower Of London, the 20 minute journey was much easier than the tube and lots of fun especially as we approached the raised Tower Bridge, iwhich is a fantastic sight.
A great sight seeing day at the Tower Of London and Tower Bridge, a great tourist attraction for all ages. After a long day we took the children for dinner at the Rain Forest Cafe on Shaftesbury Avenue, Piccadilly - a restaurant to recommend to any family, the children love it!
Being a guest in executive room at the Park Plaza, gives you full access to an Executive lounge with complimentary soft drinks, tea and coffee all day, breakfast until 11ish and snacks early evening with wine or beer which is a nice way of having an evening drink with young children before heading back to the room.
After a morning at Buckingham Palaca, Horse Guards Parade and St James Park we get a taxi back to Euston Station for our train back to Stockport, an easy, relaxing way to end a lovely weekend in Englad's capital city. Originally from Essex, I used to work in London and am no stranger to the country's capital however actually spending a full weekend of sightseeing, staying in a nice hotel in the centre of this bustling city makes you realise what a historic, facinating and amazing city London is and it is nice to appreciate what amazing places London is home to. So even if you live 20 minutes away, I recommend taking a weekend out and immersing yourself in all London has to offer, you may just rediscover it.