Where to Stay in London
Overview
London is a city of villages — distinct neighborhoods with their own identity. Knowing them helps you experience the city like a local.
Neighborhoods
Shoreditch / Brick Lane
East London's creative hub. Street art murals, vintage markets on Brick Lane, craft coffee, independent restaurants. The epicenter of London's tech startup scene.
- Best for
- Street art, vintage markets, Sunday Brick Lane market, food
Notting Hill
Pastel-colored Victorian houses, the famous Portobello Road Market (Saturday), and the Notting Hill Carnival (August bank holiday). Very photogenic.
- Best for
- Portobello Market (Saturday), Carnival, photography, cafés
South Bank
The Thames South Bank is London's cultural spine — Tate Modern, the Globe Theatre, Borough Market, and the Millennium Bridge with stunning City views.
- Best for
- Tate Modern, Borough Market, Thames walks, Shakespeare's Globe
Soho / Covent Garden
London's entertainment heart. West End theatre, Soho's LGBTQ+ scene, jazz bars, Chinatown, and Covent Garden's street performers and market.
- Best for
- Theatre, Chinatown, street food, nightlife
Bermondsey / London Bridge
Borough Market is here (the world's greatest food market), alongside The Shard, Tower Bridge views, and an emerging restaurant and bar scene.
- Best for
- Borough Market, The Shard views, Tower Bridge, food