With a tablet, smart TV, Nespresso coffee machine and free minibar, plus heated mirrors and rainfall showers in the bathroom, the rooms here are comfy and well equipped. The Victorian building has its period charms too, and the all-day restaurant overlooks the Strand. But it’s the location that’s the winner: you’re almost inside Charing Cross station, within sight of Trafalgar Square and a hop, skip and a jump from the Thames.
The best hotels near Somerset House offer you the chance to explore this sprawling neoclassical building on the south side of the Strand. It once housed dusty government archives but it's now a major cultural hub. Fashionistas flock here for London Fashion Week, and the handsome courtyard (once used as a car park, unbelievably) hosts film screenings and concerts in summer and a popular ice rink in winter. There’s also the Courtauld Gallery and some excellent restaurants, including Skye Gyngell’s Spring and Tom’s Kitchen. Luxury hotels abound in the vicinity, but there are some excellent budget options too. Best of all, book one of our recommendations for best hotels near Somerset House and you’re within easy reach of Covent Garden and Soho, West End theatres and the Southbank, Trafalgar Square and the City.
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