Waterstones

What a stunning bookstore! So well laid out! 4 levels plus ground of treasures in reading categorized in so many different ways! By genre, authors, topics, types, etc. And the staff are so very helpful and knowledgeable! I have been to many iconic bookstores around the world but I have to say Waterstone is far superior in every which way. It was a fantastic book buying experience that was soul satisfying. Wish we had more time to spend. If you love to read, this is a must visit in London.

It's a book lovers heaven. There's 6 floors in total including the basement and cafe. Each floor has many many books to choose from. It's not difficult to find your way around or navigate as each floor is sectioned into different genres. The cafe on the top floor has a beautiful view over London as well. It is definitely worth visiting if you're into books and enjoy reading.

What a beautiful wonderful shop! Elegant, sophisticated yet warm and cozy. The service is spectacular and wowed me in such a way, that I now wish to purchase ALL my books in London, despite New York being my home. The friendly person went out of her way to find the books I was seeking. And its not just her, its the culture! I visited two other Waterstones, three Hatchards and a Foyles and every single staff member really tried to get me exactly what I wanted. They even wrote down the information because they knew I was from out of town. True service indeed. I can’t ever recall being this happy with such a complete experience after having purchased something. London is now my favorite city for book-looking and book-buying.

Absolutely the best location for the most variety and recent books that are still affordable. This store has many levels and also sells gifts, cards, games, wrapping paper, Knick knacks and other trinkets. It’s a bit understaffed but only because it’s always super busy.

Wow! Huge store. Spacious. Clean and tidy. Wonderful staff. Lovely seating areas. Vast variety of book genres. Air con was on, so was comfortable to walk around in. Toilets need a bit of a clean... limescale remover in toilet bowls would be great,and toilet roll holder needs putting back up

A lovely and huge bookstore in Piccadilly with a great variety. It is also ideal for some gifts for friends and family. Remember to have a look at all floors; you can find books of all types. I got myself some postcards too🙃

An extensive bookshop of almost anything you could ever find, beats Amazon that's for sure if you can make it. Genuinely lovely staff and full of surprises, this was a worthwhile trip to be here.

A great 3 stories bookstore, a pleasant to the eye, different sections, welcoming & helpful staff, great books arrangement.

What a stunning bookstore! So well laid out! 4 levels plus ground of treasures in reading categorized in so many different ways! By genre, authors, topics, types, etc. And the staff are so very helpful and knowledgeable! I have been to many iconic bookstores around the world but I have to say Waterstone is far superior in every which way. It was a fantastic book buying experience that was soul satisfying. Wish we had more time to spend. If you love to read, this is a must visit in London.

It's a book lovers heaven. There's 6 floors in total including the basement and cafe. Each floor has many many books to choose from. It's not difficult to find your way around or navigate as each floor is sectioned into different genres. The cafe on the top floor has a beautiful view over London as well. It is definitely worth visiting if you're into books and enjoy reading.

What a beautiful wonderful shop! Elegant, sophisticated yet warm and cozy. The service is spectacular and wowed me in such a way, that I now wish to purchase ALL my books in London, despite New York being my home. The friendly person went out of her way to find the books I was seeking. And its not just her, its the culture! I visited two other Waterstones, three Hatchards and a Foyles and every single staff member really tried to get me exactly what I wanted. They even wrote down the information because they knew I was from out of town. True service indeed. I can’t ever recall being this happy with such a complete experience after having purchased something. London is now my favorite city for book-looking and book-buying.

Absolutely the best location for the most variety and recent books that are still affordable. This store has many levels and also sells gifts, cards, games, wrapping paper, Knick knacks and other trinkets. It’s a bit understaffed but only because it’s always super busy.

Wow! Huge store. Spacious. Clean and tidy. Wonderful staff. Lovely seating areas. Vast variety of book genres. Air con was on, so was comfortable to walk around in. Toilets need a bit of a clean... limescale remover in toilet bowls would be great,and toilet roll holder needs putting back up

A lovely and huge bookstore in Piccadilly with a great variety. It is also ideal for some gifts for friends and family. Remember to have a look at all floors; you can find books of all types. I got myself some postcards too🙃

An extensive bookshop of almost anything you could ever find, beats Amazon that's for sure if you can make it. Genuinely lovely staff and full of surprises, this was a worthwhile trip to be here.

A great 3 stories bookstore, a pleasant to the eye, different sections, welcoming & helpful staff, great books arrangement.

Holy bookstore Batman!! I had heard about this place but didn't think too much of it until we visited. Now, I'm a believer; it really is that huge and amazing! Top thing you need to know is that this place is five floors (yeah, five), four of which are wall-to-wall books (see the picture for a floor guide). The fifth floor is a bar and restaurant. The first floor also has a bar and a small cafe. The entire place is well-organized. If you're a book lover, I can't possibly describe how heavenly this place is. We spent two days at this store, no lie, and I could have spent more. Their YA section is out of control, and their kids section not only has books but also Legos and other fun items. The travel section is outstanding with not only travel books but books detailing different geographical regions' history, culture, and land. The staff is friendly and helpful. They'll help you search for a book and even give you suggestions of other bookstores that might have what you're looking for. That's not where the customer service stops, though. If they say they have it in stock but you can't find it, they'll gladly go in the back to search. They are pretty awesome. As far as price goes, it's a bookstore. It's not too cheap but not too expensive. I found it reasonable. Note, they are dog friendly, if you're a dog lover. Overall, I think I'd like to be buried here it's that great. Please, believe the hype and treat yourself. Enjoy!

I live in the US and order from UK bookstores quite a bit. This last time, I decided to try Waterstones a try since I wanted one of their signed editions. I will never make that mistake again. The book I received had tears and creases to the book jacket. I have included a couple of pictures to show what it looked like straight from the box. In the future, I will stick with Goldsboro Books, Coles, and a couple of others you know how to package and ship a book. Avoid this bookstore chain if you plan on having anything shipped

Waterstones is what some would say is the UK version of Barnes & Noble. This location is centrally located in London - in the heart of Piccadilly - and highly recommended for first time visitors. I stopped by with my sister who wanted to pick up a series and I ended up buying some books as well. This bookstore is amazing and each floor has an airy layout with plenty of signage and plush chairs/sofas for people to enjoy while browsing a book or two. The upstairs bar and restaurant is a nice feature and sadly I didn't get a chance to enjoy that experience but perhaps next time. Nonetheless, this location has an expansive collections of books to satisfy just about any reader.

Waterstones Picadilly was pretty incredible! I do wish they had a more extensive selection of business books, but for the majority of readers, you'll be thrilled with the selection.

Amazing, expansive bookstore with a lot of floors containing a lot of books. I'm always happy to see this much space devoted to browsing and buying books. We carved out some time to hang out here after having tea nearby. Throughout the store there are tables of themed recommended books (see https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?select=Y0JPdqixuIFeV0DqP89wQA&userid=dbEyV0AsIBXUH-RRQDyRiQ ), and those were good places to linger and thumb through a few books. We walked away with some purchases despite the fact that we were early in our trip and attempting to travel light. I got a few science fiction books for the trip for me (including a couple by British authors) and Harry Potter for the kids (we have the American version at home, but "Philosopher's Stone" makes so much more sense).

Rachel on the third floor was an absolute legend. She was so helpful, kind, and deserves the world!!

Bait and switch. Living in the US, I pre-ordered the UK edition of a book from Waterstones specifically to get the signed version. I followed the link from their instagram pre-order which was to a listing indicating that I was ordering a signed copy of the book. Months later (and shipping delays) it arrives and it is the standard edition, unsigned. When I reached out to them they claim that I did not order the signed copy, which is not true. Unfortunately there's not much I can do about it now, given that they've sold out of the signed copies. They are dishonest and likely oversold the signed copies. 0/10 do not recommend.

Located on Piccadilly this branch of Waterstones is a huge store in central London, just a few minutes' walk away from Piccadilly Circus, Regent Street and Green Park. The store is so big that it is said it has 200,000 books and its own independent social media, which is rare for a branch of Waterstones to usually have. Located over six floors, this store is a book lovers dream, it is competitively priced for the high street but of course it tends to be more expensive than online retailers including Amazon, but this tends to be the case with bricks and mortar bookshops, often pricing at the RRP. There was a floor with discounted books, some of which were cheap and good value. The overall feel of the store is generally quite good, it isn't as new and modern as other Waterstones branches such as Westfield London, yet it doesn't lack a modern spark like other branches including Manchester Deansgate, it has a nice balance between the two. The store can be entered through a service lift or a staircase, and there is of course a better lift between the six floors and a Waterstones branded café, which is nice if you are shopping at the store but not worth a visit especially for. One of the best bookshops I've been too, however it could work on access, pricing and other minor factors yet it is still a great and four-star worthy store.

Stopped in for a quick afternoon tea on Saturday. Great experience. The fifth floor has a beautiful view and great atmosphere. Definitely recommend for a stop over.

This is the biggest bookstore in London and it is gorgeous! I came over to London on Holiday and being a huge Harry Potter fan I had to stop at this bookstore where they had the huge Book 7 party in July 2007. This place can be extremely overwhelming but they do have a map on every floor to show you where you are. I of course went right to the floor where all of the variety of Harry Potter books were (aside from the multiple displays that were around the entire bookstore and when you first walk in). Also if you want a souvenir that says "Waterstones" on it, they sell very nice tote bags for inexpensive prices on the first floor. Also be aware, like a lot of other stores in London, they charge for plastic bags.

Honestly, I don't think I have ever been in a bigger bookshop, but then again the biggest bookshop in Australia is dwarfed by this place. Even then, despite it's size, and the fact that it takes up something like five levels, I still couldn't find the books that I wanted (despite not actually getting the name right). Well, the staff are okay, though they do tend to be busy with all of the customers trying to get their attention, so getting help can be a little tricky at times, though one did eventually help us. However, I could have spent ages browsing this collection because, as I mentioned, it was absolutely huge. Sure, it is a new bookshop, and particularly in England I prefer the antiquarian shops (namely because you can find some bargains there at times), but it is still worth checking out.

Was passing by and saw this bookstore. The front window had copies and a cool display of a new released book - so decided to check this bookstore out. Amazing selection of books - nice collections in many categories. Browsed through all levels - top floor has super views of Picaddily and there's a cafe there for you to sit, relax and read your book maybe. They have free wifi there. Very friendly staff - got to know about their membership programme - worth if you visit this place often. Nowadays with kindle etc. many people have switched over to reading books electronically but for book lovers who still like the feel of holding a book this is the place.

Got a cafe and water, kids found a funny book on autocorrect texts. Buy something upstairs to use the bathrooms.

Despite my tablet, I still like browsing hard copies of books, and this Waterstones just a short distance from work serves as a hidden sanctuary that keeps my inner bookworm satisfied. The ground floor (which can be entered from both piccadilly or jermyn street) houses the best sellers - or the most topical books. There is also a small shop on the jermyn street side of the store, where you can find all sorts of stationery, including London memorabilia and birthday/Christmas cards as well as board games and small toys. Collections of different genres can be found on each floor: fiction on the first floor, children's books on the second, biographies on the third floor, history and social sciences on the fourth floor and a bar and restaurant on the fifth. The small shop also allows access to an upstairs cafe, which serves good coffee and has small tables for one to read and relax, away from all the hubbub in nearby piccadilly. This Waterstones has and still is, serving to be more than just a book store - it almost acts as a library that seems to shut away all the day's chaos and helps you unwind even for a brief moment. The shop also helps when looking for last minute gifts or cards. I visit often, and I expect to do so in the near and far future. 5/5.

A huge book-store, open late, designed to give me the warm and fuzzies :) I do love this spot and the new mezzanine cafe with rotating displays is very cute. Try the pecan pie for sure! I don't normally write reviews this short, but on this occasion, nuff said!

When I moved to Europe and had to leave roughly 4000 books in the care of a friend until I could figure out how and where to transport them to in Europe, bookstores became even more dangerous than when I was living in America. In America, in the enormous confines of your living space, there was always room for books. But in Europe, prudence about the size of your living space, and the price of books in a non-English-speaking country help dictate a slower pace of acquisition. But what happens when you travel to London, as I do, often? You wander into a place like Waterstones and all common sense goes out the window. You're awash in books, and leave a few hours later, two arms full. Don't say I didn't warn you.

This is an amazing book store, has a little something for everyone, coffee on the top floor, a basement floor that is dedicated to children of all ages and a ground floor with cards and more books.

Waterstones claims this location is Europe's largest bookstore with eight miles of bookshelves and six floors of books. The children's department is modeled on a Piccadilly Circus theme. This store is gorgeous and seemingly has every title. There is a cafe on the mezzanine level. www.waterstones.com

Great selection of books. I went several times when I was in London. I liked the travel selection and how they displayed the books. Definitely check it out!

This is one of the largest Waterstones that I have been to. It has a humongous sci-fi/fantasy collection. I visited with a friend who was having trouble sourcing books by a couple of his favourite authors and he managed to find quite a few of the obscure books on his wishlist at this location - which is quite a rarity in brick and mortar bookstores. They do have a cafe on the premises. If you do buy books regularly from Waterstones then the loyalty card and the stamp card are worth collecting.

They're not kidding when they say this is the largest bookstore in Europe. Definitely one of my favorites. I was always impressed with the wide selection, oftentimes stumbling upon lesser known names I'd not find elsewhere. A nice little oasis in the middle of busy London, I loved grabbing a cup of tea and unwinding here.

I couldn't buy anything cause of the exchange rate, however, my bestie and I spent a good 40 minutes looking through titles and book variations that don't come up to Canada, especially the cooking books. Great customer service. 6 large books of floors which was a heaven For us.

I love spending time in Waterstones just looking for a new adventure to read and enjoying their selection. It beats shopping online! The staff are always great too! Will visit again soon once i have finished my new book.

It's HUGE! A must see book store for people that love bookstores. It's not an original obviously, there are many Waterstones around, but this was was really sweet. The staff was friendly and gave excellent recommendations for books.

Secret Squirrel Time: The top floor bar has one of the best views of London's rooftops for somewhere relatively unknown, relatively cheap and not exclusive in any way. You will earn BIG plus pluses if you arrange to meet your date up here, and after a couple of glasses of wine you have Europe's biggest bookstore to play in. You can tippsily browse the travel guides and plan your first dirty weekend away together. Let's hope they look as good when you sober up.

A double reminder about Waterstones has led me to write this review. Firstly, on doing a spring clean (yes, yes, I know it's autumn!) of my drawers recently, I came across some Waterstones vouchers and said to myself that I need to spend them sometimes soon. Then, on my way home from work today, I heard on the radio that Leona Lewis was slapped by a man during her book signing at this branch of Waterstones today. So if you want to gawp at the very spot where Leona Lewis had her cheeks reddened, you can pop in. Otherwise, you will find one of Waterstones bigger shops filled with 3 floors of books. It does feel quite upmarket and there is a good range of books. For pure browsing, the Foyles/Borders/Blackwells trio on Charing Cross Road offer a wider range There's a nice bar to refuel on the top floor which also has a good view. This branch also does have regular book signing though in the future, you may have some tighter security to contend with after today's incident

My first review of my big trip to Europe is.... a bookstore? Hell yes it is. I absolutely freaking loved Waterstone's. Listen, I love books. Love. Browsing a bookstore used to be one of my favorite pastimes until bookstores in America started going out of business, which is totally lame. So imagine my delight when I stumbled upon Waterstone's. It was all the things I love wrapped into one. Books? Check check check. Spacious floorplan so you're not tripping over your fellow book browser? Checkity check. Cafe? Check. Friendly employees? Cheeeeeck. Did I mention I'm in LOVE? And I didn't even make it to the floor where they apparently serve booze - what's not to love? (America, you've been doing it WRONG.) I brought 3 books with me on my trip to keep me entertained on various plane and train rides. I bought 3 more at Waterstone's and had to restrain myself from buying more. I also got the most fabulous re-usable tote that I adore. It might actually be my favorite thing I bought over there. Walking around I felt like I had been deprived of oxygen for too long and was breathing for the first time in a long time. This place just made me furiously happy. Oh, Waterstone's. Will you please come to the States and show us how it's done?

Waterstones is one of my favourite chain stores, so much so that I have worked for them the last three Christmases running. (not this branch, other ones). I love the feel of the place, they are always so relaxing and even the one in Piccadilly, despite having the potential to be an annoyingly busy and difficult environment. By the time you've reached the first floor you will have completely forgotten that you're a few years away from one of the cities busiest junctions. This branch is a great place to meet the stars too. This one is where all the big names stop off to do signings and often tickets or early arrival is essential. The sheer size of it also means that there is a wide selection of books to choose from and you will be highly likely to find what you want. Price wise the books are quite expensive. However, if you go to Waterstone's website then you can often get the same books a lot cheaper. I tend to use the Piccadilly branch as inspiration but normally to avoid spending excess money I go online and order from there. Parking wise it is a nightmare getting to the store by car and there are some spaces in the side streets behind the main entrance if you are lucky enough to find a free one. Staff have always been helpful and have a good knowledge of the books they have on offer. Downstairs in the basement is a quiet little Costa Coffee too which is nice for a little break.

Business Travelers: When the internet is working, the cafe on the top floor is the best space to work in while telecommuting in London. It offers lunch, quiet, etc. I feel like I am using one of those Regus shared desks. One issue is the internet can sometimes be down:(

Love love love this place! Was a must-go for me to study and do class work in the coffee shop in the basement. Plus, if I ever needed a distraction I could browse their book selection for hours and hours. They have it incredibly well organized as well!

What a wonderful bookstore with an impressive section! Our reason for visiting this bookstore was not really for the books, but for the High Tea on the 5th floor, otherwise known as the 5th View. My party of 4 all ordered our teas and each couple got a tray of sandwiches, pastries and desserts. It was delightful! One of the people I was with set it up for us for our quick weekend in London as he knew I would LOVE this sorta thing and especially in a bookstore! Ahh, the loveliness of people knowing you so well. Thanks, Peter! Everything was very delicious and the view of London was spectacular. To keep up with the British theme, I of course, ordered Earl Grey tea. This was a wonderful experience and a memory that I will cherish!

Ok so here is the dealio... I like books. NOOO I LOVE THEM. && I needed a book for the train ride back to Edinburgh so my friends took me to this Waterstones and I was just a tinsy bit overwhelemed by the FREAKING SIZE OF THIS PLACE.... but in a good way. IT WAS ORGASMIC.... I too am not a fan of chain stores but I gotta say any multilevel bookstore is GOOD in my books. *chuckles at my own corney joke*

Don't let anyone else tell you differently: This is the biggest - and therefore best - bookstore in London. Bigger really does mean better when it comes to books.

Waterstones never fails me. When I don't quite know what to do with myself, I come here and everything is better. I can spend hours just browsing the books, I am one of those people who love books so much that it is a good thing I don't own a bookstore (I would keep them all and never let anyone buy one!). There are comfy chairs if you can snag one, where you can take your pile of books and lose yourself in them until you've decided what you want or don't want. This is always a big plus for me, I hate having armloads of books and nowhere to sit with them. Waterstones is obviously a huge bookstore so you can generally find any book you're looking for unless it's something very specialist. Oddly enough, it's isn't just books that brings me to Waterstones it's....the 5th floor cafe! Now you wonder, why would anyone go to a bookstore for the cafe? Surely I can find coffee elsewhere? I will tell you why! Lovely plush couches, a great friendly and mellow atmosphere, deliciiiiious french fries, and...GAMES! The cafe always has a few games lying around for me to appropriate for a chill evening with my friends. I love board games because no matter what the weather is like outside (and in London it's unpredictable), you can always count on a board game for some laughter and good times. The cafe staff are nice and don't mind if you bring your own (which we do sometimes) or if you stay for ages (guilty), and with a neverending yummy supply of the thickest french fries in London I have ever seen, it's a wonder if I leave before closing time. And FYI, the mezze platter is decent if you want to share some nibbles with friends. I've had the burger as well, but the only thing that stands out is the chips:)

One of my favorite London Bookshops! They have a lovely caffe at the ground floor with nice paninni's. And ALSO a section with Russian Literature!

I went 3 times to this place during my visit to London... How can I express my love for this place? With all caps? Italics? I was absolutely floored by this bookstore. It contained thousands of books on various topics and it all seemed organized. They had a nice cafe on the 5th floor, the employees were polite, they had plenty of bathrooms, and most importantly, they had plenty of space to lounge around and skim through books. Admittedly, I built a small fort of books around myself as I sat on the floor---I was in heaven. Hands down, my favorite place in Piccadilly.

Whenever I'm in the area and if impossible happened and I'm earlier for a meeting than anticipated - I'd go and roam around Waterstones on Piccadilly. Comfy seating, spacious halls with tall ceilings, six (!) strories of books to satisfy the pickiest reader - this store has various sections on anything (literally) you would like. If you're looking for a new hobby - just go to the Arts, Crafts, Languages sections and I can guarrantee something will capture your eye. I like their ground floor where they have a section on seasonal reads: Summer reads, Christmas reads etc. Some books will float you in a hammock somewhere in American mid-West, some will offer you a reality of the future and some will just complete a rainy evening with some pages full of rainy mood. And to find that kind of time and space machine... you know the place.

Books are good. Yes indeed I like the odd book. Don't get me wrong I like TV too. With a brain like mine coloured pictures moving or still seem to win over all those little letters crammed into those small pages. But I know it's good for me to read, my parents, they guided me well. And Waterstones store on Piccadilly in the old Simpsons building is a huge space now dedicated to flogging books. On 8 floors, not the strangely inaccurate 3 floors quoted by another reviewer, Waterstones gives you a pretty splendid selection of books framed by one of Londons best examples of Deco architecture. I love a good building whatever the content.

I met Marianne Faithfull at Waterstones. That lady is fierce! :) I qued out the door, left work early. I told the boss it was Marianne Faithfull, a once in a lifetime experience and I simply could not stay. I was already on probation (you could understand why) so I really could have cared less. I needed to meet Marianne and I did not care about the mailing. This is why I freelance now. I can understand why Marianne decided to do her only London book signing at Waterstones Picadilly. This shop is a massive 3 floor affair and it has dim lighting which makes it mysterious. The ground floor sells mostly travel books and I have also popped in here to have a look at these. The prices in here are higher end (not many discounts) and Marianne signed my name wrong so I bought another book and qued all over again which was worth it because I chatted to her fabulousness. They often do signings here and on the upper level Marianne had a whole section freed up to do this. A thoroughly enjoyable, if a bit expensive experience. Marianne Faithfull! Marianne Faithfull! Why'd Ya do it, Broken English, Confessions of a Flower Child...Marianne Faithfull at Waterstone's Picadilly! As though I cared about customer service.

All you need to know about Waterstone's in Piccadilly is that it is housed in a former department store and that this makes it Europe's biggest bookshop. There seems to be a floor for every genre - I certainly haven't seen them all. Staff are ultra casual about customers reading books. There are comfortable seats dotted around (with plenty of snoozing tramps dotted on them) and the place sometimes has the feel of a large public library. There is a restaurant with good city views on the 5th floor, though the decor and stylings of it are a little bit too flashy for me. Regular celebrity signings happen too, so with luck you might spot a Rowling or a Pratchett while you visit!

On the whole I'm not that bothered by Waterstones or other chain bookstores because they tend to have a bit of a bland atmosphere. However, I have to say that this massive store on Picadilly is a pretty nice place to come and browse for books, especially if you want a few different things. It's lovely and clean and the sheer size enables it to feel quite airy and easy to negotiate. The cafe on the top floor also has really incredible views across London, of the kind that are usually reserved for office blocks and high rise council flats (nice to have it in a cafe instead). All in all a pleasant antidote to central London shopping.

I have an absolute fetish-sized love of bookstores, and Waterstones blew me away. I was told it was the biggest bookstore in London, and I wouldn't be surprised if that were true. Each floor expands and expands, and I spent almost an hour hastily browsing the fiction before dinner. I could've spent all day in there. On top of size, Waterstones also feels soothing, welcoming, fatherly. If I lived anywhere nearby it would be a regular stop for reading and relaxation. As a tourist, it was an interesting stop because all of the familiar titles were matched to unfamiliar covers put out by UK publishers, like loved ones in new clothes. I walked away with four books, 3 for the price of 2 (an awesome special that goes on all summer!) and a hardcover of "Nocturnes" signed by Kazuo Ishiguro because I'm a fangirl like that, and I would've gotten more if I didn't have to pack them into luggage. London, you have a good thing going on with Waterstones. Consider yourself envied.

The staff are great, ask them for a book and they'll look it up for you or if you need a suggestion they'll find you what you want. There's such a huge selection of books, it's great for educational books, language learning etc. and has a very clear layout. I'm an avid reader and love coming here for books that I can't find anywhere else!

This is actually for the Russian section and the amazing woman who works there. Not that the rest of the store isn't incredible, but I have honestly never seen customer service like the kind she gave me. I am moving to Saint-Petersburg in 2.5 days. I have been learning the Russian alphabet as to not be totally lost when I get there. So for practice, I went to Waterstones and wandered around the Russian section, reading letters, sounding out words, getting myself accustomed to seeing Cyrillic every where. The lady who works mos often in the section actually walked around with me, helping me to pronounce the letters, offering suggestions, praising the cleverness of Americans (something I don't often hear) and giving me suggestions on books to buy to help the process of learning Russian. She even came back to apologize to me when she felt she had been too pushy about what she thought I was capable of and didn't laugh when I tried to speak the little Russian I do know. She simply said "See. Be brave. You are smart girl. You will learn fast". It was really what I needed, not just in the daunting prospect of trying to learn Russian, but of moving to a country whose traditions are so wildly different than my own. It was really a ray of light.

My favourite bookstore. Its a little bit pricey compared to other places probably but you've got so much choice from 5 floors filled with different kind of literature. They have three coffee shops where you can have a cuppa with a nice book in hand. They used to do board games too but not anymore which was a bit disappointing. But after all, the perfect place to get in to bookLand.

too be fair, i've never bought a book from waterstones...if you can wait or you're willing to hunt for it in all the used book stores, i'd suggest you to buy it online or second hand, the price difference is worth it in my opinion but, i do love the fact that the staff are never pushy and never rushes me when i'm looking around, so i end up reading for 5 hours in the same bookstore.

Best selection of fresh and classic readings. Despite how busy the place appears, it's quite large and spacious with 6 stories and plenty of seats. Restaurant and bar is on 5th floor (with a view) and the cafe is on the lower ground floor. Perfect for escaping the Piccadilly Circus madness outside and spending a quiet weekend afternoon reading.

Nice multilevel bookstore with a fine cafe and city views on the top floor.

This is an awesome bookshop, not my favourite but still awesome! If you want to have your book signed by your favourite author this is the place to come, being the largest bookstore in the UK this is a must stop for all touring authors. On the top flour there is a nice cafe full of ladies who lunch and men in suites, but its a great place to relax and look at the books you have collected in your basket before purchasing them. I do have to say that I think the magazine selection is a bit small and much better at borders. The staff are very helpful and will help you locate your books or have a bit of a chat with you. They carry mountains of books on every topic I can think of. The music and DVDs are well overpriced so don't buy them here, when you can walk down to H&M and get them for a quarter of the price or on Amazon for even less. It is a great place to come for inspiration if you are in need.