The City of London — the historic Square Mile — is where London began nearly two thousand years ago as Roman Londinium. Today it serves as the financial heart of the United Kingdom, home to the Bank of England, Lloyd's, and the Stock Exchange. But behind the glass towers, the district holds some of the capital's most important landmarks: St Paul's Cathedral, the Tower of London, the Barbican Centre, and Leadenhall Market. The Millennium Bridge connects the north bank directly to Tate Modern and the Southbank Centre on the south side of the Thames.
Hotels in the City of London offer a distinctive advantage: weekday rates serve the business crowd, but at weekends, when the offices empty and the streets fall quiet, prices drop by 30 to 50 percent. A Saturday night in the Square Mile can cost half of what the same room costs on a Tuesday — making this one of the best areas in London for weekend visitors who want a central base at a good price. This guide covers the strongest options, from a Grade I listed banking hall turned luxury hotel to budget rooms near the Tower.
Luxury
The Ned
The Ned occupies the former Midland Bank headquarters at 1 Poultry, a Grade I listed building designed by Edwin Lutyens and completed in 1924. The banking hall — with its original columns, vaulted ceilings, and verdite marble — has been converted into a ground-floor space containing nine restaurants. Upstairs, 252 rooms and suites range from cosy (the smallest category) to the Lutyens Suite. A rooftop pool and terrace offer views across the City skyline. A members' club operates within the building but hotel guests have access to the restaurants, pool, and public areas. Guest reviews describe The Ned as one of the most architecturally striking hotels in London. Staff receive excellent marks for attentiveness. Rates start from approximately £350 per night. Check availability well in advance — popular dates book months ahead.
Upper Mid-Range
South Place Hotel
South Place Hotel, a D&D London property near Moorgate and Liverpool Street station, offers 80 rooms with a contemporary design sensibility that sets it apart from the City's corporate hotels. Two restaurants, a rooftop terrace bar, and a private screening room give it a social dimension. The location works for both business guests during the week and leisure visitors exploring the City and nearby Shoreditch at weekends. Guest reviews rate it as the best boutique option in the Square Mile. Rates start from approximately £200 per night.
Crowne Plaza London — The City
The Crowne Plaza on New Bridge Street sits near Blackfriars Bridge and St Paul's Cathedral. The 204 rooms deliver reliable IHG standards with a business focus. A restaurant, bar, and meeting facilities serve the corporate market during the week, while weekend rates make it accessible to leisure travellers. The location puts Tate Modern across the river via the Millennium Bridge (ten minutes on foot) and the Southbank Centre roughly fifteen minutes along the Thames Path. Guest reviews give it a good rating for the St Paul's proximity and the staff. Rates start from approximately £150 per night. Free wifi throughout.
Hotel Indigo London Tower Hill
Hotel Indigo sits on Minories, steps from the Tower of London. With just 46 rooms, it is one of the smallest hotels on this list — and one of the most characterful. The IHG boutique brand builds each property around local neighbourhood history, and here that means the Tower, the medieval walls, and the maritime heritage of the nearby docks woven into the design. Guest reviews highlight the personal feel and the Tower location. Pet friendly. Rates start from approximately £160 per night.
Apex City of London Hotel
The Apex on Seething Lane, adjacent to the Tower of London, holds 199 rooms and a rooftop bar with views across the City. An independent British hotel group, Apex consistently earns strong guest reviews for the combination of location, room quality, and value — the rooftop views alone would justify a higher price at many competitors. Rates start from approximately £140 per night. A popular choice with guests who want to be near the Tower without paying the premium that branded luxury properties charge.
Budget Hotels in the City
Leonardo Royal London City
The Leonardo Royal on Cooper's Row near Tower Hill and Fenchurch Street station offers 170 rooms in a converted warehouse. Exposed brickwork and period details give the building character that standard new-builds lack. A restaurant and bar serve guests, and the Tower of London is a five-minute walk. Rates start from approximately £130 per night — good value for this part of London.
Premier Inn London City (Tower Hill)
The Premier Inn on Prescot Street puts guests near the Tower of London and Aldgate at budget prices. The 195 rooms offer the brand standard: Hypnos king-size bed, en-suite bathroom, free wifi. A restaurant serves breakfast and dinner. Guest reviews give this Premier Inn an excellent rating for the bed and the location — one of the best-value bases for Tower of London visits in the United Kingdom capital. Rates start from approximately £90 per night. Check availability early for summer and school holiday periods, when this property books out quickly.
Holiday Inn Express City
The Holiday Inn Express on Old Street sits at the northern edge of the City, close to the Shoreditch border. The 224 rooms are compact and functional, with breakfast included in every booking — the IHG Express formula that saves guests roughly £10 to £15 per person per day. The Old Street location means evening access to Shoreditch's bars and restaurants, while the City's attractions are a fifteen-minute walk south. Free wifi. Rates start from approximately £100 per night.
What to See
Tower of London and Tower Bridge
The Tower of London, a thousand-year-old fortress on the north bank of the Thames, houses the Crown Jewels, the Yeoman Warders (Beefeaters), and centuries of history from royal residence to prison to execution site. Allow three hours for a proper visit. Tower Bridge, immediately adjacent, offers a glass-floor walkway with views straight down to the river. Both are among the most popular attractions in the United Kingdom and benefit from advance booking.
St Paul's Cathedral and the Sky Garden
St Paul's Cathedral, Christopher Wren's masterpiece completed in 1710, dominates the City skyline. The climb to the Whispering Gallery and then the Golden Gallery at the top rewards with panoramic views across London. The Sky Garden at 20 Fenchurch Street (the Walkie Talkie building) is a free public garden with 360-degree views — book online in advance, as free slots fill up quickly.
Barbican Centre and Leadenhall Market
The Barbican Centre is Europe's largest performing arts complex: concert hall, theatres, cinema, art galleries, and a tropical conservatory (free on Sundays). The brutalist architecture divides opinion but the programming is world-class. Leadenhall Market, a Victorian covered market from 1881, is recognisable as a filming location for Diagon Alley in the Harry Potter films. Its pubs and restaurants serve the lunchtime City crowd during the week and attract visitors at weekends.
Serviced Apartments and Alternative Accommodation
Beyond traditional hotels, the City of London has a growing number of serviced apartments that suit longer stays and guests who prefer self-catering. Aparthotels like Roomzzz and SACO offer apartments with kitchenettes, living areas, and laundry facilities at prices competitive with mid-range hotels. These apartments are located throughout the Square Mile and often provide more space than a standard hotel room — a practical choice for families or business travellers on extended assignments. Check availability on specialist platforms alongside the main booking sites, as apartments tend to have smaller inventories than hotels and sell out faster during popular periods.
Spa and Wellness
Full spa facilities are rare in the City of London, where most properties focus on the business market. The Ned is the standout exception: its rooftop pool, spa treatments, and wellness programmes are open to hotel guests. South Place Hotel offers a small gym and treatment options. For a more comprehensive spa experience, the neighbouring South Bank has facilities at the Mondrian London and the Corinthia London (both in Westminster, roughly twenty minutes on foot across the river). Several hotels, including the Apex and the Crowne Plaza, have fitness centres that provide a good workout without the full spa experience.
Guest Reviews and Booking
Review Scores
Guest reviews across City of London hotels follow a clear pattern: the premium properties (The Ned, South Place) earn excellent ratings for architecture, dining, and staff. The mid-range options (Crowne Plaza, Hotel Indigo, Apex) earn good ratings for location and value. The budget chains (Premier Inn, Holiday Inn Express) earn high ratings for reliability and the bed. Across all properties, guest reviews consistently mention the weekend quiet as a positive — the City at weekends has a calm that central tourist areas cannot offer.
Booking Tips
The single most useful booking tip for City of London hotels is this: travel at weekends. Midweek rates serve business travellers and reflect corporate demand. Friday, Saturday, and Sunday nights can drop 30 to 50 percent. Check availability for weekend packages — several properties offer dinner-bed-and-breakfast deals that represent excellent value. For midweek stays, booking through loyalty programmes (IHG Rewards for the Crowne Plaza and Holiday Inn Express, Hilton Honors where applicable) often secures the best price. The Premier Inn and Travelodge release their cheapest advance rates on their own websites.
Pet friendly options are limited — Hotel Indigo Tower Hill accepts pets, but most City hotels do not. Free wifi is standard across all properties listed. For guests arriving from outside the United Kingdom, Liverpool Street station connects to Stansted Airport via the Stansted Express, and the Elizabeth line reaches Heathrow in roughly 35 minutes from Liverpool Street — making the City one of the most airport-accessible areas in London.
Explore Beyond the Square Mile
The City of London is a wonderful base from which to explore the wider capital. Buckingham Palace, the official residence of the monarch, is roughly twenty-five minutes by tube from Bank station. The Queen's Gallery at the palace hosts rotating exhibitions from the Royal Collection. Kensington Palace, located in Kensington Gardens, is accessible via the Central line from Bank to Queensway. The great museums of South Kensington — the V&A, Natural History Museum, and Science Museum — are all free to enter and reachable within thirty minutes.
For a wonderful day out closer to the City, explore the South Bank on foot: cross the Millennium Bridge from St Paul's to Tate Modern, then walk east along the Thames Path past Shakespeare's Globe, Borough Market, and the Clink Prison Museum to Tower Bridge. The full walk takes roughly forty-five minutes at a leisurely pace and passes several of London's most popular landmarks without needing any public transport. In the opposite direction, the walk west from Blackfriars along the river passes the Southbank Centre, the Royal National Theatre, and the London Eye before reaching Westminster and the Houses of Parliament.
The City's historic pubs are worth exploring in their own right. Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese on Fleet Street (rebuilt after the Great Fire of 1666), The Jamaica Wine House in St Michael's Alley (London's first coffee house, 1652), and The Counting House in Cornhill (a former banking hall with a spectacular ceiling) are three of the most atmospheric pubs in the United Kingdom.
Price Comparison and Value
The City of London offers some of the best hotel value in central London, particularly at weekends. A five-star room at The Ned that costs £500 on a Wednesday might drop to £350 on a Saturday. The Premier Inn and Holiday Inn Express, both located within walking distance of the Tower, regularly offer weekend rates 30 percent below their midweek prices. For guests flexible on dates, checking prices across different days of the week before booking can save a significant amount. The best strategy: check availability for Friday to Sunday, compare against midweek rates, and book the cheaper window. Weekend stays also mean quieter streets, shorter queues at attractions, and a more relaxed atmosphere throughout the Square Mile.
Planning Your Stay
Choosing the Right Star Rating
The City of London hotels span every star level. At the five-star end, The Ned delivers a wonderful combination of architecture, dining, and rooftop pool that justifies the price. The four-star tier — Crowne Plaza, Apex, Hotel Indigo, South Place — offers a good stay with strong locations and reliable service at a lower price point. The three-star budget options (Premier Inn, Holiday Inn Express, Leonardo Royal) provide a great base at prices that leave more budget for London's paid attractions. For guests who prioritise the star rating and guest reviews equally, the Apex consistently offers the best balance: a four-star stay near the Tower at a price closer to three-star competitors.
Pet Friendly and Family Options
Pet friendly hotels in the City are scarce — Hotel Indigo Tower Hill accepts pets, and some serviced apartments may accommodate small dogs, but most properties do not. Always check the pet policy before booking. For families, the Premier Inn and Holiday Inn Express offer the most practical family rooms and the most affordable prices per night. The Ned and Apex work for families who want a more premium stay. The Tower of London, the Science Museum, and the London Transport Museum are wonderful attractions for children, all within easy reach from any City hotel.
Stations and Airport Connections
The City of London has more mainline stations and tube stations per square mile than any other part of London. Bank, Liverpool Street, Moorgate, Fenchurch Street, Blackfriars, and Cannon Street stations are all within the Square Mile. Liverpool Street station connects to Stansted Airport via the Stansted Express (approximately 50 minutes). The Elizabeth line from Liverpool Street reaches Heathrow Airport in roughly 35 minutes — a wonderful direct connection that avoids the Piccadilly line crowds. Blackfriars station, on Thameslink, runs trains to Gatwick Airport (approximately 45 minutes) and Luton Airport (approximately 40 minutes). For guests flying into London, the City is one of the easiest areas to reach from any of the major airports.
A stay in the City of London combines great transport, competitive prices (especially at weekends), and a concentration of historic landmarks that few London districts can match. Whether you book a five-star suite at The Ned or a budget room at the Premier Inn near the Tower, the Square Mile puts the best of London within walking distance or a short tube ride — a wonderful base for exploring the capital.
Getting Around
The City of London is one of the best-connected areas in the capital. Bank station (Central, Northern, Waterloo and City lines plus DLR) is the main hub. Liverpool Street connects the Central, Metropolitan, Elizabeth, and other lines with National Rail to Stansted and Essex. Tower Hill (Circle, District) serves the Tower of London. Blackfriars (Circle, District, Thameslink) provides direct trains to Gatwick and Luton airports. Most of central London — from Westminster to Camden to Canary Wharf — is reachable in fifteen to twenty-five minutes. The Millennium Bridge connects the City on foot to Tate Modern and the South Bank in five minutes.