| set across 3 georgian-style townhouses, this budget hotel is a 7-minute walk from victoria station, and a mile from both westminster abbey and buckingham palace. free continental breakfast is served in a no-nonsense dining room, and there's a guest computer with internet access. check-in time: 2:00 pmcheck-out time: 11:00 am. wi-fi is available. simple, colourful rooms sleep up to 4 and feature tvs and tea and coffeemaking facilities
Heathrow Airport 40 min
Trafalgar Square (10 min)
Nelson's Column rises above this iconic square's LED-lit fountains, artworks and lion statues. Hyde Park (9 min)
Huge green space, home to Diana Memorial Fountain, with boating and swimming in the Serpentine lake. Westminster Abbey (15 min)
Protestant abbey hosting daily services and every English and British coronation since 1066. St. Paul's Cathedral (18 min)
Churchyard and gardens outside Saint Paul's cathedral, with a floor-plan of the original building. Tower of London (19 min)
Centuries of bloody history around a medieval castle, home to Crown Jewels and iconic Beefeaters. Palace of Westminster (17 min)
Neo-Gothic masterpiece and seat of the UK government. Guided tours on Saturdays and in summer. Tower Bridge (20 min)
Panoramic views from high level walkways and behind-the-scenes access to original lifting machinery. The National Gallery (12 min)
Trafalgar Square art museum whose masterworks trace the development of Western European painting. The British Museum (16 min)
Huge showcase for global antiquities, including Egyptian mummies and ancient Greek sculptures. The Shard (19 min)
87-floor glass skyscraper with a jagged peak, with restaurants, offices, hotel and viewing platform. Buckingham Palace (15 min)
Visitors can tour the palace's opulent private and state rooms or watch the changing of the guard. Big Ben (8 min)
16-storey Gothic clocktower and national symbol at the Eastern end of the Houses of Parliament. lastminute.com London Eye (10 min)
Huge observation wheel giving passengers a privileged bird's-eye view of the city's landmarks. Victoria and Albert Museum (9 min)
Blockbuster exhibitions and permanent decorative arts collection, with design shop and ornate cafe. Natural History Museum (10 min)
Landmark museum of animals and natural phenomena, with hands-on exhibits and animatronic dinosaurs. | 
