Top Tips for Self-Catering Holidays in Central London

Staying in a self-catering apartment on your next city break in London offers an exciting chance to really take control of your holiday, with all the benefits of a true home-away-from-home experience in the heart of the English capital.

Yet for visitors more used to traditional city hotels or Bed and Breakfast accommodation, going it alone for the first time often means some serious planning. That’s why we’ve put together the following tips to help you really make the most of visit when you stay in our luxury self-catering holiday apartments in Central London.

Whilst some avid self-catering holidaymakers will recommend packing everything but the kitchen sink -just in case- there really is no need to go to all the trouble of loading up your suitcases full of cutlery, kettles, and supplies when your London self-catering apartment has it all waiting and ready for you to use.

To save yourself the time, hassle, and expense of over packing, check the website of your accommodation before you start getting ready for your big London city break. If you're still not sure whether you'll really need to bring that travel iron or extra set of kitchen towels, you can always call up and ask.

Most city centre self-catering hotels have a full listed itinerary of everything that comes with your apartment, and they should be happy to send you a copy before you set off on your break.

A tip designed to not only save you a small fortune, but also to avoid those long, arduous family debates about where -and what- to eat. Head online before your visit and check out some London review sites for recommendations for both the best local supermarkets to shop at, as well as the best restaurants in close proximity of your London self-catering apartment.

There's no doubt about it, London's public transport system -with the famous Underground network at its heart- is among the very best in the world, but it's also one of the busiest.

The last thing you want when you first arrive after a long journey into the capital is to spend time queuing up and dealing with the hassle of purchasing your travel tickets whilst simultaneously keeping an eye on the kids, and your luggage.

Avoid all that by ordering an Oyster Card online before you arrive.

These provide quick, convenient access to London's full transport network, and can be delivered directly to your home before you travel, or even to your Central London accommodation so that they're waiting for you when you arrive.

Whilst you're busy ordering those Oyster passes, you might as well invest a few more minutes in buying your London Pass, a smartcard which provides free entry to over sixty world famous attractions, including the Tower of London, London Bridge and Tower Bridge, Westminster Abbey, London Zoo, and the popular Hop On Hop Off Bus Tours, among many more.

You can buy your cards in advance online, have them delivered direct to your self-catering accommodation, and activate them on arrival.