Stopover guide to London

Treat your Heathrow stopover as an opportunity to spend a few hours in the capital. You can cut out the extra travel time to and from London business hotels by staying in our Heathrow location. From here, all you have to do is hop on the Heathrow Express to be in central London in 15 minutes.

Travel

Once you arrive in Paddington, head straight for the Underground station and don’t worry about buying a ticket. You can now use your contactless credit or debit card to travel around the city. Journeys cost the same as they would with an Oyster card and are actually cheaper than buying paper tickets.

Dine

"If you’ve arrived in the morning, take the Bakerloo line to Oxford Circus and from there it’s a 5-minute walk to the Riding House Cafe on Great Titchfield Street (total journey time from Paddington, 15 minutes), where you’ll find one of London’s best breakfasts. Alternatively, the grand surroundings of Berners Tavern on Berners Street (take the Bakerloo line to Oxford Circus and walk, total journey time from Paddington 16 minutes) make an excellent setting for breakfast or lunch. For an evening bite, travel into trendy Soho. Take the Bakerloo line to Piccadilly Circus then walk to Dean Street (total journey time from Paddington, 19 minutes), where you’ll find a number of independent cafes (try popular pizzeria Soho Joe) as well as the fashion- and media-favourite Dean Street Townhouse."

Shop

"If you’re on your way to see family, your stopover is the perfect opportunity to pick up gifts. Oxford Street (take the Bakerloo line from Paddington to Oxford Circus, total journey time 10 minutes) offers a shopping experience like no other, with a slew of high-street brands and flagship stores. For a Scandi-chic new outfit or accessory try & Other Stories. Their first and only UK store is just a few minutes’ walk from the underground station and has been a firm favourite with fashion editors since it opened in 2013. Selfridges (from Oxford Circus, walk west along Oxford Street for 10 minutes) is the place for designer brands and fun interiors gifts. Or for vintage finds, Beyond Retro on Poland Street (a 6-minute walk from Oxford Circus) has rails upon rails of carefully-curated clothes and accessories."

See

"How about a dose of culture before hopping onto your next flight? Though Trafalgar Square – where you’ll find the National Gallery and National Portrait Gallery – is just a quick Tube ride away (take the Bakerloo line from Paddington to Charing Cross, total journey time 16 minutes), it’s also worth exploring lesser-known cultural institutions. We’d recommend The Sherlock Holmes Museum, where a quirky collection of memorabilia transports you to the turn of the century and to Holmes’ eclectic world (from Paddington take the Bakerloo line to Baker Street, total journey time 8 minutes). From here, the scenic open spaces of Regent’s Park are a 5-minute walk – just the thing for stretching your legs between flights."