West End Travel Guide

London
West End which includes a city and street scenes as well as a large group of people
Here is where visitors come to shop, pause to dine, linger for the culture, and get dressed up for the theatre – the West End has it all.

Londoners come to the West End to shop in style, to take in a play or musical, or to promenade around its classy streets. Traditionally known as the residence of London's better-off classes, it has now become the entertainment, media and retail centre for the capital. It's also home to some of the most famous streets and squares in the world. Leicester Square, Oxford Street, Piccadilly Circus, Covent Garden and Carnaby Street are just some of the names that adorn the signs of its well-appointed streets.

It became an exclusive district for London's wealthy as the city swelled and outgrew its medieval origins. Those with money chose to live here, just west of the royal palaces and centres of government around Westminster. The westerly winds kept the smoke and smell of the inner city, and the slums of the East End, clear of the West End. During the 18th and 19th centuries, many fine streets, parks, museums and galleries were built here.

First on the list for the visitor to the West End is that temple to 'retail therapy' that is Oxford Street. Home to classic British department stores like Selfridges, Marks & Spencer and Hamleys, this is the most popular shopping district in Europe. Nearby Bond Street and Regent Street are just as classy, and just as busy.

There’s plenty to do if the weather is grey. Check out the portraits of British heroes and icons throughout history in the National Portrait Gallery, one of thirty museums and galleries in the area.

The West End is also enriched by innumerable museums and galleries, including the National Gallery, the British Museum and the National Portrait Gallery. One of the more upmarket neighbourhoods, Fitzrovia, now has more than 30 private contemporary art galleries. And you can't come to the West End without a trip to the theatre. Nearly 40 beautiful and elegant Victorian and Edwardian theatres can be found packed into the streets around The Strand, Drury Lane, and Shaftesbury Avenue.

They include first-class theatres like the London Palladium, the Lyceum and the Theatre Royal. The shows are even more fabulous than the venues, with long-running musicals like Les Misérables, the Phantom of the Opera and The Lion King, alongside the classics, Shakespearean plays and ground-breaking new dramas. Whether its morning, afternoon or evening, the West End is sure to have the entertainment to turn your stay in London from the 'super' to the superlative.


Popular places to visit


Top hotels in West End

Zedwell Piccadilly Circus
Zedwell Piccadilly Circus
3 out of 5
Great Windmill Street, London, England
Fully refundableReserve now, pay when you stay
The price is ₹10,997 per night from 22 Oct to 23 Oct
₹10,997
per night
22 Oct - 23 Oct
Stay at this 3-star hotel in London. Enjoy free WiFi, a 24-hour front desk and daily housekeeping. Our guests praise the helpful staff and the comfy rooms in ...
7.6/10 Good! (2,471 reviews)
"I like the cocoon concept the sound control was great and the unit was a perfect functional size, very nicely designed. Will definitely return."

Reviewed on 24 Sep 2023

Zedwell Piccadilly Circus
The Langham, London
The Langham, London
5 out of 5
1C Portland Place, Regent Street, London, England
The price is ₹45,682 per night from 20 Oct to 21 Oct
₹45,682
per night
20 Oct - 21 Oct
Stay at this 5-star luxury hotel in London. Enjoy free WiFi, 2 bars/lounges and a full-service spa. Popular attractions Piccadilly Circus and The British Museum ...
9.4/10 Exceptional! (1,003 reviews)
"Wonderful!!! Safe, clean, the staff was accommodating to our disabilities and were kind. Would definitely stay again!"

Reviewed on 25 Sep 2023

The Langham, London
St Giles Hotel - London
St Giles Hotel - London
3 out of 5
Bedford Avenue, London, England
Stay at this 3-star hotel in London. Enjoy free WiFi, 3 restaurants and a 24-hour front desk. Our guests praise the property condition in their reviews. Popular ...
7.4/10 Good! (2,153 reviews)
"Great location, had everything you needed 👍"

Reviewed on 22 Sep 2023

St Giles Hotel - London
Assembly Covent Garden
Assembly Covent Garden
3.5 out of 5
27 - 31 Charing Cross Road, London, England
The price is ₹17,213 per night from 26 Oct to 27 Oct
₹17,213
per night
26 Oct - 27 Oct
Stay at this 3.5-star hotel in London. Enjoy free WiFi, a 24-hour front desk and daily housekeeping. Our guests praise the bathrooms and the property condition ...
8.2/10 Very Good! (1,007 reviews)
Great staff
"Location is wonderful and the staff were so friendly and helpful"

Reviewed on 21 Sep 2023

Assembly Covent Garden
The Hoxton Holborn
The Hoxton Holborn
4 out of 5
199 - 206 High Holborn, London, England
Fully refundableReserve now, pay when you stay
The price is ₹18,533 per night from 22 Oct to 23 Oct
₹18,533
per night
22 Oct - 23 Oct
Stay at this 4-star hotel in London. Enjoy free WiFi, breakfast and room service. Our guests praise the restaurant and the quiet rooms in their reviews. Popular ...
9/10 Wonderful! (948 reviews)
"great"

Reviewed on 20 Sep 2023

The Hoxton Holborn
The Cavendish London
The Cavendish London
4 out of 5
81 Jermyn Street, St James's, London, England
The price is ₹17,935 per night from 13 Oct to 14 Oct
₹17,935
per night
13 Oct - 14 Oct
Stay at this 4-star business-friendly hotel in London. Enjoy breakfast, 24-hour room service and valet parking. Our guests praise the spacious rooms and the ...
8.8/10 Excellent! (1,003 reviews)
"Well located for major sites. Very quiet area even though central."

Reviewed on 21 Sep 2023

The Cavendish London
Lowest nightly price found within the past 24 hours based on a 1 night stay for 2 adults. Prices and availability subject to change. Additional terms may apply.

Other neighbourhoods around West End



West End Travel Guide