Originally Posted by
OskiBear
My first trip to London was in 2008 and I stayed at the Trafalgar. I think it's a great location for a first visit as it's walking distance to a lot of the sights but also restaurants/shows in the West End.
The hop-on-hop-off buses make a major stop right there as well.
It's right on top of the Charing Cross tube station.
I had a street-facing room (very large) but it was fairly quiet.
I would definitely not recommend the Paddington Hilton. Stayed there once and, other than easy access to LHR, not much else to recommend it.
I agree with the above as the building is the former HQ of Cunard lines and it is almost directly across the street from Trafalgar Square and the National Portrait Gallery museum. It is also near the Houses of Parliament and Big Ben as well as Buckingham Palace (each a 15 min walk), and the London Eye (20 mins.) Picadilly Circus and Leicester Square - Theaterland area are 10 - 15 mins walk each.
Do a google search and you will see.
The Tower of London is a nice property but for a first timer with older parents, I should think that they would want a primo location rather than one a bit out of the way -- go with the Trafalgar.