| complimentary continental breakfast is served in a low-key dining room. set in a 19th-century townhouse, this humble budget hotel is an 11-minute walk from the tate britain gallery, and 10 minutes' walk from victoria train and tube stations. check-in time: 1:30 pmcheck-out time: 10:30 am. the straightforward rooms sleep up to 4 guests, and come with flat-screen tvs and free wi-fi, as well as tea and coffeemaking facilities
Heathrow Airport 41 min
Big Ben (8 min)
16-storey Gothic clocktower and national symbol at the Eastern end of the Houses of Parliament. Natural History Museum (11 min)
Landmark museum of animals and natural phenomena, with hands-on exhibits and animatronic dinosaurs. lastminute.com London Eye (9 min)
Huge observation wheel giving passengers a privileged bird's-eye view of the city's landmarks. Tower of London (19 min)
Centuries of bloody history around a medieval castle, home to Crown Jewels and iconic Beefeaters. Hyde Park (10 min)
Huge green space, home to Diana Memorial Fountain, with boating and swimming in the Serpentine lake. Buckingham Palace (7 min)
Visitors can tour the palace's opulent private and state rooms or watch the changing of the guard. Palace of Westminster (6 min)
Neo-Gothic masterpiece and seat of the UK government. Guided tours on Saturdays and in summer. Tower Bridge (19 min)
Panoramic views from high level walkways and behind-the-scenes access to original lifting machinery. Westminster Abbey (18 min)
Protestant abbey hosting daily services and every English and British coronation since 1066. Trafalgar Square (10 min)
Nelson's Column rises above this iconic square's LED-lit fountains, artworks and lion statues. Victoria and Albert Museum (10 min)
Blockbuster exhibitions and permanent decorative arts collection, with design shop and ornate cafe. The Shard (18 min)
87-floor glass skyscraper with a jagged peak, with restaurants, offices, hotel and viewing platform. The National Gallery (11 min)
Trafalgar Square art museum whose masterworks trace the development of Western European painting. St. Paul's Cathedral (17 min)
Churchyard and gardens outside Saint Paul's cathedral, with a floor-plan of the original building. The British Museum (15 min)
Huge showcase for global antiquities, including Egyptian mummies and ancient Greek sculptures. | 
