Preload an Oyster card ahead of your trip

The Oyster card is the credit-card-like, tap-in-tap-out payment option that practically everybody uses on London public transport (Underground and Overground trains, buses and river buses) because it’s fast and efficient *and* saves you money over buying physical travel tickets. To reduce hassle then, pre-purchase one for just ahead of leaving home for London, making sure you top it up with some credit.

Hire a ‘Boris bike’ 30 minutes at a time 

Alternatively, you can get about by taking to the streets on two wheels. Officially named Santander Cycles (but nicknamed ‘Boris bikes’ after former London Mayor Boris Johnson, whom introduced the scheme), you can use one for half-hour bursts at a time, so long as you return it in that timeframe then wait and use another one for just half-an-hour… and so on.

Book your hotel before arriving

One thing you shouldn’t do is trying to wing it when it comes to accommodation. London’s a big city full of a multitude of hotels; unfortunately, though, it’s also full of people staying at them all. You don’t want to be stranded as soon as you arrive in the Big Smoke without a bed for the night. But, with the digital revolution evolving as we speak, it’s easier than ever before to seek out, choose and book hotel rooms via smartphone applications – in which case, the London hotel booking app is very much your friend.

Buy a London Pass for access to 60-plus attractions

The London Pass scheme isn’t cheap, but it’s the enormous number of attractions – which would ordinarily set you back a wad of cash – it enables you to enter for no additional cost that makes it such an appealing investment.

Buy a UK power adaptor

British electricity works a little differently compared to some countries (especially the United States), so you’ll require a UK-centric power adaptor. Whatever you do, don’t rely on getting one at the airport; you’ll pay over the odds for it. Instead, buy one at a local shop (or ‘corner shop’) once you’ve arrived in the city.

Don’t forget the walking tours are free

Tourist-wise, if there’s one thing London’s renowned for, it’s the walking tours. They’re rather marvellous, led as they are by genuinely informed, often charismatic guides. Run in conjunction with the Hop-on, Hop-off bus tours (which are also well worth giving a go), these tours are free. Yes, that’s right; you can walk about the place and find out why exactly where you’ve paused is of import and resonance to the Royal family, the city’s sordid, criminal past, the Harry Potter and James Bond universes, ghosts and ghouls, the Black Death or Jack the Ripper, the Victorian serial killer whose reputation still resounds down through the decades.

Celebrity spotting

Finally, just like NYC and LA, London is brimming with celebrities; both the revered and famous-for-five-minute types. If you want to catch sight of one – seriously, it’s not actually that difficult – head to fashionable, trendy areas like Soho, Chelsea, Mayfair, Camden and Primrose Hill where a good number live and hang out. And, of course, keep an eye out!

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Through the use of hotel mobile apps like The Montcalm App it has made booking hotel accommodation convenient and easy. It also has helped to enhance customer service and overall improve the customer experience. Some other top apps which can be used when in and around London and travelling around the UK are:

National Rail: If you plan to use the extensive rail network in the country there is no better app than the National Rail app. It shows live updates along with the timings and other important information.

 Journey Pro: Although, there are scores of apps available for transport across the nation they could complicate planning an itinerary. That is where Journey Pro comes in handy being a free app that has everything needed to plan a trip successfully. It is especially useful for use on the London Underground, with the latest journey options along with its status centre showing the running status of trains.  It also informs users about which carriage to board to speed up the journey. Apart from offering maps and information about the national rail system, it also offers bus routes and options to travel swiftly between destinations. It is must have app when travelling in London or its surroundings.

Met Office: If you are in London then being updated about the latest weather forecast is a must! That is where this app can come in handy for all those who visit the UK. It gives you the latest updates about weather forecasts, along with maps and satellite images for 5 days. This can help you to plan your itinerary as per the weather conditions on any given day.

Around Me: If you urgently need to find the nearest hospital or ATM machine inthe city what do you do? Having AroundMe downloaded helps to locate your GPS location and assist in finding the nearest ATM, hospital, bar, bank, petrol station, restaurant, movie theatre and hotel etc.

Airbnb: The Airbnb app is a terrific way to find value for money accommodation all across the country. They offer great experiences while ensuring you do not spend a fortune on accommodation. There are also special offers and discounts for new users.

 Wifi-Finder: If you are looking for the nearest Wifi hotspot in London then this app is just what you need. Using a mobile network abroad can cost a small fortune and this free app will help you to tap into free Wi-Fi hotpots suing your smartphone. Once you plan to visit an area you can choose to bookmark the Wi-Fi hotspots you will be at and use them upon arrival. There are more than 10 K listed spots so getting one should not pose a problem. The flipside is you need to be connected to the internet to find the free Wi-Fi hotspot.

Tripadvisor Offline City Guides: If you want complete information and a comprehensive travel guide about a city this is the perfect app. Every app offers a plethora of information which includes tourist attractions, restaurants and other important information. You will also find self-guided city tours, which make it great when visiting a new place. It saves on costs of signing up for a paid guided tour while offering cultural and other information about the place. You could choose to visit places that fall within your budget and even use the app offline, which will help to cut down on international roaming costs.

Kabbee:  If you are on a trip London and need to use one of their minicab services this is the answer. They are definitely cheaper than the Black Cabs. As they cannot be hailed on the street, Kabbee is the perfect app that offers instant quotes from around 60 minicab firms in the city, with ratings and user reviews. Once you decide your pick you have the option to pay via their prepaid facility, credit card or even cash.

Hostelworld: Apart from hotels if you are on the lookout for alternate staying arrangements this app can come in as very useful. The Hostelworld app has thousands of listings to hostels, budget hotels and B&B’s etc.  It also has over three and half million reviews along with availability, photos and pricing. A very useful app to have for those looking to save on accommodation costs.

If you plan to visit Scotland on a trip to the UK here are 4 apps that are an absolute must to have:

Welcome to Scotland: Another comprehensive app is the ‘Welcome to Scotland’ app. It is loaded with a plethora of information which includes, things to do, restaurants, accommodation, events and special offers.

View from the Train: Another terrific way to explore Scotland is by train, which becomes all the more pleasurable when you download the ‘View from the Train’ app. It is perfect for tourists and visitors who can learn about the landmarks and scenery they pass by, from the comfort of their window seat on board the train.

Visit Scotland Days Out: One of the best apps to find a host of attractions to visit and activities to participate in entire Scotland. It has over two thousand places including places to drink and eat while you are on holiday in this beautiful land.

Museum Explorer: While in Scotland if you plan a trip to Edinburgh then it is recommended to pay a visit to the National Museum of Scotland in the city. While there ensure that you download their unique ‘Museum Explorer’ app. The app offers users a challenge to find 9 mysterious objects that are to be found within the place. A very interesting and informative way to explore the museum!

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The hospitality industry all over the world has begun to use technology to improve customer experience as well as make it easier for customers who need to book accommodation on the go. Whether it is a last minute hotel booking app or a variety of other web based apps to choose from, they certainly make life much easier for travellers. Just a few of the essential apps that make a trip to London definitely more enjoyable are:

Citymapper: While most of us have Google maps on our phones nowadays to get a better grip of London’s vast and at times mind boggling transport system, Citymapper is absolutely invaluable. All you need to do is type in the address and you will get a detailed list of the approximate time it will take to reach your destination using a variety of modes from taxi’s to cycling. Another advantage of using this app is that it offers a variety of routes using the bus, Tube and overground rail network, with a rain safe option something that is certainly needed in a city that sees a fair bit of rain. It is constantly updated about traffic congestions and any route disruptions, so you always have the latest updates about traffic conditions. If you use the bus network, it can be programmed to inform you when you arrive at your destination.

Quidco: If you have used the Tube while on a trip to London, you are sure to have seen the name Quidco all over the place. It is with good reason too! It offers fabulous cashback offers of purchases from some of the biggest retailers in London. These include Next, Debenhams and Argos. All of the affiliated stores pay commissions to Quidco, which then filters down to the users of this app. All you need to do is sign up for annual membership (a nominal charge), which will then guarantee you fantastic savings in the form of cashback offers, promotional deals, voucher codes etc. A very effective way to save money while shopping in London!

Santander Cycles: Formerly officially known as Barclays Cycle Hire it has been renamed as Santander Cycles, although they are more popularly known among Londoners as ‘Boris Bikes’ the former mayor of the city. Using this app makes it easy to find the nearest bike docking station to hire a bike. Similarly once you are done with your trip and want to return your bike it will help you to find a vacant docking bay to park the bike. The only limitation at the moment is it does not offer the facility of making bike reservations.

Uber app: While there are quite a number of taxi operator services in London Uber is one of the largest to operate in the city. It has managed to create a major impact in the transport sector, especially in the cab industry, as they are cheaper to hire than traditional black cabs. For those who would prefer to use black cabs there is the Hailo app. One of the newer entrants is Maaxi, which offers users to share a cab with others.

YPlan: To know the latest events including concerts, exhibitions, theatre events etc. YPlan is the perfect application to download. It offers users an option to filter events by their type and prices and comes in handy when you have spare time in the city and are wondering what to do next. It also frequently hosts what is termed as ‘Flash Sales’, which makes it possible to get some great discounts on ticket prices.

National Trust: Whether you want to travel out of London or find any place of historic interest to explore on a trip to London, this is just the app to download. The National Trust in the United Kingdom has the responsibility of overseeing numerous places of natural beauty and historical interest in Great Britain and Northern Ireland. With hundreds of locations and properties to choose from, apart from having a scheduled calendar of the latest events, it is a very useful app to help you plan your tour in London. This includes many hidden gems which otherwise may not be spotted in tourist guides.

Mastercard ATM Hunter: At a time when you suddenly have the need for cash, private ATMs may seem like a godsend, although they charge exorbitant fees for a single transaction. Mastercard’s ATM Hunter helps you locate the closest free cash ATM, which is an effective way to avoid those expensive transaction fees at other private ATMs.

London’s Best Coffee: For those coffee lovers who would prefer not to enjoy a cuppa at any of the major coffee chains like Costa or Starbucks, this is the app to use. It offers a choice of some of the city’s top independent cafes and roasteries. It offers comprehensive information which includes ratings, special offers, tastings and even the machines used at each cafe.

OpenTable UK: It was formerly known as Toptable until it was taken over by Open Table. It is an effective restaurant reservation service that can used to make table reservations at hundreds of restaurants across the city. Users can search and select a restaurant, which will feature the available reservations at that time. Users can use filters to choose a restaurant by distance, price and rating of the establishment. Some other popular food apps available to us in London include Urbanspoon, Yelp and the relatively new paid app, Where to Eat in London 2015.

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City Maps 2Go

This is one of the few apps which allows you to download a complete set of maps to your phone rather than just storing them in the memory.  There are over 7,000 maps worldwide on the app available for download and best of all, you can even contact the people who own the app if there is a map you need which is not yet featured and they will do their best to produce one for you.  The maps are simple enough to follow and often contain Points of Interest with details of name, description and location if you click onto the POI you are interested in learning more about.  These are not vast although updates are constantly being made to the maps available but well worth having a look at if you are new to an area.  It is possible to ‘mark’ certain locations on the downloaded maps such as your hotel so that you always know where you are in relation to your accommodation and the maps are high resolution without taking up much of your phone’s storage which is always a bonus in this day and age.  There are also additional ‘in-app’ purchases which can be made to provide you with more detailed information about the points of interest around your location.

JetPac City Guides

 This is an app which was created off the back of the popular social media network Instagram and it uses photos posted on Instagram to determine the hotspots in a city.  The creators formulated an algorithm which reads each individual photo and then determines it’s value based on a whole number of factors from the amount of blue sky to the number of interactions a photo has received.  Although it couldn’t claim to be an exact science it is certainly an interesting concept; if lots of people are posting about the same hotels then it stands to reason that they are doing so because said hotel is a good place to be.  Another unique selling point the app offers is that it has actually analysed the size of people’s smiles in photographs and has used this to determine the happiest places to be; it’s highly debatable how accurate this is but it’s certainly an interesting way of looking at travelling.

The Montcalm App

The Montcalm luxury hotel app is the ideal choice for fans of the Montcalm hotel brand who want to know where their nearest Montcalm hotel or restaurant is and want to book with simplicity and ease.  The truth of the matter is that the majority of us want to be able to book our next trip with the swipe of a button and this new app allows guests to do just that.  It also hosts a gallery of images so you can see exactly what to expect on arrival, and begin planning your luxury break long before you arrive.

 Around Me

This is a great little app which uses GPS to determine your location and then allows you to search for specific Points of Interest around you; exactly as the name suggests.  The various Points of Interest which are included are the likes of banks, petrol stations, restaurants and coffee shops and even hotels if you have arrived somewhere without accommodation.  Finding your nearest POI will then allow you to look online in more detail or to book direct with one of the luxury hotel apps, for example.  Around Me is one of the most used apps by travellers and is available in a range of languages including English, French, Spanish and Japanese.

Packpoint

This app has been designed in order to help minimise one of the most stressful aspects of travelling; knowing what to pack.  You input information about the destination of your trip, how long you are travelling for and what reason you are travelling.  Packpoint then customises your packing list based on these factors.  It isn’t a revolutionary app; if you are travelling somewhere cold it will suggest you take a winter coat, for example, but what it does do is take the headache out of having to think of and remember all the minute details.  It also suggests things such as taking business cards if you are travelling for work; a simple reminder but one which we all too easily miss off in the chaos of trying to remember to pack the right kind of work clothes.  You can also add further customisations by inputting the type of activities you are planning to do whilst away as well such as swimming or skiing.  This app is quite simple but is really very effective and for anyone who loves travelling but dislikes the build up and list making associated with it, then this is definitely a useful app to have downloaded and primed on your mobile phone.  Better yet it’s entirely free making it even more of a bonus little travelling find.

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