| the modern rooms have en suite bathrooms, flat-screen tvs, desks and free wi-fi, plus tea and coffeemaking facilities. a simple restaurant serves breakfast for a surcharge. this straightforward hotel is 6 minutes' walk from the nearest tube station, a mile from the olympia london exhibition centre and 2 miles from buckingham palace. check-in time: 3:00 pmcheck-out time: 12:00 pm. off-site parking is extra
Heathrow Airport 28 min
Big Ben (16 min)
16-storey Gothic clocktower and national symbol at the Eastern end of the Houses of Parliament. Tower Bridge (31 min)
Panoramic views from high level walkways and behind-the-scenes access to original lifting machinery. lastminute.com London Eye (20 min)
Huge observation wheel giving passengers a privileged bird's-eye view of the city's landmarks. Palace of Westminster (17 min)
Neo-Gothic masterpiece and seat of the UK government. Guided tours on Saturdays and in summer. Trafalgar Square (15 min)
Nelson's Column rises above this iconic square's LED-lit fountains, artworks and lion statues. Kensington Palace (5 min)
Royal palace and gardens, with exhibits on former residents like Queen Victoria and Princess Diana. Natural History Museum (8 min)
Landmark museum of animals and natural phenomena, with hands-on exhibits and animatronic dinosaurs. Buckingham Palace (11 min)
Visitors can tour the palace's opulent private and state rooms or watch the changing of the guard. St. Paul's Cathedral (24 min)
Churchyard and gardens outside Saint Paul's cathedral, with a floor-plan of the original building. Westminster Abbey (16 min)
Protestant abbey hosting daily services and every English and British coronation since 1066. Hyde Park (7 min)
Huge green space, home to Diana Memorial Fountain, with boating and swimming in the Serpentine lake. Victoria and Albert Museum (13 min)
Blockbuster exhibitions and permanent decorative arts collection, with design shop and ornate cafe. The National Gallery (15 min)
Trafalgar Square art museum whose masterworks trace the development of Western European painting. The British Museum (20 min)
Huge showcase for global antiquities, including Egyptian mummies and ancient Greek sculptures. Tower of London (26 min)
Centuries of bloody history around a medieval castle, home to Crown Jewels and iconic Beefeaters. | 
