| elegant rooms feature free wi-fi, flat-screen tvs, and tea and coffeemaking facilities. a 4-minute walk from woodford green park, this refined family-run hotel is 9 minutes' walk from woodford tube station and 4 miles from epping forest. check-in time: 2:00 pmcheck-out time: 11:00 am. there's also an apartment with a sitting area and a kitchen. cooked breakfast and parking are complimentary. some feature free-standing baths. other amenities include a cosy restaurant/bar, and a sunroom overlooking a garden
Heathrow Airport 1 hr 3
The Shard (38 min)
87-floor glass skyscraper with a jagged peak, with restaurants, offices, hotel and viewing platform. The British Museum (43 min)
Huge showcase for global antiquities, including Egyptian mummies and ancient Greek sculptures. Hyde Park (50 min)
Huge green space, home to Diana Memorial Fountain, with boating and swimming in the Serpentine lake. Tower Bridge (30 min)
Panoramic views from high level walkways and behind-the-scenes access to original lifting machinery. St. Paul's Cathedral (38 min)
Churchyard and gardens outside Saint Paul's cathedral, with a floor-plan of the original building. Trafalgar Square (41 min)
Nelson's Column rises above this iconic square's LED-lit fountains, artworks and lion statues. The Regent's Park (41 min)
Modern, glass-clad cafe and sports administrative centre, with pitches and changing rooms. Westminster Abbey (42 min)
Protestant abbey hosting daily services and every English and British coronation since 1066. lastminute.com London Eye (41 min)
Huge observation wheel giving passengers a privileged bird's-eye view of the city's landmarks. Palace of Westminster (41 min)
Neo-Gothic masterpiece and seat of the UK government. Guided tours on Saturdays and in summer. Buckingham Palace (43 min)
Visitors can tour the palace's opulent private and state rooms or watch the changing of the guard. Tower of London (30 min)
Centuries of bloody history around a medieval castle, home to Crown Jewels and iconic Beefeaters. Borough Market (39 min)
Huge market under the railway lines, for British-reared meat and artisanal baked and dairy goods. The National Gallery (42 min)
Trafalgar Square art museum whose masterworks trace the development of Western European painting. Big Ben (40 min)
16-storey Gothic clocktower and national symbol at the Eastern end of the Houses of Parliament. | 
