Shopping and hair dryers
]Leaving for this trip 9/17 and we are newbies to UK. I have two questions for those who have taken this trip.
1. Are hair dryers available in our hotel rooms?
2. Shopping. Would you recommend a particular area to purchase gifts for our friends and family...not necessarily souveniers (sp) but not real PRICEY either.
Love traveling with Tauck.
1. Are hair dryers available in our hotel rooms?
2. Shopping. Would you recommend a particular area to purchase gifts for our friends and family...not necessarily souveniers (sp) but not real PRICEY either.
Love traveling with Tauck.
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Comments
I don't really know how to answer the question about shopping because pretty much everything is so much more expensive to buy in Britain than the US. Clothing---for some reason, swimwear is cheaper in Britain and if you are bigger size it is much easier to find the same pretty swimsuit you see in the smaller sizes but they go up to maybe a 22. Note the sizing is different, for example, a British size 16 is a US size 14 and sizing does not vary so much between brands. it's also easier to for example buy a pair of ladies' pants and choose the length you want in the same area of the store, the petites, regular and tall will be all by each other. Socks too are cheaper. Most expats head to Marks and Spencer when they go to "Blighty" for clothing and get supplies of proper Cadburys chocolate not the one you see here made by Hersheys which is too sweet.
I fear the places you are visiting may be full of the Touristy stores selling expensive "Scottish" sweaters and that type of thing. In addition, it does not look as if you have much free time to even shop. Think London will be the best place in the end, maybe a token something from Harrods. Also be aware that VAT tax, I think it is 20% now is included in the prices you see, not an addition at the checkout. You will be able to claim this back from some stores by showing the items and receipts at the airport. Oh yes, and Airport shopping at most British airports is excellent and you wont pay VAT there if you buy at the stores " airside" I think there is a Harrods at Heathrow to 'save' you if you couldn't find anything on the tour. Hope this helps
I just returned from this tour on September 4 so I will answer your questions based on this fact.
1. Every hotel room had a hair dryer. It was usually located in the room and not the bathroom.
2. The cities (Edinburgh, Bath, Oxford and London) that we stayed in all had areas for shopping that were not tourist related. Even some of the smaller areas (Stratford-upon-Avon and Chester) had some shopping places. One place that we saw at almost every stop was the Edinburgh Woolen Company. They had good buys on cashmere scarves and sweaters. Also all of the museum shops, in addition to the typical tourist items, had some nice gifts. In Wales I purchased some small pottery vases that were made locally.
I went to Harrods to see it, but I would not recommend purchasing anything there. The items were exorbitant in prices. Most items did not have price tags readily visible. I did find a tag on a floral jacket that read 365 pounds which translates to about $500! Other people from our tour also found some prices there and agreed that it was extremely PRICEY. The décor of Harrods was interesting and there is a tribute to Princess Diana on the lowest level.
British mentioned the VAT tax. You must purchase over a certain amount at one time in order to be able to reclaim the tax when you leave the country. I am not sure of the amount but I believe it was over 40-50 pounds. The store will give you a form to fill-in if you have spent the necessary amount.
This was a fascinating tour. You should enjoy it.
One place that carries small, not overly expensive, women and kids clothes, handbags, novelty items, etc. that my wife and a friends wife enjoyed visiting was Cath Kidston. It is a chain in the UK and you'll find it in Chesters and other cities. Here is a link to their website if you want to see what they carry and where they are located. Boots Drug Stores, a chain also, is interesting.