Looking for area and hotel recommendations in London? As long-term residents, we’ve put together a guide to the best areas to consider for your next stay, including what to do in each area, transport links, and hotel recommendations.
By: Paul Healy | Last Updated: | Jump to Comments
Finding somewhere to stay in London can be daunting, so we’ve simplified things to make the process as easy as possible.
Our guide includes just five main areas that we believe are the best places to stay.
Some are ideal for families, offering good facilities and budget-friendly options, while others are perfect if you want to be in the centre of the action, with nightlife right on your doorstep.
This guide is aimed at tourists who want accommodation that makes it easy to get around and see the sights without spending too much time commuting each day.
Why should you trust us? We’ve lived in London for over 30 years, so we know the city well.
All of the recommended areas work perfectly with our London Itinerary, which is primarily designed for walking, with a few sections where public transport is required.
LAYOUT OF LONDON
London is made up of various neighbourhoods, each with a distinct vibe. Most of the main tourist attractions are located in the neighbourhoods north of the Thames.
Although it’s a large and sprawling city, the core of London, where you’ll want to spend most of your time as a tourist, is actually relatively compact and walkable. From Buckingham Palace to Westminster Abbey, it’s around a 20-minute walk; from Westminster Abbey to Oxford Circus, it’s around 30 minutes.
Also, London’s excellent public transport system makes it very easy to get around. All the neighbourhoods we recommend below have very good transport links, allowing you to explore more of the city.
USING OUR MAPS. Click on the top right corner to open in the Google Maps app. Click on the star to save to your Google account.
ABOUT THIS GUIDE
We have recommended London neighbourhoods for your next stay based on the following criteria:
Central – These areas (Westminster and Soho) are the most centrally located, with everything on your doorstep. They are not the quietest areas, but they are the most convenient.
Neighbourhoods – These areas (Marylebone and Fitzrovia) offer a taste of local London, with leafy streets, charming architecture, and excellent local restaurants.
Urban – If you are looking for something with a cool edge, these areas (Shoreditch and East London) have a vibrant, multicultural vibe, striking street art, and lively bars and restaurants.
Value – These areas (Paddington and Notting Hill) offer some of the best value in London while remaining centrally located and well connected by public transport.
If you feel like treating yourself to an indulgent break, check out these fantastic spa hotels in London.
WHERE TO STAY IN LONDON?
1. WESTMINSTER
Central – Stay here if you want to be in the centre of the main tourist attractions in London.
Westminster is the central tourist area of London, home to many of the city’s main attractions, including Westminster Abbey, the Houses of Parliament, and Buckingham Palace.
This is not where you’ll find a local or hidden part of London; this is where you would stay if you wanted to be very central and within walking distance of all the top tourist attractions.
You also have easy access to nearby Covent Garden and the Southbank.
Additionally, public transport options couldn’t be better.
Although Westminster lacks the neighbourhood feel that many of the other areas have, you can find some surprisingly good-value hotels.
WESTMINSTER HOTEL RECOMMENDATIONS:
- Luna & Simone Hotel ($) – This modern, clean, and comfortable hotel is family-run and conveniently located near Victoria bus and train stations.
- The Guardsman ($$) – This boutique hotel feels like a sophisticated private members club on the edge of St James’s Park.
- The Goring ($$$) – The Goring has an elegant style with a large private garden, smartly decked doormen and a Michelin-star restaurant.
2. SOHO & THE WEST END
Central – Stay here to enjoy London’s best restaurants, theatre and nightlife from a very central location.
The West End is an informally defined area north of the Thames between Oxford Circus and Holborn (see our map above).
Soho is a smaller area within the West End, roughly defined by the triangle formed by the Oxford Circus, Piccadilly Circus, and Tottenham Court Road tube stations.
This is one of the most exciting areas in London, with streets packed with bars, cafes, restaurants and pubs.
From a base in Soho and the West End, you can easily walk to Oxford Street and Regent Street, home of big-brand flagship stores.
Chinatown and Leicester Square are a few minutes south, and all the West End theatres are on your doorstep.
This is one of the busiest areas in London, with a very active nightlife, so it’s not the quietest part of the city.
OUR SOHO HOTEL RECOMMENDATIONS:
- Z Hotel Strand (£) – It’s not easy to find decent-value hotels near the West End, but Z Hotels have a few with the pick being on The Strand.
- Hazlitt’s (££) – In the heart of Soho, I’ve walked past this hotel many times and never known it was there. It oozes old-world charm across four Georgian townhouses with a wood-panelled library, leather-bound books, and antique furniture.
- L’Oscar (£££) – On the north-eastern corner of Covent Garden, this exquisitely designed boutique hotel is opulently decorated somewhere between 1920s glam and Studio 54.
3. MARYLEBONE, FITZROVIA & BLOOMSBURY
Neighbourhoods – Stay here for a local neighbourhood stay in quiet leafy streets with high-quality restaurants.
We’ve broadly grouped the area north of Oxford Street into one section, incorporating Marylebone, Fitzrovia and Bloomsbury. We’ve done this because they each provide a similar type of stay, and the whole area is very well connected with the Circle Line on the tube.
It’s a great part of London if you’re looking for a neighbourhood stay that’s still central.
At the eastern end, Marylebone has a village-like atmosphere, with excellent local restaurants such as Opso, our favourite Greek restaurant in London.
A short stroll along Oxford Street takes you into Fitzrovia, which has a fantastic café scene and our favourite coffee shop (at the moment), Kaffeine. The streets around here are lined with independent shops, quirky cafes, and several great bars and restaurants. It’s just across Oxford Street from Soho.
As you head further into Bloomsbury, the cafes start to thin out, but there are some very good accommodation options at all ends of the budget.
MARYLEBONE, FITZROVIA & BLOOMSBURY HOTEL SUGGESTIONS:
- Marylebone Inn (£) – It’s not easy to find decent-value London hotels in Marylebone, but the Marylebone Inn ticks most boxes. It’s just a few minutes’ walk from Baker Street tube station.
- Zetter Townhouse (££) – A few streets back from Oxford Street, this hotel in a Georgian townhouse is packed with strange curios with a Victorian theme.
- The Standard (£££) – Manhattan cool in central London, conveniently located near King’s Cross Station, where the Eurostar arrives from Paris.
4. SHOREDITCH & EAST LONDON
Urban – Stay here to enjoy London’s multicultural neighbourhoods with street art and edgy clubs.
I lived on the border between Farringdon and Shoreditch for many years, and so, I’m a bit biased, but this is a great part of London.
It’s not inundated with tourist attractions; instead, you’ll find a multicultural side to London with great nightlife, cool cafes and a wonderful art scene.
There are some legendary bars and clubs in Shoreditch, including Queen of Hoxton, Boundary Rooftop Bar and the Discount Suit Company, just to name a few.
It’s also home to the Columbia Road Flower Market, one of our favourite things to do in London.
One of the main focal points in East London is Brick Lane, a vibrant street with vintage shops, curry houses, and excellent street art. Our Shoreditch Street Art walk collects the best of the area, although the art regularly changes.
OUR SHOREDITCH & EAST LONDON HOTEL RECOMMENDATIONS:
- Z Hotel (£) – It’s not easy to find decent-value London hotels near Shoreditch, but the Z Hotel has good clean rooms just a short walk from Hoxton Square.
- Citizen-M Shoreditch (££) – This East London hotel marries designer furniture with modern artwork and a trendy vibe.
- Batty Langleys 360 (£££) – This Georgian terraced house is gloriously plush with crushed velvet, wood-panelled walls, and rows of old books.
5. PADDINGTON & NOTTING HILL
Value – Stay here for the vintage shopping, Victorian architecture, and good-value accommodation options.
Notting Hill is most famous for the colourful Victorian terrace houses and Portobello Market, which has vintage finds, bric-a-brac, fashion and antiques.
In the streets, you’ll find historic pubs, the cool Electric Cinema, great cafes, and plenty to keep the whole family entertained. You can read more in our guide to the best things to do in Notting Hill.
We have lived in Notting Hill for more years than we’d care to disclose. It’s a great part of London that’s slightly away from the hustle and bustle but close enough, thanks to the excellent transport links.
Paddington is a 10-minute walk from Notting Hill, has excellent transport options (the train from Heathrow arrives at Paddington), and offers plenty of great-value accommodation.
OUR PADDINGTON & NOTTING HILL HOTEL RECOMMENDATIONS:
- Kensington Gardens Hotel (£) – There are lots of good-value hotels near Paddington, but this 2-star hotel is one of the best.
- The Hayden (££) – A cool pub with well-priced rooms just a few minutes’ walk from Hyde Park and the boutiques of Westbourne Grove.
- The Laslett(£££) – A wonderful, stylish boutique hotel in a Grade II listed white-fronted Victorian Townhouse near the trendy cafes of Hillgate and the antiques of Portobello Market.
MORE LONDON GUIDES
- For an overview of staying in the city read our guide about the best neighbourhoods in London.
- Stay in the heart of Royal London with our guide to staying in Westminster and St James’s.
- All our favourite things are covered in our guide, the best things to do in London.
- Get to know one of London’s most vibrant areas with our Notting Hill guide.
- Our guide to staying in Soho includes the best things to do in the area along with hotel recommendations.
- See more of the city on one of our self-guided London walks.
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