Leicester Square Hotels
We've got 77 hotels available near Leicester Square on the 22 May 2012 for 1 nightThe cheapest hotel reservation starts at £229.00, Mercure London Bloomsbury
The closest hotel to Leicester Square is Radisson Edwardian Leicester Square
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More About Leicester Square
Informally known as 'Theatreland', Leicester Square is one of the busiest places in London. Our handy guide helps you avoid the tourist traps and reveals what to look out for if you want to get a real feel for this iconic area of the city.
What's In A Name?
You may or may not be aware that Leicester is in fact a city located in the East Midlands area of England, some 100 miles away from London. That being the case, what has Leicester done to give its name to one of the most famous areas of London? The answer is that the city itself didn't do anything, and the name actually originates with a man called Robert Sidney, who purchased a large area of land in London in 1630.
Sidney was the 2nd Earl of Leicester, which reveals the connection between man and square, and the reason Leicester Square exists is because it transpired that the land he had bought was formerly common land available for public use. The public were understandably upset that Sidney had taken this away from them, and after a legal dispute Sidney was ordered to allow them access to a portion of it. That portion was, and remains, Leicester Square.
The Premieres
Since the 19th century, Leicester Square has come to be known as the hub of London entertainment. Today, it is particularly notable for cinema and theatre, hence its 'Theatreland' nickname. You would expect a land of theatre to feature quite a heavy theatre population, and that is indeed the case here.
The cinema which hosts the most important premieres is Odeon Leicester Square, which among many, many others is notable in recent years for hosting new instalments in both the Harry Potter and James Bond franchises. It also boasts Europe's largest non-IMAX screen, and welcomed the continent's first digital projector in 2002.
Fans regularly flood the square when a big new film is in town, hoping to catch a glimpse of the stars on the red carpet. If you miss them in the flesh, you may want to return when it's less busy and check to see if you can find their handprints pressed into one of the plaques on the pavement outside.
Enjoying Theatreland
Empire Leicester Square is another top venue, rumoured to be the place where Britain's first ever moving pictures were shown. It houses nine screens of varying capacity, ranging from 1,330 to just 42. If the expense of the mainstream doesn't take your fancy, the Prince Charles Cinema just off the Leicester Square is the only independent theatre in the area, and is famed locally for its regular screenings of The Sound of Music and The Rocky Horror Picture Show. It is reported to be Oscar-nominated director Quentin Tarantino's favourite London cinema.
Wherever you go, if you choose to buy tickets from a booth in the centre of Leicester Square, stick to the official TKTS stalls. Other sellers will operate in the area, but these may not be selling official tickets, even if they say they are on their signs. Fortunately, this is an easily avoidable issue, and the TKTS people will be happy to help you in the right direction.
Naturally, such an exciting area attracts a fair few media outlets wishing to base themselves there, and tucked away in the surrounding buildings are an MTV studio and the radio headquarters of popular stations Capital Radio, Xfm and Classic FM.
Spot The Historical Figure
Throughout Leicester Square, and at the corners of the small park at its centre, you should keep your eyes peeled for a collection of statues and busts portraying various significant figures throughout English history. You can hardly fail to miss the large statue of William Shakespeare at the centre of the park, while Charlie Chaplin is one of the newer additions.
Other likenesses include artist William Hogarth, Sir Isaac Newton, first President of the Royal Academy of Arts Sir Joshua Reynolds and scientist John Hunter, a former resident of Leicester Square who infamously infected himself with syphilis as part of an experiment. Another famous figure who used to live here was Karl Marx, but he has no statue on the square.
Getting to Leicester Square
Leicester Square tube station is the obvious answer here. Found on the Northern and Piccadilly Lines, this station allows you direct access to important stations such as Kings Cross St Pancras, Euston and Waterloo. Covent Garden and Piccadilly Circus are either side of it on the Piccadilly Line, so there is potential for a grand day out here. In fact, the distance between Leicester Square and Covent Garden is the shortest between any two stations on the London Underground network, and it would actually be quicker to walk this distance anyway.
Hotels in Leicester Square
Naturally, style and elegance are the order of the day when it comes to Leicester Square hotels, with plenty of 4* and 5* rooms available. If you want to be as close to the action as possible, there is no better option than Radisson Edwardian Leicester Square
Alternatively, the best hotels just off Leicester Square include fabulous 5* boutique St Martins Lane and the splendid Royal Trafalgar Hotel (4*). While the hotels in this area of London may be more expensive than others, rest assured that the jump in price definitely equates to a step up in luxury.
Pubs and Bars in Leicester Square
If you are planning to go out in Leicester Square, the chances are that you are willing to splash the cash. The Cork and Bottle is a classy wine bar specialising in French varieties, and is just a short walk from Leicester Square. The Salisbury is a lovely Victorian pub dating back to the late 19th century. Its drinks are fairly standard, but it is worth the journey to marvel at its stunning original interior.
If you really want to soak up the atmosphere of Leicester Square, you should experience the welcoming Icon Bar. Situated overlooking the main square, the view is simply fantastic, the perfect place to watch the world go by with a delicious cocktail.
Restaurants in Leicester Square
There are plenty of culinary options in and around Leicester Square, with nearby Soho and Covent Garden offering a few gems. The acclaimed Asia de Cuba restaurant at St Martins Lane deserves a mention, with its Asian/Cuban fusion offering something unique and delicious.
You needn't break the bank to eat out in Leicester Square, as Italian delight Sartori proves. This restaurant is renowned for its magnificent pizzas, authentically prepared in their custom-made oven. For unfussy, mouth-watering Indian food, Maharaja of India is the place to go.
Parking in Leicester Square
It doesn't get much more central in London than Leicester Square, so you can expect parking prices to be steep. The NCP car parks at Brewer Street (W1F 0LA) and St Martins Lane Hotel (WC2N 4HX) offer nearly 400 parking spaces between them, and the cost of a 24-hour stay creeps up to the £47 mark.
What's In A Name?
You may or may not be aware that Leicester is in fact a city located in the East Midlands area of England, some 100 miles away from London. That being the case, what has Leicester done to give its name to one of the most famous areas of London? The answer is that the city itself didn't do anything, and the name actually originates with a man called Robert Sidney, who purchased a large area of land in London in 1630.
Sidney was the 2nd Earl of Leicester, which reveals the connection between man and square, and the reason Leicester Square exists is because it transpired that the land he had bought was formerly common land available for public use. The public were understandably upset that Sidney had taken this away from them, and after a legal dispute Sidney was ordered to allow them access to a portion of it. That portion was, and remains, Leicester Square.
The Premieres
Since the 19th century, Leicester Square has come to be known as the hub of London entertainment. Today, it is particularly notable for cinema and theatre, hence its 'Theatreland' nickname. You would expect a land of theatre to feature quite a heavy theatre population, and that is indeed the case here.
The cinema which hosts the most important premieres is Odeon Leicester Square, which among many, many others is notable in recent years for hosting new instalments in both the Harry Potter and James Bond franchises. It also boasts Europe's largest non-IMAX screen, and welcomed the continent's first digital projector in 2002.
Fans regularly flood the square when a big new film is in town, hoping to catch a glimpse of the stars on the red carpet. If you miss them in the flesh, you may want to return when it's less busy and check to see if you can find their handprints pressed into one of the plaques on the pavement outside.
Enjoying Theatreland
Empire Leicester Square is another top venue, rumoured to be the place where Britain's first ever moving pictures were shown. It houses nine screens of varying capacity, ranging from 1,330 to just 42. If the expense of the mainstream doesn't take your fancy, the Prince Charles Cinema just off the Leicester Square is the only independent theatre in the area, and is famed locally for its regular screenings of The Sound of Music and The Rocky Horror Picture Show. It is reported to be Oscar-nominated director Quentin Tarantino's favourite London cinema.
Wherever you go, if you choose to buy tickets from a booth in the centre of Leicester Square, stick to the official TKTS stalls. Other sellers will operate in the area, but these may not be selling official tickets, even if they say they are on their signs. Fortunately, this is an easily avoidable issue, and the TKTS people will be happy to help you in the right direction.
Naturally, such an exciting area attracts a fair few media outlets wishing to base themselves there, and tucked away in the surrounding buildings are an MTV studio and the radio headquarters of popular stations Capital Radio, Xfm and Classic FM.
Spot The Historical Figure
Throughout Leicester Square, and at the corners of the small park at its centre, you should keep your eyes peeled for a collection of statues and busts portraying various significant figures throughout English history. You can hardly fail to miss the large statue of William Shakespeare at the centre of the park, while Charlie Chaplin is one of the newer additions.
Other likenesses include artist William Hogarth, Sir Isaac Newton, first President of the Royal Academy of Arts Sir Joshua Reynolds and scientist John Hunter, a former resident of Leicester Square who infamously infected himself with syphilis as part of an experiment. Another famous figure who used to live here was Karl Marx, but he has no statue on the square.
Getting to Leicester Square
Leicester Square tube station is the obvious answer here. Found on the Northern and Piccadilly Lines, this station allows you direct access to important stations such as Kings Cross St Pancras, Euston and Waterloo. Covent Garden and Piccadilly Circus are either side of it on the Piccadilly Line, so there is potential for a grand day out here. In fact, the distance between Leicester Square and Covent Garden is the shortest between any two stations on the London Underground network, and it would actually be quicker to walk this distance anyway.
Hotels in Leicester Square
Naturally, style and elegance are the order of the day when it comes to Leicester Square hotels, with plenty of 4* and 5* rooms available. If you want to be as close to the action as possible, there is no better option than Radisson Edwardian Leicester Square
Alternatively, the best hotels just off Leicester Square include fabulous 5* boutique St Martins Lane and the splendid Royal Trafalgar Hotel (4*). While the hotels in this area of London may be more expensive than others, rest assured that the jump in price definitely equates to a step up in luxury.
Pubs and Bars in Leicester Square
If you are planning to go out in Leicester Square, the chances are that you are willing to splash the cash. The Cork and Bottle is a classy wine bar specialising in French varieties, and is just a short walk from Leicester Square. The Salisbury is a lovely Victorian pub dating back to the late 19th century. Its drinks are fairly standard, but it is worth the journey to marvel at its stunning original interior.
If you really want to soak up the atmosphere of Leicester Square, you should experience the welcoming Icon Bar. Situated overlooking the main square, the view is simply fantastic, the perfect place to watch the world go by with a delicious cocktail.
Restaurants in Leicester Square
There are plenty of culinary options in and around Leicester Square, with nearby Soho and Covent Garden offering a few gems. The acclaimed Asia de Cuba restaurant at St Martins Lane deserves a mention, with its Asian/Cuban fusion offering something unique and delicious.
You needn't break the bank to eat out in Leicester Square, as Italian delight Sartori proves. This restaurant is renowned for its magnificent pizzas, authentically prepared in their custom-made oven. For unfussy, mouth-watering Indian food, Maharaja of India is the place to go.
Parking in Leicester Square
It doesn't get much more central in London than Leicester Square, so you can expect parking prices to be steep. The NCP car parks at Brewer Street (W1F 0LA) and St Martins Lane Hotel (WC2N 4HX) offer nearly 400 parking spaces between them, and the cost of a 24-hour stay creeps up to the £47 mark.
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