Vacation Home Rentals

posted by Vacation Home Rentals on Feb 16

Gay travel to London means going to a destination recognized as one of the gay capitals of the world, home to the largest gay and lesbian community in Europe.

London epitomizes official acceptance of the gay community in many ways. There is an annual gay pride festival and a film festival on offer. EuroPride in 2006 put London on the map as a regional hub for the gay community. Since December 2006, same sex couples have been given civil partnership rights. Tourists should make a beeline for the first tourist office opened by the government in October 2009 for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) visitors in the dominant gayborhood of Soho.

A gay visitor will want to plan things to do on the trip

Some sources of accessible information include: G3, a free lesbian monthly, which carries the latest news. Other magazines include Out Magazine and Boyz for gay men. There are also resources on the web. Aside from what straight people would also find of interest, there are a whole host of entertaining and community oriented places to go and things to do in London.

Hotels for discerning gays

Your gay travel agency will have some places to recommend. This may include those mentioned below:

The Soho Hotel is Soho’s first deluxe hotel. It is popular with gays, media darlings and celebs alike. Hazlitt’s is a small Soho treasure called one of its best kept secrets. It has priceless period furnishings and is moments away from the gay haunt of Old Compton Street.

Ian Schrager and Philip Starck’s Sanderson Street, the Trafalgar, the Renaissance Chancery Court Hotel, St. Martin’s Lane, the Apex City of London hotel with its sustainable design focus, and the Plaza on the River.

Restaurants that are gay friendly

Gayborhoods are rich with places to savor the London atmosphere. Check your informative sources for options.

Places to party at night

With over 200 gay and lesbian bars and clubs in the city, you will be spoiled for choice. While Soho remains the center; recently, Vauxhall has gained a reputation for clubbing of the harder type, along with an alternative gay scene. Generally, bars are open until 11 PM Monday to Saturday (closing half hour earlier on Sunday and religious holidays). A few have late licenses for Fridays and Saturdays, and sometimes also for weekdays. You may need to inquire if this affects your entertainment schedule.

The G-A-Y bar, Scala, Shadow Lounge and Heaven (also one of the biggest gay clubs in Europe) are amongst the standouts. The city is dominated by super clubs with small club nights added to the mix. The latter have timings and venues that might change to be aware of. The Sunday experience not to be missed is SLAGS/Chill Out at the Royal Vauxhall Tavern (one of London’s founding gay bars).

Where to shop for something unusual

If you are looking for designer clothing sold directly, the Sunday event the Sunday Up Market at the Truman Brewery on Brick Lane is for you. A visit to London without a stop at Gay’s the Word would be incomplete. This bookstore is the United Kingdom’s most comprehensive gay and lesbian bookstore.

Some places to relax

Gyms to exercise off the food and drink absorbed during a busy London visit include:the Paris Gym, the Soho Gyms (which have more than one location) and Oasis. The Nickel, Gentleman’s Tonic, The Refinery and The Wholeman Spa are some of the places you can pamper yourself if that is your desire during your sojourn in London. Check your informative sources for other places.

London will make you memories to savor long after your return from this gay haven. Nobody can forget a gay holiday in London.

posted by Vacation Home Rentals on Oct 12

London love

London is a major city in the southeast of England.Together with Tokyo and New York, it is part of the top three biggest cities on Earth. The House of Parliament is located in London, capital of England. Most possibly because of its huge domain, it is one of busiest and popular tourist attractions in the world. Travelers can certainly spend weeks in London and never experience the least bit of boredom. The things to see and do are endless! Some of these are rather expensive, while others can be relatively free of charge.

Of course, finding a hotel or B&B in London for your stay is of utmost importance. If you are looking for comfort without breaking your pocketbook, try London’s The Pavilion hotel. Likewise, the Aster House has a long tradition of excellence and is considered one of London’s best Bed and Breakfasts. It’s inevitable that many people will want to influence your choice of a holiday.

If London is on your list of places to visit, you will more than likely need to go by plane. You can choose between several airports that provide service to London. One-way tickets require a rebooking of another plane, which can be burdensome, thus round-trip is the best option. London Heathrow is one of many airports in London

Being the best vehicles anywhere, London’s black cabs should be used while making your way to anywhere you wish to stay. Very skilled and well-trained drivers aid in transportation from every major airport. Another route to take is through car rentals. Auto Europe is a premier place to rent a car, giving you an opportunity to enjoy London at your own pace. If you have decided against a car rental, the London Underground, commonly referred to as the tube, provides perhaps the best opportunity to travel around London. The fares don’t cost much and make this way of transportation a really good deal.

London is home to various houses of art and museums. If your looking for exquisite art galleries that will not disappoint the Tate Modern and Tate Britain are wonderful. The Tate Modern display showcases contemporary art relating primarily to the 1900′s onward. The Tate Britain has a wider array of art, that dates back as far as the 17th Century, and contemporary work. The National Portrait Gallery is another excellent place to delve into the artistic nature of London.

If you wish to see a museum in London, the Museum of London would be a great choice since it tells the hisory of London. Although, the showcase finishes in the present, it starts in Roman times which is very fascinating. Many other museums are worth mentioning, including the British Museum, the Natural History Museum, the Science Museum, the Geffrye Museum, the Horniman Museum, as well as the V and A.

The city is full of life and never slows down,but, some might like a bit of peace and quiet in the afternoon. Local parks are always found to be great for an occasion of relaxing. The Royal Parks are comforting and have the most extraordinary views. There are two beautiful places to visit in London, Regents Park and Hyde Park. Guided tours are available for those who wish to savor their journey through this beautiful place, and learn along the way!

The Houses of Parliament is an wonderfully old, expensively decorated building. It is the location where regulations are discussed and enacted. You can see the lovely ornate clock, Big Ben, here. Buckingham Palace is another popular place. Containing more than 660 rooms, this permanent residence for the Monarch is considered to be the largest privately-owned home in the entire expanse of London.

Rounding out the places to see is the Millennium Wheel at the London Eye. This dazzling spectacle is sure to be memorable when you visit and it is close to Waterloo Station. The Millennium Wheel is extraordinary and is also the biggest observation wheel in the world. As it takes you around, the most breathtakingly splendid view of London can be observed. The length of the attraction is only 30 minutes, allowing for plenty of time for pictures.

Whether catching up on current events by reading a newspaper in a park, or reflecting on some work of art, London is filled with interesting locations and exciting happenings that will definitely make anyone’s a worthwhile and memorable visit.

posted by Vacation Home Rentals on Jun 30

London, the capital city of England and the United Kingdom, has numerous tourist attractions, many of which are amongst the most popular in the country. For generations London has been a popular vacation destination and much of this interest is due to the immensity of the historical buildings and the unique culture. While many of the visitor attractions found in London have a historic interest, such as the Houses of Parliament, The Tower of London and Buckingham Palace, there are many that are only recent additions, such as the London Aquarium, and the youngest of these is the London Eye.

The London Eye is often referred to as the Millennium Wheel as it was built in 1999 to commemorate the arrival of the new millennium. It was officially opened by the British Prime Minister, Tony Blair, in the evening of December 31 but, sadly, there were technical issues and it was not opened to the public until March 2000. Standing 135m above London it has become an unmistakable, and highly visible, landmark.

Way back in 1895 the idea had been tested before with the Great Wheel of London, a huge Ferris wheel able to accommodate 1600 people at once. Unfortunately it was demolished in 1907 but today London has a replacement in the London Eye. Although it is not the largest Ferris wheel in the world it can legitimately claim to be the worlds largest cantilever observation tower!

Although the London Eye cannot carry as many people as the Great Wheel of London could it can manage to carry 25 people in each of its 32 capsules. Usually you must remain seated when on a Ferris wheel but on the London Eye you can get up and walk around during the 30 minute revolution.

Around 3.5 million people take a flight on the London Eye each year making it the most popular paid visitor attraction in London and the UK. The most common reason for taking a trip is to experience one of the finest views across London. Buckingham Palace, Westminster Abbey, Hampton Court Palace and St Paul’s are just a few of the many London landmarks you will see on your trip. One view which will stay with you is the spectacular view of the Houses of Parliament and Big Ben’s clock face.

The London Eye has proved to be rather a romantic place with many people proposing to, and even marrying, their partners there. In fact there are a number of things available which also include educational aspects for schools and colleges as well as river boat trips along the Thames.

If you are planning a vacation to London or just a weekend break it is well worth taking the opportunity to take a ride on this incredible visitor attraction. If your time in London is limited it is a real time saver as you are able to take in nearly all of the most important London landmarks during the 30 minute trip which is impossible to do any other way (excluding a helicopter or balloon ride).

If you are looking for accommodation in London you may appreciate the listings of hotels near the London Eye or the cheap London hotels listed on http://www.londonhotelhelper.com/