Olympia - Travel & Accommodation Advice Pls!

[measles]

We have decided that as a suprise for B's xmas we will take him to Olympia and London for a short break. Much excitement, and that's just me!

Can anyone advise which airport is closest as we'll need to fly, or which train station as it might be an adventure to do it that way? And any suggestions for budget(ish) accommodation reasonably close by? I can arrange for a horse to travel ireland to us at the drop of a hat but getting us away on a city break is quite beyond me for some reason!

 

[Honey08]

Heathrow is about ten miles away, but Gatwick or London City would be fine - they're all connected to the underground.. Even from LHR you would have to go into London and then back to Olympia..

When we have gone, we have got good, but reasonablely priced accommodation through the company that is suggested by Olympia (not the Hilton, but an actual company, can't remember the name though, its been a few years). Both times we have been very close to Olympia, once just next to the Natural History museum, which was fab. We used to come for the weekend.

Enjoy yourselves.

Edited to say, I think the company was called Superbreaks or something like that..

 

[dressage_diva]

Kensington Olympia station is right outside the venue and is a national rail station as well as an Underground station, so you can get trains to there (though not direct, you'd need to change somewhere).

In terms of flying, Heathrow is nearest.

Hilton Olympia hotel is the nearest, but not exactly 'budget'. I haven't stayed there for a number of years, but lots of the riders stay there too and you can often chat to them in the bar in the evening (bumped into John Whitaker in the lift one year!). Generally Kensington is a pricey area, so if you are after budget hotels, you'd do better to look further out, but not too close to Heathrow where the price will go up again. Paces like Ealing will be cheaper and are only a short tube/bus ride away Advantage of staying somewhere in West London/near Olympia is that you have Westfield shopping centres nearby (15min walk from Olympia itself) for last minute Xmas shopping!

ETS: If you do fly to/from Gatwick, you can take the train from Gatwick Airport to Kensington Olympia (one change via Clapham Junction, or sometimes two changes with the second one at East Croyden) which takes about 50minutes - I did it myself last week! Don't bother paying to get the fast train from Gatwick into London Victoria as then it'll still take you ages to get across London by tube to Olympia.

 

[Loulou2002]

Book through superbreaks and say you are going to Olympia and you will get a discount.

 

[dressage_diva]

Even from LHR you would have to go into London and then back to Olympia..

Not strictly true. Take the train from Heathrow, get off at Ealing Broadway, then take the district line to Olympia. Saves you having to go into Paddington!

 

[criso]

Heathrow would be closest as you could get the tube directly from there to Earls Court and it's one stop to Olympia from there. However depending on where you are coming from you may find some of the budget airlines don't fly into Heathrow. And you may be going to the hotel first not straight to the venue.

Whichever airport you choose it's easy enough to get into London but allow for the fact that trains from Luton, Stansted or Gatwick could add £20 to each ticket as opposed to just a few pounds if you choose City or Heathrow and use the tube.

If you are spending a few days, may be worth getting an Oyster card which makes it alot cheaper to to use buses and tubes. You have to put a £5 deposit down but you hand it back at the end and get this back.

Hotel wise I would be looking round south west london, convenient for Olympia but still easy to get into the West End. Can't recommend anywhere as living in London never use hotels.

 

[SpottedCat]

I've just booked a 4* hotel in Earls Court (so five mins down the road from Olympia) for £60 for two of us via the Expedia secret deals page. Looks like a nice hotel too!

 

[measles]

I've just booked a 4* hotel in Earls Court (so five mins down the road from Olympia) for £60 for two of us via the Expedia secret deals page. Looks like a nice hotel too!

Thanks, everyone. I'll look at maps etc and try and get a feel for the area.

SpottedCat - thanks for the heads up on that.

I always book my travel through Travel Counsellors who are independent and home based, and have just emailed my local contact to see what she can come up with. I can't rate them highly enough for any type of holiday or travel and they are always very well priced, so I'll pass these details to her.

 

[ellie_e]

Were staying in Chelsea football club, no idea on price though as other half pays. What days are you going for? Hope B enjoys the surprise!!

 

[measles]

ellie_e - Heading to London on Wednesday for daytime programme as B aiming for mini major there in a year or two's time with his experienced pony! Wed eve as well then sightseeing on Thurs and Fri and Olympia again on Fri evening. Sightseeing Sat during the day, the show on Sat evening and sightseeing Sunday before heading home that evening.

I have a feeling I am going to be poor but at least if I'm there I can't buy any horses Can I?

 

[ellie_e]

Will look out for you, I'm there Friday, and shopping in London Sat, hope you all enjoy, its a great show and shopping is brill prepare to spend lots!!

 

[measles]

Will look out for you, I'm there Friday, and shopping in London Sat, hope you all enjoy, its a great show and shopping is brill prepare to spend lots!!

I'll stand out a mile.......as I did picking B from a party last weekend. Got home and discovered hair full of shavings.....

 

[TheoryX1]

What a lovely xmas present, B is so lucky. Again echo Heathrow Airport, and rail and tube connections are dead easy. Have you tried Late Rooms for hotel accommodation? I use these a lot for business trips (which I do rather too many of sometimes), and you can always pick up a bargain somewhere.

I do so love Olympia, but havent been for the last 2 or 3 years for a number of reasons. We usually book a day trip with a company called Peter Carol who do transport and entrance to Olympia all in, but then again I am only 2 hours drive along the M4 from London, not hundreds of miles away up north.

Have a wonderful time, and enjoy spending money on horsey stuff. I am toying with the idea of getting away and going up on my own with my company credit card ........ naughty, naughty, or maybe taking Mini TX with me, who knows! As you say, at least you cant buy a horse there, but who knows .....?

 

[luce1]

I stayed at the kensington close hotel and spa last year and it was lovely I got engaged heheh its only a 5/10 minute walk to Olympia - have a great time! Sad im not going again this year, was great last year although spent the whole eve in the champagne bar

 

[measles]

I think we are going for the Kensington Holiday Inn through our Travel Counsellors contact.

Flights work best to Stansted. Would that work?

 

[dominobrown]

See you there! I love Olympia

 

[teapot]

I think we are going for the Kensington Holiday Inn through our Travel Counsellors contact.

Flights work best to Stansted. Would that work?

Stansted is about 50 mins I think into Liverpool Street (the opposite side of London to where you need to be!)

Then depending on where exactly your hotel is, would depend on which way was best to go. I think I've walked past that Holiday Inn, is it on Cromwell road? If so, Gloucester Road station is the closest and you'd just need to get on a Circle line or District line train from Liverpool street. Would take about 20 mins maybe?

 

[criso]

Flights work best to Stansted. Would that work?

Train from Stansted to Liverpool st then tube, maybe Central Line to Notting hill and change there for Olympia.

Returns to Stansted are usually about £30 but check online for special deals

 

[Marydoll]

We're going down by train for the puissance, we usually go first class for the comfort, i like it because once on the train we can get settled we have free wi-fi, so i take my ipad to watch tv, listen to music and chat on the forum or fb, the scenery is nice going down the east coast , with food, snacks and drinks for the journey, big comfy seats and when we arrive, its just a short tube journey to the hotel. This year its a hol inn a short walk away from the venue.
Because the drinks are free, you can have a few en route and arrive with a wee merry glow

 

[measles]

We're going down by train for the puissance, we usually go first class for the comfort, i like it because once on the train we can get settled we have free wi-fi, so i take my ipad to watch tv, listen to music and chat on the forum or fb, the scenery is nice going down the east coast , with food, snacks and drinks for the journey, big comfy seats and when we arrive, its just a short tube journey to the hotel. This year its a hol inn a short walk away from the venue.
Because the drinks are free, you can have a few en route and arrive with a wee merry glow

That's a thought. Could you pm or facebook me with the route you go and approx cost? I thought the train would be a great adventure for B but when I looked at it for the olympics it was so complicated with so many transfers I gave up and drove which isn't an option this time...

 

[measles]

See you there! I love Olympia

You'll recognise me, esp from the shavings We've never been before and after cancelling our holiday in October because of mum's broken leg we're especially looking forward to it! Only managed a long weekend at the PC Champs this year so a few days without a shavings fork in hand are due I reckon

 

[Mavis007]

The last couple of years I have stayed in the premier inn on Cromwell rd in Kensington. It takes 10-15min to walk to Olympia depending how fast you walk. It is between Olympia and The Natural History Museum so very well placed for sight seeing as well. Lots of restaurants near by. Hope you have a lovely time, am very jealous as I can't get the time off work this year :-( I watched Ben Maher win the world cup qualifier last year which was amazing!

 

[measles]

The last couple of years I have stayed in the premier inn on Cromwell rd in Kensington. It takes 10-15min to walk to Olympia depending how fast you walk. It is between Olympia and The Natural History Museum so very well placed for sight seeing as well. Lots of restaurants near by. Hope you have a lovely time, am very jealous as I can't get the time off work this year :-( I watched Ben Maher win the world cup qualifier last year which was amazing!

No rooms left there, unfortunately. Our fault for last minute, spur of the moment fun organisation!

 

[TarrSteps]

Since you'll be in the neighbourhood again, we should try for an actual meeting, rather than waving madly across a great expanse!

For obvious reasons I'm not very clued up on hotels in The Big Smoke but I'll have a look (okay, I'll make E have a look ) at the tube map and see if I can get some ideas of places that will be an easy journey at least, if you can't find something within walking distance.

Perhaps this is too obvious, but what about The Hotel Olympia. . .? http://www.hotelolympia.co.uk/

Most likely they are booked as seem to be one of the more reasonable hotels in the area, but never hurts to check!

 

[measles]

Since you'll be in the neighbourhood again, we should try for an actual meeting, rather than waving madly across a great expanse!

For obvious reasons I'm not very clued up on hotels in The Big Smoke but I'll have a look (okay, I'll make E have a look ) at the tube map and see if I can get some ideas of places that will be an easy journey at least, if you can't find something within walking distance.

Perhaps this is too obvious, but what about The Hotel Olympia. . .? http://www.hotelolympia.co.uk/

Most likely they are booked as seem to be one of the more reasonable hotels in the area, but never hurts to check!

Absolutely definitely must this time! I have a window of a different kind while J and B are up in the London Eye

I think we're going for the Holiday Inn and, following a theme, I've asked for a low floor as it is 27 stories high. Gulp.

 

[showpony]

Anyone going Tuesday?? really looking forward to it - we got Balcony seats & kinda chuffed that they came with members badges - whats the view like from the Balcony?

 

[Maisie2]

Another choice would be Holiday Inn Express in Hammersmith, which may be more reasonable! and Hammersmith is just as close as S. Ken. I think personally Stanstead would not be a very good choice as you would have to travel through central London - all that traffic don't know what the railway links would be like though. I like the idea of the train, I love trains (probably because I seldom go on them) and find them so relaxing. In fact the only time I've been to N. Scotland I went on an overnight sleeper from Olympia to Inverness, which was fab. (many years ago !) Hope you both have a great time and see lots of ex. showjumping - and shopping

 

[measles]

Thanks, Masie2. I'm sure we'll have fun and need to get a guide book to work out our way around - the country mouse will be easy to spot!

Travel down is posing a problem as best flights are into Stansted and the train doesn't give us a lot of time to get across London to Olympia for the Wednesday afternoon performance.

Does anyone know how long by bus/overland train (not much keen on undergrounds!) it would take to get from King's Cross to Olympia on a Wednesday morning?

 

[criso]

I think you will struggle to get anywhere quickly if you want to avoid the tube and you are at the opposite end of town.
To give you a comparison, my mum doesn't like the tube. To get from my home to oxford circus on the Victoria line takes 15 - 20 mins. Same journey by bus 1 - 1 1/2 hours! Plus buses at busy times with luggage are a nightmare.

From Gatwick I think you could get a slow train not the Gatwick express to Clapham junction for an overground but Stansted brings you in to Liverpool st so you'd be looking at buses I think
Transport for London have a journey planner on their site and you can specify modes of transport so see what they suggest. Choose the actual dates and times.

 

[measles]

Gerat, criso - thanks for that heads up. Will look there