We finally made it to our Paddington hotel at about 12.15 am. Fortunately the trains were still running at that late hour and there was still someone at the hotel reception desk to check us in. It had taken a fraction over 48 hours from walking out our apartment door to entering our hotel room. A large chunk of that time at Gate 33, Terminal 3, Abu Dhabi International Airport.

We weren’t feeling too bad having managed to grab a few snatches of sleep. Our bodies were feeling a bit strange, probably from the amount of food we had eaten in relation to the almost total lack of exercise we had for 2 days.

There are a few ways to get from Heathrow to Paddington, our destination in London. The Underground (cheapest if you have an Oyster card but a change of train lines required), National Express bus (second cheapest but goes to Victoria Station about 1½ km from our hotel), The Heathrow Express (fastest – a 15 minute nonstop train ride but expensive at £22), The Heathrow Connect (same train ride as Express but half the price and makes 6 stops along the way for commuters – so takes twice as long), a taxi (the most expensive at £50 – £80 but is door to door). We chose the Heathrow Connect.

We tried to buy a ticket before boarding but the sleepy lady in the ticket office told us not to worry, just purchase a ticket on the train. On the train however, about every three minutes, the intercom kept telling us that tickets must be pre-purchased and be available for inspection, tickets could not be purchased on the train, and anyone on the train without a ticket may be subject to a penalty fare.

So we sat in fear and trepidation for the 35 minute ride but no inspectors came to interrogate us and at Paddington we quickly alighted and disappeared like thieves into the darkness of the night.

Our hotel, Shakespeare Hotel, is about 2 minutes walk from Paddington Station and is one of many hotels surrounding a square – Norfolk Square. The square was built in the early 1800s and was a private garden for the use of the nobility and their servants who lived in the houses surrounding it. The ladies of the houses would take tea in the square, in the shade of the trees, served by their maids.

The square was privately owned and maintained by the residents up till the end of WWII when the local council took it over. The residents had their own constable who patrolled the area and acted as gateman.

The houses are all 5 story + basement terrace houses with a mews at the rear for horses and carriages. Over time the large houses were subdivided into flats and in recent times reconfigured into boutique hotels. The stables in the mews have now become expensive apartments.

Our hotel advertises itself as being proud to offer the best value for money and affordable accommodation in Paddington, ie it’s one of the cheapest in this part of London mainly because it doesn’t have a lift so can’t get a very high star rating. Luckily we are located on the ground floor. It has all the basics and lots of character but is a bit tired and worn out (I know that feeling) but a bit quirky which is just the sort of place we like. We are feeling very comfortable already.