Prestige *****

Luxury ****

Moderate ***

Budget **

Airport Hotels

Outside of a few famous hotels, London used to be known to experienced travellers as a place better to visit than to stay in. Luckily, things have changed dramatically over the past decade so that there are a now a plethora of superb hotels from which to choose. Obviously the likes of The Ritz is still up there with the best hotels in the world, but more interesting has been the emergence of a swathe of smaller, quality establishments offering a more personalised service than their big brothers.

Prestige Hotels

41 *****
Buckingham Palace
Even the marble and panelled entrance to the 41 won't prepare you for the sheer luxury of the hotel. From the executive club lounge to the cellar of fine wine, the 41 strives to pamper its guests. A personal butler, dry cleaning, laundry or pressing services, gourmet meals and mini-bar items all come free of charge as part of the unique - to top London hotels at least - all-inclusive package... (more)

51 Buckingham Gate *****
Buckingham Gate
One of London's premiere 'townhouse' hotels, the 51 Buckingham Gate is steeped in history and covered in up-to-date comforts. Set behind a listed (prime historical) building, the hotel features modern design flourishes as well as a fully-loaded fitness centre. Best of all, perhaps, is the location and the hotel's specialisation in rooms-as-suites... (more)

Brown's Hotel *****
Mayfair
London's oldest operating five-star hotel, Brown's is a national treasure, exemplifying understated English charm and character. Service and dining facilities are out of the top drawer while the hotel boasts a superb location just off Piccadilly... (more)

Carlton Tower Hotel *****
Victoria
Fantastic location and an intriguing variety of design and dining facilities give this top London hotel something of an edge over many of its rivals. That's before mentioning the breathtaking views available here, views which can even be enjoyed in the rooftop health club and swimming pool...(more)

Radisson Edwardian Hampshire *****
Leicester Square
Elegant, luxurious hotel, sumptuously appointed in the Edwardian style, features an unbeatable West End location... (more)

St. James's Club *****
Park Place, Piccadily
St James's Club takes luxury seriously. A fitness room with sauna and steam, a full concierge service, and an airport service are all on offer. In a quiet cul-de-sac off St James's Street, the club is the perfect getaway for those who love the capital but value protection from its hustle and bustle... (more)

Swissotel London The Howard *****
Temple Place, The Strand
The Howard is one of the most luxurious hotels offered throughout Hotelgenie.com, offering probably the best viewing vantage point of any London hotel... (more)

The Milestone Hotel *****
Kensington
All this oh-so-trendy hotel decor minimalism getting you down? Then make straight for the Milestone, a triumphantly, sumptuously, extravagantly luxurious establishment of the most maximilist order... (more)

The Ritz *****
Piccadilly
Style, sophistication and old-fashioned levels of genuine service come together at one of the world's legendary hotels... (more)

The Royal Garden *****
Kensington High Street
Kensington Palace - Princess Diana's former residence - is next door to the hotel in the leafy surrounds of Kensington Gardens, a lovely green space that flanks Hyde Park... (more)

Threadneedles *****
The City
Converted in up-to-the-minute boutique style from the imposing Banking Hall, which was built in 1856, Threadneedles is a fascinating combination of London past and London future. In the estimable view of the Hotelgenie, this is one of the very best hotels in The City of London... (more)

Luxury Hotels

Radisson Edwardian Berkshire ****
Oxford Street
At the centre of the centre, On Oxford Street, within short walking distance of Bond Street, Soho, Theatreland and The City. Stay here and you might never need to bother with taxis and tubes... (more)

Chesterfield Hotel ****
Mayfair
Any hotel that offers internet access from all its rooms knows how to move with the times, although the Chesterfield's Georgian décor also respects the past. The hotel's health club is worth a visit... (more)

The Cranley ****
South Kensington
A lovely townhouse hotel in one of London's most fashionable areas, South Kensington is London's main museum area, with the Victoria and Albert, Natural History and Science Museums ... (more)

The Gore ****
Kensington/Knightsbridge
Quietly located in a tree-lined avenue between Harrods and Kensington Palace, The Gore offers old fashioned comfort with up-to-date facilities... (more)

Hazlitt's ****
Soho/West End
Best location for theatre-goers and West End shoppers. This historic and exclusive hotel is also superbly placed for business travellers, especially those in fashion and media... (more)

The Hempel Hotel****
nr Hyde Park
The Hempel is a thoroughly modern hotel that prides itself on high-tech chic. The brainchild of designer Anouska Hempel, this labour of love takes design seriously and fuses influences from around the world... (more)

The Lowndes Hotel****
Knightsbridge
One of the best of London's new breed of boutique hotels, The Lowndes is right up there for service, location and attention to detail, in terms of both design and service... (more)

The Melia White House Hotel ****
Regents Park
Set next to Regent's Park (the one that contains London Zoo), the White House is within walking distance of Oxford Street and the British Museum... (more)

The Montague Hotel****
Bloomsbury
This gracious hotel offers plenty of modern facilities. Whether you're here for business or pleasure, the gym, steam room and sauna are worth taking advantage of... (more)

The Rookery****
Farringdon
Beautifully restored and perfectly poised for the City of London, also within walking distance of the West End. A genteel and welcome entry to the elite band of hotels serving the City. A haven of calm in the heart of Europe's busiest financial centre... (more)

The Rubens Hotel****
Victoria
The Rubens prides itself on luxury. Sumptuously nestled close to St James's Park, the hotel offers all the peace you could wish for without compromising on easy access to tourist sites... (more)

Georgian House Hotel ***
nr. Baker Street
Georgian by name and Georgian by architecture, the Georgian House is a handsome, well-appointed, privately-run hotel... (more)

Hyde Park Towers Hotel ***
Queensway
Housed in an attractive Victorian terrace, the Hyde Park Towers offers good levels comfort and service and, as its name suggests, is close to the famous Hyde Park, one of London's premier open spaces...(more)

Knightsbridge Hotel ***
Knightsbridge
The Knightsbridge Hotel is currently undergoing refurbishment and will reopen in Spring 2002... (more)

La Reserve Hotel ***
Chelsea
A short walk away from the King's Road, one of London's most famous shopping streets, La Reserve is also close to the Earls Court and Olympia exhibition centres... (more)

London Guards Hotel ***
Lancaster Gate
With an enviable location both overlooking Hyde Park and close to Kensington Gardens the London Guards Hotel also scores highly in the value for money stakes. The hotel has recently been refurbished to a high standard... (more)

Southwark Rose Hotel ***
Southwark
Style, position and value for money mark out the Southwark Rose as one of our best finds in London. As one of the capital’s newest hotels it also has high standards of design, facilities and attention to detail... (more)

The Willett Hotel ***
Sloane Square
The Willett is a dignified Victorian hotel with the ornate carvings, mosaics and chandeliers to prove it. It has also moved fast enough with the times to have attracted a long list of regulars... (more)

Budget Hotels

The Chelsea Lodge Hotel **
Fulham Road, Chelsea
A great little hotel over one of west London's premier pubs, the Chelsea Lodge scores highly for value for money... (more)

The Columbia **
Lancaster Gate, Hyde Park
Overlooking Hyde Park, an affordable and historic hotel ideal for the independent traveller, families and those on business... (more)

The Lincoln House Hotel**
Gloucester Place, Marble Arch
Built at the end of the 18th Century, in the time of King George III, the Lincoln House Hotel offers Georgian charm with modern comforts... (more)

Arena Hotel **
Wembley
The Arena is a welcoming family run hotel with a good range of facilities for its price range but perhaps its strongest point is its proximity to... (more)

Abbey Lodge Hotel **
Grange Park, Ealing
Intimate in size, generous in terms of service and value for money, the Abbey Lodge, refurbished in 2000, is a great little hotel with quick connections to central London and Heathrow Airport... (more)

Grange Lodge Hotel **
Grange Road, Ealing
Completely refurbished to winning effect in 2000, the Grange Lodge has kept faith with its long-recognised levels of service and excellent value for money... (more)

Hotels - Instant Booking
Dozens of London hotels, with instant online booking. Great for last minute availability.

London Airport Hotels

See our sister site LondonNet for a wide choice of London Airport hotels (click here)

Alexander House *****
nr. Gatwick Airport
A stunning, classic English country hotel within easy striking distance of London and even closer to Gatwick Airport... (more)

Radisson Edwardian, Heathrow *****
nr Heathrow Airport
Not only the best hotel at Heathrow, but the best airport hotel in the world, as voted by Business Traveller magazine... (more)

Coltsfoot Hotel ****
nr Luton Airport
The Coltsfoot is open to residents only, and strives to spoil its guests. Although the atmosphere of the place is basically a traditional country retreat, there is a lounge and bar area with a wide screen TV to keep you in touch with the modern world... (more)

Coulsdon Manor Hotel ****
nr Gatwick Airport
Built in the 1850s, Coulsdon Manor retains the atmosphere of an English country house while providing a whole host of up to date facilities and amenities. Set in 140 acres of tranquil parkland, including a top golf course, the hotel is also on the doorstep of London... (more)

Hotels - Instant Booking
Dozens of London hotels, with instant online booking. Great for last minute availability.

Plus:
For hotels in London and the rest of England, click here

Essential London
Quick guide to Britain's capital.

Introduction
London has only New York as a serious rival for the title of world's top city. It's unique mix of royal history, modern business and cultural vitality give it an edge that has only been added to in recent years by the increasingly cosmopolitan mix of its population. London can sometimes confound tourists with its complexity but, for the keen traveller, that only makes Britain's capital worth coming back to again and again.

Top Sights
London is packed full of thousands of tourist attractions but there are some sites which most visitors would not want to miss.

Buckingham Palace, the official residence of the Queen, draws huge crowds, especially for the daily Changing of the Guard which takes place at 11.30. Note that it is only in August that the Palace actually lets tourists in.

The Westminster area is always popular as it hosts the Gothic splendours of the Houses of Parliament including Big Ben plus Westminster Abbey, which dates back to the 11th century, while over in The City financial district, the classical beauty of St Paul's Cathedral is held by many to be London's most attractive building.

The UK capital is world famous for its museums, the most impressive of which are the British, Victoria and Albert, Natural History and the two well stocked art galleries, the Tate and National.

Recent attempts have been made to boost tourism on the often neglected South Bank, culminating in the mighty Millennium Wheel, which is just around the corner from the restored Shakespeare's Globe and the new extension of the Tate which houses modern art.

A few miles to the east lies the newest, largest attraction of all, the world's biggest tent, otherwise known as the Millennium Dome, which is in the historic naval area of Greenwich.

Culture
London is saturated with art and culture of every kind, but is probably best known for its many theatres, most of which are congregated in the West End. Shakespeare's Globe, on the South Bank, has also proved immensely popular since its opening two years ago.

Opera houses, art galleries, hundreds of cinemas and countless music venues add to the mix, but remember that you don't have to actually go anywhere specific to become immersed in cultural London: one of the city's biggest boasts is the vibrancy of its street scene, so just look and learn.

Shopping
Oxford Street is the place to go for a vast range of general mass-market produce, while Covent Garden is popular for its arts and crafts.

For high end chic, head for the designer boutiques of Bond Street, or the stylish shops of Kensington and Knightsbridge.

At the other, often more modish, end of the scale, Londoners and tourists alike use street markets, the biggest of which is Camden Market, which draws huge crowds of bargain hunters on weekends.

Nightlife
For a traditional British night out, pubs are still just managing to hold their own, although many have been replaced by trendier bars, either American or European in feel and design.

For those who prefer a later night, clubs have proliferated in recent years, with a number of huge venues launched for the dance brigade.

Want a few laughs instead? If your English is up to it, try one of the many comedy clubs, often to be found in pubs that have emerged since the 1980s.

Thanks to the broad mix of its populace, and perhaps to the generally mundane nature of the indigenous product, London has an amazing array of international restaurants, not least Indian, examples of which you will find around every corner.

Events Diary
January - Most major shops have huge discount sales at the start of the month.

February - Big party in Chinatown (Gerrard street and surrounds) for Chinese New Year.

March - The well-respected Camden Jazz Festival takes place at the beginning of the month. Try spending the night of St Patrick's Day on the 17th in one of London's many Irish pubs.

April - London Marathon at the end of the month draws over 25,000 competitors and many more spectators. The Queen's Birthday on the 21st gets a spectacular 41-gun salute in Hyde Park.

May - The Chelsea Flower Show at the end of the month is one of the world's top horticultural displays.

June - Trooping the Colour, held in mid-month to celebrate the Queen's official birthday, is everyone's top Royal event. Meanwhile, bats hit balls at the Wimbledon tennis tournament.

July - Free mime, theatre and comedy hits the roads and pavements in the Streets of London Festival, which starts towards the end of the month.

August - The Notting Hill Carnival, Europe's biggest street festival, attracts crowds in excess of 2 million on the last weekend of the month.

September - Early on in the month, heads turn to the river for the Thames Festival, an exciting water born pageant.

October - Cockney tradition gets a day out in the form of the Pearly Harvest Festival where highly decorated tradespeople go on parade.

November - Mid-month the Lord Mayor's Show is the biggest non-Royal traditional pageant of the year, while the State Opening of Parliament is one of the major political shindigs. The London Film Festival takes place throughout the month while World Travel Market, the world's largest travel showcase, turns up towards month's end.

December - Hundreds of thousands of revellers flock to Trafalgar Square for New Year's Eve.

Essential Info
Currency - One pound sterling, known colloquially as a quid, is made up of 100 pence.

Weather - Britain's island nature makes for a changeable, though moderate, climate. London summers are generally warm, with temperatures regularly hitting 25-30 degrees centigrade. Winter temperatures rarely go below freezing. The bad news is that rain often arrives when you least expect it; the good news is that London's reputation for fog is wildly overstated.

Airports
Heathrow. (West London, near Staines & Hounslow) Most travellers come to central London from the city's main airport in one of three ways: a fifty minute journey by Underground train; the new high speed rail link which terminates at Paddington Station after a twenty minute trip; or by taxi which takes about half of an hour.
Heathrow Hotels:
Radisson Edwardian *****

Gatwick. (South of London, near Crawley) From London's second airport, it's a 35 minute ride by train to Victoria Station or just over an hour by taxi.
Gatwick Hotels:
Alexander House *****

Luton Airport. (North East of London, Essex) By train, it's a 45 minute ride to Kings Cross Station; taxis can make the trip in a similar time.

Stansted. (North East of London, Essex) Trains to and from Liverpool Street service the airport with the award winning terminal design, taking 40 minutes. Taxis to the West End take at least an hour, to the City slightly less.

London City Airport. Small airport serving mainly European commuters. Bus and light rail link to the West End takes about 35 minutes; by taxi it's about half an hour.

Useful Links

• LondonNet
  www.londonnet.co.uk
  News, travel guide, entertainment. The original, most comprehensive net magazine for London. "A must see for visitors to london" msn
  
  
• Images of London
  www.images-of-london.co.uk/
  An Exclusive Collection of Enchanting and Unique Photographs and Art Prints of London's Most Famous Places