| the opulent, air-conditioned rooms and suites are lavishly packed with rich fabrics and decor from around the world. amenities include a chinoiserie-filled restaurant serving east-meets-west cuisine, a chinese room and bar, and a courtyard with bay trees and individual conservatories. check-in time: 3:00 pmcheck-out time: 12:00 pm. they feature plush bathrooms, bang & olufsen tvs, ipod docks and free wi-fi. created by acclaimed interior designer, anouska hempel, this upscale boutique hotel occupies a row of black-painted victorian townhouses on a quiet street, it's a mile from south kensington tube station, and the victoria and albert and natural history museums
Heathrow Airport 31 min
Palace of Westminster (16 min)
Neo-Gothic masterpiece and seat of the UK government. Guided tours on Saturdays and in summer. Hyde Park (8 min)
Huge green space, home to Diana Memorial Fountain, with boating and swimming in the Serpentine lake. Victoria and Albert Museum (10 min)
Blockbuster exhibitions and permanent decorative arts collection, with design shop and ornate cafe. Tower of London (28 min)
Centuries of bloody history around a medieval castle, home to Crown Jewels and iconic Beefeaters. Trafalgar Square (16 min)
Nelson's Column rises above this iconic square's LED-lit fountains, artworks and lion statues. The National Gallery (17 min)
Trafalgar Square art museum whose masterworks trace the development of Western European painting. Big Ben (17 min)
16-storey Gothic clocktower and national symbol at the Eastern end of the Houses of Parliament. Kensington Palace (6 min)
Royal palace and gardens, with exhibits on former residents like Queen Victoria and Princess Diana. Tower Bridge (29 min)
Panoramic views from high level walkways and behind-the-scenes access to original lifting machinery. The British Museum (22 min)
Huge showcase for global antiquities, including Egyptian mummies and ancient Greek sculptures. Buckingham Palace (13 min)
Visitors can tour the palace's opulent private and state rooms or watch the changing of the guard. lastminute.com London Eye (19 min)
Huge observation wheel giving passengers a privileged bird's-eye view of the city's landmarks. St. Paul's Cathedral (25 min)
Churchyard and gardens outside Saint Paul's cathedral, with a floor-plan of the original building. Westminster Abbey (15 min)
Protestant abbey hosting daily services and every English and British coronation since 1066. Natural History Museum (13 min)
Landmark museum of animals and natural phenomena, with hands-on exhibits and animatronic dinosaurs. | 
