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Travel Guide: London
Picking a convenient London hotel location
This page helps you choose the most convenient and interesting location for your London, England visit. This is especially helpful if you plan to obtain a cheap rate at a quality accommodation in London by using a zone-based booking service like Priceline.com HotelsFor the following locations, check the neighborhood maps on Priceline.com Hotels
Overview
Mayfair and Soho
Westminster
Kensington – Earls Court – Knightsbridge
Bloomsbury – Marble Arch
Regents Park
London Bridge
The City – Financial District
Notting Hill – Bayswater
South Bank – Vauxhall
Hammersmith
Gatwick, Heathrow, and Lutton airports
Overview
London covers a large area with no one neighborhood having everything.
However, the neighborhoods between (1) the southeastern corner of Hyde Park and the Parliament and the London Eye on the Thames and (2) between Hyde Park and the theatre district in Soho are the most convenient for many visitors.
These are Mayfair, Soho, and Westminster.
On the other hand, you may find better hotel values in Bloomsbury (British Museum) and Kensington/Earls Court. These are still reasonably convenient.
London has a great underground transportation system that makes it remarkably easy to move around. You don’t want to be so far out, though, that you spend too much time in transit. If you are with walking distance of much of what you want to do, all the better!
Mayfair and Soho
For most of us, adjacent Mayfair and Soho are within walking distance of much of what we want to see and do.Think of these as staying just south of Central Park in New York City.
Mayfair puts you in a very upscale neighborhood with many of the best restaurants and finest hotels in London. Soho brings you the theatre district.
Hyde Park is at your west and you are surrounded by some of London’s most interesting architecture.
Regular hotel rates at places like the London Marriott Hotel Grosvenor Square and the Washington Mayfair Hotel tend to be expensive, but these same hotels sometimes offer the largest percentage discounts to Priceline.com Hotels
Westminster
Also super convenient, Westminster is a paradise for walkers and a great area to book a hotel.Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II lives on your north and a portion this area extends across the Thames to the London Eye and to the adjacent London Marriott Hotel County Hall.
In Westminster, you find a larger selection of less expensive and moderate cost hotels than in Mayfair and Soho, but fewer more expensive ones such as the Dolphin Square Hotel
Here too are many of the London's most popular tourist sites, as well as Victoria Station, the terminal for Gatwick Airport here.
Kensington – Earls Court – Knightsbridge
Princess Diana and her children lived in Kensington, and Knightsbridge has Harrods, London’s most well-known department store.These adjacent areas are filled with less expensive and moderate cost hotels and a few more deluxe hotels like the Millennium Gloucester London (a favorite of Wimbledon participants).
All three neighborhoods make a good base for your London stay. We especially appreciate their proximity to Hyde Park.
Bloomsbury – Marble Arch
London goes to school at the University of London and lodges visitors at the many less expensive and moderate cost hotels in this area. You also find a few more expensive ones, such as the Churchill Intercontinental.Some call this the "real" London, as London residents do much of their everyday shopping "on the cheap" here.
These are reasonably convenient neighborhoods to access sightseeing, but not usually the most interesting for walking.
Regents Park
A bit less convenient than the above neighborhoods, visitors nevertheless love Regents Park for its grand public spaces and historic architecture.Think of this upscale area as a bit like staying on NYC’s Upper East Side. You are in a primarily residential area with easy access to the city center.
London Bridge
The south bank of the Thames has become quite the “in” place since the new Tate Museum and London Eye opened.However, other areas may be more convenient areas for a London visit.
The City – Financial District
Although most tourists visit this area at least once, the Financial District is not the best location for your hotel, unless you are traveling on business.Destroyed more than other area of central London during World War II, the newer architecture here is far less interesting than what it replaced.
However, you are convenient to the theatre district and to many other attractions, including the Tower of London.
Notting Hill – Bayswater
Somewhat bohemian in feel, Notting Hill attracts a younger crowd.Both Bayswater and Notting Hill are not central to major sightseeing, but you may enjoy exploring their residential streets and small shopping areas, including their street markets.
You find Paddington, the station for Heathrow, here.
South Bank – Vauxhall
The South Bank and Vauxhall areas, just south of the Thames, are a good choice when you cannot find a suitable price in Westminster, Mayfair, or Soho.Hammersmith
Hammersmith is too far from major sightseeing to deserve consideration, unless your multi-day focus is nearby Kew Gardens.Gatwick, Heathrow, and Lutton airports
Priceline.com HotelsThese areas are not recommended for more than a one-night stay due to the inconvenience and expense of getting to central London sightseeing.
Of the three, Heathrow has by far the largest selection of hotels.
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Have a great time in London!
