St Kats or Limehouse for a few days in town?

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Mudhook

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I'm sailing up to London for a couple of days with my kids over half term. Anyone got any ideas over whether to stop at St Katharines or Limehouse? Cost/security/tranquillity/shops/public transport? Etc?

A superficial reading of the literature leads me to think Limehouse might be quieter and perhaps more secure. I'm sure some of the team have thoughts on this.

8.25metres by the way, not a 90ft gin palace!

Regards, Mudhook
 
Limehouse is certainly peaceful but then surprisingly so is St.Kats. Many people tramp to and fro thro St.Kats in the rush hour on their way to and from work which is faintly interesting.
More choice of places to eat in/near St.Kats altho there are several not far from Limehouse if you are prepared to walk a bit.
From Limehouse you may be using the DLR quite a lot to get anywhere, whereas much is walkable from St.Kats.
Limehouse is (or was) a fair bit cheaper.
Security, much the same in either place I would think.
Can I also suggest you look at South Dock as well, well served by buses into Central London or down to e.g. Greenwich, and a shopping mall very close!
 
If you're taking the kids then it has to be St. Kats. Adjacent to Tower Bridge with a fair bit of London easily walkable.

Limehouse is OK but it is a bit in the sticks, the DLR is 10 mins walk and the nearby Narrows is good pub but there is not much else.

Pricewise St. Kats is, or was when I was last there, not that much more than Limehouse. Regarding security, I'd say that there is not much in it. Both marinas are open to the public. Limehouse is quieter but St. Kats has lots of builidings overlooking, so a tealeaf has to be sure that he's not being watched.
 
I would always recommend Limehouse over St Kats as I got well and truly ripped of at St Kats, I got charged £130.00 for 2 nights of noise, Japanese tourists constantly taking photograps, and rats the size of spaniels. They also drag rubbish bins along the pontoons in the early hours. (the staff, not the rats)
Limehouse is far quieter, and not far from the DLR and main bus routes. The CA headquarters is within the complex. To my mind far better all round.
 
10 mins walk to the DLR? You must be a very slow walker!

Also, there's quite a lot more choice than The Narrow.

eg just to mention a few of the many other options: a very upmarket (yes, and expensive Indian), La Figa (one of London's top Italian restaurants), The Grapes (pub and seafood), many cheaper choices on the Commercial Road, and a fantastic value little cafe in the Mosaic Square (we eat there about three times a week).

Having spent many months in both, we much prefer Limehouse.
 
Hmm, you may be right about the eateries but not so much for the kids. Whereas at St K you are 5 mins from Tower of London, HMS Belfast plus St K itself has plenty of things to look at.

My DLR 10 mins includes at least 5 mins to get across the road leading to Blackwall Tunnel /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
 
"silly (i.e. huge) price at St.Kats. "
Daily power is now £4.50 per day and yes they have oiked up their prices,but if you are only going for 2/3 days where else are you going to get a place to stay in central London for about £100 quid for 3/4/5 of you.
Heaps of things to do aroundabouts within walking distance such as Bank of England museum or Tate Modern or Shakespears old gaff,Tower of London,perhaps over the river to Shad Thames or that posh shopping Mall just up way past the old replica ship and bit further on the Clink museum.
Evenings are magic with whole town lit up all along river.
Loads of cheap eats 10 mins down Wapping High Street.
Thames clippers 5 mins away,buy a river rover for £12.00(kids cheaper) and spend all day whizzing up and down from the HP to right to Greenwich observatory(free and the kids and you will love it.)
Gulag Limehouse does have its attractions its cheap and you can go up and watch the traffic on Commercial road to relieve the boredom while breathing in the fumes from all the takeaways that line the road. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
St Kats it is then...............
 
As someone who lives in between the two, stay at Limehouse. It is real and historical part of London, more down to earth than St Katherines dock. The Narrow pub is run by Ramsey's company and there are also the two traditional pubs near to the basin. You can also take a walk to Docklands Museum, which is free and it is great for kids. Also take a walk down the Thames path to the end of the Isle of Dogs where you can take the foot tunnel to Greenwich, again a good piece of history for the children. Then get the Thames clipper on a famly runaround ticket from Greenwich. Don't both with the other boat companies. Also from the basin you can walk the canal right upto Islington and pass by Victoria Park and various canal basins. Also great pubs as you come up off the canal in Islington.

It is also a nice walk from Limehouse along the Thames path to St Kats, through Wapping, you might even see graham norton walking his dogs!

Get an A to Z if you ain't got one.
 
Well, there you are, you'd better go to both for a few days, or ignore all the advice and go to South Dock instead. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
Wherever you decide to do, remember you can't just turn up at any of these, you must book in advance. Have fun.
 
Something else to consider St Kats / Limehouse is access either side of HW Limehouse is best.

Locking in /out of St Kats is a carnival affair staged for the tourists it is chaotic at best (drinking competitions in breweries comes to mind), at Limehouse lock management is in my experience far more professional.

Even if you have booked in advance and turn up outside the lock at St Kats at your ETA, you may still have to bounce around in an upleasent slop generated by all the siteseeing hydrofoils etc and you have to get there early to find a vacant mooring bouy.

St Kats is cheaper per day for a weeks stay the facilities are great I will probably do it again this year.

Peter
 
Thanks for all this info chaps. Six of one and half a dozen of t'other! But at least I know the pros and cons. Will do my passage plan and see who has got room for me!

Regards, Mudhook
 
St Kats is simply the best hotel in town, bring your own hotel room:-) But I hsve never found them as welcoming or co-operative as Limehouse and the CA bar. DLR into Tower Gateway isn't too hard. I like both, but Limehouse is easier to get into.
 
Hoping the weather gods will be kind so should be in St K on the first Sunday. I understand it is very busy if not full on the first weekend of half term. Been booked in for a while.
 
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