Best Hotels in Covent Garden, London

London › Covent Garden Hotels
Updated: October 10, 2026 • By Santorini Dave

• Best Luxury Hotels in Covent Garden
  The Savoy
  NoMad London
  Covent Garden Hotel
  One Aldwych
  ME London
• Best Midrange & Budget Hotels
  The Resident Covent Garden
  Hotel AMANO Covent Garden
  The Fielding
  Z Hotel Covent Garden

A Guide to Staying in Covent Garden

Why Stay in Covent Garden?

In my opinion, Covent Garden is the best area for first-time visitors to London. You’re within walking distance of the West End theatres, Soho, Trafalgar Square, the National Gallery, and the restaurants and shops around Seven Dials. It’s easy to spend several days sightseeing without using the Tube much. The downside is the price. Hotels are expensive, rooms can be small, and the busiest streets get crowded and noisy, especially in the evenings. I still think the location is worth paying extra for, particularly on a first visit.

Where to Stay in Covent Garden

The streets around Covent Garden Piazza put you closest to the market, Royal Opera House, and theatres, but they’re also the busiest. Seven Dials, just northwest of the Piazza, is my favorite part of the neighborhood for restaurants, shopping, and a slightly less touristy feel. Strand and Aldwych are convenient for the Thames, Somerset House, and the South Bank, though traffic is heavier. The streets toward Holborn are generally quieter and convenient for the British Museum. All are good locations, and most hotels are within a 10-minute walk of the main Piazza.

Best Hotels in Covent Garden

My favorite luxury hotels: The Savoy is my top choice for traditional London luxury, with an excellent location on the Strand overlooking the Thames. NoMad London, in a converted courthouse opposite the Royal Opera House, is one of my favorite hotels in the city. It has a completely different feel from The Savoy, with dramatic interiors and a livelier atmosphere. Covent Garden Hotel is a smaller boutique hotel near Seven Dials, with individually decorated rooms and a cozy drawing room. One Aldwych is especially good for families who want luxury, thanks to its indoor swimming pool. ME London is the most contemporary of the group, with minimalist rooms and a rooftop bar overlooking the city.

Best midrange hotels: The Resident Covent Garden is my favorite practical choice, with comfortable rooms and useful mini-kitchens containing a fridge, microwave, and sink. Hotel AMANO Covent Garden has contemporary rooms and a popular rooftop bar. The Fielding is a small, traditional hotel on a pedestrian street beside the Royal Opera House. It’s an excellent location for theatre and opera.

Best value: Z Hotel Covent Garden is often one of the cheapest ways to stay right in the center of the neighborhood. The rooms are modern but very small, and some have no window. Fine for a short stay if you mainly need somewhere to sleep, but I wouldn’t choose it for a week in London.

Top Things to Do in Covent Garden

• Explore Covent Garden Market. Browse the Apple Market for crafts, jewelry, and antiques, and visit the Jubilee Market on the south side of the Piazza. Jubilee’s antiques market is on Mondays, with general merchandise and arts-and-crafts stalls on other days. The street performers around the Piazza are worth stopping for and must audition for their performance spots.
• See a West End show. Theatre Royal Drury Lane is right in Covent Garden, with many other West End theatres within walking distance. The Royal Opera House is the place for opera and ballet. For discounted theatre tickets, check the TKTS booth in nearby Leicester Square. Discounts vary by show, and popular performances often sell out. The Royal Opera House also has a rooftop terrace overlooking the Piazza, accessible through its restaurant and bar during opening hours.
• Shop around Seven Dials and Neal Street. I prefer the surrounding streets to the main market for shopping. Floral Street has designer fashion, Long Acre has major international brands, and Neal Street is good for footwear and fashion shops. The independent stores around Seven Dials and Neal’s Yard are also worth exploring.
• Visit the London Transport Museum. Right on the Piazza, this is one of my favorite London museums for families, particularly with younger children. Unlike the major national museums, admission is paid for adults, though standard tickets generally include unlimited return visits for a year. Children under 17 enter free.
• Walk to the National Gallery and National Portrait Gallery. Both are about a 10-minute walk from Covent Garden. The National Gallery overlooks Trafalgar Square, while the National Portrait Gallery is just north of the square on St Martin’s Place. Both have free permanent collections.

Best Bars & Pubs in Covent Garden

• The American Bar at The Savoy. Opened in 1893, it’s Britain’s oldest surviving American-style cocktail bar and one of London’s most famous. Drinks are expensive, but it’s worth visiting if you enjoy classic cocktails. Expect a wait at busy times.
• The Lamb & Flag. A historic pub tucked away on Rose Street, with a long association with Charles Dickens. It’s one of my favorite places in Covent Garden for a pint, though it gets crowded in the evenings.
• Hotel AMANO Rooftop Bar. A good choice for drinks with a view, especially around sunset. It’s popular, so check opening hours and book ahead when possible.

Getting Around from Covent Garden

• Walk whenever possible. Soho, Leicester Square, Trafalgar Square, and the National Gallery are all about 5 to 15 minutes from the Piazza. The South Bank is roughly 15 to 20 minutes away across Waterloo Bridge. For these destinations, walking is usually easier than taking the Tube.
• Use Leicester Square Station instead of Covent Garden Station. Covent Garden Station is on the Piccadilly Line and can get very crowded. It has lifts rather than escalators, with a 193-step staircase as the alternative. Leicester Square Station is only about five minutes away and has escalators, the Piccadilly Line, and the Northern Line. It is often the better choice, especially when Covent Garden’s lifts are busy. Neither station should be assumed to offer step-free access from street to train.
• Other useful Tube stations. Holborn serves the Central and Piccadilly lines, Charing Cross serves the Bakerloo and Northern lines, and Tottenham Court Road serves the Central, Northern, and Elizabeth lines. Depending on your hotel, these are generally about 10 to 15 minutes away on foot. Check which station gives you the simplest journey rather than automatically using Covent Garden.
• Getting to Heathrow Airport. The Piccadilly Line runs directly from Covent Garden to Heathrow, taking roughly an hour. It’s the cheapest and simplest option if you’re traveling light. With luggage, I prefer the Elizabeth Line from Tottenham Court Road. The station is about a 12-to-15-minute walk from Covent Garden Piazza, and the trains are air-conditioned and more comfortable with bags. Allow roughly 30 to 40 minutes on the train to Heathrow, depending on the terminal and service. Including the walk, it isn’t always faster than the Piccadilly Line, but it’s usually a more comfortable journey.
• London buses. The Strand and Aldwych have several useful bus routes, including services toward the City and Westminster. Buses are slower than the Tube for longer journeys but can be convenient for short trips, especially when you’d rather avoid station stairs and escalators.

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