January Sales- Bargain Hunter's Paradise in London
January is a dark month in the UK in more ways than one for the locals. Apart from having to get up for work while it’s still pitch-black outside, it’s also when people nurse their collective hangovers and hibernate in their houses, trying to recover from Christmas and the New Year.
Still, in many ways it’s a great month for tourism! If you’re prepared to put up with the rubbish weather, layer up and pull on your waterproof boots, January can be the most bargainous time of the year to visit London, because this is the month where almost everybody slashes their prices. London suddenly becomes a lot more affordable. Below are a few ideas for you to exploit on your trip to London Town.
Shop Sales
This is a given, right? The London January Sales are famous, and you can both shop your heart out and admire some of the most beautiful and glamorous shopping centres in the world. For the big ones, there’s Harrods, Selfridges, Harvey Nichols, and Fortnum and Mason; and if you fancy something a bit more in your price range but with tons of choice, head to the Westfield Shopping Centre at Shepherd’s Bush (Central Line on the tube) – it’s vast and gorgeous.
Restaurants
In a way you have to seriously pity the restaurant industry in London when it comes to January – the custom falls through the floor and they can barely afford to pay their staff. On the other hand, this tends to result in the best food deals, and you can eat in some really great places for reasonable prices. Italian eatery Strada is doing 2-for-1 food until the end of March (excluding Fridays and Saturdays); visit the site to print off your voucher. Have a look at Crown Carveries to find your nearest, as they’re doing about a third off their carvery meals, which is basically a roast, and works out very cheap.
Hotels
Possibly the most useful sales for your stay in London, since hotels generally form the most expensive part of your trip! Europe-Cities.com has the best Internet rate for over 700 hotels in London - we compare more than 20 major hotel booking sites and have the very best rates on the market. Bear in mind that wherever you stay you’re bound to be near a tube station.
Flights
Check out the British Airways January sale – you might not have to brave Ryanair or EasyJet!
Tours
You can score in two ways here: not only can you get some deals on tour prices themselves, but you won’t have to contend with anything like the crowds that you’ll find in the summer. This is definitely a good thing!
If you fancy a cycling tour around London, seeing the sites and getting a wee bit of exercise while you’re at it, check out www.londonbicycle.com. They have a special offer on: a two-for-one tour-and-bike hire combo: hire a bike for a day and get a free tour on top of that. Or you can go to Smart Save and pick up a voucher for 20% off bike hire.
Take a look at Top Bookable London Tours. Here you’ll find a list of tours – and further down you’ll see the discounted ones! The London by Night, Gems of London, Treasures of London by River and London and Windsor Castle tours are all discounted at 10-15% this month.
And it’s always a good idea to check out www.discount-london.com. Some comparatively excellent prices on that. Happy bargain hunting!