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London TRAVEL GUIDE AND DEALS

No city in the world is quite like London. At once historic and cutting edge, stately and scandalous, hoity-toity and low-brow, gritty and manicured, the teeming British capital has such a complex (some might say split) personality that it almost defies description. Buttoned-up charm and regal history mingle easily with modern verve in this sprawling metropolis, home to world-class theater, wildly diverse cuisine, and a very large clock tower.

Why Go

For the burgeoning art scene, interesting museums, edgy music scene, array of cultures, historic sights, and crowded streets, as well as to experience an atmosphere like nowhere else in Europe.

London Travel Guide: Deals to London | London Neighborhoods | Things to do in London | London Hotels | London Restaurants | London Nightlife | London Shopping | London Day Trips | When to go to London | Getting to London | London Tips | London Additional Resources | London Smart Splurges

See Also: Europe | Britain | England | London

$531+: Premium class London fares (one-way) Virgin Atlantic

$1077+: 2-for-1 fall Europe airfares (round-trip) Icelandair

$279+: London fares from top US cities (one-way) Virgin Atlantic

$493+: London flights from 15+ cities (round-trip) British Airways

$459+: Discount fall fares to Europe (round-trip) Lufthansa

$1179+: London biz class from 15+ cities (one-way) Virgin Atlantic

$230+: Europe fares via top US cities (each way) CheapOair

$194/nt+: Modern London hotel near shops, gardens K+K Hotel George

$119/nt+: Stylish Crowne Plaza London-Docklands Priceline.com

$156/nt+: 4-star London hotel in chic Kensington Radisson Edwardian Vanderbilt Hotel

$575+: London & Paris 6-nt combo w/flights, hotels EuropeanDestinations.com

Under $700+: Late-summer Europe wknds w/flight Major Providers

$962+: London 5-day vacation with airfare Travelocity

$769+: London, Paris, Rome 6-nt trip w/flights EuropeanDestinations.com

$962+: Flight & 4-night vacations to Europe Travelocity

$707+: Quick 4-nt cruise to London, Cork & more Travelocity

London Hotels

London boasts an array of lodging options for just about every budget. It is also known as one of the world’s priciest lodging scenes, with a staggering number of exclusive hotels and fancy boutique properties. For visitors with more restrictive budgets, moderate and bargain options are plentiful, too.

= Smart Splurge

= Great Value

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With its private fifth-floor entry, elegant black-and-white palette, and rich mahogany furnishings, it's like staying in a... smart splurge | expensive

Dukes Hotel
Just off Piccadilly, bordering Green Park, Dukes could hardly be more central. After a spring 2007 renovation, it's now the... expensive

Miller's Residence
Minimalists beware: Every corner of Richard Miller’s (former publisher of Miller’s Antiques Guide and current...

One Aldwych
Next to Covent Garden, find pared-down decor, a phenomenal contemporar art collection, and service both sweet and efficient.... smart splurge | expensive

Renaissance Chancery Court London
Bask in opulence at this 1914 landmark building near Covent Garden, with its spacious (for the UK) rooms and teak-walled day spa. landmark | expensive

The Dorchester
Park Lane's grandest shrugged off her 80-year-old dowager image with a 2002 renovation. Get that billionaire feeling in the... expensive

The Savoy
In a grand old 1889 building right on The Strand, you’ll find this world-renowned landmark hotel which, while past its... smart splurge

The Soho Hotel
The former parking garage (big rooms!) with its Botero sculpture-dominated lobby, has all the Firmdale signatures –... smart splurge | expensive

Abbey Court Hotel
One of the best-value secrets in London, this first-class charmer has a prime location on a quiet side street in Notting Hill,... great value

Aster House
Surrounded by majestic Victorian mansions on one of Knightsbridge’s premier blocks, this delightful B&B has charm to... b&b | great value

Durrants Hotel
Quintessentially English and over-the-top traditional, this singular property around the corner from Oxford Street and the...

Hazlitt's
Built in 1718, these three Georgian town homes deliver West End drama with silk drapes, original artwork, and antique-filled... historic | great value

London Bridge Hotel
Situated opposite the London Bridge, this business-centric hotel has just been redone and has a cheery lobby of black-stained... moderate

Main House
Four homey full-floor rooms in a stucco Victorian by Portobello Road are all the more delightful for their desirable Notting... design | great value

Malmaison
A hip contemporary hotel on a leafy square in the heart of recently gentrified and gussied-up Clerkenwell, this enclave of... moderate | design | great value

Rockwell
You can tell trendy architects own this sexy little townhouse hotel right away: The lobby/lounge of the rockwell has Victorian... great value

The Gallery
Enter a gorgeous complex of two Edwardian buildings in one of London’s most prestigious neighborhoods, and you’ll...

The Zetter
Known as one of London's best small hotels, this 59-room, 3-year-old converted warehouse with wacky 1970s-referencing... moderate

B and B Belgravia
Five minutes' walk from Victoria Station, this Georgian property is a minimalist modern design haven with free Internet,...

Copthorne Tara Hotel London
In London it’s rare to find such a centrally-located, facility-rich hotel at such affordable prices, but Copthorne Tara... location | great value | central

The Hoxton
Hipsters flock to this trendy East End hotel for the luxe beds with Frette linens, lively lobby bar/restaurant, and deeply... budget | great value