Waterloo Hotels

Waterloo hotels can be a great place to stay for the smart traveller in London. It’s on the South Bank, so it’s a little less manic and a little more chilled out than the north, but it also has some of London’s best transport links, as well as instant access to all the many attractions of the south bank, chief among them the Tate Modern, the Royal Festival Hall, the Hayward Gallery, Shakespeare’s Globe, the National Theatre, the London Eye and the Sea Life Aquarium. A little further inland, you can find the Old Vic and the Young Vic theatres, with their delightful surrounding restaurants, and the gastronomic wonderland of Borough Market, London’s preeminent organic food market.

Waterloo hotels are clustered around the riverfront and over the Thames to the north. On the bank, the London Marriott Hotel County Hall offers a view that probably eclipses even that of the Savoy, if not the London Eye, with a clear panorama not only of the Thames but of the Houses of Parliament and Big Ben. Formerly used as a seat of government, the five star Marriott has kept its beautiful marble floors and towering bronze doors. It’s also one of the few central hotels spacious enough to have an indoor swimming pool, and the service is sublime.

Another property with a pool is the four star Park Plaza Westminster, which has sleek, modern studio rooms often with views of Big Ben. As well as the pool, the Park Plaza has its own spa, fitness centre and beauty salon, making it one of the more relaxing and luxurious Waterloo hotels. Finally, the two star Wellington Waterloo offers an affordable B&B experience in central London. Situated above a lovely pub, the Wellington prides itself on a warm welcome and great food, though may be a bit near the train tracks for light sleepers.

Waterloo Station, despite having lost Eurostar to St. Pancras, is still easily the largest and busiest rail terminal in the UK, dealing with well over 100 million passengers every year. Waterloo’s main national rail destinations are all along the south coast: Poole, Bournemouth, Southampton, Portsmouth and Weymouth, any of which would make a good day trip. Its underground station services the Bakerloo Line between Embankment and Lambeth North, the Northern Line between Embankment and Kennington, the Jubilee Line between Westminster and Southwark, and links to Bank via the two-stop Waterloo and City Line.

Waterloo Tube Station

Opened in 1898, Waterloo tube station is currently the second busiest underground station in London and is well placed for a variety of Waterloo hotels, restaurants and attractions. Neighbouring districts include the South Bank, Westminster and Lambeth. Waterloo tube station is in Zone 1 and serves the Bakerloo, Northern, Jubilee and the Waterloo & City lines. Its adjacent stations are Lambeth North, Embankment, Westminster, Southwark, Kennington and Bank.

Attractions Near Waterloo

For a bird's eye view of London, visit the London Eye, a giant observation wheel which offers half hour rotation rides. Each year, 3.5 million people climb aboard this amazing triumph of engineering, which has become an internationally recognised London landmark. The London Aquarium, in the County Hall by the Thames, is devoted to aquatic life of all descriptions. Kids will love the hands-on elements where they can get up close to starfish, shellfish and other creatures. Opened by the Queen in 2000, the Millennium Bridge was designed by acclaimed architect Sir Norman Foster in partnership with sculptor Sir Anthony Caro. The first pedestrian bridge to be built across the Thames for over 100 years, it became known to Londoners as the 'wobbly bridge' due to the rocking sensations experienced by the first users. The wobble has since been successfully corrected by engineers.

Restaurants And Bars Near Waterloo

Housed in railway arches by Waterloo station, the Hole in the Wall is a bustling pub favoured by London's commuters for its good selection of beers. If you fancy some live entertainment with your pint, The Archduke is a pub with a pianist playing jazz music. Loco Mensa is a family-friendly Italian restaurant serving an extensive range of pastas and pizzas and is handy for many Waterloo hotels and visitor attractions. Theatre-goers should check out the Waterloo Bar and Kitchen for a pre-performance bite to eat.

Recommended Web Sites

In our travels around the web, we found these Waterloo web pages useful. Contact us at team@tubehotels.com to list your favourite Waterloo website here.