Where to Stay in London

Our Favorite London Hotels

• 5-Star: Connaught
• 4-Star accommodation: Marylebone • 3-Star: Motel One London
• Boutique: Batty Langley’s inn.
• Low-cost: Z Soho
• For Families: This lodging
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• Heathrow: Sofitel
• Gatwick: Sofitel hotel.
• Victoria Station: DoubleTree
• Paddington: Hilton Suites
• Kings Cross: St. Pancras Renaissance

a series of photos showing different types of food 1. St. Pancras Renaissance • 2. Hilton • 3. Marylebone • 4. Connaught • 5. Montague on the Gardens • 6. Soho • 7. Z Soho • 8. Batty Langley’s • 9. Motel One • 10. Mandarin Oriental • 11. Sofitel Heathrow • 12. Sofitel Gatwick • 13. The Goring • 14. DoubleTree • 15. Park Plaza

The Best Area to Stay in London

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Europe’s most populous capital is an incredibly diverse, multicultural metropolis. Some of Britain’s greatest historic monuments, palaces, and cathedrals stand alongside soccer stadiums, trendy galleries, fantastic (and often free) museums, street markets, concert venues, and a dynamic scene for eating and drinking.

Modern London consists of various distinct regions spanning a wide area which may feel perplexing initially, forming a patchwork of neighborhoods with attributes ranging from “Royal” St James to the developing East End. Consequently, there is no single universally best area in London. London’s premier attractions are dispersed throughout, and there’s no downtown center – much relies on visitor interests and budgets. Some regions are more central and convenient than others, considering that many tourists to London utilize walking or public transportation to access attractions. Similarly, the best hotels in London are not focused in one neighborhood and excellent luxury or boutique lodgings can be easily found throughout most of London.

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Good hotels in Covent Garden:

Covent Garden Hotel • ME London • NoMad London • One Aldwych • Resident Covent Garden • The Savoy • The Fielding

London Neighborhoods

Most of the major sights are situated north of the River Thames, which wanders through the heart of London from west to east. To the east, historic City of London, where the city commenced, is mainly a financial district, packed with sights, with some budget chain hotels and weekend deals at the pricier ones. East of the City, East London highlights the lively markets and nightlife of Brick Lane, Spitalfields and Shoreditch, as well as Olympic Park, and the newer financial center of Canary Wharf in the regenerated Docklands that line the Thames. In contrast to the City, political, religious and regal power has always been based in Westminster and St James, further west.

To the north lies the West End of London (areas like Covent Garden,Soho,Leicester Square,Oxford Street,Mayfair), the effective city core of London with most of the city’s theaters, top art galleries, excellent and varied dining options for all budgets, and much of London’s nightlife. Four-star and 5-star hotels dominate this region, with some affordable options additionally. It`s easy to walk around and boasts convenient public transportation connections to other areas of London. The West End of London is an excellent option for first-time visitors and families staying in the city.

The southern bank region of the Thames features a leafy walkway and several notable attractions, ranging from the London Eye to Tate Modern and Globe Theatre, with the towering Shard building overseeing it all. Just north of the West End, the Bloomsbury and Fitzrovia districts are also centrally located, containing many bookshops, quiet streets, and the renowned British Museum. This area offers a broader selection of lodging, often at lower prices than the neighboring West End. King’s Cross, with its train stations, is north of Fitzrovia. While it has fewer tourist attractions, it boasts superb transportation links to other parts of London as well as Heathrow and Stansted airports, plus routes to Paris and Brussels via the Eurostar high-speed rail system.

Further west, Kensington is principally renowned for its museums and many 5-star accommodations, situated just south of central London’s premier greenspace, Hyde Park. Camden to the north offers a scene with fewer tourists and cheaper lodging but less convenience for sightseeing. Greenwich, downstream of central London, with associations to seafarers, royal park, and observatory, makes an excellent day activity.

a red double decker bus driving down a streetKey suggestion for first timers visiting London: remain near a tube station. The tube allows you to get nearly anywhere in the city rapidly and easily. Most hotels in central London are within walking distance of a tube station but the ones listed below are particularly proximate and convenient).

Good hotels near a London tube station:

The Renaissance St. Pancras • Kimpton Fitzroy • Hard Rock London Hotel • Hilton Paddington Hotel • citizenM Tower of London Hotel • Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park Hotel • DoubleTree by Hilton London Victoria Hotel • Hilton London Hyde Park Hotel • Conrad St James Hotel

London Transportation

Getting around London’s neighborhoods by means of the Underground transportation system (also known as the subway or “tube”) is convenient but not incredibly affordable (rates are based on zones, ranging from £2.50 to £5.50 with an Oyster card, and a flat £6.30 for single paper ticket). Visitors should acquire an Oyster card (to be utilized as a weekly/monthly travel pass, or as a pay-as-you-go card) or a contactless payment debit or credit card. The Overground train network, and the Docklands Light Railway (DLR) connect with the Underground and accept Oyster cards. Thames Clippers runs ferry service along the Thames; Oyster cards are also valid here, though rates begin at £4.80. It’s not worth renting a car in London unless one intends to do a lot of exploring beyond the city: parking is expensive and there’s a Congestion Charge for central London, £15 daily.

The Best Places to Stay in London

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Search All London Hotels on Booking.com

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More Notable London Hotels

a series of photos showing different types of books I obtained, read thoroughly and underlined abundantly the most recent guidebooks covering London from Lonely Planet,Frommer’s, and Rick Steves. Here are some of the hotel selections highlighted as particularly noteworthy. (I highly recommend acquiring one of these resources for use during your time in London.)

Lonely Planet:
• Hazlitt’s ($$$, West End) – This location dating back to the early 1700s once included several buildings from the original layout.” The core meaning is maintained through different wording while retaining all formatting • Lime Tree Hotel ($$, Westminster) – Beautiful 28-room Georgian townhouse hotel is all comfort, British design, and understated elegance.
• citizenM Tower of London ($, The City) – Compact and well-designed. Some lodgings have extraordinary perspectives of the Tower of London.

Frommer’s:
• Dukes London ($$$, St James) – Comfortable, intimate luxury but more affordable than expected.
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  • Zetter Townhouse ($$, Marylebone) – Eccentric luxury hotel near Hyde Park and Oxford Street.

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Accommodations here typically provide good value, however the most inexpensive hotels do not have the best cost to quality ratio. The student population adds vibrancy despite it being a slightly more relaxed atmosphere overall.

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11. Greenwich

a collage of photos of a person holding a sign Boats travelling along the Thames provide easy access to attractions in other parts of London, including Greenwich located further east – a UNESCO World Heritage site containing numerous museums. Known for naming Greenwich Mean Time, one can see the east-west Prime Meridian Line at the Royal Observatory at the top of Greenwich Park (which also offers the best panoramic views of the skyscrapers at Canary Wharf). Down by the river, the main focus is the Cutty Sark, the world’s last surviving tea clipper, alongside the picturesque buildings of the Old Royal Naval College (designed by Christopher Wren and now primarily used by the University of Greenwich) – the murals within the Painted Hall are definitely worth viewing. Experts in naval history will love the National Maritime Museum, which also contains Inigo Jones’s Queen’s House, designed in 1616 for James I’s wife, Anne of Denmark. Greenwich also provides many places to eat and drink, as well as indoor Greenwich Market for gifts and antiques).

• Greenwich merits a full day trip if time allows (easily accessible via public transport), but there are a few suitable hotels here if wanting to stay longer: the Admiral Hardy in the center, or the contemporary Novotel Greenwich and Staycity Greenwich High Road slightly farther out.

Other London Neighborhoods

We’ve examined our favorite neighborhoods to visit and stay in greater detail above, but London is a vast, attraction-packed city and with more time, the following areas are also worth exploring:

  • Our recommendation is to find an appealing hotel or guesthouse in Trastevere, far and away our favorite area of Rome. Streets of stone, energetic plazas, and some of the finest bars and restaurants in Rome? I`m interested! We stayed at Horti 14 Borgo on our last trip, a magnificent boutique hotel just outside the center of Trastevere, and truly enjoyed it. Especially the breakfast buffet.
  • South London: Tennis aficionados will want to visit the Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Museum (the famed Wimbledon Tennis Tournament takes place in July), while the history of gin is chronicled at the Beefeater Gin Distillery in Kennington. Further south, art enthusiasts should check out the collection at the Dulwich Picture Gallery (which showcases Rembrandt`s renowned Girl at a Window), while the quirky Horniman Museum contains unusual natural history and ethnographic exhibits.
  • West London: Renowned throughout the world due to the 1999 movie bearing its name, the affluent region of Notting Hill lies in West London and is most celebrated for its colorful Victorian-era homes and the Notting Hill Carnival, Europe’s largest street festival (held every August). It’s also home to the iconic Portobello Road Market, a vast emporium of fashion, gifts, antiques, and street food. Spending another week exploring the sights along the River Thames west of central London would be worthwhile. Kew is home to the beautifully maintained Royal Botanic Gardens and the 17th century Kew Palace, while Syon House is another huge stately home just across the river featuring an opulent 18th century interior. Nearby Richmond will be familiar to fans of the hit TV show Ted Lasso, with the World Rugby Museum and Twickenham Stadium Tours on the other side of the Thames. Henry VIII’s Hampton Court Palace farther south is one of England’s most famous royal palaces. Finally, it’s an easy day trip out to Windsor to see the massive royal castle, Eton College, and the location where the Magna Carta was signed at Runnymede. The Macdonald Windsor Hotel and Castle Hotel Windsor are good central choices here. The Bingham Riverhouse is a romantic option in Richmond.
  • It may not be very practical to simply remain at airports unless you have a very early flight scheduled (or are arriving quite late) and plan to use public transportation for your travel within London, as it can take some time to commute from the city center to certain airports like Gatwick and Stansted especially. The Hilton Garden Inn and Aerotel are among the most convenient options for staying near Heathrow airport and both provide good quality lodging, though they can be expensive. Nearby hotels such as the Leonardo and Renaissance usually offer much more affordable rates. At Stansted we enjoy staying at the ultra convenient Hampton, while Bloc Hotel at the South Terminal and YOTELAIR and Premier Inn at the North Terminal near Gatwick airport are consistently good, convenient choices.

England’s Premier League is popular globally, and though tickets are not inexpensive, watching a football (soccer) game at one of the major London clubs can be a memorable experience. Don’t even consider driving to a game: take a train or the Underground. Most clubs also offer stadium tours and have on-site museums showcasing the silverware.

  • Arsenal plays at the Emirates Stadium in Holloway, North London, served by the Arsenal, Highbury & Islington and Holloway Road Underground stations.
  • Chelsea plays at Stamford Bridge in Fulham, West London, with Fulham Broadway the closest Underground station.
  • Tottenham play at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in North London, close to the White Hart Lane Overground station as well as the Seven Sisters and Tottenham Hale Underground stops.
  • Other prominent London Premiership clubs in the area include West Ham (playing at the Olympic stadium in East London), Crystal Palace located in South London, and Brentford and Fulham (both in West London).

London Travel Tips

  • London has three primary airports that serve it – Heathrow,Gatwick and Stansted – with smaller airports like Luton, London Southend and London City serving a few domestic and European destinations. The best way into the city from the main three airports is to take the train (or Underground from Heathrow); taxis are readily available but expensive.
  • London offers several tourist discount cards for saving money on attractions. However, if only visiting free museums and galleries like Tate Modern and the British Museum, the value may not outweigh the cost. Research is needed to maximize the benefits of these programs.

    • – The all-inclusive London Pass (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7 or 10 days) is valid at over 90 sights (but NOT the London Eye and Madame Tussauds) and proves a wise choice for families planning to see a minimum of 3 major attractions (not museums) daily.
    – The London City Pass from Turbo Pass is comparable but offers a free public transportation option, which is helpful, but generally is better for visitors staying longer, around 7 days.
    – The London Sightseeing Pass doesn’t include as much content as the others, BUT is a bit cheaper and not bad for short trips and for visitors who like bus and boat tours.
    – We also suggest the Go City London Explorer Pass, where the cost is based on the number of selected activities and sights rather than the number of days, so it could be cheaper if you know exactly what you want to do

  • Bike rental is available through bike-sharing organizations like Santander Cycles. London offers plenty of bike lanes and “leisure cycle routes” making it suitable for cycling; but with efficient public transportation, renting a bike simply to travel around isn’t necessary – unless you truly enjoy riding and plan to widely explore the leisure routes. Dott, Lime and TIER offer shared electric scooters throughout the capital.
  • Free wi-fi is available at Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted airports, and throughout The City district (look for “O2 Wi-Fi”). It’s also available at most Underground stations, museums/galleries, and libraries throughout the city, as well as at almost every café and restaurant.
  • Providing Gratuities: unlike common practice in the US, tipping in the UK is optional and depends on the level of service received. In London, it is typical to leave 10–15% of the total bill when dining out, though if a service charge was already included (which does occur) there is no need for an additional tip. Locals also tend to round taxi fares to the nearest whole British pound. Do not tip the bartender in a pub, though.

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Welcome to my travel website! I’m Mary Howard, an American who has been exploring the world full-time for 8 years.

Together with my husband, Intan, we often find ourselves in our second home, Bali, but our adventures take us to exciting destinations all over the globe.

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