Top 5 Places to Stay in London

“Where’s the best place to stay in London?” is actually a very difficult question to answer. 

London is huge, its many attractions are spread north, south, east and west so finding the best place to stay is really down to preference and the general itinerary of a trip. 

Similarly, there’s no one place in London which contains the best hotels or apartments. They are spread out all over and the best ones are usually the ones which make a trip much easier and more enjoyable. The ones which are in walking distance of the office or meeting room, the ones that are near a tube station allowing easy access to the rest of the city. 

An apartment from TheSqua.re in Victoria, for example, will be perfectly located for transport links in and around London. An apartment in the West End will be perfect for London’s nightlife. With apartments booked from Thesqua.re, the main guarantee is their quality and their carefully selected amenities.

London has so many parts to it, some are great locations to be based in for sightseeing, some are better for food and restaurants, some are more suitable for families than others and some will give off more of a local vibe than a tourist one. If that’s what’s desired. 

Here are some of the best places to stay in London and why. 

The City 

Likely to be one of the first choices of anyone travelling to London on business. Surrounded by some of London’s few but iconic skyscrapers at first glance this might not seem the ideal place to stay during a trip, being a centre of business and all. But beyond the hustle and bustle of everyday work life, there are some fantastically situated apartments, some with spectacular views.

It looks very modern but that actually hides the fact that it is, in fact, the oldest part of London. It’s been destroyed and rebuilt on more than one occasion but it was originally the place the Romans founded as Londinium around two thousand years ago.

For anyone planning on working in the city, they couldn’t be better placed than staying within it. The Bank of England is here, as is London’s famous insurance market. There are apparently more Japanese banks here than in Tokyo, and more American banks than in Manhattan.

Aside from work, there are also some great attractions that are easily enjoyed from here. These include St Paul’s Cathedral, the Museum of London, The Monument, Leadenhall Market, and the Tower of London, amongst others.

As the area is full of business people it is also naturally full of quality bars and restaurants too. There’s no shortage of venues for that all important business meeting or family meal. 

As much as it can be uncomfortably busy during the week, during the weekend it can be eerily quiet. Luckily it also boasts nine tube and train stations within walking distance, as well as multiple bus routes, so escape is never far away. 

Fitzrovia, Bloomsbury & Kings Cross 

Fitzrovia, whilst not having the up and coming reputation of somewhere like Shoreditch, is still a pretty trendy part of London to call home, even if it is only temporary. 

It’s a very distinctive place incorporating architecture that’s both modern and traditional. There’s modern shops from the world’s top brands flanked by traditional old British pubs. It’s the same with the accommodation where modern apartments blend seamlessly with flats contained within nineteenth century buildings. 

Both Fitzrovia and Bloomsbury are located very close to the shopping mecca that is London’s Oxford Street, so are ideal locations for any retail fans. Bloomsbury is located close by to arguably the UK’s best and most endless museum, the British Museum. The museum itself is surrounded by restaurants and winding streets hiding quirky little cafes. 

Not far away to the north is Kings Cross. This is another area that has been rejuvenated in recent years and as well as providing connections to the north of England, is now the UK’s premier international rail hub at St Pancras.  

Shoreditch, Spitalfields and the East End 

As early as the 1980s the East End was the part of London that people simply avoided, unless they were in the unfortunate position of having to live there. 

It was the stomping ground of Jack the Ripper in the nineteenth century and seemingly little had changed in the years since his reign of terror came to an end. The area was poverty stricken and the squalor had only increased since the industrialised docks had seen most of its businesses leave.  

However, since the revamp of the nearby Docklands, the area has been on the upturn year on year. The East End has now become one of the most exciting and fashionable parts of London whilst still managing to hold on to its vital ethnic vibe. 

Shoreditch itself is a mecca for the young, hip and trendy and is chock full of bars and venues to be seen in as well as restaurants and street food venues to keep visitors fuelled for the inevitable late night ahead. Spitalfields is also known for its quality food as well as quirky shops and stalls. 

That’s not even mentioning Brick Lane, arguably one of the most famous food streets in the UK. 

Hoxton is fast becoming, if not already become, the new Shoreditch and boasts some of the best nightlife in London. 

Vintage fashion meets modern life in the East End of London, and it has the added bonus that once the nightlife is over, it’s only a stone’s throw away from the City for work the next day! 

Covent Garden 

The most visited part of London, fact! Covent Garden is one of the most exciting parts of London to visit let alone stay in. It’s diverse, it has a fascinating history, it has culture and its attractions are seemingly never-ending. 

It’s possible to spend an entire day exploring Covent Garden and the surrounding area and then enjoy a meal, a show and a few drinks without ever leaving the area. That’s quite a feat, given that geographically it’s not a particularly big area. 

It sits next to The Strand at the very heart of London’s Theatreland and in terms of finding accommodation for a fun packed holiday in London there’s not many better places to choose. 

The cobblestoned covered piazza is the main part of Covent Garden, surrounding the splendidly restored indoor market which dates back to the nineteenth century. Although there was actually a market associated with the area which dates back as far as 1656.  

Previous to that it was a Monk’s Garden (it is believed the original name was Convent Garden). 

Covent Garden is also within walking distance of some of London’s most famous places and landmarks. Trafalgar Square can be found at one end of The Strand and the cinemas and entertainment of Leicester Square is only a short distance away too. Oxford Street is also close enough to walk to. 

The Royal Opera House is just off of Covent Garden itself as is the British Transport Museum, a firm favourite for kids and families. 

As well as shops, theatres and restaurants there are more than sixty pubs and bars in and around the Covent Garden area. Check out the Lamb & Flag for a real taste of an historic London pub.  

There’s also a constant stream of street performers on the piazza itself, performing outside of St Paul’s Church. This is truly the fun part of the capital. 

Oxford Street, Mayfair & Marylebone 

Whilst some of the above destinations are within easy reach of Oxford Street, there’s nothing quite like staying on top of the action, literally, and renting a serviced apartment in Oxford Street itself. 

The street is probably exactly how anyone who hasn’t visited before would imagine it to be, lined with shops from beginning to end, from high end fashion to high street retailers. 

North of Oxford Street is Marylebone, a very fashionable part of London which has places which have an almost village feel to them. There’s upmarket restaurants and eateries to enjoy as well as plenty of designer shops, though these are beyond the price range of most people. Still, it’s nice to look! 

To the south of Oxford Street is Mayfair, probably the place in London most associated with wealth due to most people having knowledge of its lofty place on a Monopoly board! 

The truth is, the area really does ooze wealth. This is where some of London’s most prestigious five star hotels can be found, sometimes set discreetly back from the well maintained, tree-lined streets. 

Antique shops are aplenty as are traditional English menswear shops, quite a few of which can be found along the famous Saville Row. 

If not wanting to stay in high class hotels then finding accommodation in these areas can sometimes be tricky. TheSqua.re, however, does have plenty of choice when it comes to staying in luxury apartments in these most desirable of areas.

Apartments that look over the greenery of Park Square are available, as are places that are within walking distance of some of the best attractions in the area, including the famous Madame Tussauds.