World of Intrigue Awaits London Hotel Guests

Thousands of tourists visit London every year, drawn by the English capital's charm and wide variety of attractions which are renowned the world over. These visitors are normally spoilt for choice when it comes to choosing 5 star hotels in London as the city has a host of establishments, ranging from the Radisson Edwardian in Covent Garden to The Savoy London in the West End.

Visitors staying in these and other leading hotels in the centre of the capital can enjoy easy access to some of London's most popular outdoor and indoor attractions, including the London Eye, the National Gallery and the Tower of London. Many of these places allow visitors to soak up London's culture, as well as delve back into the city's and the country's intriguing history.

In order to make the best of any visit to London, hotel guests may want to organise their itineraries to concentrate on the capital's most popular attractions based on visitor numbers in 2009. According to the city's tourist promotion agency Visit London, the top 5 include the British Museum, National Gallery, Tate Modern, National History Museum and the London Eye. The rest are the Science Museum, the Tower of London, the National Maritime Museum, the Victoria and Albert Museum and Madame Tussauds.

The last one on the list is particularly worth visiting while staying in 5 star hotels in London because it allows visitors to come face to face with some of the world's leading personalities, albeit in wax form. At Madame Tussauds visitors can get up close to everyone from historical figures such as William Shakespeare to modern celebrities like Britney Spears. Showbiz, sport, politics and even royalty is represented at the attraction where the Queen, footballer Wayne Rooney, Shrek, Kate Moss, Albert Einstein, Brad Pitt and Barack Obama all share one roof.

London's most popular attraction, the British Museum, is the place to be if in search of knowledge. Conveniently located within easy reach of many of the city's top hotels, the world-famous attraction boasts collections numbering more than seven million objects from all over the world. People dropping by the museum can walk through different eras and cultures, seeing everything from the Rosetta Stone and the Parthenon sculptures to the mummies in the Ancient Egypt collection and Asian artefacts. All these can be experienced free of charge, although certain special exhibitions may require tickets.

While the British Museum focuses on various items from all over the globe, London's National Gallery offers an entirely different treat. It is located in one of the city's most iconic places, Trafalgar Square, which is home to Nelson's Column and the four giant lions. In this attraction visitors can step back in time and travel from the 13th to the 19th century through western European paintings. Masterpieces by the likes of Vincent Van Gogh, Leonardo da Vinci, Sandro Botticelli, English Romantic painter John Constable, Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Italian painter Titian and George Stubbs can be enjoyed at the gallery free of charge.

Those interested in something more recent can make their way to Tate Modern, Britain's national museum of modern and contemporary art. Located on the banks of the River Thames, the attraction itself features a unique shape thanks to its previous role as a power station. Here, London hotel guests can see temporary exhibitions by leading artists such as Damien Hirst and Gauguin and treat themselves to a cup of tea in the gallery's restaurants, where stunning views across the city await them.

Even more breathtaking views of the city can be seen from the London Eye, a major feature of the English capital's skyline and an attraction that should not be left out of any itinerary. Featuring 32 10-tonne capsules capable of holding up to 25 people at a time, the tallest ferris wheel in Europe is the most popular paid tourist attraction in the UK. More than 3.5 million annual visitors climb aboard the wheel for a breathtaking experience, which allows them to see more than 55 of London's most famous landmarks in just 30 minutes.

Guests of 5 star hotels in London can also explore one of the world's most famous buildings by heading to the Tower of London, where an intriguing tale awaits them. With one of the Yeoman Warders as a guide, visitors can discover how the castle has served as a royal palace, prison, place of execution, jewel house and zoo over its 900-year history. As well as seeing a medieval king's bedchamber, visitors can marvel at the glittering Crown Jewels.