| a luxe upgraded suite provides a terrace. in a converted victorian warehouse, this trendy hotel in the vibrant shoreditch area is a 2-minute walk from the shoreditch high street tube station, 2 miles from the tower of london and 3 miles from the london eye wheel. amenities include a casual cafe & a heated rooftop bar/eatery, plus a sophisticated restaurant that features exposed-brick walls. check-in time: 3:00 pmcheck-out time: 12:00 pm. there's also a bakery, deli and grocery store. suites add separate living rooms and balconies; some are bi-level. inspired by 20th-century designers, the stylish, individually decorated rooms feature hip contemporary furnishings, free wi-fi and desks
Heathrow Airport 1 hr 2
Palace of Westminster (22 min)
Neo-Gothic masterpiece and seat of the UK government. Guided tours on Saturdays and in summer. Tower of London (10 min)
Centuries of bloody history around a medieval castle, home to Crown Jewels and iconic Beefeaters. The Shard (19 min)
87-floor glass skyscraper with a jagged peak, with restaurants, offices, hotel and viewing platform. The National Gallery (23 min)
Trafalgar Square art museum whose masterworks trace the development of Western European painting. St. Paul's Cathedral (14 min)
Churchyard and gardens outside Saint Paul's cathedral, with a floor-plan of the original building. Big Ben (21 min)
16-storey Gothic clocktower and national symbol at the Eastern end of the Houses of Parliament. Borough Market (20 min)
Huge market under the railway lines, for British-reared meat and artisanal baked and dairy goods. London Bridge (20 min)
Concrete pedestrian and traffic bridge that gave a major railway station its name. lastminute.com London Eye (21 min)
Huge observation wheel giving passengers a privileged bird's-eye view of the city's landmarks. Buckingham Palace (26 min)
Visitors can tour the palace's opulent private and state rooms or watch the changing of the guard. Hyde Park (30 min)
Huge green space, home to Diana Memorial Fountain, with boating and swimming in the Serpentine lake. Westminster Abbey (23 min)
Protestant abbey hosting daily services and every English and British coronation since 1066. Tower Bridge (11 min)
Panoramic views from high level walkways and behind-the-scenes access to original lifting machinery. Trafalgar Square (23 min)
Nelson's Column rises above this iconic square's LED-lit fountains, artworks and lion statues. The British Museum (18 min)
Huge showcase for global antiquities, including Egyptian mummies and ancient Greek sculptures. | 
