| bright, functional rooms, some with colourful touches and artsy details, come with flat-screen tvs, minibars, and tea and coffeemaking equipment. a 7-minute walk from baker street tube station, this informal hotel in a traditional townhouse is 2 miles from the british museum, and a 12-minute walk from the shops and restaurants of bustling oxford street. check-in time: 2:00 pmcheck-out time: 11:00 am. breakfast is complimentary. there's a low-key lobby lounge
Heathrow Airport 35 min
Palace of Westminster (14 min)
Neo-Gothic masterpiece and seat of the UK government. Guided tours on Saturdays and in summer. Buckingham Palace (9 min)
Visitors can tour the palace's opulent private and state rooms or watch the changing of the guard. lastminute.com London Eye (17 min)
Huge observation wheel giving passengers a privileged bird's-eye view of the city's landmarks. Natural History Museum (13 min)
Landmark museum of animals and natural phenomena, with hands-on exhibits and animatronic dinosaurs. Hyde Park (10 min)
Huge green space, home to Diana Memorial Fountain, with boating and swimming in the Serpentine lake. The British Museum (10 min)
Huge showcase for global antiquities, including Egyptian mummies and ancient Greek sculptures. The National Gallery (13 min)
Trafalgar Square art museum whose masterworks trace the development of Western European painting. Tower Bridge (27 min)
Panoramic views from high level walkways and behind-the-scenes access to original lifting machinery. Tower of London (23 min)
Centuries of bloody history around a medieval castle, home to Crown Jewels and iconic Beefeaters. Victoria and Albert Museum (12 min)
Blockbuster exhibitions and permanent decorative arts collection, with design shop and ornate cafe. The Regent's Park (8 min)
Modern, glass-clad cafe and sports administrative centre, with pitches and changing rooms. St. Paul's Cathedral (21 min)
Churchyard and gardens outside Saint Paul's cathedral, with a floor-plan of the original building. Big Ben (14 min)
16-storey Gothic clocktower and national symbol at the Eastern end of the Houses of Parliament. Trafalgar Square (13 min)
Nelson's Column rises above this iconic square's LED-lit fountains, artworks and lion statues. Westminster Abbey (13 min)
Protestant abbey hosting daily services and every English and British coronation since 1066. | 
