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Where to stay in London

London is huge, and where you sleep shapes the whole trip. Stay central for landmarks on foot, go east for food and nightlife, or head west for leafy streets and museums.

London

Find your area, then your hotel

Tap one of our picks, or any area, to see its hotels on the map, what it costs, where we'd book and how long it takes to get around.

In short: our pick for each kind of trip. Tap one to see why.

Westminster, London
Should you stay in

Westminster?

Best for first-time visitors

What a night costs

Budget
$160
Mid-range
$320
Luxury
$695

11th cheapest of 14 areas, about $40 a night less than Covent Garden.

Where we'd book

The verdict

Big Ben, Buckingham Palace and the parks are all within walking distance. Westminster is polished and very central, though quieter at night than the West End.

  • Stay here if
  • First-time visitors with a long list of landmarks
  • Families who want calm evenings
  • Business travellers with meetings in Whitehall or Victoria
  • Look elsewhere if
  • Nightlife is your priority
  • You want independent restaurants on the doorstep
  • You're on a tight budget

Is it safe?

Around the city averageStreet crime is about the London average.

Source: data.police.uk

Minutes to the sights

  • Buckingham Palace8 minwalk
  • London Eye10 min
  • Big Ben13 minwalk
  • Covent Garden Market20 min
  • Trafalgar Square23 minwalk
  • St Paul's Cathedral24 min

Stations and airports

10 min to Leicester Square, zone 1. Westminster, St James's Park and Victoria stations (Jubilee, District, Circle, Victoria lines).

  • From HeathrowPiccadilly, District62 min
  • From GatwickGatwick Express55 min
  • From StanstedGreater Anglia, Victoria, District83 min
  • From LutonEast Midlands Railway, Victoria, District63 min
  • From London City AirportDLR, Jubilee, Circle38 min
  • From Eurostar (St Pancras)Victoria, District24 min
Read the full Westminster guide →

Typical rates for a double outside peak events, not live prices. Updated Sep 2026 · How we rate areas · Minutes planned with the TfL Journey Planner for a weekday, including walking and waiting · Booking through our links costs you nothing extra and may earn us a commission. Learn more

London questions

What is the best area to stay in London for first-timers?

Westminster puts the big sights within easy reach and is 10 minutes from Leicester Square. Covent Garden and Soho are good alternatives.

Which area of London has the cheapest hotels?

Greenwich and Camden, with budget hotels from around $115 and mid-range around $200–$215 a night.

Where should families stay in London?

South Bank has the best mix of parks, calm streets and sights for kids. Westminster and Kensington are good alternatives.

Where is the best nightlife in London?

Soho has the most bars, restaurants and late nights. Shoreditch and Camden are good alternatives.

Is it worth staying outside central London?

It can save around $160 a night on a mid-range room compared with Covent Garden, but adds travel time. Greenwich is 35 minutes, Canary Wharf is 20 minutes and Shoreditch is 20 minutes from Leicester Square.