Places to Stay With a Restaurant in London

What the list actually holds

There are 66 places to stay with a restaurant on site published for London on BritStays. Almost all of them — 63 — are hotels, with two campsites and one caravanning site making up the rest. That shape matters when you're planning: a restaurant on site in London usually means a hotel dining room or an all-day brasserie rather than a pub kitchen attached to a holiday park, so think breakfast before the first train and something hot at the end of a long walking day, rather than long lazy lunches.

Location is just as lopsided. London itself accounts for 56 of the 66, with the remainder scattered across the edges: two in Bromley, two in Ilford, and one each in Kingston upon Thames, Croydon, Dartford, Sidcup and Bexleyheath.

Central or outer borough?

If your trip is built around landmarks — the Tower of London, Buckingham Palace, Kensington Palace, a booked slot up The Shard — a central base earns its keep, because you'll be walking more than you expect and you'll want somewhere to eat without another journey. Stays like The Tavistock Hotel, Bedford Hotel, Kings Cross Inn Hotel and Lidos Hotel sit in that bracket, and Apex City of London adds a gym to the bar and restaurant if you like to start early. The Milestone Hotel keeps things simple with a restaurant and no bar listed, which suits anyone who'd rather eat and turn in.

The outer entries work differently. Travelodge London Whetstone, Travelodge Finchley, Travelodge London Woolwich, Travelodge Wembley High Road and Ibis London Excel Docklands are the sort of base you choose because of what's nearby — an event, a family visit, a flight — and because you'd like dinner and breakfast settled without hunting for a table. The Ilford Travelodge is the pet-friendly example in this set, and the two Bromley and two Ilford entries are worth a look if you want a quieter street at night.

There's no coast in this region, so the countryside half of the usual choice is really about green days out rather than green bedroom windows. National Trust places including Red House, Quebec House and Emmetts Garden give you that change of pace, and Bruce Castle is an easy heritage half-day.

Who each kind of stay suits

• Families: on-site food saves the 6pm meltdown. Travelodge Wembley High Road, Travelodge Finchley and the central Travelodge also list takeaway food, which is genuinely useful with tired children.
• Couples: 43 of the 66 have a bar, so a drink without going back out is the norm. Bedford Hotel lists evening entertainment if you'd like the evening handed to you.
• Dog owners: 29 are pet friendly — fewer than half — so filter first and book early rather than ringing round later.
• Anyone with access needs: 41 list disabled access, including The Memoir Club, Travelodge London Whetstone, Travelodge London Woolwich and Ibis London Excel Docklands. Still ring to confirm the specifics of lifts, bathrooms and the restaurant itself.

Facilities worth checking before you commit

WiFi appears on 48, a bar on 43, disabled access on 41, a train station nearby on 36, parking on 32, pet friendly on 29 and a gym on just 14. Read that parking figure carefully: under half list it, and in London a car is often a liability anyway. If you're driving in from Dartford or Bexleyheath way, the train-station listing on 36 of them is the more valuable line.

Making the days work

Build each day around one anchor and let the rest drift. Twist Museum, Dennis Severs' House and Chiswick House are all good indoor options when the weather turns, and Harlow Museum & Walled Gardens gives you a calmer morning. With children, Oak Farm Animal Park, Trilakes Animal Park and H2O Rampage Aqua Park are worth the journey out, and Flitch Way Railway Carriage Museum suits anyone who likes their history on rails. Check opening days directly — several smaller places don't open daily.

When to book

Central stays go first for weekends, school holidays and anything that coincides with a big event, so if your dates are fixed, book the room first and fill in the days afterwards. The smaller sets — 29 pet friendly, 14 with a gym, one caravanning site — run out quickly, so treat those as the thing you search for rather than a bonus you hope for. Book restaurant tables at your hotel for arrival night if you're landing late, confirm breakfast times in writing, and if you need parking, get it agreed when you book rather than on the day.