| upgraded rooms add ipod docks, nespresso machines and sitting areas; some also have air-conditioning. room service is available 24/7. it's an 8-minute walk from trafalgar square and a 5-minute walk from covent garden tube station. casual rooms feature free wi-fi and flat-screen tvs. there's also a gym. check-in time: 2:00 pmcheck-out time: 12:00 pm. amenities include a modern restaurant and bar serving british-inspired cuisine. dating from 1909 and featuring original art deco touches from the 1920s, this stately hotel is surrounded by restaurants and cafes in the west end theatre district
Heathrow Airport 46 min
St. Paul's Cathedral (5 min)
Churchyard and gardens outside Saint Paul's cathedral, with a floor-plan of the original building. Hyde Park (13 min)
Huge green space, home to Diana Memorial Fountain, with boating and swimming in the Serpentine lake. Palace of Westminster (14 min)
Neo-Gothic masterpiece and seat of the UK government. Guided tours on Saturdays and in summer. The Shard (15 min)
87-floor glass skyscraper with a jagged peak, with restaurants, offices, hotel and viewing platform. Westminster Abbey (9 min)
Protestant abbey hosting daily services and every English and British coronation since 1066. Tower of London (10 min)
Centuries of bloody history around a medieval castle, home to Crown Jewels and iconic Beefeaters. Tower Bridge (15 min)
Panoramic views from high level walkways and behind-the-scenes access to original lifting machinery. Buckingham Palace (8 min)
Visitors can tour the palace's opulent private and state rooms or watch the changing of the guard. Big Ben (12 min)
16-storey Gothic clocktower and national symbol at the Eastern end of the Houses of Parliament. Natural History Museum (16 min)
Landmark museum of animals and natural phenomena, with hands-on exhibits and animatronic dinosaurs. The National Gallery (7 min)
Trafalgar Square art museum whose masterworks trace the development of Western European painting. Borough Market (15 min)
Huge market under the railway lines, for British-reared meat and artisanal baked and dairy goods. The British Museum (14 min)
Huge showcase for global antiquities, including Egyptian mummies and ancient Greek sculptures. lastminute.com London Eye (12 min)
Huge observation wheel giving passengers a privileged bird's-eye view of the city's landmarks. Trafalgar Square (7 min)
Nelson's Column rises above this iconic square's LED-lit fountains, artworks and lion statues. | 
