The best hotels near Covent Garden

This is a more mature feeling One Aldwych than some of its fresh-faced competitors, but this English Heritage Edwardian property is as stylish as they come. Guests can expect fresh flowers delivered daily to their rooms, Bluetooth accesible speakers and contemporary interiors with plenty of pastel pink and grey. They also offer 'Film and Fizz', a programme of classic British films screened in their intimate 30-seat cinema, along with a glass of sparkling. Not to mention, there’s a subterranean pool with underwater piped music. Cringe? Yes. But so much fun. 

If you’re planning to visit London for a show at the Royal Opera House, you’ve lucked out: this quaint, boutiquey hotel named after 18th century novelist Henry Fielding sits just opposite. The tourist-trap that is Covent Garden Market is less than a five-minute scroll away, too. Rooms are charming, decorated in pale colours with en suites, tea and coffee-making facilities, wifi and air conditioning. Should you want to work out while you’re in town, hotel guests are granted free entry to nearby Nuffield gym. 

Moments from Covent Garden Market, Trafalgar Square as well as the South Bank, which is just over Waterloo Bridge, Strand Palace is surrounded by some of London’s best sights. There’s a mishmash of styles going on here: rooms are contemporary and well-equipped, there’s an Art Deco lobby, a carvery downstairs that’s fantastic for a roast, and an ace Indian restaurant, Daawat. Regardless, this place has been around for over a century so they must be doing something right. 

Phillip Starck gave St Martins Lane much more than a fresh lick of paint when he renovated it over a decade ago – and it’s still a complete looker. A further renovation introduced interactive light displays and flat-screen HD tvs in each room but the stunning floor-to-ceiling windows remain. In-house gym Gymbox offers laser-lit dance studios, DJs and an Olympic-sized boxing ring for those that want to get their sweat on. When it comes to food, walk past the quirky framed art and check out The Summer Terrace – a sunkissed spot serving up fresh bites and more filling meals. 

Equidistant between Piccadilly Circus and Leicester Square, and walking distance to the rest of the West End, Z Piccadilly is geographically superb. The concept here is compact luxury – rooms are small but come fitted with 48-inch TVs, wall-mounted hanging spaces and under-bed storage. It is definitely one of the cheaper options for such a top location – en suite rooms can be booked from £75. But the real pull here? Plus, there's free wine and cheese in the evenings. That’s us sold.  

Foster & Partner’s ME Melia hotel is the perfect escape from the tourist-heavy streets of Covent Garden. On its roof you’ll find one London’s best bars: Radio, overlooking Somerset House and the Strand below. Tuck into fine steaks at in-house restaurant STK or a fusion of Mediterranean and Japanese cuisine at ZELA. Rooms are slick, elegant, and not too stuffy – and pets are welcome too. 

The tech-savvy flagship Hub by Premier Inn may have small rooms but for the price (from £69), you’re not likely to complain. As the latest branch of Premier Inn’s offshoot, this hotel is similar to the other Hub locations. Rooms are sensibly designed, with pull-out desks and under-bed storage, and you can customise everything (including the lighting, TV and room temperature) via their app. Even though it's not the most boujee in the area, it's super comfortable – and what else do you need? You're probably going to be out enjoying yourself most of the time, anyway.

There’s a lot to love at the five-star Covent Garden hotel – its pretty al fresco tables on the most attractive street in the area, a wood-panelled drawing room and charming interiors by Kit Kemp – think pinstripe wallpaper with floral upholstery, oak walls and granite in the bathrooms. For film geeks, there’s an onsite screening room, for book worms, a private library and for foodies, the afternoon tea here is top-notch. On your doorstep, you can browse the neighbourhood's many shops, boutiques, and cafés, perfectly positioned to walk to several of London's favourite dining and tourist destinations.