London area of Bloomsbury guide

What to do and where to stay in London's Bloomsbury neighbourhood

The cool white garden squares and wide streets of Bloomsbury have been a pull to thinkers for centuries, and it sometimes seems like every second house has a blue plaque denoting that a great writer, scientist or philosopher once inhabited the building. It was in Bloomsbury that Karl Marx created communism, Virginia Woolf defined the twentieth century British novel, and Charles Darwin first conceived the theory of natural selection. The imposing bulk of the British Museum, home to seven millennia of human art and artefacts, dominates the area, and there are plenty of other academic institutions including Birkbeck College, the beautiful University of London Library, and RADA, London's grandest drama school. There are a number of hotels just a stone's throw from the British Museum, which offer peaceful surroundings and easy access to the West End.

See our recommended nearby Bloomsbury Hotels, Entertainment, Sights and Attractions, Shopping, Restaurants, Pubs, Nightlife, Leisure, Education, and Meeting Venues.

Bloomsbury Hotels

in or near Bloomsbury
Holiday Inn London Bloomsbury
London > Hotels > Mid-Range Chain Hotel
Coram Street, WC1N
This is a smart, modern hotel located in one of the Capital's oldest and most beautiful areas. Bloomsbury is a great place to stay since it's ... More
 
 
 
The Montague on the Gardens
London > Hotels > Mid-Range Chain Hotel
15 Montague Street, WC1B
Overlooking the gardens of Montague Garden Square, this sedate hotel has a peaceful feel even though the British Museum is right next door and Covent Garden's ... More
 
 
 
Rosewood London
London > Hotels > Luxury Chain Hotel
252 High Holborn, WC1V
Located in High Holborn, Rosewood London is the most luxurious hotel in the area and is nearby to the capital's main business district and a number ... More
 
 
 

Bloomsbury Entertainment

in or near Bloomsbury
PICK
The Horse Hospital
London > Entertainment > Arts Centres
30 Colonnade, Bloomsbury, London WC1N
As the name suggests, The Horse Hospital wasn't always the modern arts venue it is today. Once home to sick and injured horses - many references ... More
 
 
 
PICK
Curzon Bloomsbury
London > Entertainment > Cinemas
The Brunswick, Bloomsbury, London WC1N
The arthouse Renoir Cinema underwent a major refurbishment in 2015 by The Curzon Cinema Group. Reopening as the Curzon Bloomsbury, the new name pays homage to ... More
 
 
 
PICK
Bloomsbury Theatre
London > Entertainment > Theatres
15 Gordon Street, Bloomsbury, London WC1H
Owned and part-funded by University College London, the Bloomsbury was completed in 1968 on the site of a bomb-damaged church. The years have not been kind ... More
 
 
 

Bloomsbury Sights and Attractions

The best museums, galleries, attractions in or near Bloomsbury
PICK
Russell Square
London > Attractions > Bloomsbury, Bloomsbury, London WC1B
The grade II listed Russell Square is a large green space located within the Bloomsbury district with its own cafe, overlooked by the Hotel Russell and ... More
 
 
 
PICK
The Wiener Library
London > Attractions > Museums
29 Russell Square, Bloomsbury, London WC1B
The Wiener Library is the world's oldest library dedicated to the study of the Holocaust, its causes and legacies. The library also hosts a regular programme ... More
 
 
 
PICK
The Foundling Museum
London > Attractions > Museums
40 Brunswick Square, Bloomsbury, London WC1N
The Foundling Museum is one of London's real hidden treasures. Originally established in 1739 as a hospital which looked after abandoned children, the museum now tells ... More
 
 
 

Bloomsbury Shopping

The best shops and markets in or near London's Bloomsbury
PICK
Gay's the Word
London > Shopping > Books
66 Marchmont Street, Bloomsbury, London WC1N
A broad selection of gay and lesbian interest books ranging from fiction, through biography, travel and counselling. Magazines and cards are also on offer.... More
 
 
 
PICK
Alara Wholefoods
London > Shopping > Food and Drink Shops
58 Marchmont Street, Bloomsbury, London WC1N
Alara Wholefoods Health shop on Marchmont Street has been recommended by one of our readers, poet Kim Morrissey, who took the trouble to write in to ... More
 
 
 
PICK
School of Life
London > Shopping > Specialists
70 Marchmont Street, Bloomsbury, London WC1N
The School of Life offers so much more than your average shopping experience. In fact, it doesn't do it justice to label it a mere shop ... More
 
 
 

Bloomsbury Restaurants

What are the best dining options in or near Bloomsbury London?
PICK
Junction Bar & Restaurant
London > Restaurants > Modern European restaurants
Holiday Inn Bloomsbury, Coram Street - Bloomsbury, Bloomsbury, London WC1N
Modern European Cuisine... More
 
 
 
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Carluccio's
London > Restaurants > Italian restaurants
Brunswick Centre, Bloomsbury, London WC1N
Carluccio's are springing up all over the place, from Bluewater to Brent Cross, spreading the gospel of good fresh superior Italian food. Each restaurant is also ... More
 
 
 
PICK
Yo! Sushi
London > Restaurants > Japanese restaurants
Brunswick Centre, Bloomsbury, London WC1N
For anyone who needs a fast, healthy lunch Yo! Sushi is the place to go. Its conveyor belt service means you've always got plenty of choice, ... More
 
 
 

Bloomsbury Pubs

The best pubs in or near London Bloomsbury.
PICK
Marquis Cornwallis
London > Nightlife > Pubs
31 Marchmont Street, Bloomsbury, London WC1N
Always a popular choice for local workers and tourists taking in the delights of Bloomsbury, Marquis Cornwallis , located on Marchmont Street, close ... More
 
 
 
PICK
Queens Larder Restaurant & Pub
London > Nightlife > Pubs
1 Queen's Square, Bloomsbury, Bloomsbury, London WC1N
... More
 
 
 
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The Lamb
London > Nightlife > Pubs
94 Lamb's Conduit Street, Bloomsbury, London WC1N
On the peaceful, pedestrianised Lamb's Conduit Street, hidden behind an 18th century facade, is The Lamb, a beautifully preserved Grade II listed Victorian pub. The pub ... More
 
 
 

Bloomsbury Nightlife

Bloomsbury clubs, bars, cabaret nights, casinos and interesting nightlife.
PICK
The Perseverance
London > Nightlife > Bars
63 Lamb's Conduit Street, Bloomsbury, London WC1N
Formerly run by Billy Drew (who has opened The Chippy in Soho), The Perseverance in Lamb's Conduit Street re-opened in April 2007 under new management. It's ... More
 
 
 
PICK
Scarfes Bar
London > Nightlife > Bars
252 High Holborn, Holborn, Bloomsbury, London WC1V
Named after the cartoonist Gerald Scarfe (whose characterful illustrations adorn the bar's walls), Scarfes Bar is a shining beacon in the otherwise lacking High Holborn area. ... More
 
 
 
PICK
The London Cocktail Club - Shaftesbury Avenue
London > Nightlife > Bars
224a Shaftesbury Avenue, Bloomsbury, London WC2H
The London Cocktail Club is a members bar but - luckily for us - it's not a very exclusive one; it's free ... More
 
 
 

Bloomsbury Leisure

Bloomsbury gyms, sporting activities, health & beauty and fitness.
PICK
Dolphin Swimming Club
London > Leisure > Activities
U of L Pool, Malet Street, Bloomsbury, London WC1E
Swimming lessons for children and aquaphobic adults. This is one of the more popular swimming schools in London, and one of the most long-running, with over ... More
 
 
 
PICK
All Star Lanes, Holborn
London > Leisure > Activities
Victoria House, Bloomsbury Place, Bloomsbury, London WC1B
This fun bowling alley and restaurant is a great place for a gang of you to spend a memorable night out trying to out-do each other. ... More
 
 
 
PICK
Ted's Grooming Room & Ottoman Lounge
London > Leisure > Health and Beauty
31 Theobalds Road, Bloomsbury, London WC1X
Inspired by the skills and techniques of the Ottoman Empire's barbers, Ted's Grooming Room provides a sanctuary for men seeking the perfect shave. With ... More
 
 
 

Bloomsbury Education

in or near Bloomsbury
PICK
School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS)
London > Education > Universities and Colleges
Thornhaugh Street, Russell Square, Bloomsbury, London WC1H
The School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) is among the best schools for the studies of foreign cultures and languages in the world. In fact, ... More
 
 
 
PICK
The Place
London > Education > Evening Classes
17 Duke's Road, Bloomsbury, London WC1H
London's specialist venue for contemporary dance, The Place plays a role in every aspect of this fast-growing art form. The London Contemporary Dance School offers degrees ... More
 
 
 
PICK
Slade School of Fine Art
London > Education > Universities and Colleges
UCL University, Gower Street, Bloomsbury, London WC1E
Among the best regarded art schools in the world. The Slade is a fairly traditional school with an insistence on certain techniques within each undergraduate course, ... More
 
 
 

Bloomsbury Meeting Venues

Where to have your meeting, conference, exhibition, private dining or training course in or near Bloomsbury.
PICK
The Foundling Museum
London > Business > Venue Hire
40 Brunswick Square, Bloomsbury, London WC1N
The Foundling Museum is one of London's real hidden treasures. Originally established in 1739 as a hospital which looked after abandoned children, the museum now tells ... More
 
 
 
PICK
British Museum
London > Business > Venue Hire
Great Russell Street, Bloomsbury, Bloomsbury, London WC1B
If you wanted to thoroughly explore the British Museum, it would take months, if not years. Over seven millions objects from all over the world are ... More
 
 
 
PICK
Friends House
London > Business > Venue Hire
173-177 Euston Road, Bloomsbury, London NW1
The historic headquarters of Quakers in Britain, Friends House in Euston has 23 function rooms including a large Meeting Hall which seats up to 1,100 guests. ... More
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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