Travel and Leisure

Choosing the right London hotels, when planning for the trip of a lifetime, is easier than you may think. Each area in London has certain uniqueness, a special ambience. Examining what activities and sites appeal to you, and what type of vacation you desire will allow you to locate a quality hotel in just the right spot of London. Staying in "The City," which is the financial district of London, also known as the Victoria area, has numerous advantages.

Victoria hotels offer easy access to the underground railway and coach stations. British Airways Terminal and the Gatwick Express both serve Victoria as well. Ease in accessing some of the best public transportation in the world makes the London hotels in this part of town a wise choice. Besides being an economical way to get about, London public transport is efficient, modern, well run, and gives you a taste of London that will linger in your memories for a long, long time.

Another reason for choosing a stay in the financial district may be to mix business and pleasure. What better way to conduct business, staying at a hotel located in the "Financial Capital of the World," and also to be able to take a leisurely stroll to a museum or historical sport after your business day is complete.

If you prefer a quiet location, Victoria hotels are an excellent choice. Allowing you to easily access the much busier nightspots of the city by public transport, the London hotels in "The City" provide a quiet and restful evening when you choose to call it a day. You will not have to miss the nightlife or the excitement of staying up until the wee hours of the morning; you can easily travel to where nighttime celebrations are the norm. However, your hotel base, your place where you ease back for a peaceful sleep, will afford you a calm spot to unwind.

Another advantage of staying in the Victoria area is the ease in which you can visit some of the major spots of London just by taking a walk. Besides being able to access all of the major transports of the city from these London hotels, walking is a viable option for visiting several noteworthy sites. Buckingham Palace, one of the most well known London attractions, is within a half mile (also known as a "short kilometer,"), an easy distance to walk and breathe in all that is the flavor and feeling of London itself.

Serving as the Queen's official resident, the 775-room Palace is used for official events and receptions. There are also areas of the Palace, which are opened to visitors on a regular basis. The staterooms, for example, are usually open during August and September, and display some of the works of the greatest painters in the world, including Rembrandt, Rubens and Vermeer. In addition to sculpture and porcelain, these rooms also hold examples of English and French furniture of the highest quality. You may want to check in when you arrive at your London hotel to see what parts of the Palace may be toured, or even better, check the internet before leaving on your trip for the latest updates.

By walking a short distance in a different direction, to the south bank of the River Thames near Blackfriars Bridge, a visit to the Tate Modern Museum lets a person view some of the most famous as well as the most current and cutting-edge modern art in the world. Created in 2000 by converting an unused power station in the heart of London, The Tate collection of modern and contemporary art represents all the major movements since Fauvism, which dates back to1905. The Tate collection includes important masterpieces by such greats as Picasso and Matisse. It also holds an outstanding collection of surrealism, including works by Dali, Miró and Ernst, as well as Pollock and Rothko. There is even a single room, known as the Tate Rothko Room, which only holds nine Seagram murals by Rothko. Tate's focus on pop art is solid and includes major works by Lichtenstein and Warhol. The museum's acquisition and display of world-class contemporary art beginning in the 1980's and running to the current day is appreciated by modern art enthusiasts of all ages.

From the Tate Modern, a short walk across the pedestrian Millennium Bridge brings a London visitor to Saint Paul's Cathedral, a spot especially breathtaking at night with strategic lighting outlining its dome against the night sky. This spectacular building reminds us that London continues to offer some of the most memorable photographic opportunities of any city, with even amateurs able to return home with stunning pictures.

The current Saint Paul's Cathedral is the fourth to occupy the site and was designed by Sir Christopher Wren. It was completed in 1710 after the previous cathedral was destroyed in the Great Fire of London. Besides its grand architecture and overall presentation, it holds beautiful mosaics from the mid-19th century, created in response to Queen Victoria's negative comment that the interior of the cathedral was "most dreary, dingy and un-devotional." The Cathedral is active to this day, and you may want to check on special presentations or events being held at the time of your visit.

Selecting the right London hotels, such as those located in the Victoria area, the heart of London's financial world, will result in one of the most enjoyable vacations you can imagine, making it easy to add business to your journey. The restful evenings allow a visitor superb sleep, while the location affords easy access, on foot or by public transport, to some of the most beautiful and historical sites of this city. When Londoners speak of The City, they are referring to

the original square mile that is now the British version of Wall Street. When visitors speak of staying in this same area, they are referring to centrally located London hotels that allow them to partake in an affordable world-class vacation, which may include business, in one of the greatest cities of the world.