Prince or Pauper?
A noble dad and his boys tour dear London on a budget fit for a beggar
Then it hits me: I haven't factored in a tip. To stiff or not to stiff? But when the check arrives, the total is 23.35. Surely my arithmetic skills aren't that bad. A closer read reveals an answer. The food and beverages came to 20.75, but Giraffe added a "discretionary" 12.5 percent service charge. OK, I'm 2.25 pounds over budget. But if we really were here on vacation, I could make it up later. After all, tomorrow is another day without souvenirs.
FOR MORE INFORMATION: Ready to take on London, pound by pound? Here are a few tips. Express by Holiday Inn can be booked at hiexpress.co.uk. The Docklands hotel we frequented is listed as "London-Limehouse." The London Eye can be booked ahead at londoneye.com. Information about the British Museum, including hours, can be found at thebritishmuseum.ac.uk. Fryer's Delight is in the Bloomsbury neighborhood at 19 Theobald's Road, WC1. Kensington Gardens is open daily, dawn to dusk. There are several Giraffe restaurants in and around London. Locations, menus, and hours are at giraffe.net.
London Not on a Budget
If money is no object, London is the place for you! And here's where to spend your pounds.
Sleep. Claridge's, the five-star hotel in London's Mayfair district (pictured), has two penthouse suites, each $8,160 a night. Butler included. Details at www.claridges.co.uk.
Eat. London's only eatery with Michelin's top three-star rank, Gordon Ramsay at Royal Hospital Road (gordonramsay.com) is a must for foodies. Call two months ahead to reserve; expect to spend $200 a person for a meal with wine.
Drink. Dukes Bar at Dukes Hotel in Mayfair is where the dry martinis--said to be London's best--inspired author Ian Fleming to come up with James Bond's "shaken, not stirred" line. You may, however, be both shaken and stirred by the price--$26.
Suit up. Savile Row is synonymous with classically tailored suits. Tom Mahon, 20 Savile Row, has outfitted Prince Charles. A men's or women's two-piece costs $3,200.
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