London area of Westminster guide

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

The area of Westminster is dominated by the business of government, and the great symbols of British greatness. The Houses of Parliament, with its mighty bell Big Ben that can be heard throughout Central London chiming the hours, is a far more imposing building than Buckingham Palace, reflecting the power of the oldest elected government in the world. In the early twentieth century more than a quarter of the earth’s population was directly ruled from Westminster, and the imposing statuary and huge ministries of Whitehall reflect this legacy. At the top of Whitehall, Trafalgar Square and Nelson’s Column are considered the heart of the nation - and a large proportion of hotels are concentrated here - while British monarchs have been crowned in the imposing Gothic edifice of Westminster Abbey since 1066. The National Gallery is the repository of Britain’s best international art collection while Tate Britain, in the attractive riverside area of Millbank, has the best permanent exhibition of British Art in the world.

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

Westminster Hotels

in or near Westminster
The Rubens at the Palace Hotel
London > Hotels > Mid-Range Chain Hotel
39 Buckingham Palace Road, SW1W
This is as close to Buckingham Palace as you can get. It's also nearby Victoria station which is not quite as glamorous but very convenient. There ... More
 
 
 
41 Hotel London
London > Hotels > Luxury Chain Hotel
41 Buckingham Palace Road, SW1W
The tenth best hotel in Europe (according to New Yorker's tourist Bible 'Travel and Leisure') is so close to Buckingham Palace you can almost hear the ... More
 
 
 
Corinthia Hotel London
London > Hotels > Luxury Chain Hotel
Whitehall Place, SW1A
With 294 bedrooms, multi-level penthouse suites and terraces offering spectacular views of the River Thames, Trafalgar Square and Whitehall - the £300 million restoration of the ... More
 
 
 

Westminster Entertainment

in or near Westminster
PICK
St John's Smith Square
London > Entertainment > Classical Music
Smith Square, Westminster, London SW1P
Situated in the heart of Westminster, this stunning 18th century church was designed by architect Thomas Archer and completed in 1728. It is considered one of ... More
 
 
 
PICK
Curzon Victoria
London > Entertainment > Cinemas
58 Victoria Street, Westminster, London SW1E
Curzon Victoria is the chain's seventh London venue, providing a boutique cinema option in central London. Visitors will be able to immerse themselves in a broad ... More
 
 
 
PICK
Westminster Cathedral
London > Entertainment > Classical Music
42 Francis Street, Westminster, London SW1P
Neo-Byzantine Roman Catholic church. London’s only example of neo-Byzantine architecture and principal Roman Catholic Church, offers a magnificent campanile that emerges 274 feet into the sky. While ... More
 
 
 

Westminster Sights and Attractions

The best museums, galleries, attractions in or near Westminster
PICK
Central Hall Westminster
London > Attractions > Historic Buildings
Storey's Gate, Westminster, London SW1H
Central London's largest conference and events venue has welcomed an array of illustrious speakers through the ages - including Gandhi, Churchill and the Prince of Wales. ... More
 
 
 
PICK
Westminster Abbey
London > Attractions > Historic Buildings
Dean's Yard, Westminster, London SW1P
Most famous nowadays as the venue for royal weddings - including the marriage of Prince William and Catherine Middleton in 2011 - Westminster Abbey is also ... More
 
 
 
PICK
The Supreme Court
London > Attractions > Historic Buildings
Parliament Square, Westminster, London SW1P
The Supreme Court, the highest court in the United Kingdom, is housed in the former Middlesex Guildhall, an impressive Portland stone building by Scottish architect James ... More
 
 
 

Westminster Shopping

The best shops and markets in or near London's Westminster
PICK
William Curley, Harrods
London > Shopping > Delicatessens
Brompton Road, Knightsbridge, Westminster, London SW1X
The William Curley chocolate empire continues to swell with the opening of the patissier and chocolatier's latest concession in Harrods. Curley has worked with ... More
 
 
 
PICK
Cardinal Place Shopping Centre
London > Shopping > Shopping Centres
Palace Street, Westminster, London SW1E5JD
Cardinal Place is a snazzy modern shopping venue in Victoria. Housed under a curvaceous, new-age glass capsule it has become something of a visual icon in ... More
 
 
 
PICK
Cornucopia
London > Shopping > Clothing
12 Upper Tachbrook Street, Westminster, London SW1V
This prized vintage shop, in business for 40 years and bursting at the seams with a mixed bag of period clothing, is sadly closing down. Due ... More
 
 
 

Westminster Restaurants

What are the best dining options in or near Westminster London?
PICK
Pret A Manger
London > Restaurants > Cafes and Delis
49 Tothill Street, Westminster, London SW1H
Pret sells up market fast food, hand made from natural ingredients, to take away or eat on site, in its trademark no nonsense chrome interiors. The ... More
 
 
 
PICK
Blue Boar Smokehouse & Bar
London > Restaurants > American restaurants
45 Tothill Street, Westminster, London SW1H
American Cuisine... More
 
 
 
PICK
Starbucks
London > Restaurants > Cafes and Delis
27 Victoria Street, Westminster, London SW1H
The ubiquitous Seattle based coffee shop can unsurprisingly be found all over London. Thanks to its market saturation policy, branches resemble the Capital’s buses by always ... More
 
 
 

Westminster Pubs

The best pubs in or near London Westminster.
PICK
Two Chairmen Public House
London > Restaurants > Gastropub
39 Dartmouth Street, Westminster, London SW1H
Two minutes away from Parliament Square and the Cabinet warm rooms, the Two Chairmen Public House is an olde worlde pub that retains a number of ... More
 
 
 
PICK
Red Lion Pub
London > Nightlife > Pubs
48 Parliament Street, Whitehall, Westminster, London SW1A
Right across the street from the Houses of Parliament, the Red Lion is perfectly positioned for politicos to pop in for a pint after a heated ... More
 
 
 
PICK
The Reform Club
London > Nightlife > Pubs
104 Pall Mall, Westminster, London SW1Y
Located in the heart of London's traditional Clubland in Pall Mall, The Reform Club was founded in 1836 and was membership was initially restricted to those who ... More
 
 
 

Westminster Nightlife

Westminster clubs, bars, cabaret nights, casinos and interesting nightlife.
PICK
The Tapster
London > Nightlife > Wine Bars
3 Brewers Green, Buckingham Gate, Westminster, London SW1H
Wine Bar ... More
 
 
 
PICK
Cask & Glass
London > Nightlife > Bars
39 - 41 Palace Street, Westminster, London SW1E
... More
 
 
 
PICK
The Leopard Bar
London > Nightlife > Bars
The Rubens Hotel, 39 Buckingham Palace Road, Westminster, London SW1W
Part of The Rubens at the Palace but open to non-residents as well as hotel guests, the Leopard Bar has an intimate atmosphere designed in elegant ... More
 
 
 

Westminster Leisure

Westminster gyms, sporting activities, health & beauty and fitness.
PICK
Urban Retreat at Harrods
London > Leisure > Health and Beauty
5th Floor, Harrods, Westminster, London SW1X
Surely one of the most desirable places to spoil yourself rotten - the Urban Retreat flagship spa sits ever so prettily on the top floor of ... More
 
 
 
PICK
Argonauts
London > Leisure > Extreme Sports
Queen Mother Sports Centre, Vauxhall Bridge Road, Westminster, London SW1V
This friendly, professional diving club based in Central London has been running for 30 years, and is now based at the Queen Mother Sports centre which ... More
 
 
 
PICK
Garden Museum
London > Leisure > Parks and Gardens
Lambeth Palace Road, Westminster, London SE1
Adjacent to Lambeth Palace on the banks of the River Thames , the Garden Museum provides an insight into the ... More
 
 
 

Westminster Education

in or near Westminster
 
 
 
 

Westminster Meeting Venues

Where to have your meeting, conference, exhibition, private dining or training course in or near Westminster.
PICK
Central Hall Westminster
London > Business > Venue Hire
Storey's Gate, Westminster, London SW1H
Central London's largest conference and events venue has welcomed an array of illustrious speakers through the ages - including Gandhi, Churchill and the Prince of Wales. ... More
 
 
 
PICK
Westminster Abbey
London > Business > Venue Hire
Victoria Street, Westminster, London SW1P
Conference facilities can accommodate for up to 1100 people.... More
 
 
 
PICK
The Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre
London > Business > Venue Hire
Broad Sanctuary, Westminster, London SW1P
Seven floors of purpose-built meeting space in the heart of Westminster, the Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre (QEIICC) is a well known permanent conference space situated ... More
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
SALE
London Hotels

From cheap budget hotels to luxury 5 star suites see our special offers for hotels, including from 0% off.

 

 
Call now: hotel deals 0207 420 4960