London Marriott Hotel County Hall

Ralph Knott's big and bold 1922 building spent most of the last century housing the offices of London's local government, until 1986, when Margaret Thatcher shut down the operation. Since then County Hall has been reinventd as commercial spaces, including this high-quality, very traditional Marriott outlet since September 1998. All 206 rooms received an upgrade in 2016. The hotel is bookended by Westminster Bridge and the London Eye and is perched above the Thames on the south side of the river, with spectacular views of the Palace of Westminster (including the iconic tower housing Ben Ben). The Southbank Centre arts complex is just minutes away on the same side of the river, while Soho can be reached on foot in about 25 minutes. A budget hotel, Premier Inn [see entry], shares the building. Tube stations: Westminster and Waterloo.