London Toolkit
Guiding independent travellers since 2002
London Toolkit has been helping independent travellers looking to enjoy the capital city for over two decades. Although not a travel operator, we are travel experts who connect you with specialist travel companies to offer you the widest choice of activities and tours. We pride ourselves on offering tailored impartial advice and guides on all aspects of your London city trip and other areas of interest in the UK.
Discover our detailed guides on all types of hotels, airport and cruise port transfers, public transport, memorable attractions, iconic landmarks, unique day tours and short breaks in and around the city.
Independent London Travel Guide: Everything You Need to Know
COMBINE ABBA VOYAGE CONCERT + LUXURY STAY IN LONDON
Enjoy a luxury stay at Hilton Lost Property St Paul’s and a concert like no other
Visit iconic Stonehenge for a once in a life time experience at this incredible World Heritage site.
Guided tours to stunning Highclere Castle in the Cotswolds, home of Downton Abbey.
The London Pass by Go City is a convenient way of planning ahead and budgeting for your visit to London.
Visit the world's largest cantilevered observation wheel, the London Eye, situated in Westminster and offering stunning views opposite Big Ben.
Big Bus Hop-On Hop-Off sightseeing bus tour tickets.
Explore London Your Way
Things to SEE AND do in London and surroundings
There is so much to see and do in and around London. Follow our links below to discover the best days out in London, landmarks and attraction details, London tours, London attraction tickets and trips from London to the rest of the UK and beyond. We offer some of the best speciality tours to Warner Bros. Studios for Harry Potter, Highclere Castle for Downton Abbey and Stonehenge, the most popular attraction outside London.
Where to stay in London? Find best London hotels
You will see the Houses of Parliament, Westminster Abbey, Elizabeth Clock Tower (Big Ben), Buckingham Palace, St. Paul’s, The Tate Museum, Tower Bridge, The Shard, not to mention the longest and most intricately styled stretches of the Thames River.
London's Hotel Areas
Explore our detailed guide to all areas of London, price ranges, their location in relation to places of interest and transport links to airports, cruise ports, mainline railway stations and the rest of London.
Types of Accommodation in London
From bed & breakfast, mid-range and luxury hotels to backpacker hostels and apartments, we cover and explain all types of accommodation in London with their benefits and average prices discussed.
Best Hilton Hotels in London
Hilton hotels in London span the entire spectrum of 4- and 5-star hotels in London. With 14 Hilton classic hotels in central London alone and many more in sister Hilton branded hotels there is something for everyone who wants a full service hotel in London.
Like so many luxury global hotel brands in London Hilton has introduced complementary Hilton hotel brands, including DoubleTree by Hilton and Hampton by Hilton, both of which we feature in our collection.
London transfers between hotels, airports and cruise ports
We have a wide range of options that cover travelling to your hotel from the airport, cruise port and train station you arrive and vice versa. There are Underground, rail, coach, bus, taxi and private & group transfer alternatives available at all the major arrival points in the UK. If you have a late flight but an early check-out from your hotel or cruise ship, we offer transfer tours – a chance to turn the first or last day of your holiday into a sightseeing experience.
Airports
We have created a definitive guide for each London airport, detailing transfer options and nearby hotels.
Cruise Ports
Southampton and Dover are the two main cruise ports near London, plus Harwich, although less popular. Rail, coach, private transfers and transfer tours and nearby hotels are all included in our guide.
Early check-out and late flight - what to do?
Discover transfer tours
London isn’t particularly known for its late check-out hotels. Transfer tours make brilliant use of time that is normally spent waiting for flights. With a transfer tour you can visit attractions on the way to your airport and spend your precious time doing the things you enjoy – all without worrying about where to store your luggage. If you have an early check-out from your hotel or cruise ship and a late flight, discover our transfer tours for a memorable experience.
Heathrow & Gatwick Late Flights
Instead of waiting at the airport after an early check-out, take our Windsor tour and discover the delights of Windsor in your own time. We will then take you to your airport in plenty of time for your flight.
From Southampton to Heathrow
Choose from a range of transfer tours including Salisbury, Stonehenge and Windsor, Bath & Windsor, a private Cotswolds transfer or the Harry Potter Studio in Watford.
From Dover to Heathrow
Late flight home? Then make use of your free time with our Dover tour transfer. Taking you from Dover to Canterbury and Leeds Castle with plenty of time to explore, before dropping you off at Heathrow.
Pre & post-cruise tours
to explore in and around London with transfers
Start or end your cruise holiday in style with a short city package break in London prior to or after your cruise from Southampton or Dover. These short breaks are component based with great flexibility. For example it is up to you how many nights you stay in London and there is a wide choice of hotels.
3-day Pre Cruise Break in London
3 days in London > Southampton or Dover cruise port
Start your cruising holiday in style with a 3-day / 2-night pre-cruise stay in London. You have a selection of centrally located 4- and 5-star hotels to choose from, so you can enjoy having all the logistics taken care of for you. Includes a day tour of London’s best sights, accommodation and transfer to Southampton cruise terminal with choice of transfer tour.
3-Day Post Cruise Break in London
Southampton or Dover cruise port > London
End your cruising holiday in style by transferring to London for a 3-day / 2-night post-cruise stay in London. This package is flexible, so you can choose how many nights to stay. It also includes accommodation in your choice of 4 or 5-star hotels, choice of transfer tour from your port to London and an optional add-on full-day London sightseeing tour.
London's public transport: How to find your way around in London
London has an excellent public transport system that really is the best way to get around. We explain and compare the most common payment options in our guide to Travelcard, Oyster Card and contactless cards. We also detail how to use the world-famous London Underground, the iconic red buses, black cab taxis and the river bus services on the River Thames. We’ll help you get where you need to go in London, quickly and safely.
London Underground
The tube is normally the fastest way to get around. With 12 lines covering all of London, you will find a station close by to wherever you are in the city.
London Red Bus Services
Cheap, reliable and running 24/7. Using the red London buses is a great way to travel around the city. You’ll also get some great views of the landmarks.
UK Trains
There are numerous major rail transport hubs in London that take passengers to all other parts of the United Kingdom as well as major airports for transfers.