AreaStays
Tower Bridge over the River Thames in London, seen from the west on a clear day

Acabashi / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0

United Kingdom

Where to Stay in London

London is huge, but almost everything a first-time visitor wants sits within a handful of connected central neighborhoods. This guide covers the ones that work best as a base — from theatre-land around Covent Garden to the museum quarter in Kensington and the riverside walk along the South Bank. The city rewards a mix of walking and the Underground: the Tube's deep, frequent network puts most of central London within 20-30 minutes of anywhere else in it. Don't miss the free national museums — the British Museum, National Gallery, and Tate galleries charge nothing for general admission — or a walk along the Thames at dusk, when the city's bridges and riverside buildings light up.

Quick facts

Best time to visit
Visit in late spring or early autumn (May-June or September) for the mildest weather and slightly thinner crowds than peak summer. July and August are busiest and priciest. Winters are mild but grey, wet, and short on daylight — pack for rain whenever you visit.
Renting a car
Skip the rental car. Central London's Congestion Charge and Ultra Low Emission Zone both apply within this guide's neighborhoods, parking is expensive and limited, and the Tube, buses, and walking cover everything here more easily.

Where to stay

The Apple Market entrance inside Covent Garden's historic market building, hung with bunting

Colin Smith / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0

Covent Garden

Best for: First-time visitors, Couples, Nightlife

The London Eye and County Hall on the south bank of the River Thames

Dietmar Rabich / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0

South Bank

Best for: Architecture lovers, First-time visitors, Families

The twin Romanesque towers of the Natural History Museum's terracotta facade in South Kensington

Daniel Lu (User:dllu) / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0

Kensington

Best for: Architecture lovers, Luxury travelers, Families

The Sherlock Holmes Museum storefront at 221B Baker Street in Marylebone

Jordan 1972 / Wikimedia Commons, Public domain

Marylebone

Best for: Couples, Luxury travelers, Architecture lovers

A sticker- and graffiti-covered doorway on Brick Lane in Shoreditch, East London

Acabashi / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0

Shoreditch

Best for: Nightlife, Budget travelers

Compare neighborhoods

AreaBest forAdvantageTrade-off
Covent GardenFirst-time visitorsSteps from the West End theatres, with excellent walking access to Trafalgar Square, the Strand, and the river.Busy and loud most evenings, and hotel rates run higher here than in less central areas.
South BankArchitecture loversA flat, traffic-free riverside walk connecting the London Eye, Tate Modern, and Shakespeare's Globe, with skyline views across to Westminster and the City.Spread out along the river rather than centered on one hub, and quieter for evening dining and nightlife than areas further into the West End.
KensingtonArchitecture loversThree major free museums within walking distance of each other, next to Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens.A Tube ride rather than a walk from the West End theatres and most nightlife.
MaryleboneCouplesA quieter, village-like central base within easy walking distance of Oxford Street and Regent's Park.Fewer restaurants and bars right on the doorstep than Covent Garden or Soho, and it quiets down early at night.
ShoreditchNightlifeLondon's densest concentration of street art, warehouse bars, and independent restaurants, generally at lower rates than the West End.Loud at night on the main streets, and further from Westminster and the traditional sights than this guide's other areas.

Our picks for London

A handful of editorial calls across every neighborhood above, not just the highest star rating — see each hotel's own card further down for the full case for and against it.

🏆 Our overall pickHilton London BanksideSouth Bank💰 Best valuePremier Inn London County HallSouth Bank❤️ Best for couplesMilestone HotelKensington✨ Best luxuryMilestone HotelKensington📍 Best locationOne AldwychCovent Garden

A couple of hotels in Covent Garden

Covent Garden is the top-recommended area to stay in London.

One Aldwych

★★★★★
  • 📍 Best location

Our take An independent five-star hotel in a landmark Edwardian building, with a genuinely central location at the edge of Covent Garden and the Strand — one of the most convenient luxury bases in the West End.

Good for

  • Luxury travelers
  • Couples

Couples and travelers who want a five-star stay right at the edge of Covent Garden and the Strand, within walking distance of Somerset House and the river.

Why we like it

  • Set in a converted 1907 bank building with a dramatic curved facade at the corner of the Strand and Aldwych
  • One of central London's largest hotel pools, an 18-metre lap pool in the lower-ground-floor spa
  • An in-house contemporary art collection displayed throughout the public spaces, refreshed periodically
  • Steps from Waterloo Bridge, Somerset House, and the Covent Garden piazza

What to know

  • Rooms are priced at the top of this guide's Covent Garden hotels, reflecting the five-star positioning
  • Some entry-level rooms are smaller than the suites the hotel is best known for
Check availability on Booking.com

Strand Palace Hotel

★★★★
  • 🧭 Best for first-time visitors

Our take A big, well-located 4-star hotel that puts you a block from Covent Garden's piazza at a more moderate price than most hotels this central.

Good for

  • First-time visitors
  • Couples

First-time visitors who want a central, reliable base a short walk from Covent Garden, the Strand, and the river.

Why we like it

  • A block from Covent Garden's piazza and a short walk to the Strand and the river
  • Guest rooms and public areas renovated in 2021
  • A 24-hour gym and several on-site bars and restaurants
  • One of the larger hotels in the area, so rooms are usually available even when smaller boutique hotels sell out

What to know

  • Strand-facing rooms can pick up traffic noise; ask for a room facing away from the street for a quieter stay
  • As one of the larger hotels in Covent Garden, the lobby and public areas can feel busy at peak check-in times
Check availability on Booking.com

Useful travel information

The UK uses the pound sterling (£), not the euro. The Underground (the Tube) is the fastest way to cover longer distances; buy an Oyster card or use contactless card/phone payment at the gates rather than paper tickets. Traffic drives on the left — look right first when crossing the street. Tipping isn't mandatory; 10-12.5% is appreciated at sit-down restaurants if a service charge isn't already added, but it's not expected at pubs or cafés.

Tips

  • Book tickets for the British Museum, National Gallery, and other major museums online in advance where possible — general admission is free, but timed entry slots for popular exhibitions fill up.
  • Get an Oyster card or use contactless payment on the Tube and buses — it automatically caps your daily and weekly spending at the best available fare, cheaper than buying paper tickets.
  • The Tube can shut down entire lines for planned engineering works, especially on weekends — check the TfL status page before a Saturday or Sunday journey across town.

Frequently asked questions

Where should first-time visitors stay in London?
Covent Garden or South Bank both put you within walking distance of major sights, theatres, and the Thames. Covent Garden leans more shopping-and-theatre, South Bank more museums-and-river.
Is London walkable?
Central London's neighborhoods are individually very walkable, but the city as a whole is large — plan to combine walking within an area with the Tube or bus to move between areas.
How many days do I need in London?
Four to five days covers the major sights at a reasonable pace across two or three neighborhoods. A week lets you add a day trip or explore further afield.

Related destinations