- Good neighborhood information
- Pullout paper map you can remove and use separately
- Conversion table on inside front cover
- Pullout map only covers a very central area and is thin paper so won't last long
- Buckingham Palace not in the Index (or Contents) but is inside the book (good luck finding it!)
- Not enough pictures
- Free pullout map is on thin paper so may not last for your whole vacation.
- There are helpful maps throughout to illustrate the chapters. The maps are not full-color but they are clear.
- Shopping section was written by Ferne Arfin, the About.com UK Travel Guide, and she has included plenty of good advice.
- I particularly like the tip not to treat London markets as Middle Eastern Souks so be modest with the bargaining.
- Good neighborhood information although some of the descriptions do not sound like the places I know as a Londoner.
- Where to Eat and Where to Stay are grouped by neighborhood and budget guidelines are given.
- Fodor's See It London Review
- Fodor's London 25 Best Review
- Fodor's Around London With Kids -- Book Review
- London Travel Guide Reviews
The selling points on the back of the book include "Expert writing, gorgeous graphics". The writing is sound but the facts need to be updated more thoroughly as I found too many mistakes. There are a limited amount of color images and I would hardly say there are "photo-features" as Fodor's proclaim.
On the Calendar: Check event details as some are out-of-date, e.g. New Year's Eve hasn't been in Trafalgar Square for quite a few years now. The Calendar also lists events outside of London. I'd recommended the About.com London Travel calendar.The London Planner called Experience London doesn't mention the Oyster card as the cheapest way to pay for London Transport even though it was introduced in 2004. There is not enough travel information included.
There are Suggested Itineraries but they don't explain that the Houses of Parliament and Buckingham Palace are not open every day.
Neighbourhood Listings: Includes the 'Top 5 Reasons to Go'. Fodor's writers have missed some really obvious reasons but have made up for it by including the 'Nearest Public Restrooms' in their overview of each area.
Fodor's London apears to be written by west London writers who love their middle-class locations and are scared of venturing over to the east. They even try to warn you of the gangs in east London which is complete nonsense. And the fact they think Bethnal Green is a village is hysterically wrong.
I found some good tips and interesting facts but as I also found so many mistakes I don't know if I can trust the facts without further research. Something Fodor's needs to do.
