All of the below is my impression, I might be completely wrong, don't take my word as gospel and definitely check everything you might book yourself first! Feel free to add your own ideas and recommendations.
Reading again, lovely. It's a fairly standard dormitory town round London imo, nothing that makes it stand out and property prices that make your eyes bleed. However we've been there twice and won twice, so it might be a good trip to go on.
Easiest way is to heathrow and then bus it up, although there are plenty of options including a direct train from Edinburgh (although that takes soooooooooooooooo long you might be better off walking).
Some decent pubs in the centre, we had a good time in the 3 Guineas last year, more Edinburgh supporters in one place than I'd seen on an away trip before! I also quite like the Gateway which styles itself as a London Irish pub, and then there's the Purple Turtle which is a bit mad and open until stupid o'clock in the morning. There are a lot of other pubs which we visited but memories are a little hazy...
The not nots (not London, not Irish) play at the Madjeski, Reading FC's ground. I think we feel t home there as it's always 70% empty when there's rugby on. There's a good bus link out to the ground from the railway station before and after the game though which helps a lot (there's nothing out at the ground).