Escape the Ordinary...on a Long London Weekend (with Harry Potter Bonus!) - Melanie Tucker - The Rare Finds Travel Club
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Melanie Tucker 6099230304 Travel Designer melanie@rarefindstravel.com Rare Finds Travel Design http://www.rarefindstravel.com Escape the Ordinary...on a Long London Weekend (with Harry Potter Bonus!)
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Trip Summary
Day 1
Welcome to London!
How to get into the city
Lodging choice #1: The Bloomsbury Hotel - The Bloomsbury Hotel
Lodging Option #2: 40 Winks (if you want something REALLY special)
Lodging choice #3: The Morgan Hotel (where I stay!)
Lodging Option #4: One Fine Stay (if you've got a big group)
Get oriented with a Free On Foot Tour
Trace your American roots at the Ben Franklin House & Mayflower Pub
Meet Tom Machett, your London Ambassador for a custom pub crawl tonight
A novel dinner idea... Dine in the Dark at Dans Le Noir!
Day 2
Morning Scavenger Hunt of British Museum with THATMuse - PDF British Museum map.pdf
Afternoon Tea Bus Tour
The Big Sites (map below so you can get your bearings)
Dinner choice #1: Butler-ed picnic in the park for lunch!
Dinner choice #2: Wahacka
Dinner choice #3: Bailey's Fish & Chips
Want to see a Broadway show in the West End?
Day 3
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED Lunchtime East End Food Walk
Afternoon Bike tour with Fat Tire London
Time to go home
BONUS Harry Potter DAY!
Warner Bros Studio Tour with double-decker red Harry Potter bus!
Harry Potter themed London Walks tour
ESCAPE ROOM, Harry Potter style!
Sleep in a Harry Potter Suite in the Georgian Hotel
Or go all-out and sleep in an Oxford dorm with breakfast in a true Hogwartz-esque dining room!
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Day 1
Welcome to London!
You can arrive by either Heathrow or Gatwick International Airports - or by train from Europe.
Welcome! London is famous for its Royals and tea time, the Eye Ferris wheel and the Globe theater,
its pubs and history (including the Ben Franklin House and Mayflower Pub!)
If you remember one this, make it this:
LOOK LEFT! (because they drive on the opposite side of the road from us, so cars will be coming from
your LEFT as you cross the street)
How to get into the city
Option 1: Hire a driver (the simplest)
Airport transfer provide can be provided by Barcellos
They meet you in the terminal, holding a sign with your name on it, and you'll find them as soon as you
exit Immigration and Customs.
Contact info: The Travel In Group
Their office # is: +44 203 823 9739
FYI: if you're trying to call them in-country, you drop the country code and add a "0" like this: 0203
823 9739
Option 2: Take the train (the fastest)
The Heathrow Express train gets you from airport to city in 15 minutes.
Rate: £25 one way, £37 roundtrip
Get tickets here: https://www.heathrowexpress.com
Page 4 of 25 Option 3: Take the tube, or subway (the cheapest) The Picadilly line runs out of Heathrow about every 10-15 minutes, takes under an hour, and drops you at Picadilly station from where you can walk, taxi, or Uber to your hotel. The station for Heathrow Terminals 2 and 3 is between the terminals, which are a few minutes' walk away via pedestrian subway. The station for Heathrow Terminal 4 and Heathrow Terminal 5 is underground, in the basements of the terminal buildings. Get an Oyster card to cover this transfer and all your tube rides around the city. Oyster pay-as-you-go fares are £5.10 (Mon - Fri, 06:30 - 09:30) and £3.10 (all other times). For details see oyster.tfl.gov.uk – or a contactless payment card. NOTE: trains run about 5am until about midnight so if your flight lands in the middle of the night, get a driver. Lodging choice #1: The Bloomsbury Hotel 16-22 Great Russell Street in London +44 20 7347 1000 The Bloomsbury, a 1928 Sir Edwin Lutyens, Grade-II listed building on Great Russell Street in London, has been recently completed. It's a timeless hidden London gem, and was recently voted #3 Hotel in all of London by Conde Nast! And is characterized by its elegant garden squares and streets lined with an eclectic selection of shops and boutiques. The Bloomsbury hotel is just a stone’s throw from Theatreland, Soho and Covent Garden, 5 minutes’ walk from Tottenham Court Road Tube Station and Crossrail, due to be launched later this year, offering direct access from Heathrow. Rates: around $350/night All rates are Bed and Breakfast, available 7 days, rate inclusive of Full English Breakfast, inclusive of VAT. Website: https://the-bloomsbury-hotel-london.hotel-ds.com/en/ To book, email Michael at bloomsbury@doylecollection.com Dining/bar options in the hotel:
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Dalloway Terrace – a beautiful space that quickly became one of London’s most sought after alfresco
dining hotspots, serving brunch, lunch, dinner and afternoon tea. The quintessentially English space,
named after the eponymous character created by Virginia Woolf, is an indoor/outdoor restaurant, fully
heated in winter, offering the peace and charm of a secluded garden. It is also one of the most
instagrammed restaurants in London.
The Bloomsbury Club Bar - launched in the summer of 2016, brings old school romance and the
magic of bygone era of glamour to the hotel. The bar has a members’ club feel and is furnished with
plush leather armchairs, atmospheric lighting and rich mahogany panelling, taking inspiration from the
lives of the famously hedonistic Bloomsbury Set - Virginia Woolf, John Maynard Keynes, E.M. Forster
and Lytton Strachey, who all lived, worked or studied together in Bloomsbury and were united by an
abiding belief in the importance of the arts.
The bar leads on to an enchanting outdoor space; a twinkling grotto perfect for long summer
evenings, while the drinks menu takes influence from the 1920s and 1930s, with a selection of original
cocktails named after the area’s literary icons and their libertine lifestyle.
The Bloomsbury Hotel
16-22 Great Russell St, London, GREATER LONDON, GB, WC1B 3NN
020 7347 1000
Lodging Option #2: 40 Winks (if you want something REALLY special)
109 Mile End Rd, Bethnal Green, London
Phone: +44 20 7790 0259
German Vogue called it "the most stylish small hotel in the world"
40 Winks is based in hip and trendy East London (closer to the great food tour! That's a plus) - a
unique micro B&B is about as stylish as you're going to get.
Page 6 of 25 The house has a very glamorous history. For more than a decade, it was one of London's most popular fashion and celebrity locations, playing host to hundreds of major advertising campaigns and high profile editorial shoots. So many photographers, stylists and models kept asking if they could stay here that we came up with the idea of '40 Winks'. We opened our doors in 2009, somewhat cheekily describing ourselves as the world’s first ‘micro boutique hotel’ (we only have two guest rooms). Despite our bijou size, however, we have achieved an almost mythical status over the last ten years, attracting thousands of pages of press and making a lot of people very happy. Rate: £185 for the large room and £280 for the 2 rooms. Reserve early because there's only 2 rooms: http://www.40winks.org Lodging choice #3: The Morgan Hotel (where I stay!) 24 Bloomsbury St, Bloomsbury Phone: +44 20 7636 3735 Located in same neighborhood, but at different price point, rooms are small but location is awesome and staff is just great - served us breakfast way early before our departure flight. I can personally recommend this place! Morgan Hotel is only a few minutes walk from the British Museum, Holborn Station & Russell Square, London’s most happening place the West End of London which is famous for its fantastic range of theatres, restaurants & tourist attractions is near by. Rooms start at £125/night. Here's the website: http://www.morganhotel.co.uk
Page 7 of 25 Lodging Option #4: One Fine Stay (if you've got a big group) Sort of the AirBnB of mansions, this company is wonderful to deal with and offers unique properties - some chic penthouses to accommodate a couple, some large homes to accommodate a family (or 2). Here's their website: https://www.onefinestay.com Get oriented with a Free On Foot Tour They're not really free. They are gratuity-only tours so you pay the guide at the end of the tour whatever amount you feel the tour was worth (typically about £10pp) They've got free walks - different neighborhood to align with your flight/arrival times. They've got self-guided walks - if your timing just doesn't dovetail nicely with their pre-scheduled tours. And they've got themed walks like Royal London and Harry Potter - if you've been to London before and want a different angle. Here's the website to pick your tour: https://freetoursbyfoot.com/london-tours/ Trace your American roots at the Ben Franklin House & Mayflower Pub 36 Craven St, Charing Cross, London Open til 5pm Phone: +44 20 7925 1405 Benjamin Franklin House is a museum in a terraced Georgian house at 36 Craven Street, London, close to Trafalgar Square. It is the only surviving former residence of Benjamin Franklin, one of the Founding Fathers of the United States. The house dates from c. 1730, and Franklin lived and worked there for sixteen years. Visit the House
Page 8 of 25 The only way the see the House is through one of our guided visits. Advance booking is highly recommended. To visit the House see our: Historical Experience show, which runs Wednesday to Sunday at: 12 noon, 1pm, 2pm, 3.15pm and 4.15pm Architectural Tours, which takes place on Mondays at: 12 noon, 1pm, 2pm, 3.15pm and 4.15pm Here's the website: https://benjaminfranklinhouse.org History of the House Built as a lodging house circa 1730, the House was home to Franklin for nearly 16 years (1757-1762; 1764-1775). Today the House holds England’s highest Grade I heritage listing for its association with Franklin and its many Georgian features. Artefacts Benjamin Franklin House is all about the story, so rather than bring in items unoriginal to the building, the rooms are unfurnished. We do, however, have some real treasures in our small collection, including Franklin’s Moroccan leather wallet. Craven Street Bones In 1998, as conservation got underway in the House, we found bones, both human and animal, under the floor of our Seminar Room (originally the garden in Franklin’s day). From a one metre wide, one metre deep pit, over 1200 pieces of bone were retrieved and are the remnants of an anatomy school run from the House by William Hewson, son-in-law of Franklin’s landlady, Margaret Stevenson. Top it off with a pint and bite at the M ayflower Pub: 11 Rotherhithe Street +44 20 7237 4088 History of the M ayflower Pub In July 1620, the Mayflower ship took on board 65 passengers from its London homeport of Rotherhithe on the River Thames. Rumour has it that Captain Christopher Jones cunningly moored here to avoid paying taxes further down the river. The Mayflower journeyed onwards to Southampton for supplies and to rendezvous with the Speedwell but after many delays, false starts and a devastating leak, the Speedwell’s journey with The Mayflower was abandoned. On 6th September, 1620, Captain Jones, along with 102 passengers and approximately 30 crew members, set sail from Plymouth on what William Bradford described as "a prosperous wind”.
Page 9 of 25 After sighting land on 11th November, 1620, strong winter seas forced the Rotherhithe captain to anchor at Cape Cod, much further North than the original destination of Virginia. To establish legal order in their new homeland the settlers agreed, whilst on-board, to write and sign "The Mayflower Compact"; the first written framework of government in what is now the United States. Captain Jones later returned to London on the Mayflower, arriving at the home port of Rotherhithe on 6th May 1621. He died less than a year later and was buried at St. Mary's church in Rotherhithe, close to the mooring point of the Mayflower where she lay to rest in the Thames, no longer useful as a ship. A commemorative plaque to the voyage of The Mayflower now adorns the side of St Mary’s church and a memorial statue, dedicated to the memory of Captain Christopher Jones, sits in the churchyard. Meet Tom Machett, your London Ambassador for a custom pub crawl tonight Tom loves pubs as much as he loves London history, so he'll combine the 2 to get you to the newest craft beer spot and the oldest haunted pub too. With Tom, you'll go well off the beaten path. In fact, if you do the Ben Franklin House, above, you can start at the famous Mayflower Pub down on the river - yes, the very one that the shipmates gathered at before their big voyage. +44 7887 564021 M eet Tom: The London Storyteller, is Thomas Barclay Matchett, a cultural historian and storyteller who has lived in London for fifteen years. He offers privately guided tours and bespoke cultural discovery to visitors from around the world to the finest city on earth. A broadcaster and film maker, he started offering freelance tours as a way to combine his passions for meeting new people and telling the many stories that the city offers. In 2019, he became the face and virtual host of Augmented Reality pioneers, AR History. He has many years of business experience advising at CEO and Board level in the publishing, digital media and data science sectors, as well as co-founding a successful e-learning start up in the private medical health sector.
Page 10 of 25 As a musician and writer, he has performed and toured internationally. He has made films about leading international fine artists and continues to develop new creative work. He is a double graduate of the University of Kent with his thesis on the Revolutionary Life & Art of Gustav Metzger noted as a major contribution to art history. His interests include music, film, art, motor racing, architecture, technology and history. His favourite band is The Who and in 2010 organised a convention for Who fans. He has lived in London's Crouch End for more than a decade enjoying stunning views of the finest city on earth and is writing a history of life in Downing Street during WWII through the eyes of Winston's Churchill's cat, Nelson. A novel dinner idea... Dine in the Dark at Dans Le Noir! Diners eat in the dark, served by blind waiters, from fish, meat and vegetarian surprise menus 30-31 Clerkenwell Green, Farringdon +44 20 7253 1100 We did it! Here's our video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-1poFzcmKes Get a reservation here: https://london.danslenoir.com/en/home/ Something you should know about the menus: They offer SURPRISE MENUS! Created by our chef Rafal Zaremba: Creating a gourmet cuisine to be tasted in absolute darkness is a unique experience that requires innovation and curiosity.
Page 11 of 25 Our talented chef Rafal Zaremba uses local fresh products with a combination of new flavours and distinctive techniques. We aim at offering our guests the opportunity to rediscover their senses of taste, aroma & texture in this unusual environment through a tasting experience that is both seasonal and original.
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Day 2
Morning Scavenger Hunt of British Museum with THATMuse
Museum opens at 10:00am
GENERAL INFO ABOUT THE BM
Prominent collections in the museum include:
Rosetta Stone
Parthenon Marbles
Egyptian mummies
and more...
Attached below is a PDF of the floorplan so you can easily find specific items without wandering on
your own.
And here's a list of the top collections so you can pick and go, if you like:
https://www.britishmuseum.org/visiting/planning_your_visit/object_trails/1_hour.aspx
SCAVENGER HUNT
Choose the Classic Tour by THATmuse for a creative and focused way to see the British Museum.
They meet you at 9:45am before the museum, and get your ready for entry at 10am.
The hunt typically takes around 1 1/2 hours. But even if you only do part of it, it'd be a fun way to
experience this otherwise daunting institution.
Contact person: Masha Voyles
masha@thatmuse.com
PDF British Museum map.pdf
Afternoon Tea Bus TourPage 13 of 25 BOOKED THROUGH B Bakery Bus Tours Board a vintage routemaster bus to drive through the streets of Central London, taking in some of the City’s best sights, whilst you indulge in the fabulous B Afternoon Tea on a double decker bus! Capture the heart of the city’s culture, landmarks and history on London Routemaster bus, whilst sipping on a lovely cup of tea and enjoying High Tea accompanied with an array of tasty sandwiches and delicious cakes and pastries. Your London bus driver will take you round Big Ben, The Houses of Parliament, Westminster Abbey, St James’s Park, Hyde Park, The Royal Albert Hall, Marble Arch, Nelson’s Column, Downing Street and more. The London sightseeing tour lasts approximately 1 hour and 30 minutes (depending on traffic). Details There are 2 levels, top and bottom. We highly recommend the top level, though the service is the same. There are 2 front booths in the front of the bus, labeled VIP. If you can get them, they're worth it - you get 180* of glass for a view! Where to read more: https://london.b-bakery.com/afternoon-tea-london/afternoon-tea-bus-london-tour/ Where to book: https://pay-here.co.uk/bbbakerybus/choosecity.asp?City=London When to go? Buses run from noontime until 5pm. The Big Sites (map below so you can get your bearings) The Churchill War Rooms
Page 14 of 25 Preserved and looked after by the Imperial War Museum, the Churchill War Rooms are a must-see for lovers of history or those who are interested in learning more about our military past or the life and times of Mr. Churchill himself. The War Rooms were initially created in the basement of the New Public Offices to be used in the event of war or aerial bombing. Conversion of the basement into the War Rooms began in June 1938 and became operation 27th of August the following year – literally days before Britain’s declaration of war on Germany on September 3rd, 1939. This is where Winston Churchill directed many battles and attended hundreds of meetings to ensure victory during WWII. As soon as the end of World War II was declared, personnel switched off the lights, left the bunker, and closed the door. Totally abandoned, the War Rooms were available to view only by special appointment. As a result of efforts by Margaret Thatcher, the Churchill War Rooms were eventually opened to the public in 1984. To this day, anyone is welcome to visit and see where the fate of nations was once decided and learn about the history of Winston Churchill. Purchase skip the line tickets here (only tickets purchased online will give you skip the line): https://www.partner.viator.com/en/14553/tours/London/Churchill-War-Rooms-Entrance-Ticket/d737- 3858P106 The Eye Located on the banks of the river, this oversized Ferris wheel is a fun treat and a good view. Book fast track (so you can skip the line) Flexi pass (so you can go in ANY time of the day rather than just at a prescribed set time). https://www.londoneye.com The Globe Theater Just down the riverbank from the Eye is the old Globe Theater. Shakespeare’s Globe is a world-renowned performing arts venue, cultural attraction and education centre located on the bank of the River Thames in London, UK. Home to the Globe Theatre and Sam Wanamaker Playhouse, they celebrate Shakespeare’s transformative impact on the world by conducting a radical theatrical experiment.
Page 15 of 25 You can get a tour, book a special costuming and sword fighting demo, or get tickets to one of their shows. https://www.shakespearesglobe.com The Tower of London Pre-book tickets for the Tower. They include a guided tour with the famous Beefeaters and you can even ask to see the famous Ravens! Last entry 5:00pm. https://www.hrp.org.uk/tower-of-london/ Dinner choice #1: Butler-ed picnic in the park for lunch! CONFIRMATION NUMBER BOOKED THROUGH 537713515 and 537713376 London Eye Walk to Green Park, between St James Park and Buckingham Palace, where the Dukes Hotel will deliver and set up a picnic for you. (don't worry, they have a rain plan) Choose from. traditional meals, veggie meals, or kids' menu. Drinks can be added to your tab or you can bring your own which is a lot more economical. You can even bring beer or wine to the park and enjoy with your picnic. For £75 more, you can have full service for 3 hours during your picnic. Picnic is pre-ordered (see site below) and delivered and set up at your choice of spots in the park, complete with tablecloth, table linens, cutlery and plates, and even flowers. Here's the link with menu choices: https://www.dukeshotel.com/offer/picnic-in-the-park/
Page 16 of 25 Tower of London: £62.30/family of 4 (with family discount) for total of £188.70 Paid on Sonal's VISA, tickets hardcopy in Voucher Packet and also attached. Dinner choice #2: Wahacka It's a really good small plates spot on Charlotte Street that features South American Street Food. Charlotte Street and Mezcaleria Bar 19-23 Charlotte Street London W1T 1RL +44 0207 323 2342 Dinner choice #3: Bailey's Fish & Chips 115 Dawes Rd, Fulham Open til 10:30PM +44 20 7385 2021 An institution in London, this place'll be about as quick and casual and inexpensive as you're going to find! Want to see a Broadway show in the West End? London's West End is where you can find the best of Broadway. Here's a place to see what's playing and book tickets: https://www.encoretickets.co.uk/london-theatre-tickets? gclid=CjwKCAjwm4rqBRBUEiwAwaWjjJk2kCDLkfC8o8rOXDCGRoRd1AlCd1ftToWKv3WjAzhYd16pKet9 pRoCNz8QAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds
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Day 3
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED Lunchtime East End Food Walk
Stops for all kinds of food from the Jewish Soup Kitchen to a Cereal Restaurant (now THAT is one of a
kind), this tour is hearty in both helpings and in education since it's in the ethnically diverse East End.
Book with Eating Europe Food Tours:
https://www.eatingeurope.com/london/east-end-food-tour/
Cost: £80pp (worth every cent!
Times; Try the 10:00, 10:45, or 11:15.
Watch our video to see what it's really like:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JfKjDUsp-p4&t=15s
The East End is a neighbourhood like no other. Its tapestry of diverse cultures, mouth-watering
cuisines, unique architecture and fascinating stories make it an unforgettable destination. Our 4 hour
East End Food Tour offers seven authentic tastings (a huge meal!) at a diversity of places like
markets, shops, bakeries, pubs and restaurants. You will visit our favourite local haunts, meet the
owners and explore historical sites that few tourists have an opportunity to experience.
We’ll redefine what you think of London. With us, you’ll escape the crowds and explore one of
London’s best kept secrets like no one else can – through its cuisine. The food tour is for small groups
and is led by entertaining local guides that will not only make sure you are well fed but will also
educate you with stories that give you insights into the East End’s traditions and culture. You’ll wander
the streets to discover ancient Roman burial grounds, Georgian-style mansions built from the French
silk trade, hidden synagogues and the most vibrant street art in the world. Take a break from being a
tourist and experience the REAL London with us!
Afternoon Bike tour with Fat Tire London
BOOKED THROUGH
Fat Tiure
Don't be food drunk from this morning's tour and stop. Keep going!!
We recommend Fat Tire's Royal London Tour but go here for all your options:
https://www.fattiretours.com/london
Cost: starts at $32pp
What you're going to seePage 19 of 25 If you're new to London or even if you already know all the words to ‘God Save The Queen', this guided private bike tour has something for you! Whether talking about Kings, Queens & Princesses; palaces, parks & parliament, or battles and their heroes & villains, our knowledgeable tour guides will entertain you with the most poignant, fascinating and often downright absurd London stories, while our comfortable bikes and smooth route make cycling between sites fun and undemanding. Halfway through your bike tour, we'll take a break where you can go your own way for half an hour and regroup at the cornerstone of our culture: A traditional English pub (not included) - the perfect opportunity to get the latest London tips from your guide. An extra... Although there is not a dedicated craft beer establishment on the tour route, we can certainly stop at a traditional London pub during the lunch break which serves many local and interesting beers. Included: Guide, bicycles, insurance, helmets (optional) M eeting Spot: Their bike lockup on Queensway - directions attached in packet and see map, below Their office is at the the bottom of Olympia Mews - 36-38 Queensway W2 3RX. (the Olympia Mews is a small street just off Queensway.) Your guide will be hear the Queensway Underground Station holding a Fat Tire Tours sign. Please arrive 15 minutes early. How to get to this Kensington Gardens area of the city: Take the Bayswater (Circle/District) or Queensway (Central) lines. See map below and your confirmation. Time to go home Remember to allow yourself ample time for trains and traffic, depending on your choice of transfer, and you want to arrive at the airport 3 hours before any international flight!
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BONUS Harry Potter DAY!
Warner Bros Studio Tour with double-decker red Harry Potter bus!
CONFIRMATION NUMBER BOOKED THROUGH
1343581 Golden Tours
Start your day early (time depending on what tour your book) at Victoria Station's Golden Tours Visitor
Center.
4 Fountain Square, 121-151 Buckingham Palace Road.
Take a ride on one of London's iconic double decker red buses - with a Harry Potter theme! -
out to Warner Bros Studio for an 11am tour.
Your tour will take you behind-the-scenes and showcase a huge barrage of beautiful sets, costumes
and props. It also reveals some closely guarded secrets, including facts about the special effects and
animatronics that made these fils so hugely popular all over the world.
NEW! Step into the Forbidden Forest!
There's a very exciting permanent exhibit that you'll also get to see - The Making of Harry Potter. For
the first time, visitors are encouraged to defy Professor Dumbledore's orders and follow Harry, Ron,
and Hermione's footsteps into the Forbidden Forest. Home to Buckbeak the Hippogriff, Aragog the
Acromantula, and 19 trees each with a diameter over 12 feet, visitors are invited to walk beneath the
giant entwined roots and discover how to control the weather using the same techniques used during
filming.
Then, enter the Gringotts Wizarding Bank on Diagon Alley and discover the magical treasures within.
Step into Bellatrix Lestrange's vault to find the Sword of Gryffindor and Helga Hufflepuff's Cup, one of
Voldemort's many Horcruxes, before taking a unique photo surrounded by thousands of pieces of
magical treasure... unless the goblins find you first!
Included:
roundtrip transport to/from Victoria Station
Entrance to Warner Bros with tour
Cost: £360 per family (2 adults, 2 kids each) but you can buy individual tickets
Where to book: https://www.goldentours.com/warner-bros-studio-tour-london-the-making-of-harry-
potter-tickets-with-return-bus-transport
NOTE that you can do the HP Studios are variety of ways but this is the easiest - transportation
included - and gets you behind the scenes to all the special stuff. PLUS you get to experience the
iconic red double decked London buses.Page 21 of 25 Harry Potter themed London Walks tour London Walks is a leading walking tour company in the city with extraordinary guides who lead reasonably sized groups on themed walks. http://www.walks.com/popular-walks/harry-potter HERE'RE THEIR 2 HARRY POTTER WALKS 1. Harry Potter Film Locations in the City "If yeh know where to go" Where to go on this wicked walking tour that burns with a hard gem-like flame. Burn with an h. g.-like flame because it's HP. And because it's the mysterious old City of London. And because betwixt and between the film locations we hit the sweet spots – the very best of quirky, peculiar, curious, lost old London. It's all very Harry Potter and Co. Runs every Sunday at 2.30 pm. Meet Richard outside exit 3 of BankTube (by the war memorial in front of the Royal Exchange). Cost: there's a £3 charge for kids as this one's for all ages. It's the normal £10 for adults or £8 for concs. 2. Harry Potter on Location in London Town Ah, film locations! Where the ephemeral image on the screen turns into reality! Underfoot and right before our very eyes. And what's right before our very eyes on this one is the Westminster locations that riveted you in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, The Prisoner of Azkaban, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. It's a walk – a quest even – for fans of all ages. And there's a bonus. Well, lots of bonuses. Because the weave also includes lots of great sights – and sites – and the sights behind the sites – for those who are just along for the ride, along to keep a fan company. All led by the Prince of Potter guides – he of the spookily perfect name – actor Richard Walker. Where. The Harry Potter on Location in London Town walk takes place every Saturday at 2.30 pm. Meet Richard just outside the river exit of EmbankmentTube.
Page 22 of 25 Cost: there's a £3 charge for kids as this one's for all ages. It's the normal £10 for adults or £8 for concs. The walk ends in the Potter-perfect little alleyway that's just round the corner from Leicester Square Tube Stop. Want to get an idea of what a Harry Potter in London walk is like – and see Richard in action? Watch the video of our Harry Potter Film Locations in the City walk. NOTE: if none of these days and times work for you OR if you have a big group, then you can always email or call them to request a private tour: +44 020 7624 3978 Email: london@walks.com ESCAPE ROOM, Harry Potter style! Enigma Quests: 2-12 Wilson St, Finsbury (over on London's East End) Open til 10PM +44 20 7377 9220 Choose the Harry Potter Quest: The School of Witchcraft & Wizardry Check out this link: https://enigmaquests.london/quests/school-of-witchcraft-and-wizardry-rms1003 Ever wanted to have magical abilities? You now have a chance to graduate from the School of Witchcraft and Wizardry and prove everyone that you are a true witch or wizard! This is not an easy task, and will require you to be focused as never before. Your team will face obstacles and tests requiring cooperation and some bravery. Remember, every minute counts! On your quest to becoming a witch or wizard, you will learn new skills and gain knowledge to help you pass all exams and defeat the dark forces. Are you ready for the challenge? Wait, let's back up a minute. What's an Escape Room? In every quest, a team of 3-5 is given a mission that they will have to complete within 60 minutes, step by step, clue by clue, using their logic, imagination and common sense. Along your journey, your team will have to solve mysteries and encounter obstacles. This game provides you with the thrill of challenge, time pressure and a great teamwork experience for a group of friends or family - or a couple or single person can join others for a group-of-strangers. That works too!
Page 23 of 25 How it works: BOOKING Every quest has a different theme and challenges, and is designed to absorb you in the situation and test your skills in different ways. ARRIVING We advise you to come 10-15 minutes prior to start to make your experience as enjoyable and memorable as possible. BRIEFING Our questmaster will explain the rules and explain the background to the quest. Your mission will be outlined at this point. OBSERVING Use your observation skills to notice every detail and understand what action is required in order to progress. ACTING Work together as a team and use the knowledge you’ve gained to complete the mission within the time limit. DEBRIEFING Discuss your mission and challenges with your questmaster, and understand where you can improve. Cost: £90pp Where to book: https://enigmaquests.london/book-now?roomid=1003 Sleep in a Harry Potter Suite in the Georgian Hotel Tucked away more inconspicuously than the Leaky Cauldron is a small hotel in London's Pimlico, offering you the opportunity to spend a night in their very own Hogwarts-style dorm room. Georgian House is, to the unsuspecting muggle eye, a charming boutique hotel conveniently located for access to Victoria station. Upon checking in however, those in the magical know are led off through a secret door masquerading as a bookcase, with dramatic music from the film series playing, into castle-like quarters housing two Wizard and two Enchanted Chambers. This operation has no official endorsement from Warner Bros., Rowling or any of her publishers - rather, it is a lovingly faithful recreation of a most familiar setting that fans will love.
Page 24 of 25 Don't worry, the hat will always put you in Gryffindor A remarkably good job has been done of conjuring up convincing castle-like surroundings - the building is old (dating back to 1851), but not that old. In our Enchanted Chamber, dark laminate floors, flagstone-effect wallpaper and faux stained-glass windows provided a solid base for other more intricate details: potions-esque ceramic receptacles on bedside tables; dusty old glass bottles on the mantlepiece of a brick fireplace that looked ready to transport you via the Floo Network straight into Professor McGonagall's office - or for Sirirus Black's head to appear in it. Best of all was a curtained four-poster bed at the centre of the room, complete with plump tartan- covered scatter cushions and a cosy woollen throw (setting a Gryffindor colour scheme, naturally). It was hard to resist pulling back the large tapestry behind it to check for Weasley-trodden secret passages. Great attention to detail has been paid, even down to the retro phone on a cosy alcoved desk, and box of tissues that looks like a stack of old books. A wooden owl here; wall-mounted antlers there. Wine glasses are Three Broomsticks-style goblets; mugs are emblazoned with the sign of the Deathly Hallows. Lights are not quite bracketed flaming torches, but a central three-armed hanging wood fitting along with wall-mounted lanterns do the job. Through another ancient- and ecclesiastical-looking arched door is the bathroom, with stone-effect basin and, most pleasingly, a Victorian toilet with 'Ministry of Magic this way' sign. Here you see that comfort is not compromised: towels hanging on a wooden ladder are fluffy and white, and the rainshower is luxuriously powerful. Equally, you'll find robes in the wardrobe, along with a kettle, cafetiere, safe and decent hairdryer; duvets and pillows are of squishy feather. Reception has all the films available to watch on your television with built-in DVD player, for maximum geek-out. The only muggle bit of technology that's lacking is air-conditioning - we struggled with the substitute cylindrical column fan on a particularly sticky July night. The lack of suitably placed mirrors means you won't be getting ready for the Yule Ball here either. The Enchanted Chambers are generally smaller; if you want more space, go for the Wizard Chambers, which can accommodate families. Breakfast is included in the room rate; a feast fit for lining the stomachs of even the hungriest quidditch players before a big match, with a continental buffet and cooked dishes - wands away, though, as this is served in the muggle part of the hotel. If you want to carry on the fun, you can book tickets through the hotel to either the Warner Brothers Studio Tour, in Watford, or a Muggle Walking Tour of London. Children and adults alike will delight in this unique and genuinely enchanting opportunity for imaginative escape into the magical world of Harry and friends. And as we all know - just because something's happening inside your head, why on earth should that mean it isn't real? Where it's located:
Page 25 of 25 35-39 St George's Drive, London SW1V 4DG Where to book: +44 020 7834 1438 or georgianhousehotel.co.uk/wizard-chambers Cost: £219-269 (for small room or large family room) Or go all-out and sleep in an Oxford dorm with breakfast in a true Hogwartz-esque dining room! Oxford dorms rooms are not fancy and are available only when students are off session. They're located in Oxford, of course, which is about 2 hours outside of London. But it's worth the effort! Go here for details: https://www.universityrooms.com/en-GB/city/oxford/home Cost: £60-70
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