London Skyscraper tours

roundthebend · November 2014

Looking at a day out in London in the week leading up to Xmas. I thought a trip to The Shard would be good but at £90 for a family of 4 they can stick it up their arse.

What towers are worth a trip that don't Rio you off? Any with restaurants at the top would be of particular interest but otherwise we'll hit Soho and find something.

TTony · November 2014

OXO Tower is ok, food is good, on the south bank overlooking the river. But it's only 8 floors up.

Emp_Fab · November 2014

Ninety quid ? - just to go in a fucking 'skyscraper' (and not even a proper one at that) ?

Where do these people find punters willing to cough up for that kind of extortion ? They must have punters or they wouldn't keep the price that high.

That's just bonkers.

I'll only charge you £40 to have a look in my greenhouse.

capo4th · November 2014

Book a table at Hutong in the Shard great food and a great view I think it's on the 35th floor job done

TTony · November 2014

Tower 42 and the Heron Tower both have restaurants / bars fairly high up, but they've both in the City, and will be very City party-ish in the week before Xmas. So probably not very family friendly.

If you want a view over London try the London Eye. Or a trip up the Tower Bridge towers.

If you want a decent meal, there are plenty of decent restaurants around Covent Garden (don't book between 1800 & 1930 so as to avoid the pre-theatre crowds), Brick Lane for some less fancy options, or the Charlotte St area for a range of decent and honest options.

boogieman · November 2014

Emp_Fab;419605" said:
Ninety quid ? - just to go in a fucking 'skyscraper' (and not even a proper one at that) ?

Where do these people find punters willing to cough up for that kind of extortion ? They must have punters or they wouldn't keep the price that high.

That's just bonkers.

I'll only charge you £40 to have a look in my greenhouse.

Have you actually seen The Shard Emp? It IS pretty big.

stickyfiddle · November 2014

boogieman said:

Emp_Fab;419605" said:
Ninety quid ? - just to go in a fucking 'skyscraper' (and not even a proper one at that) ?

Where do these people find punters willing to cough up for that kind of extortion ? They must have punters or they wouldn't keep the price that high.

That's just bonkers.

I'll only charge you £40 to have a look in my greenhouse.
Have you actually seen The Shard Emp? It IS pretty big.

Piff! Tis but a pointy block of flats, mortal!

HAL9000 · November 2014

Views of London that are cheaper than The Shard... http://www.lbc.co.uk/10-cheap-views-of-london-as-good-as-the-shard-66540/view/28216

xSkarloey · November 2014

Hmmm. You could try to get invited to a meeting on the top floor of Centre Point.

I've been to a few there and that seriously is the best view I know in London.

Surprisingly, the view from the top of the New Zealand Embassy at the bottom of Haymarket is very good too. But again, you're unlikely to get an invite there.

BUT, just round the corner from there is the cafe at the top of the National Gallery (or is it the National Portrait Gallery?) which has pretty similar views just a bit more restricted. You pay only slightly higher marked up cafe prices. Okay it's not all round 360 degrees great, but you do get to look over the rooftops of the centre and Trafalgar Square which is quite good.

I still don't think you can beat the Millennium Wheel on the Banks of the Thames if you want a Sky High view. A far better option than the Shard.

Of course, a cheapskate suggestion would be to stand on Waterloo Bridge and take it in the view. The visitors I've taken there invariably say things along the lines of "what a messy dump" or "wow this really is one of the great spots on earth". Either way it gets a reaction, and it IS worth taking the time to do.

Drew_TNBD · November 2014

Take the kids to Soho and introduce them to moustaches.

breakstuff · November 2014

I took Mrs B to Paris for her thirtieth birthday and we did the Montparnasse Tower tour.Watching the sun go down and the whole of Paris including the Eiffel tower lighting up from 700 feet up was a pretty magical experience.Well worth the trip for that alone.

xSkarloey · November 2014

breakstuff said:

I took Mrs B to Paris for her thirtieth birthday and we did the Montparnasse Tower tour.Watching the sun go down and the whole of Paris including the Eiffel tower lighting up from 700 feet up was a pretty magical experience.Well worth the trip for that alone.

Yeah, that's a good one. London can't really offer anything like that or the Eiffel tower.

The Cafe at the top of Galleries lafayette in the Opera district ain't bad for views either.

vasselmeyer · November 2014

Tower Bridge has decent views and is an interesting museum. Costs less than The Shard too.

Skipped · November 2014

It's London isn't it?

The truly awesome moment (IMO) has probably not changed much in nearly 100 years. You get on one of the cheap(ish) open top double decker buses. You sit on the upper deck right at the front. When the bus turns left onto Parliament Square you suddenly have Big Ben right in your freaking face.

I say this point of view compares with any tourist attraction in the world because.....Well just because.
I am willing to admit that I have not visited the Hanging Gardens of Babylon.

rocktron · November 2014

The Heron Tower.

http://www.herontower.com/the-building/the-restaurant

Click on Gallery on the left, then click on MENU and select the thumbnail pictures.

I'm not sure that kids would be permitted in the restaurant, due to the bar.

It is a pity that the revolving restaurant at the BT Tower is no longer in operation. About 2 years ago, I read in the London Evening Standard that there were plans afoot to reopen the restaurant.

Around 2009/2010, I took the lift to the top floor of the UCLH, at the corner of Euston Road & Tottenham Court Road (nearest Underground Station is Warren Street). It is free, and the view from there is fantastic on a clear day.

https://www.uclh.nhs.uk/OurServices/OurHospitals/UCH/Pages/Home.aspx

Do take the kids to Hamley's, Regent Street.

roundthebend · November 2014

Cool.
Looks like the kids are allowed in the SushiSamba restaurant on 38th floor but not the bar on the 39th floor.
We went to Hamley's last year with them, but they're a bit older (15 and 12) than the target audience and it was mega busy. They'd be happy with a posh meal and good view over the city.

Antique_Guitars · November 2014

Take them to harrods and selfridges and shower them with gifts

imalone · November 2014

roundthebend said:

Cool.
Looks like the kids are allowed in the SushiSamba restaurant on 38th floor but not the bar on the 39th floor.
We went to Hamley's last year with them, but they're a bit older (15 and 12) than the target audience and it was mega busy. They'd be happy with a posh meal and good view over the city.

I think Hamley's in the run-up to Christmas is probably nuts. Even just trying to get past it on the footpath can be tricky.
Regrettably the south bank roof bar is not open over winter (well, it might be a bit miserable if it was), as that's quite high and has a nice view.

holnrew · November 2014

I'd have loved Hamleys as a 15 year old. I still would really.

imalone · November 2014

holnrew said:

I'd have loved Hamleys as a 15 year old. I still would really.

Lots of cool stuff in there, I was in trying to find an X-box controller a few years ago and had a look around.

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