Where to stay · London · United Kingdom
Where to stay in London
8 neighbourhoods compared, with the trade-offs hotel listings don't tell you.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Julian Herzog ( Website ), CC BY 4.0
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Quick answer
For a first visit, stay in Covent Garden and Soho. Theatreland, the market piazza and late-night restaurants in the West End. Best alternatives — families: South Kensington; budget: Bloomsbury and King's Cross.
Key facts
- First visit
- Covent Garden and Soho
- Families
- South Kensington
- Budget
- Bloomsbury and King's Cross
- Nightlife
- Covent Garden and Soho
Best area for each kind of trip
| Trip type | Area | Why |
|---|---|---|
| First-timers | Covent Garden and Soho | Theatreland, the market piazza and late-night restaurants in the West End |
| Families | South Kensington | Museum quarter, white stucco terraces and Hyde Park on the doorstep |
| Couples | Covent Garden and Soho | Theatreland, the market piazza and late-night restaurants in the West End |
| Budget | Bloomsbury and King's Cross | Georgian squares, the British Museum and Eurostar on the doorstep |
| Luxury | South Kensington | Museum quarter, white stucco terraces and Hyde Park on the doorstep |
| Nightlife | Covent Garden and Soho | Theatreland, the market piazza and late-night restaurants in the West End |
| Food lovers | Covent Garden and Soho | Theatreland, the market piazza and late-night restaurants in the West End |
| Solo travellers | Bloomsbury and King's Cross | Georgian squares, the British Museum and Eurostar on the doorstep |
| Shopping | Shoreditch and Spitalfields | Street art, Brick Lane curry houses and East End markets |
| Quiet stays | South Kensington | Museum quarter, white stucco terraces and Hyde Park on the doorstep |
London neighbourhoods in detail
$$$$ · Best for first-timers, nightlife, food lovers and couples
Covent Garden and Soho
The core of the West End holds most of London's theatres, the Covent Garden piazza with its street performers and Apple Market, and Soho's dense grid of restaurants, bars and Chinatown around Gerrard Street. Trafalgar Square and the National Gallery are a five-minute walk away, and the Piccadilly, Northern and Elizabeth lines all stop nearby.
- Good
- Walk to theatres, the National Gallery and the river; Huge choice of restaurants and bars; Excellent Tube connections
- Watch out
- Among the most expensive hotels in London; Crowded and noisy late into the night
- Nearby
- National Gallery, Trafalgar Square, Leicester Square, Chinatown, Seven Dials
$$$ · Best for first-timers, couples, culture and food lovers
South Bank and Bankside
The south bank of the Thames between Westminster Bridge and London Bridge is a traffic-free promenade lined with the Southbank Centre, the National Theatre, the BFI, Tate Modern and Shakespeare's Globe. Borough Market and the Shard sit at its eastern end, and Waterloo and London Bridge stations give fast links across the city.
- Good
- Riverside walking to many major sights; Strong arts and food scene; Big rail hubs at Waterloo and London Bridge
- Watch out
- Thinner hotel choice than north of the river; The promenade is very crowded on summer weekends
- Nearby
- London Eye, Tate Modern, Shakespeare's Globe, Borough Market
$$$$ · Best for families, luxury, culture and quiet stays
South Kensington
Exhibition Road links three free museums — the Natural History Museum, the Science Museum and the V&A — with the Royal Albert Hall and Hyde Park at its northern end. The surrounding streets are lined with white stucco terraces and French cafés near the Institut Français, and the Piccadilly line runs directly to Heathrow while the District and Circle lines reach Westminster.
- Good
- Three free museums within a few minutes' walk; Quiet residential streets at night; Direct Piccadilly line to Heathrow
- Watch out
- Expensive hotels and restaurants; Limited nightlife
- Nearby
- Natural History Museum, V&A, Hyde Park, Royal Albert Hall, Harrods
$$$ · Best for first-timers, budget, culture and solo travellers
Bloomsbury and King's Cross
Bloomsbury's garden squares and Georgian terraces surround the British Museum and University College London, and hotels are often better value than in the West End a short walk south. To the north, the redeveloped King's Cross area has Granary Square, Coal Drops Yard and the Regent's Canal towpath, while St Pancras International handles Eurostar trains to Paris, Brussels and Amsterdam.
- Good
- Walk to the British Museum and Covent Garden; Six Tube lines at King's Cross St Pancras; Good-value hotels by central London standards
- Watch out
- Streets right around King's Cross station are traffic-heavy; Quiet around the squares in the evening
- Nearby
- British Museum, St Pancras International, Coal Drops Yard, Russell Square
$$$ · Best for nightlife, food lovers, solo travellers and shopping
Shoreditch and Spitalfields
Just north of the City, Shoreditch and Spitalfields mix street art, converted warehouses and some of London's busiest bar streets. Old Spitalfields Market, Brick Lane's beigel shops and curry houses and the Sunday Columbia Road Flower Market are all within walking distance, and the Elizabeth line at Liverpool Street and the Overground at Shoreditch High Street connect the area to the rest of the city.
- Good
- The best area for bars and late nights; Cheap eats on Brick Lane; Independent shops and markets
- Watch out
- Noisy on weekend nights; Further from Westminster and the West End
- Nearby
- Brick Lane, Old Spitalfields Market, Columbia Road Flower Market, Liverpool Street
$$$ · Best for couples, quiet stays and shopping
Notting Hill
Notting Hill's colourful terraced houses and private garden squares line the streets around Portobello Road, whose market is busiest on Saturdays when antiques dealers join the food and fashion stalls. Kensington Gardens is a short walk east, and the Central line runs straight to Oxford Circus and the City. The area hosts Notting Hill Carnival over the August bank holiday weekend.
- Good
- Attractive residential streets; Good brunch cafés and pubs; Direct Central line to the West End
- Watch out
- Saturday market crowds; Few major sights within walking distance; Hotel prices spike during Carnival
- Nearby
- Portobello Road Market, Kensington Gardens, Holland Park
$$ · Best for budget, nightlife and solo travellers
Camden Town
Camden is known for the food stalls and alternative fashion of Camden Market around Camden Lock, and for music venues such as the Roundhouse, the Electric Ballroom and KOKO. The Regent's Canal towpath leads west past London Zoo to Little Venice, and Primrose Hill, a 15-minute walk away, has one of the best free views of the city skyline.
- Good
- Cheaper hotels and hostels; Live music most nights; Canal walks to Regent's Park and Little Venice
- Watch out
- Crowded and scruffy around the station at weekends; The Northern line is often packed
- Nearby
- Camden Market, Regent's Park, Primrose Hill, ZSL London Zoo
$$ · Best for families, quiet stays and culture
Greenwich
Riverside Greenwich in south-east London holds the Cutty Sark, the Old Royal Naval College, the free National Maritime Museum and, on the hill above, the Royal Observatory and the Prime Meridian. It feels like a small town, with a covered market and riverside pubs, and connects to central London by DLR, Southeastern trains to London Bridge and Uber Boat by Thames Clippers services.
- Good
- Calmer and greener than central London; Lower hotel prices; River boats into the centre
- Watch out
- 30–40 minutes from the West End; Limited late-night options
- Nearby
- Cutty Sark, Royal Observatory, National Maritime Museum, Greenwich Market
Areas compared
| Area | Price | Nearby |
|---|---|---|
| Covent Garden and Soho | $$$$ | National Gallery, Trafalgar Square, Leicester Square, Chinatown, Seven Dials |
| South Bank and Bankside | $$$ | London Eye, Tate Modern, Shakespeare's Globe, Borough Market |
| South Kensington | $$$$ | Natural History Museum, V&A, Hyde Park, Royal Albert Hall, Harrods |
| Bloomsbury and King's Cross | $$$ | British Museum, St Pancras International, Coal Drops Yard, Russell Square |
| Shoreditch and Spitalfields | $$$ | Brick Lane, Old Spitalfields Market, Columbia Road Flower Market, Liverpool Street |
| Notting Hill | $$$ | Portobello Road Market, Kensington Gardens, Holland Park |
| Camden Town | $$ | Camden Market, Regent's Park, Primrose Hill, ZSL London Zoo |
| Greenwich | $$ | Cutty Sark, Royal Observatory, National Maritime Museum, Greenwich Market |
Getting to your hotel
Heathrow: the Elizabeth line reaches Paddington and Tottenham Court Road in about 30–40 minutes, Heathrow Express runs non-stop to Paddington in about 15 minutes, and the Piccadilly line takes about an hour. Gatwick Express reaches Victoria in about 30 minutes, the Stansted Express reaches Liverpool Street in about 50 minutes, Luton links by DART shuttle and train to St Pancras, and London City is on the DLR.
Questions travellers ask
+What is the best area to stay in London for first-time visitors?
Covent Garden and Soho. The core of the West End holds most of London's theatres, the Covent Garden piazza with its street performers and Apple Market, and Soho's dense grid of restaurants, bars and Chinatown around Gerrard Street.
+Where should families stay in London?
South Kensington: Three free museums within a few minutes' walk.
+Which area of London is best for a budget stay?
Bloomsbury and King's Cross ($$$): Georgian squares, the British Museum and Eurostar on the doorstep.