The Best Area to Stay in London for First Time Visitors

London is huge, and tourist sights are spread all over. Choosing a place to stay can be overwhelming when you’re trying to find the best area to stay in London your first time. This guide narrows down where you want to stay to be close to everything. 

I’m an American living in England. I’ve always lived just outside London, and have spent plenty of day trips, long weekends, and extended trips with visitors exploring the city. I know how much where you stay can impact your trip and put together this guide to help you make the most of your time in London.

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How Important is Where You Stay in London?

In such a large city, it is easy to waste time on endless Tube rides rather than seeing the things you came here to see.

Unless you’re a superfan of public transportation, staying near the action is vital to having a great first-time visit to London. Plus, less time spent commuting means more time to wander and uncover London’s hidden gems. 

Map Guide to Central London

So, you want to stay close to the things you want to see, and that seems to mean Central London. But where is Central London? Let’s map it out. 

The purple area outlines the best area to stay in for your first trip to London. Other neighborhoods discussed below are highlighted as well. You can also see popular tourist sights, the location of every hotel I recommend, and major transportation links.

Best London Neighborhoods for First Time Visitors

Central is great, but what should you expect from the different areas in London? Every neighborhood has its own unique feel, and you may find yourself more drawn to the personality of some neighborhoods over others. 

Overall Best London Neighborhood: Covent Garden

Covent Garden is the most central area of London’s tourist attractions. This is also the heart of the West End theatre district and a very bustling area. You can easily walk to many attractions from here and really feel immersed in the city. 

If you are flying into Heathrow, note that the Elizabeth line (super bright and clean new underground train route) will bring you to Tottenham Court Road Station. That station is located just north of Covent Garden. This can make your airport transfers a straightforward Tube ride and short walk. 

Travel Tip: If you aren’t a city person, then Covent Garden can feel overwhelming. It can be quiet in the mornings, but picks up quickly into a solid city buzz. If you dislike city energy, check out the next recommendation in Mayfair instead.

Best Central but Quiet London Neighborhood: Mayfair

If you play the British version of Monopoly, the most expensive spot on the board is Mayfair. I share that to set the scene a bit for what to expect in this neighborhood. Not all of the hotels here are over the top, but you can expect a generally posh area with many ridiculously expensive cars parked along the roads. 

Mayfair is a quieter area than Covent Garden. It is dotted with flowering window gardens and private parks, as well as several embassies. It’s a very pretty area that is still well connected, so easy to use as a base for exploring.

Best London Hidden Gem Neighborhood: South Bank

South Bank is my hidden gem location in London for first time visitors. As you can see from the map, the River Thames runs through London. Most of Central London lies north of the river, along with many of the popular tourist sights. 

The area just south of the river tends to be a bit less expensive, but often has gorgeous views across the river to major sights.

From here you have a choice of several bridges to walk across, giving you the chance to start and end your days with my favorite London city views. The London Eye is located here as well, and Tube service crosses below the river.  

South Bank isn’t going to give you the polish of Mayfair, but it is a central area with the potential for great views and river strolls. Avoid traveling far from the river to stick to the nicer tourist areas.

Best London Neighborhood for Royal Fans: Westminster

If your first visit to London is all about royal tourism, then Westminster could be a great option. Buckingham Palace is right here, and you’re a short walk from Big Ben and the Palace of Westminster.

Less Central London Neighborhoods for First Time Visitors

These neighborhoods are slightly less convenient, but also offer a slightly more local feel. Depending on your interests, they can still be a good choice.

Posh Locals Love Marylebone

Marylebone is probably my favorite area of London, and one I’ve stayed in several times. The high street is loaded with lovely shops, including the surprisingly gorgeous Daunt Books.

Depending on where you stay in Marylebone, it’s a short walk to find nature in either Regent’s Park or Hyde Park. If you want to pretend you can afford to live in Central London, this is a great place to do that. 

Travel Tip: There are no central Tube stops in Marylebone. You will have to trade more walking and a slightly longer commute to tourist sights for the charm of this neighborhood.

History Around Every Turn in City of London

What could be more central in London than the City of London? Kind of a lot, it turns out. This is the oldest part of London, but it also looks the part of a modern city. Roman ruins and Victorian architecture shoulder in with towering skyscrapers.

Some of the best London walking tours focus on this area thanks to its incredible history.

Travel Tip: The City of London is the financial district, and much of it runs on commuter time. It is normal for coffee shops and some stores here to only open Monday-Friday.

Heathrow to Hotel with the Least Fuss in Paddington

If you fly into Heathrow, the quickest route into London is the Heathrow Express to Paddington.

Staying here is a good bet if you want to limit your luggage hauling as much as possible. You’ll only need to navigate the streets between Paddington and your hotel.

The area around Paddington isn’t much of a tourist draw, but it’s well connected to several Tube lines. This means you can get to where you want to be without much hassle.

The beautiful new Elizabeth line also stops at Paddington, so you could hop on and be near Covent Garden at Tottenham Road Station in under 10 minutes. 

Museum Lovers Love South Kensington

If you’re coming to London with museums high on your wishlist, South Kensington will put you right on the doorstep of Museum Row.

This area includes the famous Natural History Museum and the V&A. You can also take a stroll to Hyde Park if you fancy a stroll along the Serpentine waterway, or take in world-class entertainment at Royal Albert Hall.

How Much Does it Cost to Stay in London?

Most mid-range hotels in Central London will cost £200+ per night. It’s not hard to find hotels running higher than £500 per night. 

London is an expensive city. However, it is possible to find budget options, even in Central London.

I strongly recommend against booking cheaper lodging further out to save money on your trip. You will pay for it in higher transportation costs and less time to devote to sight seeing. 

Best London Stay for Families and Groups

Finding space for a group in London is hard. It’s an expensive city and lodging that can accommodate more than a small family isn’t available in high quantities. 

I’ve rented flats through AirBnB before, with very mixed results. I don’t recommend that for your first visit to London because it’s very hard to find something central that isn’t either outrageously priced or giving scam vibes. 

With that in mind, here is an option I can recommend that blends space with an excellent location.

Citadines Trafalgar Square 

Citadines is an apart-hotel that offers studios, 1-bedroom, and 2-bedroom flats just down the road from Trafalgar Square. The largest apartments sleep up to six. You’ll also have a kitchenette and small dining table in your flat if you’d prefer to have snacks or breakfast in. 

Best London Hotel for a Special Occasion

If your first trip to London is to celebrate something special, this luxury and unique hotel will give you something to remember. 

Find Romance at The Rookery 

Dark wood furnishings, including some four poster beds, will make you feel like you stepped into your own private London townhome. Guests call The Rookery extremely romantic, with some describing it as a castle stay in the city.

The Rook’s Nest is their signature suite, and includes a big canopy bed, fully stocked bookshelves, and a lofted seating area beside a circular window. 

Located near Farringdon station, this hotel is an easy transfer from Heathrow on the Elizabeth line.

This is a smaller boutique hotel, so book early if you have your heart set on staying here.

Best London Hotel for Budget or Solo Travel

It is difficult, but not impossible, to keep costs down in London. Turn to this recommendation when you are just looking for a simple place to rest each night. 

Cheap Hotel in Central London: Z Hotel Covent Garden 

The Z Hotel Covent Garden is a great alternative to hostels for budget-minded travelers. You can find rooms here quite cheap for London – especially if you don’t mind a room without a window.

This hotel keeps you in the middle of everything at a no frills cost. Guests love the simple clean rooms, and you can also get a window room here for a bit more per night.

FAQs About Where to Stay in London as a First Time Visitor

Which zone should I stay in when I visit London?

When you start planning your trip to London, you’re going to hear a lot about London zones. Public transportation in London is price blocked in zones, with Zone 1 representing the middle of London and circling farther as the zone numbers increase. Check out the TFL zone map for a visual of the London zones.

Most London tourist sights are in Zone 1, with a handful in Zone 2. For this reason, first time visitors to London should stay in Zone 1 to limit the time you spend traveling to sightsee each day.

Where is Downtown London?

London does not have a downtown, which can be very confusing for first-time visitors. Historic sights and museums are scattered around – check out the map above for a visual. 

Covent Garden is the most central London neighborhood for first-time visitors that want to be in the middle of the action.

Are hotel beds smaller in London?

Yes, Americans may be surprised to learn that beds here are typically smaller than what you find in the U.S. Most hotels offer either a full or queen-sized bed. 

To add to the confusion, hotels may advertise a “King room” that actually holds a queen-sized bed. This is because the sizing system for mattresses is different here. What you’d call a queen bed in the U.S. is called a king bed here. 

Luxury hotels are most likely to have American-style king beds, and Booking.com does a good job of identifying the actual bed size in the room descriptions. 

Where are the cheapest places to stay in Central London?

Unfortunately, there are no cheap places in Central London. Check out the recommendation above for budget and solo travel that keeps costs low while staying in the middle of things.

Consider South Bank (near the river) and City of London neighborhoods to occasionally find a deal. 

Where should I avoid staying in London?

London is a generally safe (use common sense as you would in any large city) and welcoming city, but there are some places I’d avoid to make sure your first visit is the best it can be:

• Near the airports. You may find a cheaper rate, but the airports are far from the city center and you’ll quickly reduce your savings with daily transport fees.
• Outside Zone 1. For your first visit, stay near the things you want to see most. For instance, Greenwich is lovely, but it takes about 45 minutes on a sometimes crowded commute to reach Central London.
• Lodging without reviews. There are unfortunately scams out there and lodging that doesn’t match its advertising. Don’t chance booking somewhere that hasn’t already received good reviews. And if it seems too good to be true, it probably is. 

How can I find the best prices on London hotels?

I use Booking.com to compare prices on all London hotels. You can use their flexible dates rate finder to find the cheapest dates that work with your schedule. This can be a big help when you want to spend some time in London and also explore other places outside the city.

Use the rate finder to pick the best rates in London and plan your time outside the city for the more expensive dates.

What else do I need to know to plan a London itinerary?

Check out this guide to London travel planning for more details on what to see and how to put together the perfect trip! For a broader itinerary on your first UK visit, consider splitting your time between London and Edinburgh.