Top Paris Luxury Hotels

Looking for a "crème de la crème" experience in the city of lights? A stay at one of these top luxury hotels in Paris will ensure just that. The best Paris luxury hotels offer old-world chic and modern convenience, and often house some of the French capital's most inventive and prestigious restaurants. 

Hotel Plaza Athenee

A high temple of luxury and fashion in Paris and situated on the chic Avenue Montaigne, the Plaza Athenee regularly welcomes celebrities and socialites, making the entrance a common lurking spot for paparazzi. A Paris luxury hotel boasting 146 rooms and 45 suites decorated in Regency, Art Deco or Louis XVI style and breathtaking views of monuments like the Eiffel Tower, the Plaza Athenee merits its standing as a "palace" hotel. The Michelin 3-star restaurant, Alain Ducasse au Plaza Athenee, is one of Paris' gastronomic institutions, while the recently inaugurated Dior Institute has added an improbable extra layer of luxury to the Plaza.

Ritz Hotel

Located on the sumptuous Place Vendôme, The Ritz in Paris is quite simply legendary. Established in 1898, the hotel inspired French writer Marcel Proust, who wrote much of his monumental "In Search of Lost Time" here, and Coco Chanel lived at the palace-hotel for years. Rooms and suites are decorated in a sumptuous classical French style, and each of the Ritz's 56 suites has a particular theme and mood. Boasting views of the Place Vendôme, the prestige suites have in the past hosted the Duke and Duchess of Windsor and Ernest Hemingway. Gastronomy and high tea are also de rigueur at the Ritz: from the Michelin-star restaurant L'Espadon to the Hemingway bar, only the very best is is on offer here.




Built in 1758 under the commission of King Louis XV, the Hotel de Crillon is one of Paris' oldest luxury hotels. A truly classical setting is apparent in the hotel's 147 rooms and suites, which are lavishly decorated with tapestries, furniture, sculpture and other objects dating to the 17th and 18th centuries. The top-floor Leonard Bernstein suite, named after the celebrated pianist, harbors one of Bernstein's pianos and affords breathtaking views of Paris. The hotel has hosted countless famous figures, including many famed American politicans, from Franklin D. Roosevelt to Herbert Hoover. On the gourmet side, the Crillon's prestigious restaurant Les Ambassadeurs is run by young and talented chef Christopher Hache.

Located on the opulent Rue de Rivoli across from the Tuileries Gardensand near the Louvre Museum, Le Meurice is another institution among Paris luxury hotels. Built in the early 18th century, Le Meurice was fully revamped in 2000 and belongs to the same group that owns the Plaza Athenee. This five-star hotel, apart from being within close reach of many of the city's most-coveted attractions, boasts a Michelin three-star restaurant run by celebrated chef Yannick Alléno, 160 Louis XVI-style rooms, and full spa services, among other top-notch amenities.


The Parisian version of the high-end luxury Four Seasons chain offers all the opulence and indulgence of a palace. Housed in a building dating to 1928, the sprawling property offers 245 rooms, nearly a quarter of which are suites, across eight floors. A large proportion of the rooms have private terraces which offer impressive views of Paris. The hotel's main restaurant, Le Cinq, now boasts two Michelin stars and offers traditional French cuisine with a continental twist. Luxury spa and sauna facilities complete the sumptuous picture.


Established in the roaring 1920's on the site of a building that was once occupied by several members of the French aristocracy, this hotel seeps with old-style glamour. Having hosted stars such as Marilyn Monroe, Charlie Chaplin, Ava Gardner and Josephine Baker, Le Bristol is another luxury palace hotel in Paris that also claims a place in history. In 1940, it was used as a shelter by the American Embassy as World War II broke out. 210 rooms and suites fitted in traditionally French decor are on offer here.  A Michelin three-star gastronomic restaurant, headed by chef Eric Frechon, full spa services, and outdoor pools affording breathtaking views of Paris, complete the offer.


A relative newcomer to the five-star palace hotel landscape in Paris, Fouquet's Barriere is ideally situated on the Champs-Elysees. Built around a lush, isolated interior garden, Fouquet's has 107 rooms and suites decorated in a modern style that retains traditional elements of Parisian-style opulence. A full spa and sauna, gastronomic restaurant and terrace offering panoramic views of Paris help place Fouquet's among the most-coveted luxury hotels in the capital.

10 best boutique hotels on Paris's Right Bank

       


Cool whites … Le Citizen on the Canal St Martin, Paris

Le Citizen

The first designer boutique hotel on the Canal St Martin is just a few steps from the hipster hangout Hôtel du Nord (which is actually a restaurant and bar, not a hotel) and walking distance to the newly trendy North Marais district. Opened in 2010, rooms feature crisp white linens, parquet floors, and high-end amenities such as iPads and a thoughtfully chosen selection of gourmet snacks in the minibar. Request one of the "City K" rooms with a king size bed. 

• 96 quai de Jemmapes, 10th, +33 1 8362 5550, lecitizenhotel.com. Métro: Jacques Bonsergent. Doubles from €179

Hôtel Mansart

Even blasé Parisians will be impressed with your ritzy address just off the posh place Vendôme. Rooms lean toward the spacious side for a hotel in this price range, with décor classically Parisian and elegant in some rooms and more luxuriously contemporary in others if you're willing to splash out a bit more cash. Oil paintings, antique furnishings and Toile de Jouy fabrics are paired with mod cons such as free Wi-Fi and air conditioning in each room. 

• 5 rue des Capucines, 1st, +33 1 4261 5028, paris-hotel-mansart.com. Métro: Opéra. Doubles from €145

Hostellerie du Marais

Ancient wooden beams, exposed stone walls and a decidedly medieval style prevail in the old fashioned lobby, but the rooms in this recently renovated boutique hotel in the Marais district feature a contemporary new design with air conditioning, flatscreen TVs, and sleek fixtures. The juxtaposition suits the neighbourhood's unique mix of upscale shops, art galleries and 17th-century aristocratic mansions. Book a room on the top floor for views over Paris rooftops (and less traffic noise). 

• 30 rue de Turenne, 3rd, +33 1 4272 7347, hostelleriedumarais.com. Métro: Chemin Vert. Doubles from €112

Castex Hôtel

Also in the Marais, the Castex makes the most of its 17th-century setting of old tile floors, wood beamed ceilings and exposed stone walls with wrought iron decorative flourishes and solid dark wood furnishings. The result is surprisingly minimalist without feeling sparse, and cosy without feeling stuffy. As in many budget hotels, what you gain in historical cachet you lose in space, but the central Paris location just a block from the Bastille Métro and easy walking distance to Notre Dame and the place des Vosges will do wonders to help you forget the cramped shower stall. 

• 5 rue Castex, 4th, +33 1 4272 3152, castexhotelparis.com. Métro: Bastille. Doubles from €160

Hôtel Amour

One of the first designer budget hotels is still going strong in the South Pigalle (aka "SoPi") district, with its unique artist-decorated rooms that focus more on style than useless amenities (you'll find Kiehl's toiletries but no television or telephone). Young musicians, club promoters and trendsetters hang out in the lobby's brasserie and large private garden terrace. Private parties are encouraged in the biggest room, with an extended balcony overlooking the terrace and a stocked wet bar. 

• 8 rue Navarin, 9th, +33 1 4878 3180, hotelamourparis.fr. Métro: Pigalle. Doubles from €155

Monterosa

The Monterosa is a fresh and stylish new design boutique hotel in the Nouvelle Athènes district, an area populated by artists, musicians and writers in the 19th century. Rooms have air conditioning, flatscreen TVs and free Wi-Fi. Breakfast (complimentary in 2011) is served in a bright dining room off the lobby. Located right between the charmingMusée de la Vie Romantique and the Atelier Gustave Moreau, the hotel is also convenient for Les Grands Magasins department stores on the Boulevard Haussmann and the nightlife of Montmartre. 

• 29, rue La Bruyère, 9th, +33 1 4874 8790, astotel.com/uk/hotel-monterosa-paris.php. Métro: Saint-Georges. Doubles from €189

Taylor Hotel

It may not seem like the prettiest neighbourhood at first sight, but this charming and spotless little hotel is right between two of the city's up-and-coming districts, the north Marais and the Canal St Martin, with easy access to the Gare de l'Est, Gare du Nord and main Métro stations. The pastel fabrics and whitewashed wooden furnishings make for a welcoming, feminine atmosphere. Parquet flooring, fluffy bathrobes and free Wi-Fi found in each room. Book the lover's theme package in the Bubble Room (as in bubbly) for a sexy tryst … with accessories. 

• 6 rue Taylor, 10th, +33 1 4240 1101, paris-hotel-taylor.com. Métro: Jacques Bonsergent. Doubles from €86, four-person suites from €162

Color Design Hôtel

Budget doesn't have to mean bland. This hotel takes colour therapy seriously, with each floor featuring a different palette to fit your mood. Rooms are decorated with a neutral base of pale grey and white, accented by splashes of bright colour and intricate mosaic-tiled bathrooms. Air conditioning and Wi-Fi are included, with iPods on request. Located just behind the Bastille Opera house within an easy walk to the Marais andAligre market, the hotel is also convenient for anyone heading in or out of Paris by train at the Gare de Lyon station. 

• 35 rue des Citeaux, 12th, +33 1 4307 7728,colordesignhotel.parishotels.it. Métro: Ledru-Rollin. Doubles from €137

L'Adresse

Rooms in chocolate velour, black stone, or silver satin give this hotel a contemporary, sexy vibe. Leather, suede, and snakeskin fabrics mix with chrome, marble and dark wood. Extras include an iPhone charger, iPod docking, flatscreen TVs and Nespresso machines, with entrance to the local gym included in the room rate. And despite its address on the edge of town, you'll find it conveniently located just a block from the Palais des Congrès and the Line 1 Métro, two stops from the Arc de Triomphe and Champs Elysées. 

• 22 rue de Débarcadère, 17th, +33 1 5805 0888, ladresse-hotel.com. Métro: Porte Maillot. Doubles from €180

Mama Shelter

The outlying location of this rule-breaking budget design hotel only adds to its stylish, counterculture reputation. Rooms are decorated by Philippe Starck in a funky minimalist style with iMacs, microwaves, free movies on demand and high quality bedding. All rooms have the same amenities – you pay extra for size or balcony space. The hotel's gourmet restaurant, pizzeria, cocktail bar and rooftop summer terrace attract Paris's alternative fashion and music crowd, giving Mama Shelter tons of street cred. It's also convenient for Roissy-CDG airport and the east Parisian nightlife scene. If the taxi fares are equally as frightening as public transport, rent one of the hotel's scooters or Smart Cars. 

• 109 rue de Bagnolet, 20th, +33 1 4348 4848, mamashelter.com. Métro: Porte de Bagnolet. Doubles from €129 (look for the Sunday specials for just €79)

the top 10 luxury hotels in London

London is home to a wealth of stunning architecture, regal palaces, world-class museums and some of the best shops in the world. From the iconic landmarks of the South Bank and the grand theatres of the West End, to the verdant parks and exclusive shopping of Kensington and Chelsea, London is oozing with historic splendour, vibrant culture and an irresistible buzz.

One Aldwych Hotel

Housed in the former Morning Post newspaper building, this contemporary hotel is just minutes from vibrant Covent Garden. One Aldwych is home to one of London’s most atmospheric pools, with underwater music and mood lighting, perfect for a soothing swim.

The Langham London

The dazzling Palm Court at The Langham is famed as the birthplace of afternoon tea, the most English of traditions, over 140 years ago. Today, this majestic hotel is also home to an award-winning luxury spa and glittering cocktail bar.

Café Royal Hotel

Overlooking buzzing Piccadilly Circus, this landmark hotel was once a bar frequented by intellectuals, artists and political figures such as Oscar Wilde, Brigitte Bardot and Winston Churchill. David Chipperfield Architects have transformed Café Royal into a 21st Century hotel, whilst still maintaining its 18th Century splendour.

The Landmark London

The award-winning Landmark London is an elegant fusion of Victorian grandeur and contemporary comforts. Housed in an impressive turn-of-the-century building in Marylebone, The Landmark features some of the largest and most luxurious guestrooms in the city.

The Savoy

Perfectly positioned on the banks of the Thames, The Savoy is an opulent mixture of Edwardian and Art Deco styles… the epitome of London luxury. Guests can follow in the footsteps of iconic diners including Frank Sinatra and Marilyn Monroe in the legendary Savoy Grill.

ME London

ME London is a futuristic design hotel located at the southern tip of Covent Garden on the emblematic Strand. Guests can watch the buzzing city pass by on the chic and sophisticated rooftop terrace, and relax
with a drink in the marble-lined Champagne bar.

The Goring Hotel

Steps from Buckingham Palace in the exclusive Belgravia district, The Goring is a quintessentially British, family-run hotel. Award-winning afternoon tea is served by the crackling fire in the winter or on the sunny terrace overlooking the private gardens in the summer.

The Halkin

Behind this award-winning hotel’s Georgian façade is a world of elegant simplicity. Hidden away in London’s distinguished Belgravia district, The Halkin is home to sleek and spacious guestrooms, and an innovative Basque restaurant led by 3 Michelin-starred chef Juan Mari Arzak and his daughter, Elena.

The Milestone Hotel

The Milestone Hotel is a 19th Century architectural gem overlooking Kensington Gardens, enveloping guests in classic British luxury. Guests can relax in the intimate Stables Bar, enjoy afternoon tea by the fireplace in the lounge and sample modern British cuisine in the Cheneston’s Restaurant.

Baglioni Hotel London

Moments from the Royal Albert Hall and Kensington Palace, this luxury hotel is a showcase of Italian style and decadence. The hotel restaurant Brunello serves haute Italian cuisine and the enchanting guestrooms at Baglioni Hotel have private butlers, who can arrange appointments at the renovated spa.

SLIGHTLY SNEAKY WAYS TO SAVE MONEY

‘London is expensive – often horrendously so.  But few people want to stay in a cheap hotel which looks and feels like one.

My top 10 money-saving tips are based on the inside knowledge I’ve gained in the two years since I founded my London hotel blog. These ideas are based on finding ‘best for your budget’ rather than the outright cheapest places to stay – everyone has a different price and quality tolerance threshold.  And I haven’t shied away from naming specific hotels which I feel offer consistent value…

1.  Book Sunday nights. 

 This is traditionally the cheapest night at any London hotel – falling in the gap between the hotelier’s sweet spots of the expense-account corporate stay (Monday to Thursday) and the leisure weekend away (Friday and Saturday).  Even ultra-deluxe hotels like Claridge’s often offer surprisingly attractive Sunday night rates – check the hotel website or better still, call directly since they may prefer not to publicise their rock-bottom rates.  Mention if you plan to take afternoon tea or eat at the restaurant since this can increase your clout.  The good old telephone is still a handy tool for securing a good rate.

2.  Know where to find best value.

  A bit of extra thought and research can get you a great deal – it’s often all about the timing. For example, hotels in the City see a big drop-off on weekends. This gives you the potential to get a fantastic deal for a weekend stay even within zone 1 or 2 of the tube map. Apex City of London and Pestana Chelsea Bridgeare good examples – they’ll often give you brilliant 4 star deluxe hotel rooms at a budget rate if you cherry pick your dates cleverly. Or stop off in Canary Wharf over a weekend – cutting-edge modern architecture, good restaurants, peace and great value. Do also target new hotels (plenty are coming on stream for the Olympics) especially where they lack brand recognition – think for example of new hotels near the Olympic park.

3.  Email your chosen hotels with an online challenge.

  Find the best available rate online across several sites using Google – or use a meta-search tool which searches several sites simultaneously.  Do take account of glitches in presentation – for example, some sites will sneakily display rates without VAT.  Once you’ve displayed the results, you may want to contact the hotels directly with your findings (preferably with screenshots of your quotes handily pasted in for them) and see if they’ll match or offer extras as an incentive to book direct. Logically, they should play ball since they’ll be saving anywhere between 10 and 25% on third-party agent commissions.

4.  Sign up for special offers and flash sales

. This is a matter of getting on the mailing lists for Travelodge, Premier Inn, Hoxton Hotel, Tune Hotels, Apex Hotels and other companies that offer limited-time room sales with eye-catching discounts. Watch out for all the above companies’ Twitter feeds to be notified of more spontaneous offers.

5.  Think “boutique budget”.

  Expensive tastes without the budget to match? Fortunately there is a new breed of London hotels reinventing our notion of what you can get without paying a fancy rate. You’ll often receive a lovely room with a plasma screen and free WiFi – but often without unnecessary extras, like a hotel restaurant. Rough Luxe, the Hoxton Hotel (before its recent sale at least), Base2stay (though not as cheap as it once was), Dean Street Townhouse, Z Hotel Soho, YOTEL and Aloft London Excel are solid examples which I’d recommend.

6.  Choose big hotels (in terms of number of rooms) for steeply discounted rates.  

Big hotels have more rooms to fill, so will often offer the steepest discounts. Follow the “online challenge” approach explained above with the following huge hotels: Hilton Metropole, Holiday Inn Kensington Forum, the Cumberland Hotel, Park Plaza Westminster Bridge and Royal National Hotel.  These hotels have a thousand rooms or more to fill and are only likely to be 100% occupied on rare occasions.

7.  Stay in London’s suburbs and beyond. 

 Harrow, Wembley and Watford are all on the Metropolitan line – the north-western section of the London tube system which often runs fast trains into central London (Watford also benefits from an overground connection to Euston which takes as little as 15 minutes). Croydon is another suburban value oasis – with a good choice of budget hotels just a brisk 20 minute train ride into town.  More imaginative tourists might also wish to stay in the charming market town of Guildford (Surrey) with its lovely restaurants, countryside and pubs – where Radisson Edwardian have built a swanky new Guildford hotel. It’s about 30 minutes from central London but the rates are significantly lower.

8.  Use a special offer from an independent hotel group for luxury on a budget.  Independent hotel groups in London tend to offer the best deals for luxury seekers – companies like Radisson Edwardian and Red Carnation Hotels benefit from the scale of big brands but with the character of individual hotels (both are family-owned companies). Such privately-owned chains often punch above their weight in terms of service and value. I’d particularly recommend the current special offers at The Rubens Hotel for example or the London hotel deals available at the moment at Radisson Edwardian Hotels.

9.  Book a brilliant B&B.  Bay Tree House has been the number 1 B&B on TripAdvisor for as long as I can remember.  Go through the full TripAdvisor list  here and see which are offering the best deal at the moment – you could save big bucks on a hotel while enjoying a significantly more personal and fun stay in an interesting part of town that reflects an authentic, everyday London.

10.  Book Tune. Tune Hotels is an ultra-cheap hotel chain which charges for extras, but in a friendly, transparent way.  A London Hotels Insight blogger recently wrote a review of Tune Hotel Westminster if you want to have a look. Tune rooms are perfectly clean and serviceable (albeit quite small – especially the bathrooms) and their two London locations are central.  I’ve consistently found them to be the cheapest “decent” (i.e. clean, reliable) hotels in London. Refreshingly, when interviewing the Tune CEO he promised us that they’d always strive to stay cheap and not try to sneak upmarket as the likes of Premier Inn have done…I hope they stick to that commitment.’

7 best budget places to stay in London

Can you recommend a good budget hotel or hostel for me to stay in London?

1. umi hotels, London

A double room for 2 people in a 3 star hotel in the £60-80 price bracket in London is hard to beat and when you add to that the location of the hotel –  the trendy neighbourhood of Notting Hill , you’ve got the ingredients of a great stay in London. Welcome to umi hotels, brainchild of hotelier Steve Lowy who came up with the unique idea of employing interns who were still at university studying hospitality degrees to help run his hotels. The result is a refreshing, youthful and can-do attitude amongst staff which makes a nice change. The hotel boasts a 24 hour concierge service which takes care of your onward travel needs or if you just want to book a ticket for the latest West End shows. Start your day in style at the hotel’s groundfloor coffee shop, Yumi which offers complimentary newspapers alongside a choice of hot cooked or continental breakfasts. You can enjoy teas and freshly grounded coffee throughout the day. If you’re looking for a hotel stay with a bit of personality, you’ll love umi.

2. Tune Hotels, London

Tune Hotels in London are a breath of fresh air in the hotel scene. It’s no-frills approach has been adopted by many but for me the key thing that sets it apart of the other chain hotels are the superb locations in London– Westminister, Liverpool Street, Kings Cross and now Paddington. Plus you the awesome Hypnos beds as standard – a feature which you find in luxury hotels in London like Brown and One Aldwych ( plus superior doubles in umi London) You just sink into these beds and have the best nights sleep. Their ensuite bathrooms are small but offer brilliant power showers that get you going for the day. With advance prices of just £35 per room, per night they represent superb value.

Book at tunehotels.com Prices starts from £35, per night

3 & 4) Palmers Lodge Swiss Cottage and Palmers Lodge Hillspring Lodge 

Palmers Lodge run two superb hostels in London- both of them offer a unique experience. Palmers Lodge Swiss Cottage offer a more social atmosphere and that cosy, home away from home atmosphere. The common room is the social hub where guests relax on the sofas browsing on their tablets and laptops using the excellent free wifi or chatting to fellow guests around the tables. Both hostels run an excellent onsite bar where you can meet fellow guests and enjoy an inexpensive drink or decently priced pub grub.

Hillspring Lodge, Palmers Lodge is superbly furnished and offers a more modern décor. It’s in a peaceful neighbourhood bit away from the main drag so if you’re looking for a chilled out hostel, you’ll prefer this. If you like hostels with character both places offer a great experience: Hillspring hostel is filled with quirky objects like deer rugs hanging from the celiing and a garden filled with 100 odd motorcycles whereas the Swiss Cottage branch is located in a stunning Victorian grade II listed building. Beds in the dorm are also a standout feature, made of sturdy oak wood , fitted with nice mattresses plus come with a private curtain and reading light.

5) Clink! 78 London

Clink! 78 is set in a stylishly renovated Victorian 200 year old courthouse in an excellent location just a few minutes walk from Kings Cross station . This is a cool party hostel and accommodates upto 500 guests from as little as £12 a night. Facilities onsite include an onsite bar and also travel shop to help guests book discounted tickets for top London attractions and also assist with airport transfers and onward travel arrangements. Guests can chill out in style in the infamous, wood panelled Internet and PC courtroom which previously served as a magistrates courtroom where The Clash were famously tried for shooting carrier pigeons in 1978, provoking them to write the song ‘Guns on the Roof’.  For those interested in the indulging further in the criminal past of the hostel you can rent your own private prison cell for as little as a £50 a night. Cells come fully furnished and complete with a barred window.

Book at clinkhostels.com Prices start at £12 a night

6) Safestay Hostel

The brand new Safestay Hostel is in a great location near Elephant & Castle tube station and is situated in John Smith House which , in a previous incarnation, served as the  Labour party headquarters. With it’s bright purple and hot pink colours, quirky design features and lighting by Tom Dixon-its a very stylish affair.  The bar cum common room downstairs is a great shared space for guests with a bar, pool room plus uplholstered armchairs where guests can sink into and access the hostels’ free wifi via their internet devices. Beds in the dorm rooms come equipped with a reading light, nice thick duvets and also a private fitted curtain to offer guests privacy and also avoid being woken up whenever another fellow guest walks in. Families are welcomed with the hostel offering private rooms that include a double bed and single bunk above plus 40 inch plasma screen TV’s, complimentary tea and coffee making facilities.

Book at www.safestay.co.uk Prices start from £20 a night

 

7) Meet the locals: Stay in a London ( Miriam’s) apartment with Wimdu

Another cool, alternative option would be to choose an apartment rental in London. Till this year, I’ve traditionally always looked at hotel or hostels when visiting London. When rita invited me in the summer to experience the opportunity to stay in one of their properties across the world, I was intrigued. My opportunity came later in November when I was looking for a roof over my head with fellow blogger Renuka for World Travel Market in London. After a search of their extensive portfolio of properties, we finally plumped for a shared apartment in Stratford on the doorstep of the Olympic Park. It offered great connections to central London with the bus no. 25 running an all day and night service into the city plus it’s all on the Central and DLR line. The other benefits of the location is that the Westfield Shopping centre (Europe’s biggest shopping centre ) is right on the doorstep. The biggest asset of choosing the property was the hospitality of Miriam with whom we clicked instantly- very warm, open hearted and had some great conversations with her: everything from Indian weddings, Slovakian food to talking about places to travel in 2013. The place itself was cosy, bright colours and beautifully furnished rooms with a great kitchen and common room. Plus excellent wifi connection.  You think sharing with the owner would be awkward but it was quite the contrary-they were very easy to be around and were quite discreet.

Book at Wimdu.com A night’s stay at Miriam’s apartment booked via Wimdu costs around £100 a night with 2 double bedrooms that sleep 4.

Hope you enjoyed my suggestions. If you have any budget friendly places you would recommend  while staying in London , pleased do share below.

The Complete Guide to Staying in London

London Hotels per "Square Mile"

The capital of the Uk definitely doesn’t suffer from the lack of accommodations. There is no such problem, like where to stay in London, but what particular place to pick up from the array of miscellaneous hotels in London. Hundreds of hotels and B&Bs of all types and sizes are scattered all around ever-pulsating London. What to choose, starchy Mayfair, bubbly Soho, or more sedate City of London? It all really depends on personnel preferences and how much you are prepared to fork out for a room per night.

If you’re in London on business purpose, there’s probably not a better place than the City of London, dubbed the London square mile, also renowned for being financial district of British capital. If you consider where to stay in London for sightseeing, staying in the City of London can be a sound option as well. The Tower of London, Tate Modern, London Eye, Shakespeare’s Globe, Tower Bridge, and London Dungeon are just a stone’s throw from the famous London district of banks and offices. Let alone, having been an ancient core of London, and presumably the settlement of Roman Londinium, the City of London itself has a lot of interesting old buildings to visit or gape at, strewn among the modern skyscrapers.

There’s been talking, that when the plankton of the office workers are tided away in the evenings and on the weekends, the City of London turns into a sort of the ghost town, because everything gets closed. Well, although it is quieter, which might be a bonus for you, especially if you are a light sleeper, it’s, actually, been slightly exaggerated. A lot of places in the Square Mile stop working on weekends, that’s true, but there are still enough shops, bars and restaurants that cater for the needs of the tourists and locals all week round. There are also shops, bars and restaurants, working on Saturdays and Sundays, in the neighbouring Moorgate, Spitalfields or Southwark, like Spitalfields market for example, that is well worth a good browsing. Lively West End is not too far from the City of London, and can be either easily reached on foot, or, if you don’t fancy a walk, by tube, bus or cab.

The City of London has a sprinkle of excellent hotels that, in average, will cost you about £150-200 per night. But you can find that some London city hotels make good discounts on weekends, and usually, there are also great deals on hotels at laterooms.com or lastminute.com.

Crowne Plaza London - The City

Crowne Plaza London The City (19, New Bridge Street) is a 4 star hotel, just a minute walk from Blackfriars Tube station, and about 10 minutes walk from St Pauls. It will probably not win the prize for the most original décor or best amenities (wifi at additional price, for example), but it’s clean, comfortable, in one word just adequate.

With a lot of offices in walking distance and London “must sees” at hand, the location, the hotel’s strongest feature, makes it good value for money. Big Ben and Buckingham Palace are in 20 minutes stroll along the Embankment towards the West End. Cross the Millennium Bridge, and there are Tate Modern, Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre, Royal National Theatre, London Aquarium and London Eye on the South Bank.



On the opposite from Crown Plaza Hotel bank of Thames, just by the Blackfriars Bridge, rises the russet Oxo Tower Warf. Back in the 1920s, when the bosses of Oxo stock cubes got hold of the building, they wanted to put an advertising sign on it, but didn’t get the permission. Quick-witted entrepreneurs however, found their way to evade the authorities. Just above the building, they commissioned to build a tower that “coincidently” was adorned by two circled windows and one crossed in the middle. Today this place is better well known for the Oxo Tower restaurant, nestled underneath the tower. Notwithstanding the prices are more than average, this restaurant, dubbed “the best spot for a date in London”, is extremely popular, mainly for its cocktails and stunning views of London.

196 Bishopsgate


This 4 star hotel apartments, right across the street from Liverpool Street Station, is a sound choice, if you’re looking for a bit of privacy, yet of comfort of your own home. And it’s also a great place to stay in London with kids.


Having been minimalist in style, but cosy and well maintained, the apartments have everything you might need for a comfortable stay. The fully equipped kitchen comprises fridge, dishwasher, microwave, oven and washing machine. The staff are unobtrusively helpful. However, because it’s not a hotel in the full meaning of this word, don’t expect the basic hotel’s amenities, like room service, for example, or inclusive breakfast.


Although the lack of breakfast at 196 Bishopsgate won’t be a problem, because this part of the City of London, as well as adjoining Spitalfield, has plenty of places to eat, like casual “Pret-a-manger” and “Polo 24 hour bar”, which are on the same street as the hotel apartments, or more formal “La Chapelle” (35 Spital Square), a French restaurant, that is in a few minutes down the street. For stocking your fridge with food, there’s the local Tesco just in a minute away from the hotel.