| a continental breakfast buffet is complimentary. set in a victorian townhouse in the upscale pimlico neighbourhood, this straightforward budget hotel is a 6-minute walk from victoria train and tube stations, 2 miles from buckingham palace and 3 miles from hyde park. the simple, colourful rooms include flat-screen tvs and free wi-fi, along with tea and coffeemaking facilities, and private or en suite bathrooms. check-in time: 2:00 pmcheck-out time: 10:30 am
Heathrow Airport 41 min
St. Paul's Cathedral (20 min)
Churchyard and gardens outside Saint Paul's cathedral, with a floor-plan of the original building. The Shard (22 min)
87-floor glass skyscraper with a jagged peak, with restaurants, offices, hotel and viewing platform. Palace of Westminster (9 min)
Neo-Gothic masterpiece and seat of the UK government. Guided tours on Saturdays and in summer. Tower of London (21 min)
Centuries of bloody history around a medieval castle, home to Crown Jewels and iconic Beefeaters. Hyde Park (12 min)
Huge green space, home to Diana Memorial Fountain, with boating and swimming in the Serpentine lake. Natural History Museum (11 min)
Landmark museum of animals and natural phenomena, with hands-on exhibits and animatronic dinosaurs. Tower Bridge (23 min)
Panoramic views from high level walkways and behind-the-scenes access to original lifting machinery. lastminute.com London Eye (13 min)
Huge observation wheel giving passengers a privileged bird's-eye view of the city's landmarks. Victoria and Albert Museum (10 min)
Blockbuster exhibitions and permanent decorative arts collection, with design shop and ornate cafe. Buckingham Palace (17 min)
Visitors can tour the palace's opulent private and state rooms or watch the changing of the guard. Westminster Abbey (9 min)
Protestant abbey hosting daily services and every English and British coronation since 1066. Trafalgar Square (12 min)
Nelson's Column rises above this iconic square's LED-lit fountains, artworks and lion statues. Big Ben (11 min)
16-storey Gothic clocktower and national symbol at the Eastern end of the Houses of Parliament. The National Gallery (14 min)
Trafalgar Square art museum whose masterworks trace the development of Western European painting. The British Museum (19 min)
Huge showcase for global antiquities, including Egyptian mummies and ancient Greek sculptures. | 
