You've really hit the jackpot if you're treating yourself to one of our apartments in the heart of Westminster. The West End, Mayfair and the River Thames are all on your door stop and once you walk out of the front door, you won't take two steps without bumping into one of London's most famous attractions.
On top of the great location, the beautiful architecture in this part of London will take your breath away - this is old London and if you can ignore the traffic, you can wander the streets in a daydream, looking up at each unique building.
Westminster Abbey
Westminster Abbey is behind the name of this historic area of central London quite literally as the Abbey is the city's West Minster (i.e. church or monastery). This sixteenth century Gothic church was where Prince William married Kate Middleton, now the Duchess of Cambridge last April in the most recent Royal Wedding. The Abbey is also where British monarchs tend to have their coronation ceremonies and burials.
The British government has been based here for over a thousand years. You'll recognise Big Ben but did you know that the Houses of Parliament are actually part of a building whose official name is the Palace of Westminster? It sits on the north bank of the River Thames and despite all the younger upstarts either side of it, the Palace (a UNESCO world heritage site) still easily commands everyone's attention.
Here is where British politicians debate in the House of Commons and House of Lords to create new laws and settle the country's affairs. It's easy to spot journalists and commentators, dashing about to get all the political gossip.
Also in the vicinity, on the way to Victoria, is the world famous Buckingham Palace - it's the official residence of Queen Elizabeth II, although she's often away - you can take tours inside during the Summer months. You can see the Changing of the Guard ceremony in the forecourt to Buckingham Palace at 11am everyday. There's a full military band of over 30 musicians accompanying the swap so it's well worth making sure you're there on time.
You can amble through Green Park up to Piccadilly from Buckingham Palace, or Trafalgar Square and the National Gallery are just down the road (Pall Mall to be exact) in the other direction - it's a leisurely fifteen minute walk that can take you on to Covent Garden too.
Our first piece of advice for anyone staying in one of the Boutique London Lets apartments in Westminster is to grab a map of central London and get exploring! As we've mentioned, there's so many tourist attractions within walking distance that there's no point hopping on the Underground for one or two stops.
Another idea is to take one of the Hop On, Hop Off bus services - that you'll find due to the coloured bus signs on the regular bus stops. This way, you can get your bearings of the area first and find out where all of London's landmarks are in relation to one another.
Westminster station is on the Jubilee line, taking you to Waterloo and London Bridge in the south and Green Park and Bond Street to the North. You'll need to join on to the Piccadilly line to get to Harrods and the designer shops of Knightsbridge.
And if you want to get to the South Bank, just make your way to Big Ben and walk across the bridge to find yourself right in the heart of the museum, aquarium, restaurant and street performer action.
Houses of Parliament
Westminster has some world class dining options but they can be a little pricey. That's why our tip is to take in the cuisine of famous chefs at lunch rather than dinner and to Google top deals before you eat.
We can recommend The Avenue, a quiet but classy bar and restaurant in Byron House, St James' Street. It serves impeccable (mainly) British food and the service is good - plus you can save money on their pre-theatre menu.
Check out our blog post on the subject of eating out in Westminster if you want more tips.
Good choices include oriental fusion with computeries ordering at Inamo St James and Cafe Luc just north of Westminster in Marylebone for glorious afternoon tea.
If you're staying in Westminster, you'll want to get your picture taken at Piccadilly Circus with the famous lit-up adverts but before you do, you might want to venture into China Town where you can pick up a bargain all-you-can-eat Chinese buffet.
Have a look inside the restaurant before you plump for a venue though, and take our advice that's it's best to pay slightly more than the cheapest offer. Trust us, it'll be worth the few extra pounds when you get round to tasting the food. Even if you've already eaten, China Town is a nice area to wander around in plus it's interesting as it is so close to Piccadilly and the posh environs of tea at The Ritz - another must.
Westminster wasn't just built for tourists - there's plenty of residents too so you won't find yourself lacking the essential amenities. The shops of Oxford Street, Regent Street and Bond Street are walkable but you're more likely to find food supplies and toiletries in the area around Victoria and towards the Millbank.
There's plenty of banks, bookshops, newsagents, dry cleaners and gift shops in the Westminster area and surroundings meaning if you're forgotten anything or need a last minute souvenir, you won't be stuck floundering. It is the heart of London after all!
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"One of my favorite attractions in London is actually the Harry Potter Museum (part of the Warner Bros Studio Tour until March 2013) since I'm a big fan of the books and films". Read more from the team
#Location of the week: #Vauxhall. Discover the #history, Tourist #Attractions, Insider #Tips and #Eating Out http://t.co/lRjQxjxl #stay #ukFri 21 Dec 12 @ 17:32
