The
unit of British money are pound sterling, "£", and
pence, "p". There's £50, £20, £10, and £5 bills;
£1 (100p), 50p, 20p, 10p, 5p, 2p and 1p coins. Now
there's also a £2 coin. The exchange rate has been
between US$1.60 and US$1.70.
£
Bank
and Exchange
....
Try to always change money at banks. They usually
have better rates. Traveler's Checks are accepted
but not everywhere. Visa, American Express and Mastercards
are widely accepted. Traveler's Checks from American
Express can be cashed without a fee at Amex offices.
There's one at Regent St.
Tipping
Many
restaurants will automatically add a 10% to 15% service
charge to your bill, so check in advance before handing
out extra money. You may leave 20p to a washroom attendant.
Taxis take between 10% and 15%, porters get 50p-£1
per bag, doormen £1 for hailing a taxi or carrying
bags to check-in. Give bellhops £1 for room service
or carrying bags to room, 10% to 15% to hairdressers
plus £1 or £2 for the hair-washer.
