u/fromwisterialane

My friend sent me a four-day itinerary of what she wants to do in London. Is it possible to condense it into a three-day trip? Any suggestions on what to change or include? She wanted to include Kew Gardens but am not sure which day is the most suitable

22/09, London - Central - Westminster → St James’s Park → National Gallery → Covent Garden → Chinatown

23/09, London - Kensington - Natural History Museum → V&A → Hyde Park → Design Museum

24/09, West London - Portobello Road → Notting Hill → Wallace Collection → Camden

25/09, London - East London - Tower of London → Tower Bridge → Borough Market → St Paul’s → Barbican → Sky Garden

A friend of mine is visiting me from home for two weeks.

A few months ago, we briefly talked about the kinds of places she’d like to see and things she’d like to do, but nothing was set in stone. I recently messaged her to ask if there were any specific places or activities she wanted to do, and I said I’d be happy to help check whether they fit within her budget when I had the time.

I might be reading too much into her replies, but they don’t seem particularly positive, and now I’m second-guessing myself.

What’s generally expected of the host in this situation? Am I expected to plan her entire itinerary?

Am I expected to accompany her everywhere she wants to go, or is it reasonable for her to explore on her own sometimes? Should I be planning and booking hotels, tickets, and activities for her, or just helping if she asks? Should I also be researching hotel options and prices for her?

For context, she’ll be staying at my house

for the full two weeks, and I’ll be picking her up from the airport at 4 a.m.

I moved abroad, and a friend from home is coming to visit me in October for a little over a week. I told her she could stay at my house during her trip.

The challenge is that I live about an hour away from London by train. She has a very tight budget and is hoping to find accommodation in London for around £20–£30 per night, which doesn’t seem realistic unless we stay in a shared hostel room, and she isn’t keen on that option.

I suggested travelling into London from where I live, as it’s only about an hour to central London and would work out much cheaper overall. However, she doesn’t seem particularly enthusiastic about that idea either. It’s only June, but I’ve already checked accommodation prices across Zones 1–6, and everything I’ve found is well above her budget.

I’m also wondering how much responsibility I should take for planning her itinerary. She has a list of things she’d like to do, including horse riding. I’ve suggested several places near where I live, as I don’t drive and would need to ask my partner if he’s available and willing to drive us. Naturally, it would be easier if the activities were closer by, but she isn’t keen on the places I’ve suggested.

She has also mentioned wanting to spend 2–3 days in Edinburgh. Given the travel time and cost, that doesn’t seem particularly realistic during a relatively short visit, so I suggested alternatives such as York, Cambridge, or Bath. Again, she doesn’t seem interested in those options.

On top of all of this, a band I’ve wanted to see since I was a teenager has announced a one-day concert on a Saturday while my friend will be visiting. Would it be considered bad etiquette if I left for a few hours to attend the concert? Since she’s coming to visit me, I feel somewhat responsible for hosting her, but at the same time this is a rare opportunity that I’ve been looking forward to for years. I haven’t buy the tickets yet, they announced today.

I’m starting to feel a bit stuck. How much responsibility does a host actually have when a friend comes to stay? Am I expected to organise everything and accommodate all of their plans, or is it reasonable to expect them to work within the practical limitations of my location, budget, and schedule?

A friend from home is coming to visit me in October for a little over a week. I told her she could stay at my house during her trip.

The challenge is that I live about an hour away from London by train. She has a very tight budget and is hoping to find accommodation in London for around £20–£30 per night, which doesn’t seem realistic unless we stay in a shared hostel room, and she isn’t keen on that option.

I suggested travelling into London from where I live, as it’s only about an hour to central London and would work out much cheaper overall. However, she doesn’t seem particularly enthusiastic about that idea either. It’s only June, but I’ve already checked accommodation prices across Zones 1–6, and everything I’ve found is well above her budget.

I’m also wondering how much responsibility I should take for planning her itinerary. She has a list of things she’d like to do, including horse riding. I’ve suggested several places near where I live, as I don’t drive and would need to ask my partner if he’s available and willing to drive us. Naturally, it would be easier if the activities were closer by, but she isn’t keen on the places I’ve suggested.

She has also mentioned wanting to spend 2–3 days in Edinburgh. Given the travel time and cost, that doesn’t seem particularly realistic during a relatively short visit, so I suggested alternatives such as York, Cambridge, or Bath. Again, she doesn’t seem interested in those options.

On top of all of this, a band I’ve wanted to see since I was a teenager has announced a one-day concert on a Saturday while my friend will be visiting. Would it be considered bad etiquette if I left for a few hours to attend the concert? Since she’s coming to visit me, I feel somewhat responsible for hosting her, but at the same time this is a rare opportunity that I’ve been looking forward to for years.

I’m starting to feel a bit stuck. How much responsibility does a host actually have when a friend comes to stay? Am I expected to organise everything and accommodate all of their plans, or is it reasonable to expect them to work within the practical limitations of my location, budget, and schedule?