The London Tourist Board's London Visitor Centre, 1 Regent St., London SW1Y 4XT (tel. 020/7234-5800; www.visitlondon.com; Tube: Piccadilly Circus), can help you with almost anything, from the most superficial to the most serious. Located within a 10-minute walk from Piccadilly Circus, it deals chiefly with procuring accommodations in all price categories through an on-site travel agency (www.LastMinute.com), which can also book transit on British Rail or with bus carriers throughout the U.K. There's a kiosk for procuring theater or group tour tickets, a book shop loaded with titles dealing with travel in the British Isles, a souvenir shop, and a staff that's pleasant, helpful, and friendly. It's open year-round Monday 9:30am to 6:30pm, Tuesday to Friday 9am to 6:30pm, and Sunday 10am to 4pm. Between October and May, Saturday hours are 10am to 4pm, and between June and September, Saturday hours are 9am to 5pm.
A roughly equivalent organization conceived to help foreign visitors with their inquiries and confusion about London is the London Information Centre, at Leicester Square W1 (tel. 020/7292-2333; www.londoninformationcentre.com; Tube: Leicester Sq.). Be aware that the London Information Centre is a privately owned, commercially driven organization that may have a vested interest in steering you toward a particular venue.
For additional help in navigating your way through the logistics of one of the world's biggest cities, call tel. 0800/LONDON for city information and to book sometimes discounted rates for London hotels, theaters, sightseeing tours, and airport transfers. A sales staff is available daily from 8am to midnight.
