Hotels in & around Soho

At the heart of London's West End, Soho is the place where Londoners come out to play. Packed with bars and clubs, the area has long been a magnet for the wild at heart. It is on the edge of Theatreland, has a history of being home to live music clubs and is where most of the big movie companies have their UK headquarters.

The area started out as farming land before being "acquired' by Henry VIII and turned into a Royal Park. Gradually the land was sold off by Henry's successors and the area began to develop into a centre for the well-to-do. The gentry gradually moved out of the area, with the last of them leaving during the 1854 Cholera outbreak. As the wealthy moved out, the prostitutes and theatre owners moved in. The theatres brought crowds that led to the growth of the restaurant trade in the area. Soho continued to have a seedy reputation, with sex shops, porn cinemas and hostess bars opening in the area.

While you can still find a few places where 'models' offer French Polishing services, prostitution has almost gone from the area. Today, Soho is a great place to party, to drink and to dine. A night out there still feels a little bit naughty. It is a fantastic place to stay if you're looking for a London break with plenty of life.