Hotels in London

Best time to visit London

Visit London at any time of the year! Enjoy long days and pleasant weather in the spring months from March – May. If you visit in the peak tourist season from June – August, make the most of the outdoor festivals and events as average temperature stays around 18 degrees Celsius. From September – November, the crowds decline and accommodation rates drop. In winter, the average temperatures are approximately 2 – 6 degrees Celsius. Wear your coats, boots, gloves, and scarves, and enjoy the festivities of Christmas and New Year.

Getting around London

London has an exceptional public transport system and is one of the best connected cities in the world. There is always an option of one or more modes of travel available to navigate through any part of London city. While buses, underground trains, local trains, trams, and river buses are options for public transport, you can also hire a bike. Typically, for a 24-hour rental, you will pay £2.00 GBP as long as each journey is under 30 minutes. You can take as many trips you want in a day, but you are required to wait for at least 5 minutes between docking a bike and taking another one. If you go over 30 minutes for a ride, extra charges will apply and they start with £1.00 GBP for 30 minutes – 1 hour. The London black taxis and rideshare options such as Uber and Lyft are also easily available. An interesting way to get around the popular sites and attractions is by using the hop-on hop-off city sightseeing bus which runs several loops across the city. Tickets can be purchased for 24 – 36 – 48 hours depending on your itinerary.

Best places to stay in London

A famous English writer, Samuel Johnson once said, “By seeing London, I have seen as much of life as the world can show.” The minute you set foot in London, you will see that its very fabric is crafted by people from over 300 nationalities, speaking close to 250 different languages. Everything from the food to fashion to art and architecture will give you a flavor of how London is a true melting pot of cultures. Each London neighborhood is unique, but at its core, it retains the multi-cultural essence of the city.

Covent Garden

For a central London location with a buzzing street life and ample shopping, the Covent Garden neighborhood is an excellent option. Stay at the hip Hoxton Holborne hotel or go for the cozy accommodation and warmly decorated Victorian rooms at The Fielding hotel on Broad Court.

Bloomsbury

Famous for bookshops on every street corner, Bloomsbury is the ultimate literary neighborhood of London and is also home to the British Museum and London University. Enjoy a luxurious stay at the Bloomsbury Hotel housed in a neo-Georgian building on Great Russel Street or go for boutique accommodation that boasts tastefully decorated rooms and an elaborate afternoon tea tradition at The Montague on the Gardens.

The South Bank and Southwark

Several popular London attractions such as the Coca Cola London Eye, Imperial War Museum, Tate Modern, and Shakespeare’s Globe, are located in this neighborhood. Borough Market, Bermondsey Street and Maltby Street in this area are big draws for hardcore foodies. Enjoy a stylish and modern stay at the CitizenM London Bankside Hotel which is a 2-minute walk from the Tate Modern. Or book a luxurious stay at the Mondrian at Sea Containers hotel where the interiors have been inspired by the glamorous, early 1900s cruise liners.

South Kensington and Chelsea

Hosting top museums such as V&A and the Science Museum, South Kensington is also home to London’s rich and famous. You can book stylish accommodation at The Main House, an elegant Victorian building with antique furnishing. For a mid-range budget stay, check out The Nadler Kensington Hotel at Courtfield Gardens. You can also look at The Apartments by The Sloane Club for Art Deco-inspired rooms and a combination of self-catering and serviced rooms.

Soho

At the heart of West End, in recent years, Soho has transformed into a high-profile gay quarter and is also home to London’s media, film, and advertising industries. Surrounded by restaurants and clubs, stay at the Hazlitt’s hotel located in an early 18th century building with quirkily decorated rooms. If you are keen on a luxurious, urban village feel, consider the Ham Yard Hotel.

East London

With several creative gigs in warehouses, edgy nightlife, and a host of art previews, East London is a perpetually buzzing neighborhood. Stay in chic, tastefully decorated rooms and enjoy 3 award-winning restaurants and bars at the Boundary Restaurants, Rooms & Rooftop hotel in the vibrant area of Shoreditch. You can also look at the Andaz London Liverpool Street hotel which is housed in a beautiful red-brick Victorian building and offers 7 on-site bars and restaurants.

Clerkenwell

Slightly uphill and off the popular tourist maps, this London neighborhood has a mix of Georgian and Victorian architecture, and is home to fashionable shops, cafés, pubs, and restaurants. Stay at the boutique hotel Rookery, a converted Georgian townhouse with antique furnishings complemented by modern amenities. Or check out The Zetter Hotel which is housed in a converted Victorian warehouse at St. John’s Square.

Cheap hotels in London

Several international hotel chains offer budget-friendly accommodation across the city of London. Premier Inn, Travelodge, ibis, and Comfort Inn, have multiple properties with simple, no-frills rooms and easy access to public transport. For a unique budget stay, checkout the Good Hotel London, a hard-to-miss floating hotel in the waters of the London Docklands. The hotel uses all its profits to offer training and work to unemployed locals. For a truly unique experience, check out the Shepherd’s Bush hotel which has a musical heritage and is situated in the former BBC Kensington House. Another novel option is the Green Rooms at Wood Green. This relaxed hostel with an artsy vibe offers discounts to artists, creative types, and style enthusiasts. At the corner of the busy Fleet Street, stay at the Z City Hotel to enjoy bright rooms with floor to ceiling windows and fine city views.

Are you into cultural festivals or warehouse parties? Would you enjoy a boat cruise or a street art tour? Do you want to attend a comedy night event or a street food discovery tour? Shopping for clothes or vintage artifacts or jewelry? Do you want to opt for the quintessential London itinerary with popular sites and attractions or go off the beaten track to explore food, art, architecture, music, or sports? In the vast, vibrant and diverse city of London, you can choose whatever interests you, and you will always find tons of new things to discover.

• If you are visiting London for the first time, don’t miss popular attractions like the Big Ben, Tower Bridge, London Bridge, Coca Cola London Eye, Westminster Abbey, St. Paul’s Cathedral, and Royal Albert Hall.
• You should also include on your itinerary, a tour of the Buckingham Palace, Kensington Palace, Hampton Court Palace, Hyde Park, Madame Tussaud’s, British Museum, and the Natural History Museum.
• Sit by a bench at Piccadilly Circus or Trafalgar Square and experience the permanent buzz and excitement of London. Spot office-goers briskly walking down the busy London streets, bikes whizzing past the traffic, youngsters having animated conversations outsides cafés and restaurants, and tourists at every street corner taking in the memories on their cameras and smart phones.
• Go on a food journey and explore the multitude of cuisines in London eateries. While the legendary tea and scones, and fish and chips, are a must-try, you can also experiment with Indian, Vietnamese, Mediterranean, Korean, Italian, and many other culinary delights that London has to offer. The curry and chicken tikka are hot favorites amongst Brits in recent years.
• Keep an eye out for any pop-ups, parties, street markets, food festivals, or events happening in the city during the time of your visit, and make sure you attend some of them to get a unique London city experience.
• Spend a green day in London’s Hyde Park or Regent’s Park, hire a bike or walk around the internal trails, enjoy a picnic, climb a viewing point such as Primrose Hill, and enjoy panoramic views of the city.
• Plan in advance to attend some of the world’s best music events or art shows in London if they are well timed with your visit. You might simply chance upon a performance by some of the best street musicians and street artists as you walk down one of London’s streets.
• Navigate through a wave of tourists as you walk down Oxford Street, Bond Street, and Regent Street for a shopping trip. Soak in the rich cultural melting pot as you hear different languages being spoken and see trendy fashion on display. For a slightly less crowded shopping experience, visit Camden.