| amenities include a lounge bar and complimentary guest pantries. set in a 19th-century townhouse, this elegant hotel is a 3-minute walk from kensington gardens, 5 minutes from lancaster gate tube station, and 11 minutes from london paddington train station (for heathrow express trains). all also feature free wi-fi, flat-screen tvs and coffeemakers, while suites add sofas. chic rooms feature posh bathrooms with heated floors; some have claw-foot tubs. check-in time: 1:00 pmcheck-out time: 12:00 pm
Heathrow Airport 27 min
Kensington Palace (7 min)
Royal palace and gardens, with exhibits on former residents like Queen Victoria and Princess Diana. Trafalgar Square (15 min)
Nelson's Column rises above this iconic square's LED-lit fountains, artworks and lion statues. Victoria and Albert Museum (11 min)
Blockbuster exhibitions and permanent decorative arts collection, with design shop and ornate cafe. Tower Bridge (29 min)
Panoramic views from high level walkways and behind-the-scenes access to original lifting machinery. Big Ben (15 min)
16-storey Gothic clocktower and national symbol at the Eastern end of the Houses of Parliament. Tower of London (24 min)
Centuries of bloody history around a medieval castle, home to Crown Jewels and iconic Beefeaters. Westminster Abbey (15 min)
Protestant abbey hosting daily services and every English and British coronation since 1066. Natural History Museum (10 min)
Landmark museum of animals and natural phenomena, with hands-on exhibits and animatronic dinosaurs. Buckingham Palace (10 min)
Visitors can tour the palace's opulent private and state rooms or watch the changing of the guard. The British Museum (17 min)
Huge showcase for global antiquities, including Egyptian mummies and ancient Greek sculptures. lastminute.com London Eye (19 min)
Huge observation wheel giving passengers a privileged bird's-eye view of the city's landmarks. Hyde Park (9 min)
Huge green space, home to Diana Memorial Fountain, with boating and swimming in the Serpentine lake. The National Gallery (15 min)
Trafalgar Square art museum whose masterworks trace the development of Western European painting. St. Paul's Cathedral (20 min)
Churchyard and gardens outside Saint Paul's cathedral, with a floor-plan of the original building. Palace of Westminster (16 min)
Neo-Gothic masterpiece and seat of the UK government. Guided tours on Saturdays and in summer. | 
