Travel & Accommodation
Conference hotel:
The main conference venue for the SCAPR General Assembly 2023 is the Royal Garden Hotel, Kensington.
Address:
Royal Garden Hotel
2-24 Kensington High St
London
W8 4PT
Telephone: 02079378000
Website: https://www.royalgardenhotel.co.uk
Preferential rate booking:
Delegates are able to book a Classic Double room at the Royal Garden Hotel at a fixed rate of £285 person per night, 16, 17 and 18 May (3 nights) inclusive of VAT and English Breakfast, by following the below steps. Please limit one room booking at this special rate per organisation:
- Email Elisabeth Booth, elisabethbooth@royalgardenhotel.co.uk, directly using the reference ‘PPL’ in your message and email subject.
- Elisabeth will take credit card details as a guarantee and guests will pay for the room on arrival.
- The special rate is only for the specified dates, 16, 17 and 18 May (3 nights). Any additional nights will be charged at the standard rate.
- Please ensure the booking has been made no later than Tuesday 2 May, as rooms will be released then.
Alternative Hotels:
There are many other hotels in the area of varying prices, please utilise this map for links to alternative hotels nearby to the conference venue:
Below are some budget friendly options not included in the above map:
If you have any questions regarding your hotel booking, the PPL events team would be happy to help. Please email them on SCAPRGA@ppluk.com
Arrival
Transfer from Airports and Eurostar to the Conference Venue:
From London Heathrow
- You can take the Heathrow Express to Paddington and then the Circle line for three stops to High Street Kensington.
Time: 40 to 50 minutes
- You can also take the Elizabeth Line directly to Paddington, then take the Circle Line (via Victoria) to High Street Kensington
Time: 50 mins
- Alternatively, take the Piccadilly line to Earl’s Court, and change for the District line northbound to High Street.
Time: 45 to 60 minutes
From London Gatwick
Take the Southern or Gatwick Express train service to London Victoria. Then take the Circle Line tube westbound to High Street Kensington.
Time: 1 hour 15 mins approximately
From London Stanstead
Take the Stansted Airport to London Liverpool Street train service. From here take the tube Central Line westbound to Notting Hill Gate. Change on to the District line or Circle line southbound to High Street Kensington.
Time: 1 hours 30 mins approximately
From London Luton
Take the Thameslink train from Luton Airport into London Kings Cross, then take the Victoria line southbound to Victoria and change for the Circle line Westbound to High St Kensington.
Time: 1 hours 30 mins approximately
From Kings Cross St Pancras (Eurostar)
Take the Victoria line southbound to Victoria and change for the Circle line Westbound to High St Kensington.
Time: 30 minutes approximately
Getting Around
Only black cabs can be hailed in the street. If the yellow taxi sign is on, the cab is available for hire. Black cabs are metered, and the minimum charge is £3.20. Several apps can be used to order a taxi in London, including Uber, FreeNow, Bolt.
The London Underground rail network, also called "the Tube," is a great way to travel to, from and around central London. The London Underground network is divided into nine zones. Central London is covered by Zone 1. The Tube fare depends on how far you travel, the time of day, and what type of ticket or payment method you use. Oyster cards or contactless payments are the cheapest ways to pay for Tube journeys. Tube services usually run from 5am until midnight, with Night Tube services on some lines on Friday and Saturday evenings. Find out more here.
The nearest tube station to the Royal Garden Hotel is High Street Kensington, which is on the Circle and District Lines and is a 4 minute walk (0.2 miles).
Safety
London is generally a safe city, but it is recommended to exercise due diligence and follow some general rules:
- Whenever you need to open your wallet in public, avoid exposing high value notes.
- Do not place your wallet or your phone in rear pockets, especially in busy areas.
- Lock all valuable items in a safety deposit box in your hotel.
- Do not leave luggage or laptops unattended.
Please note that mask wearing is no longer mandatory in the UK.
Other Tips
Passport and Visa
Information on visas and passports can be found on the UK Government website, using the following link: https://www.gov.uk/standard-visitor
If you require a letter of invitation for your visa application, please send us an email and we will be happy to arrange this with you.
Tourist information
The following website provides useful tourist information (including things to do and traveller information): https://www.visitlondon.com/
Time Zone
During the summer months (including May), the clocks will be set to GMT+1
Climate and Weather
Temperature ranges during mid-May in London can vary from around 15°C – 24°C.
Electricity
The voltage in Britain is 220/240 AC, 50Hz and electrical plugs (plug type G) have three rectangular pins and take fuses of 3, 5, and 13 amps. For any electrical equipment brought into Britain, you’ll probably need an adaptor. Most hotels will have two-pronged European-style sockets for shavers only.
Tipping
It’s normal to tip taxi drivers and it’s customary to round the fare up to the nearest pound. If you choose to tip your taxi driver, a 10-15 percent tip is a nice gesture.
In restaurants, an optional service charge is sometimes added to your total bill (this will be noted on your bill). You can choose whether to pay it or not. If nothing is added and you are happy with the service, a standard tip of between 10-15 percent is well received.
Country dialing code:
+44
Emergency number:
999 for police, fire brigade and ambulance