| check-in time: 2:00 pmcheck-out time: 12:00 pm. individually decorated with vibrant colour schemes, the plush rooms have flat-screen tvs, ipads and free wi-fi, as well as bathrooms with heated floors and rainfall showers. spanning a row of restored 18th-century townhouses, this ultrahip boutique hotel in the upscale kensington area is a 4-minute walk from south kensington tube station and 6 minutes' walk from the victoria and albert museum. room service is available 24/7. upgraded rooms add balconies and/or whirlpool baths; suites have rooftop terraces and separate living rooms. there's a fashionable restaurant and lounge/bar, and a spa, as well as contemporary art galleries
Heathrow Airport 31 min
Kensington Palace (11 min)
Royal palace and gardens, with exhibits on former residents like Queen Victoria and Princess Diana. Westminster Abbey (14 min)
Protestant abbey hosting daily services and every English and British coronation since 1066. Victoria and Albert Museum (5 min)
Blockbuster exhibitions and permanent decorative arts collection, with design shop and ornate cafe. Buckingham Palace (11 min)
Visitors can tour the palace's opulent private and state rooms or watch the changing of the guard. Natural History Museum (4 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. Tower Bridge (30 min)
Panoramic views from high level walkways and behind-the-scenes access to original lifting machinery. Tower of London (26 min)
Centuries of bloody history around a medieval castle, home to Crown Jewels and iconic Beefeaters. Big Ben (14 min)
16-storey Gothic clocktower and national symbol at the Eastern end of the Houses of Parliament. The British Museum (20 min)
Huge showcase for global antiquities, including Egyptian mummies and ancient Greek sculptures. Palace of Westminster (15 min)
Neo-Gothic masterpiece and seat of the UK government. Guided tours on Saturdays and in summer. The National Gallery (15 min)
Trafalgar Square art museum whose masterworks trace the development of Western European painting. St. Paul's Cathedral (23 min)
Churchyard and gardens outside Saint Paul's cathedral, with a floor-plan of the original building. Trafalgar Square (14 min)
Nelson's Column rises above this iconic square's LED-lit fountains, artworks and lion statues. lastminute.com London Eye (19 min)
Huge observation wheel giving passengers a privileged bird's-eye view of the city's landmarks. | 
