Where to Stay in London: Areas and Top-Rated Hotels
Where to stay in London? Areas from Westminster to Shoreditch, getting in from the airports, choosing a hotel, and top-rated hotels.
London is a big city, and the area you stay in decides how much of your day you spend getting around. This guide covers the main areas, getting into town from the airports, and what to check when choosing a hotel. A list of top-rated hotels follows at the end.
Areas of London
- Westminster and the South Bank: Big Ben, the Houses of Parliament, the London Eye and the Thames riverside. A central base for a first visit.
- Covent Garden and Soho (West End): Theatres, restaurants and shopping. Lively in the evening; rooms tend to be small and expensive.
- Bloomsbury and King’s Cross: Around the British Museum. King’s Cross St Pancras links to Eurostar and many Underground lines.
- South Kensington and Kensington: The Natural History Museum, the V&A and Hyde Park. Quieter and good for families.
- The City and Shoreditch: The financial district goes quiet at weekends; Shoreditch, just north, is known for cafés and nightlife.
Getting in from the airport
- Heathrow (LHR): The Elizabeth line and the Piccadilly line run into central London. The Heathrow Express runs non-stop to Paddington.
- Gatwick (LGW): The Gatwick Express runs to Victoria; Thameslink trains serve London Bridge and St Pancras.
- Stansted (STN): The Stansted Express runs to Liverpool Street.
- Getting around: Use an Oyster card or a contactless bank card on the Underground, buses and trains.
What to check when choosing a hotel
- Check the Tube line: Distances are long. Which line and station a hotel is near often matters more than whether it is central.
- Fare zones: Fares depend on zones. Hotels outside Zone 1 are usually cheaper, but journeys take longer.
- Room size and air conditioning: Rooms in older buildings are small, and not every hotel has air conditioning. Read the room details in summer.
- Breakfast and cancellation: Check whether breakfast is included and the free-cancellation deadline before you book.
London in numbers
- Places to stay: Kolay Seyahat lists 24,106 properties in London (hotels, apartments, guesthouses and more). See all London hotels, or browse 5-star hotels in London, 4-star hotels in London, 3-star hotels in London.
- Flights from Istanbul: Across 61 flight dates between 22 August 2026 and 21 October 2026, our fare checks found a lowest one-way fare of TRY 7,459 and a median of TRY 16,826 (1 adult, economy, taxes included). On 39% of those days the cheapest option was a non-stop flight. See current fares on the Istanbul–London fare calendar.
Top-rated hotels in London
The “Featured Hotels” list below is built from data, not picked by hand: properties in London with photos, at least 5 guest reviews and a score of 8.0 or higher out of 10, ranked by number of reviews (October 2026). Scores come from reviews by guests who stayed at the property. The top three are President Hotel (8.98 · 87 reviews), Royal National Hotel (8.26 · 49 reviews), Hotel Saint (9.17 · 44 reviews). Open a hotel’s page for current prices and availability.
Cover photo: Tina P. / Pexels
