Choosing where to stay in London can make a huge difference to your trip. Over the years we’ve recommended areas and hotels to visiting friends and relatives, and now that we have two children we also pay much more attention to practical things such as walking distances, step-free transport, family rooms and how easy it is to get back to the hotel after a long day.
Our advice is to look at more than the nightly price. Check the travel zone, the nearest Underground or rail station, the journey to the places you most want to visit and the transport links to your airport. A slightly more central hotel can often save a surprising amount of time and money.
Where to stay in London: Recommended areas and neighbourhoods
London has nine transport zones. Zones 1 and 2 are usually the most convenient for a sightseeing trip, but the best choice depends on your budget, airport and the places you most want to visit. Zone 1 contains many major sights, including Trafalgar Square, Covent Garden, Hyde Park, Buckingham Palace and the Tower of London. A hotel in zone 2 beside a well-connected station can still be a very practical base.
However, zone 1 is very large and offers many options for where to stay in London. Here is a guide to the different London neighbourhoods. Each area has been given a colour and number so you can easily identify it on the map below.
Southbank and Borough
The South Bank is one of the areas we recommend most often, especially for first-time visitors and families who want to be able to walk to several major sights. This is the area south of the River Thames, and we have grouped together the areas located between Waterloo and Borough underground stations.
From Waterloo station, you can walk to the South Bank, where you’ll find the London Eye and many other London attractions. We can walk across one of the bridges and easily walk to Trafalgar Square, Piccadilly Circus or Covent Garden. If you are looking for a place to stay in London to walk everywhere, Southbank is one of your best options.
From Borough station, you can reach London Bridge and Tower Bridge on foot, so staying in this area also has many advantages.
Premier Inn hotels have fantastic locations and are one of our favourites if you are staying in London with kids. For us, they are often a very good balance of price, location and practicality. In this area, we love the Premier Inn Waterloo and the Premier Inn County Hall. Both are just a few minutes’ walk from the London Eye and Southbank.
–> Recommended hotels in this area: Sea Containers London and Park Plaza Westminster
Westminster, Pimlico and Victoria
Westminster, Pimlico and Victoria are some of London’s most central neighbourhoods. Westminster is home to Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament, while nearby Victoria has one of London’s largest rail and coach hubs, including direct trains to Gatwick Airport. From these areas you can walk to the River Thames, Big Ben and the London Eye. Victoria is also served by hop-on hop-off sightseeing buses and is home to the Apollo Victoria Theatre, where you can see one of London’s best-known musicals.
The area around Victoria to Sloane Square is an attractive and exclusive London neighbourhood with many restaurants and shops. With this area being so central, it is undeniably one of the best places to stay in London, but it’s no surprise that this convenient location normally comes at a premium price. However, it is also possible to find affordable accommodation in the area.
South Kensington, Knightsbridge and Chelsea
The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea in West London is also home to some great places to stay in London. Sloane Square is one of our favourite parts of London, and although it’s not in the typical tourist centre, we love the authentic Victorian streets and houses of this neighbourhood. The area around Earl’s Court station has many reasonably priced hotels and restaurants. The former Earl’s Court Exhibition Centre closed in 2014 and was demolished, but the neighbourhood remains well connected by the District and Piccadilly lines. South Kensington is also a good option, home to the Natural History and Science Museums. From here, you can easily walk to Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens, and of course, the famous department store Harrods is also located in this neighbourhood.
Knightsbridge can be a bit higher in price as it’s an exclusive area with many restaurants and shops, but we think it’s one of the best areas to stay in London.
⇒ Recommended hotel in this area: Sloane Square Hotel
Notting Hill, Bayswater and Paddington
North of Hyde Park, the area around Bayswater underground station and the famous Notting Hill neighbourhood is popular with tourists when choosing where to stay in London. Hotels tend to be a bit cheaper around here, and it’s great for eating out, with plenty of restaurants and shops, as well as the famous Portobello Road Market. From here, it’s easy to walk to Hyde Park, and there are frequent buses to central London, and of course, the underground connections too.
⇒ Recommended hotels in this area: The Laslett and Commodore Hotel near Lancaster Gate
Central London
The most famous places in central London are Covent Garden, Leicester Square, Piccadilly Circus, Oxford Street, Regent Street and Trafalgar Square. These are the neighbourhoods to consider if you want to stay somewhere in London where you can walk practically everywhere.
Around these areas, you’ll find some of London’s most exclusive hotels, such as The Dorchester, on Park Lane.
Bloomsbury is where the British Museum is located and one of the most highly recommended places to stay in London. Here you can find some nice hotels within walking distance of the centre.
⇒ Recommended hotels in this area: Radisson Blu and St Giles
The City of London
The area known as the ‘City of London’ is home to St Paul’s Cathedral, and from here you have easy access on foot to many of London’s top attractions, including the Tower of London and Tower Bridge. It is still a major office district, so some weekday-focused cafés and shops close at weekends, but the City no longer simply shuts down: major attractions, hotels, restaurants and bars continue to operate. Check individual opening hours if a particular venue matters to you.
⇒ Recommended hotel in this area: Leonardo Royal Hotel London St Paul’s
North London
In the north area of zone 1, you will find Regent’s Park, one of the most beautiful parks in London and a scenic walk from Little Venice to Camden Town. If you stay in this area, we recommend around Marylebone or Baker Street, where you’ll also find the Sherlock Holmes Museum and Madame Tussauds – London’s famous waxworks.
This area is also home to King’s Cross and St Pancras, two of London’s most important stations. Direct Thameslink trains run from St Pancras to Luton Airport Parkway, where the Luton DART connects with the airport terminal; book to “Luton Airport” if you want the DART included in the rail ticket. See our airport transfer guide. Next to King’s Cross are Euston and Russell Square, which are also both good options when looking at where to stay in London, with their hotels, restaurants and great transport links. A bit further north is Angel, a trendy neighbourhood we also highly recommend.
⇒ Recommended hotel in this area: Astor Court Hotel
South London
For the area south of the River Thames, we recommend looking around Waterloo Station as there are several reasonably priced hotels, just 5 minutes from the London Eye. The area of South Bank is a lovely place to enjoy a walk along the River Thames, with its many restaurants and street entertainers along the river bank. Another convenient option in south London is around London Bridge Station and neighbouring Borough Market.
⇒ Recommended hotel in this area: London Bridge Hotel
Hammersmith and Fulham
Other areas that are not too far from the centre are Hammersmith and Fulham. Finding a hotel close to an underground station in these areas would also be a good option.
–> Recommended hotel in this area: Prince of Wales Townhouse
Tower of London and Wapping
Staying in this area of London has many advantages as you will be a few minutes’ walk from the Tower of London, Tower Bridge, and a few minutes’ walk from Borough Market and the London Bridge area. The areas that are north of this area, Aldgate and Whitechapel, are also very popular as there are a large number of hotels. They are usually slightly cheaper, but although the location is good, I have to admit they are not on my list of my favourite areas. I would always recommend looking for something in another area unless you are near a tube station.
–> Recommended hotel in this area: The Tower Hotel
See all of our recommended hotels in London
Where to stay in London: Zones Map
Recommendations for places to stay in London outside of Zone 1
There are some great neighbourhoods and places to stay in London outside of Zone 1. In theory, the further you are from central London, the cheaper the accommodation unless you’re in one of London’s more exclusive neighbourhoods.
However, when looking for cheaper accommodation, don’t be fooled by just the price of the hotel. Always remember to check the transport links to the centre. Also, don’t forget that what you save on accommodation, you end up spending on travel, plus it will take you longer every day to commute in and out of the city.
That said, we still definitely recommend some neighbourhoods outside of Zone 1 for a different and maybe more authentic experience. These include:
- Hampstead (zone 2)
- Belsize Park (zone 2)
- Greenwich (zone 2)
- Canary Wharf (zone 2)
- Richmond upon Thames (zone 4)
- Kew (zone 4)
Hi, we are Alberto and Amy, the London locals behind PlanTrip London. We’ve lived in London since 2010 and have spent every year since exploring the city, from its famous landmarks to the markets, pubs, parks and hidden corners most visitors never find. Over the years we became the go-to trip planners for friends and family visiting London, so we created this site to share the same first-hand, tried-and-tested advice with you. Every itinerary, tip and recommendation here comes from our own experience with our two children, so you can plan a London trip that’s easier, better value and far more memorable.