Would you be surprised to know that London has more international visitors annually than any other city in the world? Indeed, according to Visit Britain, the city hosts more than 30 million international travelers every year. Some come for business, others for pleasure, but in general they have the same goal in mind; they want to accomplish what they came to the city for without a care in the world. The best way to do that, of course, is by finding the best hotels London has to offer.

That sounds like a simple enough proposition, right? Go online, search for hotel rooms with a high-star rating, and book your hotel accommodations. However, you have to consider that London has more than 70,000 three to five star hotel rooms. With that insane volume, how can anyone hope to find the best hotels for their European vacation? With these five markers of the best hotels in London Town, of course!

Fast, Courteous Check-in Service
As About.com writes, one of the most frustrating things about dealing with a hotel is long wait times. When you arrive at your London hotel after a long plane, train, or taxi cab ride, you don’t want to have to wait another half-an-hour just to get checked in. The best hotels in London make an effort to expedite their check-in service, allowing you to enjoy your European holiday much faster.

A Hot Meal to Start Your Day
According to Reader’s Digest, the best hotels make an effort to help their clients start their days correctly. Offering complimentary breakfast, eggs, coffee, toast, and the like, goes a very long way in preparing for a day of business or sightseeing.

Reputation Over Stars
When you’re looking for the best hotels in London, you should filter your search based on reputation, not on the number of awards or arbitrary stars. According to Fox News, luxury star ratings are given based on facilities and amenities, instead of being given based on service quality. If you want to find the best hotels that truly cater to your needs, find those with reputations for great service.

Hospitable Service Across the Board
As the New York Times writes, the best hotels provide the same high level of customer service across the board, regardless of whether you’re a high-powered business woman or a family counting pennies to enjoy your vacation. As Leading Hotels found in a recent survey, 34% of business people refuse to accept lower quality service when they are travelling with their families. Why should you?

Convenient Ways to Relax
In the opinion of Travel and Leisure, one of the most important markers of a great hotel are convenient ways to relax onsite, and it’s hard not to agree with them. A hotel bar, restaurant, swimming pool, and other relaxing amenities go a long way in capping off a long day walking London’s busy streets, after all.

If you’ve been looking through London’s tens-of-thousands of hotel rooms ad nauseaum and are ready to quit, start using these five important markers of the best hotels the city has to offer. Filtering out the chaff from the good stuff is the most important part of finding a great place to stay for your European adventures.
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