The best hotels near Madame Tussauds

Part of the Firmdale group of hotels, Dorset Square bears the classy decorative stamp of owner Kit Kemp. Each of the 38 bedrooms is different, but all are comfortable yet chic; some overlook a garden square. There’s also room in this townhouse hotel for a bar and restaurant, the Potting Shed. Families are made very welcome, with a range of amenities from a children’s menu to cots and mini bathrobes.

A medium-sized independent hotel with a restaurant and a bar, Durrants gets a lot of repeat custom thanks to its old-world charm and friendly staff. The rooms vary, so check what you’re getting when you book, but all have L’Occitane toiletries, and there’s free wifi throughout. Take a look at their last-minute deals online, when rooms can be had for around £150. Best of all, it’s minutes from the world-famous waxworks.

The Landmark has all the bells and whistles you’d expect from a five-star hotel: a Spa & Health Club, sumptuous afternoon teas and an eight-storey, light-filled atrium (home of the Winter Garden restaurant). One of the original grand railway hotels, it remains a magnificent building; bedrooms are decorated in classic international luxury style. Madame Tussauds is a ten-minute walk or a short bus ride away – afterwards children can make the most of the hotel’s swimming pool.

Close to the waxworks, as well as the fancy shops and restaurants of Marylebone, Ten is nicely located on a quiet backstreet in a handsome Edwardian building. The four-star accommodation has a classy, masculine vibe (there’s even an all-weather cigar terrace). There are 44 bedrooms with all mod cons; wifi is included in the price, and family suites can sleep up to five people.

A hop, skip and a jump from Madame Tussauds, the Park Plaza is a four-star chain hotel offering a no-nonsense London base. The building is eighteenth-century but the interior is thoroughly modern, as are the restaurant, bar, spa and gym. Family rooms come with complimentary wifi and breakfast, and children get goody bags and a choice of in-room movies. Close by are a multitude of chain restaurants, plus a few gems such as Phoenix Palace, just across Marylebone Road, which offers dim sum until 4.45pm daily.

A B&B in a five-storey Georgian terrace on a quiet street, with decent-sized rooms and a welcoming atmosphere. Bedrooms are en suite and have wooden floors covered in rugs; they’re individually decorated and are furnished with antiques, quilts and TVs. Continental breakfasts are served at a big communal table; there’s also a lounge for the use of guests. The lack of a restaurant is easily covered by a plethora of chain restaurants on nearby Baker Street, including Bill's and Pizza Express. A good bet for people who find hotels a little anonymous.

Nicely situated on the edge of Regent’s Park but close to the buzz of Camden (handy if you have teenagers with you), York & Albany is also convenient for Madame Tussauds. The ground floor holds a smart restaurant and wine bar. Upstairs are nine individually designed bedrooms – these are nicely appointed, filled with everything from antiques to coffee machines. Discounts are available if you book more than three weeks ahead. Part of the Gordon Ramsay empire.

For an intimate, glamorous bolt-hole, book one of the 26 rooms at Andre Balazs’s Chiltern Firehouse. This exclusive hotel, fashioned out of a Victorian fire station, is best known for its restaurant, a celeb haunt ever since it opened a few years ago, but the lodging shouldn’t be ignored. Retro-styled bedrooms have working fireplaces and a host of other lovely details – you’ll be hard pushed to tear yourself away to Madame Tussauds… or anywhere else.

The children (and 'Planet Earth' fans) will love you forever if you book a night at London Zoo’s Gir Lion Lodge. Thrillingly, the nine brightly painted wooden chalets are next to the Land of the Lions enclosure. Decor is animal themed, and the rooms are simple but en suite. Perks include out-of-hours zoo tours and experiences – these are included in the price, along with breakfast and dinner. Madame Tussauds is just the other side of Regent’s Park.

A top choice for inexpensive lodgings less than half a mile from Madame Tussauds, and right next to Marylebone station. You know what to expect with Travelodge: a small-ish, clean room with a shower, tea- and coffee-making facilities and a TV, decorated in an fussy contemporary style, and wifi is free for the first 30 minutes. Note that this branch of the mega-chain doesn't have family rooms, so is best suited to couples and groups of friends. Brilliant fish and chips can be had just round the corner at Sea Shell on Lisson Grove.