INFORMATION ON BREAKS AND HOTELS IN LONDON

London is a large, vibrant and multicultural city, in the southeast of England, on the River Thames. It is the capital of the United Kingdom and has been the centre of its political, cultural and business life for centuries. Once a small collections of houses used by traders next to the river, then the Romans established ‘Londinium’ as a fortress town, guarding the Thames. Over time, London has developed and expanded, despite the Great Plague, the Great Fire, the bitter English Civil War and even the World War II ‘Blitz’. The city now covers 580square miles with much accommodation in London spread throughout it many diverse sectors, however it is a city that is surprisingly easy to get around using the Tube. Many areas within London, such as Notting Hill, have grown their own centres and are popular to visit on a London weekend break. Tourists come for London’s history or royal pageantry but those who enjoy a weekend in London also enjoy world-class art galleries and theatres, buzzing nightlife, film, music, culinary and fashion scenes. During summer, London’s green parks fill up with tourists enjoying the weather and cafe tables cover the pavements. Among the many attractions London breaks have to offer are the BA London Eye, the world’s tallest observation wheel (444ft) has become one of London’s most popular attractions, the experience (one revolution of the wheel, lasting approximately 30 minutes) gives unbeatable views of the city. County Hall, next to the London Eye and opposite the Houses of Parliament is home to the London Aquarium, the Dali Universe and The Saatchi Gallery.

The Tate Modern uses an abandoned Bankside power station and dedicates the space to 20th-century art and includes major works by Matisse, Picasso, Rothko and Warhol, as well as contemporary pieces. The Bankside area is becoming one of the most exciting areas of the capital, with the 14-million Millennium Bridge providing a pedestrian link from the Tate Modern to St Paul’s Cathedral on the north bank. The Palace of Westminster contains the Houses of Parliament, part of which is one of the city’s most famous landmarks- Big Ben. Across Parliament Square is Westminster Abbey, a magnificent Gothic structure where many members of the British royal family have been christened, married or crowned. Trafalgar Square is home to Nelson’s Column and the National Gallery as well as many pigeons. Buckingham Palace, the London home of the Queen, is hugely popular to witness royal protocol dating back centuries at the Changing of the Guard ceremony and also houses the Queen’s Gallery displaying a changing exhibition of selected works from the Royal Collection. The Tower of London houses the priceless Crown Jewels and the Royal Armouries collection and nearby Tower Bridge spans the River Thames. The dome of St Paul’s Cathedral is the third largest in the world and one of the most distinctive features of the London skyline.

There are a wide range of cheap London hotels available to book online as well as cheap mid week breaks and weekends in London! Search for a cheap hotel in London within certain dates using our site search facility, or use the link below to view the full listing of all our cheap hotels in London.

ACCOMMODATION IN LONDON

We have a wide range of cheap hotels in London to suit families, couples, groups and singles. Combine our cheap London hotels and flights to create outstanding value London breaks. Book a mid week break or weekend in London with Lowcostbeds and have enough money left to explore the city and enjoy the following:

SHOPPING

For those looking for some retail therapy a weekend in London is perfect as one of the world’s great shopping cities, with over 30,000 retail outlets across the capital. Particular areas of the city have their own shopping characters. In the west, The King’s Road in Chelsea has a reputation for fashion while the Notting Hill area is also now very popular for boutiques. In the east, the Brick Lane area has many designers opening shops alongside shops selling vintage furniture, second-hand clothes and design objects. Centrally, Oxford Street and Regent Street attract shoppers to well-known high-street clothing shops and megastores, including Hamley’s toy emporium, department stores such as Selfridges and Marks & Spencer, and the high-fashion Liberty is just down Regent Street. Behind Liberty is Carnaby Street, popular in the ’60s and enjoying a revival. Covent Garden is one of the most popular shopping areas. Its Piazza, once the site of the fruit and vegetable market, is now filled with specialist shops, cafés, craft stalls and street performers. Old and New Bond Streets are home to big international designers stores, such as Prada and Gucci, with nearby Conduit Street providing a home to more off-the-wall designers, such as Issey Miyake and Vivien Westwood. Harrods in Knightsbridge sells almost everything and attracts huge numbers of tourists and locals every year. London’s markets combine shopping with a cultural experience, with markets at Camden Lock, Portobello Road, Petticoat Lane, Columbia Road, Spitalfields Market and Greenwich Market.

NIGHTLIFE

London’s nightlife is currently buzzing with some of Europe’s liveliest nightclubs right through to stylish design bars and traditional old London pubs. When taking a London break hotspots can be found across the capital, although the biggest concentration is in the West End and particularly Soho. Two other hip areas in which to drink are the Notting Hill/Ladbroke Grove area in the west and the now very up-and-coming Old Street/Shoreditch area in the east. Many local areas, such as Camden and Angel in the north, Brixton and Clapham in the south, have great local pubs and bars and remain the areas where gastropubs can be found. A variety of musical styles can be found in clubs throughout London. There are world-famous super-clubs Ministry of Sound, Fabric, and The End and there are an infinite number of smaller venues across the city. Live international acts regularly play at the many live music venues. There are over 20 casinos in London and also a number of Comedy clubs. Dining in London is vast and varied with just about every country’s food catered for somewhere in the city, many of the larger hotels have fantastic restaurants but anywhere you go will offer good choice.

INFORMATION

Language: English

Currency: Pounds sterling

Airport: Heathrow