| no-frills rooms and studios feature en suite bathrooms, tvs, and fridges; studios have lofted sleeping areas. continental or full english breakfast is complimentary. occupying a 19th-century townhouse, this low-key budget hotel is a 2-minute walk from earl's court exhibition centre and 6 minutes from earl's court tube station (providing direct links to heathrow airport). check-in time: 2:00 pmcheck-out time: 11:00 am. apartments add kitchenettes, and separate sitting/dining areas
Heathrow Airport 28 min
St. Paul's Cathedral (27 min)
Churchyard and gardens outside Saint Paul's cathedral, with a floor-plan of the original building. Kensington Palace (8 min)
Royal palace and gardens, with exhibits on former residents like Queen Victoria and Princess Diana. Palace of Westminster (20 min)
Neo-Gothic masterpiece and seat of the UK government. Guided tours on Saturdays and in summer. Tower of London (30 min)
Centuries of bloody history around a medieval castle, home to Crown Jewels and iconic Beefeaters. The National Gallery (19 min)
Trafalgar Square art museum whose masterworks trace the development of Western European painting. Buckingham Palace (15 min)
Visitors can tour the palace's opulent private and state rooms or watch the changing of the guard. Hyde Park (11 min)
Huge green space, home to Diana Memorial Fountain, with boating and swimming in the Serpentine lake. The British Museum (24 min)
Huge showcase for global antiquities, including Egyptian mummies and ancient Greek sculptures. Trafalgar Square (19 min)
Nelson's Column rises above this iconic square's LED-lit fountains, artworks and lion statues. Westminster Abbey (20 min)
Protestant abbey hosting daily services and every English and British coronation since 1066. Tower Bridge (33 min)
Panoramic views from high level walkways and behind-the-scenes access to original lifting machinery. Big Ben (20 min)
16-storey Gothic clocktower and national symbol at the Eastern end of the Houses of Parliament. Natural History Museum (6 min)
Landmark museum of animals and natural phenomena, with hands-on exhibits and animatronic dinosaurs. Victoria and Albert Museum (7 min)
Blockbuster exhibitions and permanent decorative arts collection, with design shop and ornate cafe. lastminute.com London Eye (23 min)
Huge observation wheel giving passengers a privileged bird's-eye view of the city's landmarks. | 
