Hotels With Breakfast Near London Waterloo Station
A good breakfast near Waterloo saves time on a day that often starts with a train or a queue at the London Eye. Several hotels here list breakfast, and they differ more than the word suggests: a free hot breakfast at Hampton by Hilton, a breakfast buffet at the Z Hotel Trafalgar and Holiday Inn Express, a complimentary breakfast at a hostel and at City London Hotel. I recommend choosing by how the meal is described in the listing, then by location. Below I explain which hotels list a free breakfast, which list a buffet, and which suit an early departure from the station.
London Waterloo Station sits on the South Bank, where commuters, theatre audiences and visitors share the same streets. The area mixes modern offices with County Hall and the arts venues along the river, and it is easy to reach on foot from Westminster.
Which Waterloo hotel serves the best breakfast
Breakfast changes how a London day starts, especially near a station where trains and queues set the pace. The hotels around Waterloo list breakfast in several ways: a free hot breakfast, a buffet, a complimentary morning meal at a hostel, and a restaurant at the five-star end. I have separated these options so you can pick the one that matches your morning.
Breakfast is described in different ways across these hotels, and the wording matters when you compare them. Hampton by Hilton London Waterloo lists a free hot breakfast, which is the clearest promise of a cooked start. Holiday Inn Express London - Southwark, City London Hotel and The Walrus Bar & Hostel list a free or complimentary breakfast, while the Z Hotel Trafalgar lists a breakfast buffet. I recommend reading the hotel's own description before booking, since the data tells you that breakfast is offered but not the menu or the hours. Either way, I would still read the current listing before booking, since offers can change between seasons.
Hampton by Hilton London Waterloo is the one I would choose when the day starts early and close to the station. It is a modern three-star hotel with air conditioning, free Wi-Fi, a fitness room, a restaurant and a bar, and it is described as suitable for both families and business travellers. The free hot breakfast removes one decision from a busy morning. It suits a short trip where you want a simple routine, a reliable room and an easy walk to the Underground and National Rail platforms at Waterloo. Those are the facts the listing gives me, and I would not promise more than that about the menu.
Holiday Inn Express London - Southwark and City London Hotel are the practical choices for value-minded travellers. The Holiday Inn Express lists free breakfast, free Wi-Fi, a bar, a restaurant and parking, and sits in Southwark. City London Hotel is set in a former granary, with casual rooms, free Wi-Fi, air conditioning, a complimentary breakfast and limited parking. Both are described as smoke-free or relaxed, and both suit a traveller who would rather spend on the day out than on the room. I would compare their distance to your first stop. Both keep the walk to Waterloo short, which matters when a breakfast sets the pace of the morning.
For something different, the Z Hotel Trafalgar, The Walrus Bar & Hostel and The Royal Horseguards Hotel cover the other ends of the range. The Z Hotel is a four-star, unfussy hotel with a breakfast buffet, a bar and a restaurant, and it is accessible. The Walrus is a lively hostel above a bar with complimentary breakfast, near the London Eye. The Royal Horseguards is the five-star option, in a former Secret Service headquarters, within walking distance of Trafalgar Square. Each suits a very different trip. Between them they cover a very wide range, so the right pick depends on the trip rather than on stars.
A traveler's perspectiveIf I were planning a city break with an early start, I would choose Hampton by Hilton London Waterloo for its free hot breakfast and its position near the station. For a trip where I wanted a buffet and a central address close to Trafalgar Square, I would pick the Z Hotel Trafalgar. I would book The Royal Horseguards Hotel only for a special occasion, since it is the five-star end of the list.
4.5Guest scoreBreakfast includedThe Z Hotel Trafalgar
Unfussy rooms with a breakfast buffet and a bar near Trafalgar Square
View hotel →Why guests love itThe Z Hotel Trafalgar is a down-to-earth hotel with unfussy rooms, flat-screen TVs and air conditioning, and its 9 rating from more than 1,200 guests shows it does the basics very well. The breakfast buffet, bar and restaurant make meals easy for families who want to stay close to Trafalgar Square. No family rooms or children's facilities are listed, so I would book it for a parent and child or a small family travelling light. The property is smoke-free and accessible.
4.4Guest scoreBreakfast includedThe Royal Horseguards Hotel & One Whitehall Place, London
Victorian grandeur with river views and modern comforts near Trafalgar Square
View hotel →Why guests love itThe Royal Horseguards Hotel occupies a grand Victorian building that was once a Secret Service headquarters, a story older children tend to enjoy. Some rooms have river views, and Trafalgar Square is within walking distance, so a family can see much of Westminster on foot. A restaurant, a bar and a fitness centre are on site, and pets are welcome. No pool or children's facilities are listed, so I would book it for families focused on sightseeing. Rated 8.8 by guests.
4.3Guest scoreBreakfast includedHampton by Hilton London Waterloo
Modern comfort with free breakfast near Waterloo Station
View hotel →Why guests love itHampton by Hilton London Waterloo is listed as kid-friendly, and the free hot breakfast is the feature I value most for families: it saves both money and time before a day out near the South Bank. Rooms are air-conditioned, Wi-Fi is free, and a simple bar and restaurant cover evenings when children are too tired to go out. A fitness room is available for parents. Rated 8.6 by more than 3,400 guests, it is a practical, modern base near Waterloo Station.
4.3Guest scoreBreakfast includedHoliday Inn Express London - Southwark by IHG
Comfortable Southwark hotel with free Wi-Fi, breakfast, and a contemporary bar
View hotel →Why guests love itHoliday Inn Express London Southwark caters to families with a breakfast buffet included and free Wi-Fi, which keeps mornings easy before a day of sightseeing. The contemporary bar and the restaurant cover evening meals, and parking is available for those who drive into London. It is a relaxed hotel rather than one with leisure facilities. Rated 8.6 by more than 2,300 guests, I would choose it as a sensible base in Southwark, within reach of Waterloo.
4.1Guest scoreBreakfast includedCity London Hotel
Contemporary rooms in a former granary with free breakfast and Wi-Fi
View hotel →Why guests love itFor a family visit to London, City London Hotel has two practical strengths: breakfast is included, which saves a search for food with hungry children first thing, and the property is accessible, helpful with a pushchair or a grandparent who walks slowly. Rooms are air-conditioned and smoke-free, and the former granary building gives more character than a standard block. Parking is limited, so I would arrive by train. Guests score it 8.2 across 793 reviews.
4.1Guest scoreBreakfast includedThe Walrus Bar & Hostel
Lively hostel above a bar with free breakfast and Wi-Fi
View hotel →Why guests love itThe Walrus Bar and Hostel sits above a popular bar and offers dorm beds plus a single private room, so it is not where I would send a family with young children. Adults on a budget get free breakfast, free Wi-Fi and towels included, and the London Eye is a short walk away. A family with older teenagers who can book the private room might manage, but evenings will be lively downstairs. Rated 8.2 by more than 1,300 guests, it suits sociable travellers best.
Local tips
- 1Check whether breakfast is listed as free or as a buffet, because the two are not the same offer.
- 2Hampton by Hilton London Waterloo lists a free hot breakfast, which suits a cooked start before a morning meeting.
- 3Holiday Inn Express London - Southwark, City London Hotel and The Walrus Bar & Hostel list a free breakfast in their highlights or descriptions.
- 4The Z Hotel Trafalgar lists a breakfast buffet, and it is also described as accessible and smoke-free.
- 5If you leave from Waterloo early, pick a hotel within a short walk of the station so breakfast does not cost you a train.
- 6At The Royal Horseguards Hotel, breakfast belongs to a five-star stay with a restaurant and bar, so I would treat it as a treat rather than a quick start.