Where should you stay in London?

Quick pick by traveler type

• First visit: Southwark (Bankside and Borough) or Bloomsbury.

• Nightlife and theatres: Covent Garden and Soho, or Shoreditch for a younger bar scene in the east.

• Budget: the edges of Zone 1 and Zone 2 on a direct Tube line: think King's Cross, the Borough end of Southwark, or Shoreditch.

• Families: South Kensington, beside the Natural History, Science and V&A museums and Hyde Park.

• Transit-focused: King's Cross and St Pancras for trains north and Eurostar, Paddington for Heathrow.

• Quiet and romantic: Bloomsbury's garden squares, or Southwark's riverside away from the market.

Southwark and Bankside: the smart all-rounder

Southwark is the south bank of the Thames opposite the City: Tate Modern, Shakespeare's Globe, Borough Market and the riverside walk west to the London Eye and Westminster. The Millennium Bridge crosses straight to St Paul's, about a 10-minute walk. Our 3 days in London calls it the smarter base: cheaper than the West End and on the river path.

It suits first-timers, walkers and food lovers. Borough Market is at its best early on a weekday or Saturday morning before the crowds.

The downside: fewer late-night options than the West End, and some streets near London Bridge are dominated by office blocks and rail viaducts.

Bloomsbury and King's Cross: calm and connected

Bloomsbury is the area of Georgian garden squares around the British Museum and the University of London. Covent Garden and Soho are 10 to 15 minutes' walk south, and King's Cross, St Pancras and Euston stations are at its northern edge, which helps for day trips from London.

It suits first-timers, museum lovers, couples and anyone arriving on Eurostar. It is calmer than Soho at 2am.

The downside: the streets right around the big stations are busy and less attractive, and the area gets quiet early on weekday evenings.

Covent Garden and Soho: inside the West End

Covent Garden and Soho are the theatre and restaurant heart of London: Trafalgar Square, the National Gallery and Chinatown are all within a few minutes, and Westminster is a short walk down Whitehall. Our London guide recommends this area for walking access to Big Ben and the river.

It suits short stays built around theatre, restaurants and nightlife.

The downside: you pay a real premium, rooms are small for the price, and street noise carries late into the night. Ask for a room away from the street.

South Kensington: museums, parks and families

South Kensington holds the Natural History Museum, the Science Museum and the V&A, all free to enter, with Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens just north. The station is on the Piccadilly line, which runs directly to Heathrow, and on the Circle and District lines.

It suits families, museum-focused trips and travelers who want a quieter, residential feel with the West End 15 to 20 minutes away by Tube.

The downside: it is expensive, and the evenings are quiet. The main sights east of Westminster mean a Tube ride every day.

Westminster, Victoria and Shoreditch

Westminster and Victoria put you next to Big Ben, the Abbey and Buckingham Palace, and Victoria station has trains to Gatwick. Our guide is honest about them: convenient and characterless, fine for a short first trip, with little life after dark.

Shoreditch in the east is the bar, street-art and late-night food district, on the Overground and close to Liverpool Street station, which is on the Elizabeth line. It suits nightlife and younger travelers. The downside is distance from the West End and Westminster sights, and weekend noise.

Booking advice: airports, transport, rooms and nights

Airports: from Heathrow, the Elizabeth line takes about 35 minutes to central London, the Piccadilly line about 50 to 60 minutes for less, and the Heathrow Express about 15 minutes to Paddington at a much higher fare. Staying on one of those lines saves a change with luggage.

Getting around: tap a contactless card or phone, and daily caps limit what you spend; our Oyster vs contactless guide explains the caps and lists the free museums. A room a short walk from a Tube station matters more than which zone it is in.

Watch the label: listings far out in Zones 3 to 6 often advertise easy access to central London. Look up the door-to-door time to Leicester Square or London Bridge rather than trusting the description; 45 minutes each way adds up over a week.

Rooms: London rooms are small and many older buildings have no lift. Check the room size in square metres and whether the price includes breakfast and VAT.

Season: summer and December are the most expensive. November, when we were there, is cooler and cheaper. New Year's Eve fills central hotels fast; see our New Year's Eve fireworks guide.

How many nights: three days covers Westminster, the West End, St Paul's and the South Bank, as in our 3 days in London; see how many days in London for longer stays. Our England itinerary shows how we continued to Bath, and what to eat in London and tipping in England cover eating out.

Frequently asked questions