Best way to get to London casinos?

[0800]

The one downside when I was there was it was fairly tough to get a drink/food (I was there for betfair live). The whole place was very busy and the poker room was full with lots of cash tables running.  

The Holiday Inn there isn't bad, I had views over the olympic park.  Lots of shopping and places to eat if you want to make a trip of it.  

Thanks but I like my own bed.  Weird, I know...

I had seen written trip reports that bear out what you say regarding service though.

[Doobs]

The one downside when I was there was it was fairly tough to get a drink/food (I was there for betfair live). The whole place was very busy and the poker room was full with lots of cash tables running.  

The Holiday Inn there isn't bad, I had views over the olympic park.  Lots of shopping and places to eat if you want to make a trip of it.  

Thanks but I like my own bed.  Weird, I know...

I had seen written trip reports that bear out what you say regarding service though.

Some of those reviews look a bit harsh.  Every card room in the UK would be a one if everyone went on line and gave a one every time a dealer took their cards in error.  I didn't see any issues at all with the way the tournament was run.  The place wouldn't be jammed if the games were run badly.

If you go, you need to get your membership on the left as you come out of the lifts, don't wander around to the card room first like I did. 

[Royal Flush]

Aspers/Vic have horrific service in terms of getting a drink.

I would opt for the Hippo and its no close, much nicer place to play and surely a great stream of action with its location.

[0800]

The one downside when I was there was it was fairly tough to get a drink/food (I was there for betfair live). The whole place was very busy and the poker room was full with lots of cash tables running.  

The Holiday Inn there isn't bad, I had views over the olympic park.  Lots of shopping and places to eat if you want to make a trip of it.  

Thanks but I like my own bed.  Weird, I know...

I had seen written trip reports that bear out what you say regarding service though.

Some of those reviews look a bit harsh.  Every card room in the UK would be a one if everyone went on line and gave a one every time a dealer took their cards in error.  I didn't see any issues at all with the way the tournament was run.  The place wouldn't be jammed if the games were run badly.

If you go, you need to get your membership on the left as you come out of the lifts, don't wander around to the card room first like I did.  

Good tip right there.

Edit; having said that, the website FAQ section says;

Do I need to be a member to visit?

You don’t need to be a member to visit Aspers Casino. You can come in at any time, we’re open all day and all night.

Perhaps it relates to whether you intend to wager over a certain amout of money or not.  £1k right?

[0800]

Anyone advocate driving in to the Hippodrome?  Leicester Square doesn't look very parking friendly.

[Doobs]

The one downside when I was there was it was fairly tough to get a drink/food (I was there for betfair live). The whole place was very busy and the poker room was full with lots of cash tables running.  

The Holiday Inn there isn't bad, I had views over the olympic park.  Lots of shopping and places to eat if you want to make a trip of it.  

Thanks but I like my own bed.  Weird, I know...

I had seen written trip reports that bear out what you say regarding service though.

Some of those reviews look a bit harsh.  Every card room in the UK would be a one if everyone went on line and gave a one every time a dealer took their cards in error.  I didn't see any issues at all with the way the tournament was run.  The place wouldn't be jammed if the games were run badly.

If you go, you need to get your membership on the left as you come out of the lifts, don't wander around to the card room first like I did.  

Good tip right there.

Edit; having said that, the website FAQ section says;

Do I need to be a member to visit?

You don’t need to be a member to visit Aspers Casino. You can come in at any time, we’re open all day and all night.

Perhaps it relates to whether you intend to wager over a certain amout of money or not.  £1k right?

The tournament was about £400 from memory and I was told I needed to join the casinos before registering. 

If you look at the sky poker live thread here, http://blondepoker.com/forum/index.php?topic=60677.msg1741796#msg1741796, it says you need to join too.  So maybe you need to join to play any poker, or it may be just because they were both 2 days and they needed to know who you were for integrity of the tournament?  I really am just guessing and all I could find on the website was "* ID is required to cash out or buy in £1000 or more in any 24 hour period."     

[titaniumbean]

Anyone advocate driving in to the Hippodrome?  Leicester Square doesn't look very parking friendly.

what times are you looking to play?

cost/availability and type of parking will be hugely affected by this.

[0800]

Anyone advocate driving in to the Hippodrome?  Leicester Square doesn't look very parking friendly.

what times are you looking to play?

cost/availability and type of parking will be hugely affected by this.

Midweek Monday through Wednesday.  Early evening onwards.

[titaniumbean]

Anyone advocate driving in to the Hippodrome?  Leicester Square doesn't look very parking friendly.

what times are you looking to play?

cost/availability and type of parking will be hugely affected by this.

Midweek Monday through Wednesday.  Early evening onwards.

There's a whole influx of people who come in just after the congestion charge finishes.

After 6/7 there are a whole bunch of single yellow lines you can park on all round London, so depending on where you are going/safety issues/balla level/willingness to walk you can park pretty easily for free in the evenings.

AA parking app is excellent, shows you the zones for different hourly restrictions around london, plus all paid for options and prices/times etc.

[0800]

Anyone advocate driving in to the Hippodrome?  Leicester Square doesn't look very parking friendly.

what times are you looking to play?

cost/availability and type of parking will be hugely affected by this.

Midweek Monday through Wednesday.  Early evening onwards.

There's a whole influx of people who come in just after the congestion charge finishes.

After 6/7 there are a whole bunch of single yellow lines you can park on all round London, so depending on where you are going/safety issues/balla level/willingness to walk you can park pretty easily for free in the evenings.

AA parking app is excellent, shows you the zones for different hourly restrictions around london, plus all paid for options and prices/times etc.

Can you tell me the closest single yellow to Leicester Square please (as I don't use apps etc).

[titaniumbean]

of course not, all of the 'closest' ones will be instantly taken when it comes free by the regs. you have to just find some that are free. that you are willing to park on.


the app is for phone, and exceptionally helpful.


if no phone, use the device your viewing this forum on to use google maps and just have a look around where you know how to get to and go from there. there are single yellow lines all over the shop, including on major roads like regent street that aren't too far from leicester square.  it's kind of pot luck though to see whether many have been taken.

[0800]

of course not, all of the 'closest' ones will be instantly taken when it comes free by the regs. you have to just find some that are free. that you are willing to park on.


the app is for phone, and exceptionally helpful.


if no phone, use the device your viewing this forum on to use google maps and just have a look around where you know how to get to and go from there. there are single yellow lines all over the shop, including on major roads like regent street that aren't too far from leicester square.  it's kind of pot luck though to see whether many have been taken.

I tried the Google street view but it was pretty clumsy way of wandering around, so to speak as I don't have a modern phone that would do what you're describing.  Just wondered what sort of walking distances were involved and trying to balance that against the risk of wandering through the city with poker money on your person...

[titaniumbean]

of course not, all of the 'closest' ones will be instantly taken when it comes free by the regs. you have to just find some that are free. that you are willing to park on.


the app is for phone, and exceptionally helpful.


if no phone, use the device your viewing this forum on to use google maps and just have a look around where you know how to get to and go from there. there are single yellow lines all over the shop, including on major roads like regent street that aren't too far from leicester square.  it's kind of pot luck though to see whether many have been taken.

I tried the Google street view but it was pretty clumsy way of wandering around, so to speak as I don't have a modern phone that would do what you're describing.  Just wondered what sort of walking distances were involved and trying to balance that against the risk of wandering through the city with poker money on your person...

ok well anyone directly around LSQ has the yellow lines end at 6.30pm. What you really want is the marked out bays that are pay and display and stop around evening time, rather than the new format of purely residents parking they seemed to have started rolling out absolutely everywhere. Covent garden now has alot of these so is harder to park than it used to be without paying, though there are still some single yellows around drury lane (10-15 mins walk depending on your power walk level).

The second you start going slightly north towards oxford street it gets quite easy, but now you're 20 ish mins walk away. On the way there are a bunch more spots around brewer street just the other side of shaftsebury avenue. It all depends on how confident you are in all the one ways both driving and then walking. Regent street which also has single yellows is 5mins from LSQ at the bottom end and 20 mins if you're right up at the top.

Both of these walks are through relatively safe places, but depending on how much cash you'll have on you you may just want to pay for parking at whitcomb street <2 mins from LSQ.

[0800]

of course not, all of the 'closest' ones will be instantly taken when it comes free by the regs. you have to just find some that are free. that you are willing to park on.


the app is for phone, and exceptionally helpful.


if no phone, use the device your viewing this forum on to use google maps and just have a look around where you know how to get to and go from there. there are single yellow lines all over the shop, including on major roads like regent street that aren't too far from leicester square.  it's kind of pot luck though to see whether many have been taken.

I tried the Google street view but it was pretty clumsy way of wandering around, so to speak as I don't have a modern phone that would do what you're describing.  Just wondered what sort of walking distances were involved and trying to balance that against the risk of wandering through the city with poker money on your person...

ok well anyone directly around LSQ has the yellow lines end at 6.30pm. What you really want is the marked out bays that are pay and display and stop around evening time, rather than the new format of purely residents parking they seemed to have started rolling out absolutely everywhere. Covent garden now has alot of these so is harder to park than it used to be without paying, though there are still some single yellows around drury lane (10-15 mins walk depending on your power walk level).

The second you start going slightly north towards oxford street it gets quite easy, but now you're 20 ish mins walk away. On the way there are a bunch more spots around brewer street just the other side of shaftsebury avenue. It all depends on how confident you are in all the one ways both driving and then walking. Regent street which also has single yellows is 5mins from LSQ at the bottom end and 20 mins if you're right up at the top.

Both of these walks are through relatively safe places, but depending on how much cash you'll have on you you may just want to pay for parking at whitcomb street <2 mins from LSQ.

Excellent, that's the sort of info I need.  I'm OK around Oxford St and north of that, but Leicester Square area is virgin territory to me, hence the crazy number of questions.  I wasn't aware of the residents parking that you mention as I haven't been into London for 6 - 7 years and I imagine it has come in during that period...

Thanks for the help.  Come April I'll give it a whirl.

[0800]

If I'm playing the Vic I'll drive and park in their car park.

Cromwell Mint is on the edge of the congestion zone, so again I'll sometimes drive in and there's a car park (more like a crater from a blown up building) on the street behind it.

If I'm playing Empire/Hippodrome I drive to Walton on Thames train station and park there.  Its free parking all weekend and lots of cameras in a respectable neighbourhood.  I then get a train/tube ticket...seems to fluctuate between 9 and 15 quid return.  The train journey into Waterloo is about 30 mins and then a quick bound through the tube system.

I was at Aspers this weekend and, personally coming from the West, I found it a nause to get to.  Really nice cardroom, but like Flushy says - absolutely awful service and not comped at all.

What times do the trains stop for the night though?