London Hotels

Introduction to London

You hardly need to say more than the name – London. A mixture of royalty and peasants, ancient and modern, theater and sport, literature and music, it’s a city that any tourist or business person could quickly call home. There’s no wonder that London is one of the world’s top business and vacation destinations.

You’ll feel like royalty yourself with so much to see and do. London’s streets are perpetually humming with activity. With a history that dates back to the Romans, Britain literally grew up around this city. Ruins of ancient fortresses are still apparent in Old London, which also features the must see sites of Buckingham Palace, Westminster Abbey, the Mall, Parliament and Big Ben. Travel on foot and you can even poke your head in to have a look at #10 Downing Street and perhaps a glimpse of the Prime Minister. Hop on the London Underground or “Tube,” a double-decker bus or even flag down one of London’s famous large black taxis and explore the wonders of the Tower of London, Tower Bridge and St. Paul’s Cathedral. If museums appeal to you, take your pick of the likes of the Tate, to the British Museum, the National Portrait Gallery or even the Natural History Museum. Shoppers can browse to their heart’s content at the world famous Harrod’s Department Store, visit the tailors on Bond Street or wander through the stores on Oxford Street. And don’t forget that London’s restaurants feature every type ethnic food in the world.

Do you want music? Which do you prefer? London is home to four of the world’s largest orchestras and celebrates its roll in Rock ‘N Roll history with tours that take tourists by sites associated with the Beatles and Rolling Stones as well as Elton John and Eric Clapton. If all of this sight-seeing is wearing you out, relax. Just walk out your hotel to a nearby park. There are plenty to go around. The British sure love their open space. With 43 registered parks, almost a third of London is open space and many, like Hampstead Heath and Mile End Park have paths and nature trails.

Heathrow and Gatwick Airports are both connected by rail to the city and for visitors who haven’t experienced driving on the opposite side of the street, the train could be a good way to ease yourself into London life.

Latitude: 51° 30'N°
Longitude: 0° 07'W°
Area: 1572 sq km
Country: England
Population: 7.3 million

Currency: Pound Sterling
Electricity Voltage: 240V
Electricity Frequency: 50Hz
Electrical Plug Types:

Click to Enlarge

Getting your Bearings in London

The main geographical feature of the city is the River Thames, which meanders through central London, dividing it into northern and southern halves. The central area and the greatest number of important sights, theatres and restaurants are within the Underground's Circle Line on the north bank of the river. In the past decade, however, the south bank of the river has been transformed into one of London's must-see district, with attractions such as Borough Market, the London Eye, Shakespeare's Globe theatre and the Tate Modern art gallery. The tourist-ridden West End includes Soho, Trafalgar Square, Piccadilly Circus, Leicester Square and Regent St. The East End, so beloved of Ealing comedies, lies east of the Circle Line; it used to be the exclusive preserve of the Cockney but is now a cultural melting pot. There are interesting inner-city suburbs in North London, including Islington and Camden Town, with leafy Hampstead further north. Further south, London includes a mix of poor, dirty, graffiti-ridden suburbs, and increasingly gentrifying areas like Clapham and, to an extent Brixton.

When to Visit London

London is a year-round tourist centre, with few of its attractions closing or significantly reducing their opening hours in winter. Your best chance of good weather is, of course, at the height of summer in July and August, but there's certainly no guarantee of sun even in those months - plus it's when you can expect the biggest crowds and highest prices.

Deals on London Hotels