Tip: Finding a hotel in London is tricky – it’s a very expensive market. Probably the most expensive that we’ve visited.
Book early and visit the discount site www.hotelscombined.com (the best for London).
Family Friendly Hotels In London
Marylebone Hotel
An awesome location in the trendy, but fun and relaxed, neighborhood of Marylebone makes this hotel a winner. Guests have access to a very nice swimming pool (though kids can only swim from 3:30 to 5:00 on weekdays, and 10:30 to 12:00 and 3:30 to 5:00 on weekends.) We stayed a week at the Marylebone and loved it. Be sure to check out the Golden Hinde fish and chips restaurant just out the hotel’s back door.
Apex City Of London Hotel
The great location (a short walk to the London Bridge and Tower of London, as well as 3 tube stations – Monument, Tower Hill and Aldgate), nice size rooms and good breakfast make this hotel a winner for families. And the friendly staff get nothing but raves.
Crowne Plaza London Kensington
The Crowne Plaza has a great location for families. Steps from the Gloucester Road tube stop which is on the Circle, Piccadilly, and District lines making getting around the city cheap and easy. (The Piccadilly line will get you to and from Heathrow Airport – but don’t do this trip during rush hour or with a lot of bags.) Hyde Park, The Natural History Museum, Science Museum, Kensington Gardens and The Victoria and Albert Museum are all within a short walk. The staff get raves and the Waitrose grocery store across the street could be a life saver if you’re traveling with a baby or toddler.
Luna Simone Hotel
Cheap hotels for families are rare in London, but the Luna & Simone might just qualify – especially since a full english breakfast is included. The rooms are not large but you’re not in London to hang out in your room. Close to the Tate Britain and Westminster Cathedral and a short distance to both the Victoria and Pimlico tube stations. Kids will like the delicious hot chocolate served at breakfast.
London Bridge Hotel
Just around the corner from the London Dungeon and London Bridge tube stop, and a short walk to the Tate Modern and The Globe, this is a great hotel for families. Clean doubles and triples are good value. The breakfast is wonderful (kids eat for free!) and the staff are exceptional.
Premier Inn London – County Hall
Maybe the best budget choice, especially if you can grab one of their super cheap online deals. Very close to Waterloo Station, the London Eye and London Aquarium.
The Grand at Trafalgar Square
It’s all about location when you stay in this part of Central London. The hotel is very close to Trafalgar Square, Parliament, Buckingham Palace, the London Transport Museum, the National Gallery and National Portrait Gallery. Some rooms come with a kitchenette and a view of Big Ben. The staff is very friendly and the hotel is located between the Charing Cross and Embankment tube stations giving guests access to the Circle, District, Bakerloo and Northern lines.
London Hotels With Swimming Pools
- Marriott London County Hall
- Grange Holborn Hotel
- Hilton London Metropole
- Le Meridien Piccadilly
- Marylebone Hall (restricted hours for children)
- Pestana Chelsea Bridge Hotel & Spa
- Rembrandt Hotel London (restricted hours for children and extra fee for use)
- The Landmark London (restricted hours for children and extra fee for use)
- The Montcalm London
- Kensington Close Hotel (likely the least expensive hotel in London with a great pool)
- Holiday Inn London – Elstree
- The Langham London
- St. Giles Hotel London (in fitness club below the hotel)
- The Berkeley Hotel London (restricted hours for children)
- The Waldorf Hilton (restricted hours for children and in neighboring fitness club)
- One Aldwych
Further Reading
- London With Kids – The Best Things To Do For Families
- The Best Family-Friendly Restaurants In London
- I Love My City: London – A local picks his favorite spots
- A Guide To London Ground Transportation
- London – 4 Ways To Save On Public Transportation
- 7 Of The Best Museums In London
- The Best Cafes and Restaurants on the London Tourist Trail
- The Best Parks In London
- Frommer’s Online Guide To London
- Lonely Planet’s Online Guide To London
- The NYTime’s Online Guide To London
- Events Calendar and Things To Do from TimeOut London
- Discounted Hotels In London
My Favorite Websites
I get lots of questions about booking hotels. These are my favorite sites.HotelsCombined.com – The absolute best for finding hotel deals and discounts.
Agoda.com – A great resource for hotels in Asia.
What area of the city would you recommend for a family. We want something central, of course, but not too busy. Any suggestions?
Marylebone over to Bloomsbury is great. Lots of little restaurants, tube stations all around, buses running every which way, but still quiet and not many tourists milling around like closer to the Thames.
If you’re on a budget, London serviced apartments are probably a good option too. They’re less expensive than hotels and I’ve always found them a bit more welcoming too. A little more like living in a country for a while instead of being just another tourist.
Budget hotels for families do not exist in London. Everytime I visit I’m bowled over by how expensive the city is.
On our last trip to London, we opted to rent a 2 bedroom apartment (outside of central London) and used the Thames Clipper (high speed river boat service) to get in and out of town. A ten day stay cost us about $900. We made breakfast at the apartment which also saved us a bundle.
We travel to London often and stay at Dolphin Square in Pimlico (very close to Victoria) or the Citadines, which are both apartment hotels. They both have small kitchens and laundry in the building. The Dolphin Square has a swimming pool and fitness center! I haven’t stayed at the EASY hotels, owned by Easy Jet, but they are cheap, for London standards.
Great. Thanks Jamie.
We’ve stayed at the Four Seasons, the Crowne Plaza, and the Marylebone, and would say that the Four Seasons is the best. But the Crowne Plaza and Marylebone are nice 4 star places. All with great location. Get the Oyster card (so easy), go to the British Museum, and stay at the Four Seasons. That’s what I tell my friends!
We are a family of 4 trying to decide where to stay. The last time we stayed outside of London, saved money, had a swimming pool, but missed being able to walk out the door and visits shops, restaurants, and museums. It was a tiring slog back to our hotel on the tube every evening. So this time we were committed to staying in the city. But now that it’s time to book I’m having 2nd thoughts. Do you think it’s worth paying the extra money to stay in London proper? Where would you stay in the city? Where should I look for hotels? Should I book early (it’s 6 months away) or wait until the last month or 2? Thanks in advance. M.
Hi Meredith. I would book as early as possible. Not a huge rush, but do it soon than later. Staying in the city, I think, is definitely worth the added expense. There are good deals to be found if you look and have some patience. Go to http://www.hotelscombined.com. It has the best deals around. Take your time, check out a number of places. You can search by neighborhood, distance from the center, amenities.
As for the best area. Anywhere north or south of Hyde Park is quite nice. The Marylebone area and over to Bloomsbury is also great. A nice mix between being centrally located and still being in a quiet-ish neighborhood away from the tourists.
Good luck.
The hotels in London are expensive but you end up “saving” money on all the free museums and attractions. Yes, some of the big sights do cost money (The Tower, The Eye) but so many don’t that it, for us anyways, ends up being a big savings. There is the London pass that has a big book of savings, but I hardly think it’s worth it. At least for a first time visitor. Stick to the free stuff, ride a double decker around the city, walk around the attractions near to the Thames and along the river, and save your money for a better hotel, or one with a pool. (Or just save your money period.)
The one thing I would say is don’t plan on seeing London in 1 or 2 days. We spent a month here (while my husband was working) on one visit and still were finding new things to do every day. It’s an amazing city. I think only New York rivals it as a place to do so much.
I totally agree with the Crowne Plaza recommendation. So nice being near a tube stop and not too far from a park. The Hilton Metropole is a good choice too.
So many choices. Not sure where to stay? We’re 2 adults and a 9 year old. Budget about 400 Euros a night. Suggestions?
Hi Andi. I’d go for the The Langham (right in the thick of things and a short walk from Oxford Circus) or the Four Seasons Canary Wharf (which is on the river and much quieter – and very close to the fabulous Museum of the London Docklands).
Both hotels are top notch luxury and would be at the top end of your budget but if you use those links I bet you can find a good deal.
Good luck.
Did you find the London buses reliable and nice or should we only plan on using the subway? The hotel we booked (but we’re able to cancel if need be) is not near to a subway stop but the hotel website says buses stop immediately outside the hotel doors. Is this good enough to get around London or should we stay at a different hotel? Thank you.
The buses in London are fantastic for getting around. I like them better than the tube/subway. If you’re taking a longer trip clear across the city then the tube is definitely faster but for short trips it doesn’t make a huge amount of difference for most routes. Buses come every few minutes. I don’t think we waited for a bus longer than 6 minutes for the 10 days we were just there and we took them almost every day. Most are double deckers and are fun to ride with good views from up top of the streets and buildings. The kids loved them of course. Be sure to get an Oyster card as they make hopping on the bus quick and painless, and you needn’t worry about having the correct change.
Would you take the train to Paris or fly? We’ll be in London for 7 days and would like to visit Paris or Amsterdam. We are planning to stay near the Tower Bridge – is this a good location? Would we be better near Hyde Park as one friend recommended. I fear that we’d be on the subway all the time getting to the downtown district.
If you can book early enough and get cheap fares then I would take the train. It’s much easier to get to the train station than the airport, much easier to get through border patrol and security, and just more relaxed and more enjoyable. But if you don’t get those budget fares then the train can be quite expensive and might be best to go with a cheap flight (once again, if you can find one for your dates).
Staying around Tower Bridge is a great choice. Be sure to check out Borough Market – fun and great food!
Hype Park is nice too though and I wouldn’t hesitate being around there. It’s quieter out there and more of a neighborhood. It doesn’t take long to get from the Hyde Park area into downtown London so I wouldn’t worry about that too much. Plus there’s lots to see around Hyde Park anyways. Both areas are fine choices.
Good luck.
Are there grocery stores in central London? Planning to stay at the Marylebone Hotel but concerned that we’ll end up eating out every meal. Any recommendations? Lis.
There’s a really good Waitrose grocery about a block from the Marylebone Hotel (info here: http://www.waitrose.com/bf_home/bf/236.html). It’s got typical grocery items (fruits, milk, and such) and a good selection of ready to eat stuff (e.g. croissants and sandwiches). There are also a couple of breakfast-to-go places right in that immediate area. And a Starbucks too.