| the understated rooms feature free wi-fi, flat-screen tvs, and tea and coffeemaking facilities. across the road from a garden square, this low-key hotel in a regency townhouse is 4 minutes' walk from bayswater tube station, 2 miles from hyde park and 3 miles from buckingham palace. check-in time: 1:00 pmcheck-out time: 11:00 am. there's also a cosy bar, and a lounge with traditional furnishings. a continental breakfast buffet is complimentary
Heathrow Airport 29 min
Hyde Park (9 min)
Huge green space, home to Diana Memorial Fountain, with boating and swimming in the Serpentine lake. Buckingham Palace (13 min)
Visitors can tour the palace's opulent private and state rooms or watch the changing of the guard. The British Museum (16 min)
Huge showcase for global antiquities, including Egyptian mummies and ancient Greek sculptures. Natural History Museum (9 min)
Landmark museum of animals and natural phenomena, with hands-on exhibits and animatronic dinosaurs. Westminster Abbey (18 min)
Protestant abbey hosting daily services and every English and British coronation since 1066. lastminute.com London Eye (21 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. Tower of London (27 min)
Centuries of bloody history around a medieval castle, home to Crown Jewels and iconic Beefeaters. The National Gallery (17 min)
Trafalgar Square art museum whose masterworks trace the development of Western European painting. Palace of Westminster (18 min)
Neo-Gothic masterpiece and seat of the UK government. Guided tours on Saturdays and in summer. Kensington Palace (14 min)
Royal palace and gardens, with exhibits on former residents like Queen Victoria and Princess Diana. Tower Bridge (31 min)
Panoramic views from high level walkways and behind-the-scenes access to original lifting machinery. St. Paul's Cathedral (21 min)
Churchyard and gardens outside Saint Paul's cathedral, with a floor-plan of the original building. Big Ben (18 min)
16-storey Gothic clocktower and national symbol at the Eastern end of the Houses of Parliament. Trafalgar Square (17 min)
Nelson's Column rises above this iconic square's LED-lit fountains, artworks and lion statues. | 
