For entertainment we have installed a full satellite package for the 40inch flat screen TV, Free for your use, plus a blu ray DVD unit. There is fast Free wi-fi, securely available for your use in the apartment, plus a second Free Wi-Fi service on the ground floor in both of the two lounge areas. There are toilets here also with disabled facilities. We also provide free parking for one car in the basement of the apartment building, in the secure garage. You are provided with an electronic key fob with your apartment key to enter this area. So you may take your luggage straight from the car, into the basement level lifts up to the 3rd floor apartment.
This apartment offers a private residence with many added self catering facilities. However, you can eat well and cheaply at the bistro outside the apartment building if cooking isn't to your taste, from early in the morning. Outside on the piazza, Verdi's open at 7am. Or you will find larger supermarkets open till 11pm from early in the morning, where you can purchase all groceries for your own catering. London can be expensive but there are some locations that cater for the frequent traveller. Check out Panton Street off Leicester Square for a 3 course menus for under £10. When last I checked, there were 3 or 4 eateries in this street off Leicester Square, to choose from, offering different fare for families on a budget..
At the apartment you will find all you require to cook. There's a 4 plate hob, large oven with top grill feature, a separate microwave oven, toaster, full fridge, full freezer, dishwasher and a wash/dryer for your clothes in the hallway.
There are two large bedrooms, we have European sized single beds which together provide a very large super king bed or two singles. Generally, they are staged as one super king bed in the bedroom with the en-suite bathroom and the second bedroom we stage as two single beds. This second bedroom is supported by a second bathroom just outside in the hallway. Both bedrooms can be staged to suit our guests requirements. `They also have seating and side bed tables and side of beds lamps. In the main bedroom, you will find a console table also, for a laptop and a private telephone for your use and for your families to keep in touch. They may also leave messages at reception if they call when you are away for the day. (We provide all this contact detail with the booking confirmation paperwork.
(We also provide an accountants reference at the point of booking so that you may check that we are who we say we are. We prefer to deal with our guests directly, allowing no middleman to add on their commissions. We deal with all payments directly through our private credit card terminal. We have been vetted by the bank to provide these Merchant Services which we have enjoyed for some 10 years now. If there were to be a problem then this facility would be taken away from us. Other methods of payment are available.
We can also provide a reference for our hospitality via our 10 year membership of the English Tourist Council who advertise our two properties in their own web pages. They have vetted us each year and we have maintained our 4* rating for the level of comfort we provide. the self catering facilities and general decor the apartment.
There is a video telephone in the apartment hall which allows you to speak to someone at the front door who wishes to enter the building, you can operate the front door catch for them to enter. They will be passing by the reception area on their way to you. You may also speak with the concierge on the front desk from here and he also can phone you if he needs to contact you for any reason, perhaps just to let you know that your taxi has arrived. This contact with the reception, which is manned 24 hours a day, 7 day a week, can be invaluable. You are not left on your own.
Things to do:
There are River Boat Cruises, or River Shuttle Bus trips to Westminster or down river to Greenwich are available every 15 minutes from Canary Wharf Pier. Along the River Thames are frequent shows, recently we watched some of the 1000 sailing craft of all types and style sailing past to join in the River Pageant for the Queen's Diamond Jubilee. It was superb.
Also, in the park at Canary Wharf there are frequent film broadcasts of the current Opera showing at Covent Garden. Garden. All for FREE.
Do check the local press for details as well as the apartment literature and the show literature in the reception, the chaps are there to help.
The 02 Arena is only 5 minutes away, with live concerts being shown most evenings. Pre booking is advised for most shows. There are lots of restaurants if you fancy just taking a look at the 02 arena facilities and checking out up and coming shows. There is also the International Exhibition Venue, Excel International nearby. All links to these places and lot of other tourist attractions are linked to on the apartment's dedicated web site, www.vacationsinlondon.co.uk
The new Olympic Stadiums are close by and easily reached by train or car, in about 6 minutes.
Most of the London Museums are free now and also young children travel on the Underground for free, ask at the ticket office for age limits, last mention it was under 15 years to qualify.
Our local Airport, London City, will jet you away to the Continent. Local business men use the airport shuttle service whereby you just turn up, take a seat on the plane and pay on board the aircraft. Most European Capital Cities are within 30 minutes flight time.
The main train stations, i.e. London Bridge, Euston, Kings Cross can take you to other parts of England within an hour or so via fast Pendolino Trains. Making visiting other Cities in the Country easy and comfortable. Visit Brighton in 40minutes from nearby London Bridge (twice an hour for the service) Or Birmingham in 1hour 40 minutes, capital city to city. Fast and easy.
For just £3/5 take a bike from outside the apartment ! Free for the first 30 minutes you register your credit card, type in the code and take the bike across town. The London congestion Charge keeps most traffic light so bike riding is comfortable. Then park it up at one of the many bike stations within the 30 minutes and the service is free. A small cost if you take it for longer or just take another bike each 30minutes! Ten minutes gets you to Tower Bridge by cycle.
You will see lots of joggers in these quiet streets. The picture gallery has lots of shots of the area.
Black taxi cabs take 5 people for the one fare, if this is the preferred travel method, we can provide a local taxi company details for the Ionian Residents to any where in town, the residents, that's you, are afforded a preferential rate.
From our guests notes left, it is well worth visiting 'The Grapes' for a fresh fish supper, (booking is sensible as it's very popular and the second floor is good as it overlooks the River Thames. Just 3 minutes walk away from the apartment. Look out for the many celebs that frequent this Historic Smugglers Inn. (Tipping is only done when happy with the service and when it hasn't already been added to your bill, just check the last item for a hidden service charge, this may be 10 or even 15%. in my younger days I was often fooled by this and tipped twice without realising. We never tip in pubs, just restaurants really.
There are several high profile restaurants in the area, we have listed some in the Ionian Apartment dedicated web site. Most tastes are catered for and also budgets. The links will take you to their menu pages for reference.
Going to the Theatre, it's good to check out the half price formal ticket building in Leicester Square. That's the brick building in the middle of the Square. The tickets that aren't sold for the day are displayed for purchase at a price much cheaper than their ticket value. Check the seat placement along with the ticket price, all if you can visit the Theatre on the same day. Ask the ticket office for the free leaflet on the show.
There is so much free stuff in London, particularly for families, so do ask at your local Tourist Information Office before arriving in London as they often can provide vouchers for you to use with savings.
If I can help you further just ask, after living 20 years in this lovely Capital City, I can find my way around most places and I am happy to advise.
Thank you for stopping by, hope to hear from you. regards Christine James - Owner - Manager.
