London Locations - Discount London Hotels

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Aldwych

Aldwych is a place and road in the City of Westminster bordering the City of London. The road is a crescent, connecting to The Strand at both ends with Kingsway at its centre. Along its length are the Indian High Commission, the Australian High Commission at Australia House, the Aldwych and Novello theatres and prominently BBC's Bush House and the London School of Economics. Aldwych has been a home to London theatre since the street was first built at the turn of the 20th Century, although there are plenty of other attractions for the visitor to explore in and around the area. Situated just a short walk from the Thames, Aldwych is bounded on the west by the market stalls, shops and zany street entertainers of Covent Garden and on the east by Fleet Street and the edge of the City.

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Bayswater

It wasn’t until the removal of the gallows at Tyburn that the area to the north of Hyde Park began to gain respectability. The arrival of the Great Western Railway at Paddington in 1838 further encouraged development and the gentrification of Bayswater began in earnest.
Whilst mainly a residential area, many of the grand townhouses have been converted into smart hotels and serviced apartments.
Bayswater’s main drag is Queensway, whose rash of cafés, restaurants and French patisseries keeps buzzing until late in the evening. One whole block of Queensway is taken up by Whiteley’s which opened in 1885 as the city’s first real department store and had the dubious distinction of being Adolf Hitler’s favourite London building.

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Belgravia

Situated between Knightsbridge and Chelsea, Belgravia is the salubrious and wealthy area which houses many of the capital's most desirable properties. Belgrave Square and its surrounding streets is also the location of many embassies. Like Mayfair, Belgravia is almost entirely owned by the Duke of Westminster, Britain's richest man. Row upon row of glorious period houses and pristine squares make up the majority of the area, but there are also a number of extremely exclusive shops, restaurants and attractive pubs. Sandwiched between many of the grand houses you can find charming cobbled mews containing smaller residences. Belgravia is, on the whole, fairly quiet and not the sort of place you'd undertake a raucous pub crawl but is a delight to stroll around on a sunny afternoon.

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Bloomsbury

The ‘Manor of Blemond’, or Blemondisberi, was the land of the 13th Century owner William Blemond. This later became shortened to Bloomsbury. Being one of the most elegant of London’s districts, with grassy squares and beautiful Georgian houses, attractions have found their place, and people visit from all over just to enjoy a splendid wander. With many literary connections, such as the famous Bloomsbury Group, it is not surprising Bloomsbury has the class of Dillons, the massive bookshop of the University of London. The other main attractions that Bloomsbury is famous for are the British Museum and the British Library

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Camberwell

Camberwell is a busy, multicultural district located south of the river Thames in the London Borough of Southwark. It remains a predominantly residential area, with many Victorian houses and some excellent Georgian homes to be admired. The area is well known for its artistic tradition, containing both the Camberwell College of Arts and the internationally celebrated South London Gallery which has exhibited Damien Hirst, Tracey Emin and Gilbert & George. Camberwell is also home to one of London's largest teaching hospitals, King's College Hospital with associated medical school the Guy’s King’s and St Thomas’ School of Medicine.

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Camden Town

In spite of being grubby and rather unattractive, Camden Town still manages to draw heaps of visitors keen to sample its vibrant market and underground music scene. Indeed, the market now draws in excess of 100,000 every weekend and sells virtually anything that can be placed on a market stall. The quality of goods varies, but you may well find a genuine bargain. If the crush of the market gets to you, wander down to the canal and jump onto a barge for a trip through the attractive residential area of Little Venice with its grand Victorian villas. The barge also travels as far as Regent's Park where you can be dropped in the middle of the famous London Zoo.

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Canary Wharf

Canary Wharf, with its towering buildings, is the most dramatic and recognisable addition to London's skyline in recent years. This huge development has already become a booming business area with international companies, financial institutions and media groups taking up residence alongside malls, shops, bars, restaurants, health and sports clubs, cinemas, theatres and hotels. It's a buzzing and thoroughly contemporary district that has plenty of greens, gardens, landscaped parks, promenades, squares and free open-air musical performances to ensure an agreeable environment for working, shopping and socialising.

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Charing Cross

Charing Cross is located at the junction of the Strand and Whitehall by Trafalgar Square and is referenced as the area by the mainline station between Embankment and Covent Garden. It derives its name from a memorial to Queen Eleanor of Castile, wife of Edward the First who died in 1290. Her body was to be taken from Lincoln to Westminster Abbey for a state burial. The grief stricken King decided that twelve memorial crosses would be installed at each stopping point of her funeral procession. The last was placed in the manor of Charing – now Trafalgar Square – hence Charing Cross. The original Charing Cross was destroyed in 1647 and the statue of Charles I now resides it its place. You can find a Victoria replica outside Charing Cross station.

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Chelsea

Splendidly chic boutiques, exquisite antiques shops and hundreds of charming eighteenth and nineteeth century houses make Chelsea one of the most desirable areas in London. King's Road is the main shopping area and provides a wealth of opportunity for the keen shopper. Most outlets (especially on the King's Road) tend to be small, with smart fashionable bars and restaurants jostling for space in between. The Royal Hospital was founded in 1682 by Charles II and houses the Chelsea Pensioners who you will probably see strolling around the streets of Chelsea in their bright red coats and tricorn hats. Every year the grounds of the Hospital open to the public for the world famous Chelsea Flower Show - one of London's great social events.

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Chiswick

Chiswick is an enchanting - and expensive - area of west London, set on the edge of one of the Thames' sweeping loops. And while its beautiful riverside scenery is perhaps its biggest draw, Chiswick has many other attractions: great stretches of green land; historic houses; leafy avenues filled with handsome Edwardian and Victorian homes; easy road and rail links in and out of London; and a lively, boulevard-style High Road whose tree-lined pavements offer all the important contemporary shopping options as well as a thriving restaurant, bar and café culture with outdoor tables. Traditionalists, however, may prefer the atmosphere of the 19th Century pubs scattered along the long thoroughfare.

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City

The City of London refers to the 'Square Mile' (actually 1.08 square miles) as it is colloquially known. It encompasses the financial heart of London; an area which houses the Stock Exchange where a staggering £12 billion worth of trading takes place every day. And yet, this unashamedly capitalist crucible hides another side. On a weekend, the ancient streets are empty and silent. Here you will find the very heart of London: the original settlement from which it has sprawled. Between the modern offices lies a diaspora of history from the great Victorian edifices of commerce such as the Royal Exchange to the Roman Temple of Minerva on Queen Victoria Street. In between is a dazzling array of churches, many built by Wren as part of his grand scheme to resurrect London after the Great Fire of 1666.

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Clerkenwell

A fascinating area just to the north of the City which is an alluring mix of scruffy old character and trendy new vibrancy. Charming Georgian houses and historic churches are sandwiched between old warehouses, many of which have been turned into flats and hotels. The area encompasses Hatton Garden which is the centre of London's jewellery trade as well as Smithfield where meat has been bought and sold for more than 800 years. The market has recently undergone a major refurbishment and is now considered the most modern meat market in Europe. Clerkenwell Green is surrounded by particularly attractive buildings including St. John's Priory, the British headquarters of the Order of St. John whose ancestors were heavily involved in the Crusades to the Holy Land.

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Covent Garden

Covent Garden is a major tourist attraction that centres upon the piazza which was originally designed by Inigo Jones in the 1630s. Surrounding the market are hundreds of shops, bars and restaurants which make the area buzz with vitality. Dominating a large part of the market place is the famous Royal Opera House which stages world class operatic and ballet performances and is home to the Royal Opera and Royal Ballet Companies. The London Coliseum is also just down the road on St. Martin's Lane; this houses the equally impressive English National Opera and English National Ballet. The Theatre Royal on Drury Lane is an immense edifice and has the largest theatre auditorium in London. First built in 1663 the site is the oldest in the world to have been continually in use as a theatre.

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Docklands

The Docklands are home to London City Airport and ExCeL, London’s premier events venue, whilst also on the doorstep is Canary Wharf. Rapidly become a leading London location, it is with easy access from Stansted Airport. The 'E' in the East London postcode is fast becoming more desirable, proof of the increasing growth and 'chic' factor attached to London Docklands and the surrounding area.

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Ealing

Ealing is situated in west London and is often referred to as the "Queen of the Suburbs". Hundreds of lime trees line elegant, residential avenues, and extensive parklands add to the feeling of space and graciousness within what is also a bustling, cosmopolitan pocket of the capital. The district is probably most famous for the celebrated Ealing Comedies, produced in the Forties and Fifties in studios which continue making movies to this day. With its local theatre, cinema, comedy, music, farmer's street market, and shopping and leisure centres, Ealing is a destination in its own right, while offering easy tube, rail and road links in and out of London.

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Earls Court

Earl's Court for a long time was known as a mecca for London’s huge transient Antipodean population as well as being a well known area of gay culture. Whilst in the past it was somewhat down-at –heel, gentrification has propelled prices for its Victorian houses and grand mansion flats into the stratosphere. The delight of Earl’s Court is that it feels very urbane and cosmopolitan without having lost any of its residential charm. The area is popular with tourists from all over the world as it is populated with a wide variety of hotels – from guesthouses to large chain hotels to smart designer boutique hotels – that charge a fraction of West End prices.

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Euston

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Gatwick

Gatwick Airport is the second largest and busiest airport in London after Heathrow. Located near Crawley in West Sussex and Horley in Surrey. There are many hotels within the area for those who want to be near the airport.

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Covent Garden

Situated on the River Thames, Maritime Greenwich is a World Heritage Site and famous for such historic landmarks as the the Royal Observatory, the home of Greenwich Mean Time and the Meridian Line, Longitude 0°, and inspirational architecture by Sir Christopher Wren at the Old Royal Naval College. So near to central London yet only 20 minutes from the city centre, Greenwich is a place of contrasts, from awe-inspiring architecture, tranquil open spaces and breathtaking views, to cosy pubs and bustling street markets. As you wander through Greenwich you will experience views and vistas that have changed little since Canaletto painted it almost three hundred years ago.

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Hammersmith

A slightly scruffy area suffering from an unsightly flyover cutting right through its centre, Hammersmith is home to the Apollo which hosts many top class acts and popular shows. Just to the south of this the area becomes more attractive: the delightful Hammersmith Bridge built in the 1880s links the north and south banks of the Thames and has recently been fully restored. On the Hammersmith bank are a number of handsome Regency houses interspersed with riverside pubs and boathouses. A little further along is The Dove, a pub close to the hearts of locals and Londonders; it was here that the traditional song Rule Britannia was composed by Thomas Arne in the 18th century!

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Hampstead

The concept of London being made up of a series of villages is illustrated no better than in the delightful north London suburb of Hampstead. Georgian in character and adorned with 800 acres of rolling heathland, Hampstead has always been a centre for literary activity and the intelligensia. Hundreds of small shops, excellent restaurants and charming pubs add to its allure. Hampstead is the perfect place to spend a day simply strolling around: traversing the heath with its glorious views over London, navigating the little lanes and streets, peeking at the beautiful architecture and supping pints of ale at historic pubs. Kenwood House with its outdoor summer concerts and fine collection of art is worth a visit as is the nearby Spaniards Inn where the highwayman Dick Turpin hid from pursuing soldiers.

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Aldwych

Located in the City of Westminster and joining Pall Mall to Piccadilly Circus. Haymarket is part of London's Theatreland and is home to two historic theatres: Her Majesty’s, whose present incarnation was built in 1897, and the Theatre Royal which was built by John Nash in 1820. In Elizabethan times, as its name suggests, it was used largely for the sale of farm produce, but, as London expanded, Haymarket became an entertainment district. By the late 1800s, cafes, ale houses, hotels and prostitutes began to appear, dotted around the area. Today it has shed its bawdy reputation and has become altogether glitzier with smart restuarants, bars and designer hotels.

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Heathrow Airport

Heathrow Airport

Heathrow is "the world's busiest international airport", according to its operator BAA. Some 67.7 million passengers pass through here every year, planes from 90 airlines fly from Heathrow to more than 186 destinations, the airport handles £50 billion worth of cargo annually, and it directly employs 70,000 people while sustaining another 250,000 jobs in the UK. Heathrow is rather like a self-contained town with its variety of restaurants, shops, bars, and prayer rooms and religious services for different faiths. It is also surrounded by hotels, serving early-morning travellers who like to make sure they are on time for check-in and late-night arrivals who prefer their bedrooms to be close at hand. Hotel Hoppa’s ferry passengers between the terminals and the hotels.

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Holborn

Pronounced 'hoe bern', this area is home to the distinctive Inns of Court: historic and beautiful sets of buildings where barristers have resided since the 13th century. A walk through one of these Inns is often like stepping back in time, especially if you happen upon a barrister in his obligatory eighteenth century court attire. The 12th century Temple Church is well worth a look as is the fascinating and under visited Sir John Soane's Museum in Lincoln's Inn with its eccentric collections of paraphernalia. Even more bizarre is the Hunterian Museum in the Royal College of Surgeons. Here you'll find pickled exhibits of human remains, skeletons of midgets and giants, the examination couch used by Lister (who discovered antiseptic), and even human teeth from the battlefield of Waterloo.

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Hoxton

Hoxton was once a down-at-heel area filled with derelict industrial buildings. It emerged in the early Nineties as one of London's most exciting, fashionable and artistic districts, heaving with cutting-edge bars, clubs, gastropubs, restaurants, music venues and arts centres. The original creative community living and/or working in Hoxton included Damien Hirst, Tracey Emin and fashion designer Alexander McQueen. They may now have moved on, but their spirit survives in the galleries which proliferate here and its neighbour Shoreditch. It is an area where loft-dwelling professionals live alongside a more traditional East End community.

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Hyde Park

Hyde Park has long been at the very heart of London life with its 350 grassy acres that adjoin Kensington Gardens' 275 acres. It is an obvious destination for people wishing to enjoy the sunshine by stretching out on deckchairs, perhaps, or by strolling around the meadowland and the Serpentine Lake. Hyde Park has plenty for the visitor, with sporting activities that range from tennis and bowling to boating and horse-riding. Henry VIII bought Hyde Park from the Westminster Abbey monks in 1536 and used it as a private hunting ground. A hundred years later, Charles 1 opened it to the public and, since then, while existing primarily as an area for relaxation, the park has been a natural venue for national celebrations, protests, rallies and rock concerts.

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Charing Cross

Islington these days is known as being home to the central figures of the New Labour movement as well as being spiritual home to Britain’s left-wing intelligentsia. Architecturally its is even more well known for its superb Georgian terraces and crescents which were rehabilitated in the ‘60s, leading to its gentrification and to becoming a fashionable part of the city. Today it offers a wealth of interesting and unique places to visit in all four corners of the borough - from taking the children to see working farms, to getting a tour round Arsenal's ground, exploring the antique markets & shops of Camden Passage or to seeing the latest performance at the Sadlers Wells.

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Kensington

Other districts go in and out of fashion, but the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, particularly the area to the south of Hyde Park, has been in vogue ever since royalty moved into Kensington Palace in the late seventeenth century. Aside from the shops around Harrods in Knightsbridge, however, the popular tourist attractions lie in South Kensington, where three of London’s top free museums — the Victoria and Albert, Natural History and Science museums — stand on land bought with the proceeds of the Great Exhibition of 1851. Since transformed from fields, farms and private estates into street after street of ornate Italianate terraces and grandiose red—brick mansions, it is now prime London real estate and among among the world’s most expensive.

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Kilburn

Kilburn has a rather ancient past with its origins in a 12th century priory founded at the crossing of Kilburn River – modern day Kilburn High Road and Belsize Road – from which it took its name. In the 18th-century, a medicinal well had been discovered and exploited with gardens and a great room for the 'politest companies'. Today it is a mixture of elegant stuccoed Regency villas, Victorian stock-brick terraces, mansion flats of the 1890s, post-1945 council blocks, small-scale industry, and shops. In the High Road, the fish shops, public houses, small factories and shops selling exotic vegetables and saris reflect the successive waves of immigrants that have given Kilburn its cosmopolitan flavour.

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Kings Cross

King's Cross is casting off its sad and seedy past to emerge as one of central London's most vital and exciting areas. In Dickens' day, it was filled with poverty-ridden slums. In the 1980s, the name of King's Cross was synonymous with prostitution, drugs and crime. No longer however. Today, it's being extensively regenerated in tandem with St Pancras Station as London's grand Channel Tunnel Rail Link terminus. Shiny new bars, restaurants and hotels have replaced the seedy pubs and dives of yesteryear to create a vibrant and happening part of town. The past is nevertheless celebrated in the magnificent Victorian gothic facade of St Pancras.

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Knightsbridge

Knightsbridge is one of London’s most exclusive residential areas with some of the most expensive real estate you will find on the planet. It is notable also for the huge density of super high-end shops lining every street in the immediate vicinity as well as being home to two of London’s most famous department stores – Harvey Nichols and Harrods. Some of London’s smartest and discreet hotels are a mere Jimmy Choo away as are a plethora of fabulous restaurants and bars. For culture vultures, London's best museums are a leisurely window shop away in South Kensington.

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Lancaster Gate

Lancaster Gate is actually a mid-19th century housing development in Bayswater, and contrary to what that might imply, was one of the grandest schemes to line the north side of Hyde Park. It consists of two long terraces of grand houses with a wide gap in between opening on to a square. Talk of Lancaster Gate these days and people think of the area immediately surrounding the tube station by the Royal Lancaster Hotel. Many of the properties are still in residential use though others are used as hotels which make them popular for visiting tourists given the close proximity to Paddington Station and its amazing transport links across the city and to Heathrow.

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Leicester Square, West End

Leicester Square

Leicester Square is a large pedestrianised area surrounded by the plushest cinemas in London. With Trafalgar Square to the south, Piccadilly Circus to the west, China Town to the north and Covent Garden to the east, Leicester Square is right in the thick of the West End. It is the beating heart of British cinema, with all the major European premieres happening there - you'll often see crowds of fans, expectantly awaiting the arrival of the stars outside one of the state-of-the-art cinemas which line the square.

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Covent Garden

Little Venice is one those London oases of leafy calm and residential peace that is minutes from the pulse of the city. Its name was coined by Robert Browning as the area south of Maida Vale where the Paddington arm of the Grand Union Canal meets the Regents Canal. Regents Canal would have to be one of London’s best-kept secrets as it winds its way nine miles through a rich urban landscape from Little Venice all the way to Limehouse Basin in the East End. Along the way it takes in Camden Lock, Regent’s Park, LondonZoo and some glorious waterside architecture.

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Liverpool Street

Liverpool St

Liverpool Street is not an area per se but refers to the street and the mainline station onto which it exits. It is part of the area of Broadgate, between the City and Shoreditch, in which some of London's most impressive and dynamic skyscrpaers can be found. To the north up Bishopsgate are the bars, clubs and galleries of Shoreditch and Hoxton whilst eastwards lie Spitalfields Market and Brick Lane, the 'Curry Mile'. Right above Liverpool Street Station is The Andaz hotel - a bit of an anomaly in this town being as it is a hip, designer hotel right on top of a railway station.

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London Bridge

The first London Bridge was built by the Romans between AD100 and AD400. Until 1749 and the building of Westminster Bridge, London Bridge remained the only crossing point of the Thames in London. During 1014 came the first London Bridge burning during a dispute between King Ethelred the Unready and the Danes. It was these events, which brought about the nursery rhyme “London Bridge is Falling Down”.

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London City Airport

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Maida Vale

Located in West London, Maida Vale is primarily an affluent residential district whose exquisite properties and peacefully paced life have turned it into a popular inner-city escape for Londoners. It possesses a village feel with its independent shops, restaurants, cafés and open spaces despite its close proximity to town. It encompasses the Paddington Basin which is the confluence of three canals and is known as Little Venice. This area is popular for its white stucco Regency maisonettes as well as the numerous houseboats moored along the canals.

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Marble Arch

Originally built as the entrance archway to Buckingham Palace in 1827, by John Nash, who was influenced by the design of the Arch of Constantine in Rome. However, when the palace was extended in the 1840s the archway was deemed too small and thus moved to its present position, at the north-east corner of Hyde Park and the west end of Oxford Street, in 1851. The only people allowed to pass through Marble Arch are senior members of the Royal Family and the King’s Troop Royal Horse Artillery. The location is wonderful for reaching all inner-city areas of London, but also within the vicinity of London’s luxurious park.

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Marylebone

Sandwiched between Oxford Street and Marylebone Lane is one of London's most appealing areas. Marylebone remains a community in the very heart of London. Here you find little shops that have been in business since well before the war, flower stalls that have been around since the 1940s, backstreet pubs and a myriad of other charming glimpses of a London that has changed little over the past century. At the same time, the area houses smart boutiques, chic design stores and and some particularly fine restaurants. Despite this, Marylebone has made no concessions to tourists and the majority venture no further than the queue to enter Madame Tussaud's on its northern border. The emphasis remains on providing for the community of people who live here.

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Mayfair

That Mayfair is the top property on the Monopoly board is no idle boast. The area encompasses stunning residential property and the most exclusive shops in London. It is also home to some of the world's grandest and most prestigious hotels including The Ritz, The Dorchester, the Connaught and the delightfully grand Claridge's. The glorious Burlington Arcade which runs from Piccadilly to Burlington Gardens was built in 1819 and is patrolled by top-hatted Beadles who enforce the rules of 'no singing, whistling or hurrying'! If you turn right at the Burlington Gardens end of the arcade, you'll find Savile Row, world famous for its fine bespoke tailoring. Turn left out of the arcade and you'll find Bond Street, the smartest shopping street in London with more 'By Royal Appointments' than any other!

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Notting Hill

Notting Hill has long been famous for the mile-long Portobello Road street market and the colourful Notting Hill Carnival, held annually in August. In recent years, the area has risen to become one of the most desirable and expensive in London. Gentrification during the Nineties has seen wealthy buyers moving into imposing homes set around communal gardens and tall Victorian townhouses that were once multi-occupied. There are a plethora exciting new shops, cafés, restaurants, bars and clubs in the area although much of the old neighbourhood atmosphere prevails around Ladbroke Grove, All Saints Road, Notting Hill Gate, Westbourne Grove and Portobello Road.

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Oxford Circus

Oxford Circus is one of London's busiest crossroads, situated in the heart of the West End at the junction of Regent Street and Oxford Street. Visitors stepping out of the tube station here would feel at the epicenter of the city as many of London’s most exciting places are within easy walking distance in any direction. South takes in Piccadilly, Leicester Square and theatreland on Shaftesbury Ave: East draws you to the vibrancy of colourful Soho; West takes you to the luxury and glamour of wealthy Bond Street and Mayfair whilst a step north is cosmopolitan area of Marylebone.

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Paddington

Home of Brunel's impressive railway terminus, Paddington is an area of large stucco Victorian houses which often provide reliable cost effective budget accommodation in a city renowned for its high prices. The area has seen a smartening up of its image with the opening of designer hotels, chic eateries and the redevelopment of Paddington Basin with the regeneration of one of London's most impressive canal locations. Hotels-London has over 20 hotels in Paddington to book from, many with easy access to all of London's main attractions and at the hub of one of London’s major transport hubs.

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Park Lane

Park Lane, which is located in Mayfair, is steeped in glamour, luxury and exclusivity. Almost a mile long, it's a wide road running north to south between Hyde Park Corner and Marble Arch and is lined with a sweep of opulent hotels that overlook the green expanses of Hyde Park. Like the hotels, and as befits its name, Park Lane conjures up images of 5-star excellence, traditional values and exquisite indulgence. Park Lane is within easy reach of everything central London has to offer, from the up-market shopping and culture that's just on the doorstep in Mayfair to the sights and nightlife of the West End, only a little further afield.

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Piccadilly Circus

Piccadilly Circus

In the centre of London, within Piccadilly district you will find a ‘square’ considered by many to be the very heart of London. With five major streets converging on one another, this area is quite popular and busy compared to its highly fashionable history. Piccadilly is also home to the famous attraction “Statue of Eros”. Which is actually a fountain representing the Greek God of Charity. Neon signs dominate the night light as the areas illumination. Dating back to the Edwardian era with electrical lights introduced from around 1910. Other tourist attractions are Rock Circus and the Pepsi Trocadero. With great surrounding locations – Piccadilly Circus is a great day and night out for most people.

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Pimlico

Pimlico is primarily a residential area south of Victoria that has been considerably smartened up in recent years. As in other parts of London, there are many fine white stucco fronted Victorian houses and beautiful private squares. A lot of these houses on the more prominent streets have been converted into B&B's and hotels. The Tate Gallery fronts The Thames and is now home to a fine collection of British art from 1500 to the present day including a vast collection of Turners.

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Putney

Putney is located in south-west London and is renowned for its beautiful riverside scenery, excellent shopping and vibrant nightlife. Famously, Putney Bridge is the starting point for the traditional Oxford and Cambridge boat race: it is a keen rowing stronghold, with some 20 clubs based locally. Walkers and cyclists using the towpath enjoy delightful river views, and a variety of picturesque pubs and restaurants look out over the tree-lined Thames. Putney is served by mainline trains, tubes and buses, and is convenient to the major exhibition halls of Earls Court and Olympia.

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Regents Park

Regent’s Park is one of London’s spectacular creations designed by the 19th century Royal Architect John Nash. It is a huge, thriving green expanse in the heart of the capital. Consisting of two circular areas (an Inner and Outer Circle) the park is bordered by stunning, stark white stucco terraced houses - also designed by Nash. Now most famously associated with London Zoo - positioned over on the north-east corner of the park - an open-air theatre, ornate bandstand, large boating lake, huge mosque and 100-acre sports field add to its many attractions. A number of pretty eateries populate Regent’s Park, while Primrose Hill is heaving with trendy cafes and bars. This is a great place for almost every kind of outdoor pursuit.

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Richmond Upon Thames

Richmond Upon Thames

Richmond is one of the loveliest of London’s outer boroughs with an ancient pedigree and a long royal association. It actually spans the River Thames, which is its heart, and has been home to the rich, famous and illustrious for centuries. Pubs, wine bars and restaurants overlook the river, and you can walk along the riverbanks for many miles. The view down on to the river from Richmond Terrace at the top of the hill is particularly famous. Parks make up a great deal of the borough, with Richmond Park, the largest Royal Park in London, covering 2,500 acres and home to free roaming red and fallow deer. It is a beautifully pastoral landscape set amongst ancient trees though from its heights there is an uninterrupted view to St Paul’s Cathedral.

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Russell Square

Russell Square is the largest and grandest of the capital's Georgian squares. Simply great location close to central London, Euston and Holborn. The area abounds with a large selection of hotels all within close proximity to attractions such as the British Museum.

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Aldwych

Since the mid ‘90s, Shoreditch, like its neighbour Hoxton, has become a hugely fashionable and popular part of London. Prohibitive West End Prices for office space precipitated the move which has seen the area, which was a former citadel to the working classes, colonised by the creative industries. Clubs, bars and restaurants rival those of the West End and the proliferation of Art galleries and media business are further testimony its transformation. Its close proximity to the City has fuelled further gentrificaton though one of its more infamous claims to fame is that it is now home to the highest concentration of strip clubs in London.

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SoHo

If ever there was a pounding heartbeat to a city then Soho would have to be London’s. While it may be bounded by the loud and crowded thoroughfares of Oxford Street, Shaftesbury Avenue, Regent Street and Charing Cross Road, this square mile of narrow streets and alleyways has an atmosphere all of its own, one which feels intimate and welcoming. Coffee shops, smart restaurants, happening bars and chic nightspots characterise the rebirth of an area which has cleaned up its act and shaken off the sleazy trappings of yesteryear and is now a vibrant, contemporary and pulsating enclave.

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South Kensington

South Kensington

South Kensington is another of London’s posh districts sandwiched between its wealthy neighbours of Knightsbridge and Chelsea. It’s defined as being south of Cromwell Road but is recognized as one of the world’s most important cultural centre’s given its proximity to the great museums and academic institutions nearby such as the Natural History Museum, the Science Museum, The V&A Museum, Imperial College and the Royal College of Music. It is often referred to as the French Quarter given the significant French presence as evidenced by the location of the consulate, the Lycée Français Charles de Gaulle and the French Institute.

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Southwark

Southwark is London's most historic borough, comprising five districts. Its most popular attractions are located in the district of Bankside and Borough, bordering the south bank of the Thames between Blackfriars Bridge and London Bridge. These include the landmark Tate Modern building, linking to St Paul's Cathedral via the Millennium footbridge, showcasing the world's finest contemporary art; the Bankside Gallery, which exhibits watercolours and original prints and Shakespeare's Globe Theatre. Nearby is the Rose Theatre, the only Elizabethan theatre site with remains completely available for modern exploration. These are tucked into the basement of an office block, submerged beneath a protective pool of water and provides an insight into Shakespeare's and Marlowe's London.

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St James

The haunt of princes, aristocracy, statesmen and 'The Establishment', St. James's is just south of Piccadilly. Lining the sides of St. James's Street and Pall Mall are the numerous gentlemen's clubs where affairs of state are discussed, alliances made and foreign policy discreetly debated. Sitting in the middle of the area is St. James's Palace, begun by Henry VIII in 1532 and now home to The Prince of Wales and Princes William and Harry. St. James's is also home to some exclusive and historic specialist shops including Berry Bros and Rudd (a fine wine merchant whose cellars are reputedly the largest in London) and James Lock & Son who have been making fine hats for over 300 years. St. James's Park across The Mall provides beautiful vistas of Whitehall.

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St Johns Wood

St. John's Wood is a leafy and affluent residential area north of Baker Street and is known to every Englishman as the home of Lord's, the birthplace of cricket. It is also home to the King's Troop Royal Horse Artillery who form part of the Household Troops and appear at such events as The Lord Mayor's Show. They ride teams of six horses pulling gun carriages that weigh over a ton each and fire Royal Salutes. The other unassuming claim to fame of the area is that it is home to the Abbey Road Studios where The Beatles recorded their famous album of the same name. St. John's Wood is just far enough out of the West End to remain relatively peaceful and yet provides excellent access to the centre of London.

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St Pancras

St Pancras was originally a medieval parish which ran north from what is now Oxford Street as far as Highgate and from what is now Regent's Park to Camden. The district encompassed by the term "St Pancras" is not easy to define, and usage of it as a place name is these days applied to the immediate vicinity of St Pancras Station, famous of course for Eurostar and the wonderful Gilbert Scott Gothic masterpiece of the Midland Grand Hotel.

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The Strand

The Strand is the major thoroughfare that runs east from Trafalgar Square to join Fleet Street which marks the boundary of the City of London. From the 13th century onwards it was lined with the water-side mansions of the aristocracy. Among these great houses were the medieval Savoy Palace, now the site of the Savoy Hotel, and the 16th century Renaissance palace of the Dukes of Somerset, replaced in the 18th century by William Chamber's Somerset House. Today it plays host to a mixture of theatres, hotels, shops and Charing Cross railway station. Being the southern main artery from the City to the West End, it is invariably thronged with vehicles and people, especially when the theatres which abound in the neighbourhood empty of their patrons.

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Tower Bridge

Tower Bridge is not an area of London but refers obviously to that famous London icon and one of the most famous bridges in the world. It spans the Thames from Bermondsey, connecting to the heart of the City of London and derives its name from the Tower of London due to its close proximity. It was built between 1886 and 1894 by the City of London Corporation to link the southeastern suburbs with the city and east London and cost over a million pounds.

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Tower Hill

Think of Tower Hill and you probably think of the Tower of London as well as Tower Bridge. Whilst Tower Hill affords a superb view of both, and vistas across the city, it does have its own history that few are probably aware. Only a handful of prisoners like, Anne Boleyn, were executed inside the precincts of the Tower. Most prisoners were executed on a public scaffold on Tower Hill. The spot lies within the pretty little garden called Trinity Green just opposite the tube station.

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Trafalgar Square, West End

Trafalgar Square

The heart of London and home to Nelson’s Column, the controversial Fourth Plinth and many galleries and museums. Trafalgar Square is rich in history and provides a solid platform for new artistic performances. If visiting in August the Trafalgar Square Festival is a must see and this year promises to be more eventful than ever, showcasing a range of cultural activity to be found in London, the UK and around the world.

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Vauxhall

Overshadowed by the MI5 secret service building and newly built modern swanky apartment buildings along Wandsworth Road the southern side of Vauxhall bridge takes you towards Vauxhall Station (be aware here, especially at night). Having replaced the original James Walker’s cast-iron bridge, Sir Binnie's late 19th-century Vauxhall bridge design was completed in 1906. Representing industry and agriculture on one side, with the arts, education and Government on the other.

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Victoria

Victoria is best known as an important transport centre with coach, underground and mainline rail stations - and it's the terminus for romantic journeys on the world-famous Orient Express. Given its very central location there is a proliferation of hotels in the area from small B&B’s to large 4 & 5 star properties. Victoria does have its own attractions like the Apollo Victoria, a former cinema built in art deco style, one of London's largest theatres now staging musicals. The Victoria Palace theatre also specialises in musicals and is famous for a golden statue of ballerina Anna Pavlova on the rooftop dome. Outside the theatre, the Little Ben clock tower, modelled on the Big Ben tower, is always set an hour ahead of GMT.

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Waterloo

Waterloo is best known for its station - the busiest in Britain and the centre of an important transport interchange for mainline trains, tubes and buses. Until 2007, Waterloo International was the London terminus for the Eurostar, now relocated to St Pancras. The main station, immortalised in The Kinks' 1967 hit "Waterloo Sunset", is a favourite setting in novels and films, with couples arranging to rendezvous under the famous four-faced clock. It's a short walk to the South Bank and London Eye although Waterloo has its own attractions including the historic Old Vic theatre, celebrated as "the actors' theatre", and under the artistic directorship of Kevin Spacey.

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Wembley

Wembley is situated between Heathrow and London's busy West End, positioned with good transport links nearby to take you into the city in 20 minutes. Heathrow airport is 15 minutes from the area, if you get the chance visit events at Wembley Stadium or the Wembley Arena.

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West End

Contrary to name, the West End is actually a quite specific district lying to the west of The City. Specifically, the area is quite small, stretching from Tottenham Court Road in the east to Park Lane in the west. However, the broader terms also includes several other districts such as Soho, Covent Garden, Mayfair and Bloomsbury. Sometimes, Westminster is also within this broad area. There are two main centres in the West End – Piccadilly Circus and Trafalgar Square. These are why the West End is commonly referred to in broader terms as the very heart of London. Inclusive landmarks are Nelson’s Column, Piccadilly Circus and Trafalgar Square.

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West Hampstead

West Hampstead, in north-west London, began life as a small farming settlement called West End. However, with the advent of the railways into the area towards the end of the 1800s, it was renamed West Hampstead to avoid confusion with the other West End in central London. This piece of West Hampstead's history is recalled in street names such as West End Lane, which runs through the middle of the neighbourhood like a spine. West End Lane is known for a striking community atmosphere with its small, traditional shops, cafés, bars and intimate music venues. The leafy residential avenues of West Hampstead are home to numerous Victorian red-brick mansion blocks and terraces, and there are excellent tube, train and bus services into London.

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West Kensington

West Kensington

West Kensington may lack the wealth, style, up-market shopping and grassy acres of Kensington, and the fabulous museums of South Kensington, but it is a down-to-earth and homely place defined by its diverse array of small shops, fun pubs and multicultural restaurants. This is a predominantly residential area, with a wide cross-section of housing that ranges from impressive Victorian mansion blocks and terraces to local authority flats and tall neo-Georgian townhouses. The big draw in West Kensington is Olympia, the world-class exhibition complex that is partnered with Earls Court. The area is well-served by tubes and buses and there are easy road routes to both Heathrow and central London.

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Westminster

The seat of government for the United Kingdom, Westminster is an historic centre of power with all the grand buildings to prove it. The Palace of Westminster stands on the banks of The Thames and is a stunningly intricate masterpiece containing 1,200 rooms, 100 staircases, 2 miles of corridors, the House of Commons, the House of Lords and of course the world famous Big Ben. Surrounding Parliament Square are the great ministries of state on Whitehall including the Home Office, Foreign & Commonwealth Office and the Ministry of Defence. Horse Guards is the spiritual home of the Household Cavalry and is permanently guarded by two troopers from a mounted regiment. It is also home to Westminster Abbey, begun in 1065 and witness to every Coronation since 1066

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