| all have flat-screen tvs, internet access and minibars. lavish rooms come with marble en suite bathrooms with whirlpool baths and walk-in showers. amenities include a cocktail lounge, and a chic, garden-view brasserie offering british fare and afternoon tea. in a grand 19th-century building, this opulent hotel is a 3-minute walk from gloucester road tube station, 9 minutes' walk from the natural history museum, and less than 1 mile from the earls court exhibition centre. suites add plush sitting areas; some also add grand dining tables, kitchens and/or pianos. check-in time: 2:00 pmcheck-out time: 12:00 pm. room service is available. there's also a spa with a hammam and an exercise room
Heathrow Airport 30 min
Victoria and Albert Museum (10 min)
Blockbuster exhibitions and permanent decorative arts collection, with design shop and ornate cafe. Natural History Museum (10 min)
Landmark museum of animals and natural phenomena, with hands-on exhibits and animatronic dinosaurs. Tower of London (27 min)
Centuries of bloody history around a medieval castle, home to Crown Jewels and iconic Beefeaters. Palace of Westminster (17 min)
Neo-Gothic masterpiece and seat of the UK government. Guided tours on Saturdays and in summer. Kensington Palace (5 min)
Royal palace and gardens, with exhibits on former residents like Queen Victoria and Princess Diana. St. Paul's Cathedral (24 min)
Churchyard and gardens outside Saint Paul's cathedral, with a floor-plan of the original building. Buckingham Palace (12 min)
Visitors can tour the palace's opulent private and state rooms or watch the changing of the guard. lastminute.com London Eye (21 min)
Huge observation wheel giving passengers a privileged bird's-eye view of the city's landmarks. Trafalgar Square (16 min)
Nelson's Column rises above this iconic square's LED-lit fountains, artworks and lion statues. Tower Bridge (30 min)
Panoramic views from high level walkways and behind-the-scenes access to original lifting machinery. Big Ben (15 min)
16-storey Gothic clocktower and national symbol at the Eastern end of the Houses of Parliament. The National Gallery (16 min)
Trafalgar Square art museum whose masterworks trace the development of Western European painting. Westminster Abbey (16 min)
Protestant abbey hosting daily services and every English and British coronation since 1066. Hyde Park (7 min)
Huge green space, home to Diana Memorial Fountain, with boating and swimming in the Serpentine lake. The British Museum (21 min)
Huge showcase for global antiquities, including Egyptian mummies and ancient Greek sculptures. | 
