Central Park Hotel
by the TopOfHotel team
Central Park is a park-side bargain — a plain 3-star whose Bayswater address gets you into Hyde Park in 5 minutes for the price of a fringe hotel.
Central Park is a park-side bargain — a plain 3-star whose Bayswater address gets you into Hyde Park in 5 minutes for the price of a fringe hotel.
In-Depth Review
Rooms and decor
The 252 rooms are bright and simply done, with standard 3-star furnishings, comfortable beds and free Wi-Fi. Bathrooms are shower-only in most cases. The genuine upside is space — because the building has more room to spread out than a typical central London hotel, the rooms feel larger than you would expect at this price. The honest catch is consistency: several guests flag that some rooms are starting to age and are waiting on a refurbishment, so it pays to ask for an updated room when you book rather than leaving it to chance.
Food and amenities
There is an onsite restaurant serving international dishes and a small gym, which covers the basics for a 3-star. The smarter move for dinner is to walk out: Queensway is a couple of minutes away and packed with Chinese, Middle Eastern, Indian and British options, with the wider Bayswater grid offering plenty more. For value eating, the neighbourhood beats the hotel kitchen, and you are never short of a cheap, good dinner within a short stroll.
Location and getting there
This is the reason to book. Hyde Park is a 5-minute walk through the Lancaster Gate entrance, putting the Serpentine, the boating lake and Speakers' Corner within easy reach. Lancaster Gate Tube on the Central Line is 4 minutes away and runs to Bond Street in 4 minutes and Oxford Circus in 6. Notting Hill and Portobello Road Market sit three stops west, and Paddington — with the Heathrow Express to the airport in about 15 minutes — is a 12-minute walk. Few budget hotels combine the park, fast central access and an airport link this neatly.
Things to know before booking
Bayswater is residential and quiet, which is the appeal, but it also means the West End is a 20-25 minute Tube-and-walk away rather than on your doorstep — a real consideration if you plan late nights at the theatre. Some rooms are dated and pre-refurbishment, so request an updated one. Most bathrooms are shower-only, so confirm a tub if you need one. None of these are dealbreakers, but they are the trade-offs you accept for the price and the park.
Our take
Central Park Hotel is the pick for families and repeat London visitors who want to be in Hyde Park every morning without paying West End rates. At roughly $108 a night for a comfortable 3-star this close to the park, it is one of the better-value central stays going. Book it if quiet streets, green space and fast Central Line access matter more to you than walking distance to Big Ben — and ask for a refurbished, window-lit room when you do.
Score Breakdown
Assessed by our editorial team from data and real guest reviews
The Honest Verdict — pros & what to know
- Hyde Park is a 5-minute walk through the Lancaster Gate entrance, so morning runs along the Serpentine, a row on the boating lake, or a wander to Speakers' Corner are part of the daily routine rather than a planned outing.
- Lancaster Gate Tube sits on the Central Line just 4 minutes away, dropping you at Bond Street in 4 minutes and Oxford Circus in 6 — fast access to shopping and the West End without paying West End room rates.
- At roughly $108 a night for a 3-star within walking distance of Hyde Park, the value is hard to match in central London, where comparable park-adjacent rooms typically start far higher.
- Bayswater is residential and calm compared with the West End, so streets are quiet at night and rooms run larger than equivalent central hotels because the building has more space to work with.
- The setting puts Portobello Road Market and Notting Hill three Tube stops away, with the Queensway strip and its Chinese, Middle Eastern and Indian restaurants a few minutes on foot for cheap, varied dinners.
- Bayswater is farther from the West End than a Tottenham Court Road base, so reaching the main theatre district means a 20-25 minute Tube-and-walk rather than stepping out the door.
- Several guests note that some rooms are starting to show their age and are waiting on a refurbishment — ask for an updated room when you book.
- Bathrooms are shower-only in most rooms, so if a bathtub matters to you it is worth confirming availability before paying.
Who It’s For
Match Score by travel style
Amenities
Location & Nearby Spots
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Insider Tips
- Enter Hyde Park at the Lancaster Gate gate and head straight for the Serpentine — it is the quickest route to the boating lake and the Italian Gardens fountains at the park's northwest corner.
- Walk 12 minutes to Paddington and take the Heathrow Express for the fastest airport run, around 15 minutes to the terminals rather than 50-plus by Tube.
- Skip the hotel restaurant for dinner and head to Queensway, two minutes away, where Royal China and the surrounding strip do far better Cantonese and Asian food.