Where to Stay in London: A Neighbourhood Guide

Short answer: for a first visit, stay somewhere in zone 1 within a few minutes of a Tube station, ideally in Covent Garden if you want to be in the middle of it, or Bloomsbury if you want a calmer base with a lot within walking distance. Five minutes' walk from a Tube station beats a view of any landmark.

London hotels are expensive, and rooms are often small, especially in older buildings. Check whether the room has a window, air conditioning for summer, and a lift if you have heavy bags.

Covent Garden and Soho

The West End: theatres, restaurants, bars and crowds until late. You can walk to Trafalgar Square, the Westminster sights and the British Museum. The most central and most expensive choice, and noisy at weekends.

Bloomsbury and King's Cross

Georgian squares, the British Museum and the University of London, with good-value hotels by London standards. King's Cross and St Pancras are ideal for the Eurostar, the Piccadilly line to Heathrow and trains north, and the area around Granary Square has become a lively place to eat. The streets right outside the stations are less pleasant.

South Bank and Southwark

The riverside walk, Tate Modern, the Globe and Borough Market on your doorstep, with views of the City across the Thames. Good for evenings, and London Bridge and Waterloo stations are nearby.

South Kensington

Handsome white stucco streets, the Natural History Museum, the Science Museum, the V&A and Hyde Park. Safe and quiet at night, which suits families, but a Tube ride from the theatres and the East End.

Marylebone

Village-like, with an excellent high street of independent shops and cafés, and close to Regent's Park and Oxford Street. Calmer than the West End and still central.

The City and Shoreditch

The financial district empties at weekends, when business hotels often drop their prices. Shoreditch, just north, is the opposite: bars, street art and late nights. Liverpool Street, on the Elizabeth line, serves both.

Before you book, check which lines serve the nearest station. Our getting there guide for the airport links.