Where to Stay for the London Marathon 2027: Near the Start in Greenwich or the Finish on The Mall, 12 Hotels

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The London Marathon is the one weekend when your hotel choice is really a transport choice. In 2027 the organiser is staging it over two days, Saturday 24 and Sunday 25 April, and each runner is allocated one of them. Both days use the same route, from Greenwich to Westminster, so the night you need and the side of London you want depend on your start area and your day. We found no city tax on London hotel rooms; the tax to count is VAT at the UK’s standard 20% rate.

This guide covers what the organiser has published for 2027 and what it has not yet, four areas matched to the start, the Running Show at ExCeL and the finish, 12 hotels, and the terms that catch runners out. For the rest of your trip, where to stay in London covers five areas and 12 hotels. The hotels are researched picks, chosen for location, what each property publishes and consistent guest feedback, and each was checked as operating in November 2026. No hotel pays to appear here.

The short answer

The 2027 race: two days, one route

The organiser’s page says the 2027 TCS London Marathon will take place across two days, on Saturday 24 and Sunday 25 April 2027, welcoming 100,000 runners. Its FAQ calls it a one-off format change for 2027 only. Runners are in the race on one day and cannot take part on both; swapping with someone, or changing your allocated day, is not allowed, and the FAQ says entries cannot be moved to a different day.

What the organiser has confirmed so far:

• The route. Both days follow the same route, from Greenwich to Westminster, and the course page describes the finish line as being on The Mall. There are three start lines, and runners from them meet just before Mile 3, in Woolwich.
• Start times. The FAQ says the Saturday event is likely to start at 09:00, with the finish line closing at 17:30, and the Sunday event is likely to start at 09:30. These are not final. The FAQ says that means Saturday runners have at most 7 hours 45 minutes.
• Road closures. The organiser says roads will reopen in phases on the Saturday afternoon and evening before closing again on the Sunday morning, in parts of the City of London, Westminster, Greenwich, Lewisham, Southwark and Tower Hamlets. Full closure details are due in March 2027.
• Friday 23 April. The organiser lists a TCS London Marathon & Friday Night Lights event as currently planned for that date, and the TCS Mini London Marathon on the same day.

What it has not yet published: the 2027 start-line map and your assembly area, race-day transport arrangements and the Running Show hours. Where we describe those below, we are describing last year’s race, on Sunday 26 April 2026, and we say so.

The Running Show and your number

You must collect your event pack, with your number, from the Running Show at ExCeL London before race day; the organiser says you will not be able to take part unless you do. If you cannot go, someone else can collect it for you, with details in the participant guide. For 2027 the page says opening times will be confirmed in the new year. The FAQ says the organiser is exploring an extra day, so the show would run from Tuesday 20 to Saturday 24 April, and be open on the Saturday while day one of the race takes place. Last year the show ran from Wednesday 22 to Saturday 25 April, and the guide required photo ID and set a collection deadline of 17:30 on the Saturday before the race. Check your own email for the 2027 deadline, particularly if you run on the Saturday.

Which side of London to be on

Last year’s participant guide lists a free journey for runners. It said participants, but not family, friends or spectators, had free travel on Southeastern train services from London stations to the start, as well as on the DLR, Elizabeth line, Underground, Overground and buses, by presenting the bib. Going home, travel was free until 20:00 on the Underground, Overground, Elizabeth line, buses and DLR, but Southeastern trains did not offer free post-event travel, and Westminster station was exit-only. The organiser has not said whether 2027 will match.

The same guide names the stations for each start area. In 2026 the Blackheath and Maze Hill starts were a 10-minute walk from their stations, and the start nearest Greenwich was a 20-minute walk. The guide also says spectators should not travel to the start. Your bib colour decides which station you want, so wait for it before you choose between Greenwich and Blackheath.

Greenwich and Blackheath: the start, on foot or one stop away

Greenwich and Blackheath are where the race begins, so a hotel here shortens the hardest morning. The course also passes the Cutty Sark, between Miles 6 and 7, which the organiser says brings huge crowds. The trade-off is that the neighbourhood is the busiest place to be on the day: last year’s spectator guide said Cutty Sark DLR station would be extremely busy, with queues up to 90 minutes at peak times, and suggested walking from Deptford, Greenwich, Island Gardens or Maze Hill.

Where to stay in Greenwich and Blackheath

How the hotel links work: a hotel’s name goes to its own website. “Check rates” opens it on Booking.com through our partner Stay22, which pays us a commission if you book, at no extra cost to you.

• Novotel London Greenwich, comfortable. Accor describes it as beside Greenwich station and the DLR, and lists the station at 100 m, a one-minute walk. It has a gym and sauna, on-site secure parking, family rooms with extra sofa beds and pet-friendly rooms. Choose it for the shortest step to a train. Watch out: Greenwich is the station for the start nearest it, which last year was a 20-minute walk, so check your bib colour first. Check rates on Booking.com →
• Premier Inn London Greenwich, budget. On Greenwich High Road, which the hotel calls minutes from the Royal Observatory, the Cutty Sark and the views from Greenwich Park. Standard doubles have a king-size bed, blackout curtains and a powerful shower. Choose it for the lowest price near the start. Watch out: there is no on-site parking; shared parking nearby is £12 a night and limited.
• The Clarendon Hotel, comfortable. On Montpelier Row, Blackheath Village, with over 100 rooms in Classic, Crown, Deluxe and Family types, a restaurant and room service, and complimentary parking on a first come, first served basis. Choose it for Blackheath, where several start areas sit. Watch out: its marathon page still describes the 2023 race and a two-night minimum, and a post on its blog dated 13 July 2026 says it will stay open and trading for another year, with bookings into 2027. Ask it to confirm your dates in writing. Check rates on Booking.com →

Docklands, ExCeL and Canary Wharf: the Running Show and the east of the course

The Running Show is at ExCeL, in Royal Victoria Dock, and the route runs through Canary Wharf at about Miles 18 and 19. Staying here means you collect your number without crossing London, and last year’s spectator guide advised reaching Canary Wharf on the Elizabeth line or the DLR. Docklands is not near the start, so you will travel to Greenwich or Blackheath on the morning.

Where to stay in Docklands and Canary Wharf

• Premier Inn London Docklands (Excel), budget. The hotel’s own page pitches it at visitors to the ExCeL Centre and London City Airport, with free parking for guests, king-size beds in standard doubles, and The Social, which is open 24 hours. Choose it to be beside the Running Show for the least money. Watch out: its page gives no walking time to a DLR station, so check the journey to your start before you book.
• Novotel London Canary Wharf, comfortable. At 40 Marsh Wall, with 313 rooms including 26 suites with panoramic views, a gym, a swimming pool, a restaurant, a rooftop bar and a terrace. Choose it for a full-service hotel on the course. Watch out: the road closures cover Tower Hamlets, so ask how guests reach the hotel on race morning. Check rates on Booking.com →

Southwark and the South Bank: central, with links in every direction

The route crosses Tower Bridge at roughly the halfway point, east of these hotels. Last year’s spectator guide said London Bridge was a better alternative to Tower Hill or Tower Gateway for the bridge, and The Hoxton’s page puts London Bridge ten minutes away. These three hotels suit supporters who want to see more than one point, and a runner who wants a calmer night before an early train.

Where to stay in Southwark and the South Bank

• The Hoxton, Southwark, comfortable. At 40 Blackfriars Road, with 192 rooms and the Seabird rooftop restaurant. Its own page puts Southwark Tube two minutes away, Blackfriars Tube five and Waterloo or London Bridge ten. Booked direct, it offers free early check-in and late check-out with Flexy Time and free cancellation until 2pm the day before arrival. Choose it for flexible terms. Watch out: its page does not mention the marathon, so confirm your dates. Check rates on Booking.com →
• citizenM London Bankside, good value. Between Borough Market and Tate Modern, with citizenM’s big beds and tablet-controlled rooms and canteenM, a 24-hour bar-restaurant. It is booked through Marriott, with check-in from 2pm and check-out at 11am. Choose it for Bankside at a modest price. Watch out: there is no on-site parking, and its page publishes no marathon terms. Check rates on Booking.com →
• Premier Inn London County Hall, budget. Inside the Grade II listed County Hall on the South Bank, about an eight-minute walk from Waterloo station by the hotel’s own account. Choose it for a cheap bed across the river from Westminster, near Waterloo, one of the stations last year’s guide suggested for Westminster. Watch out: there is no on-site parking, and off-site parking is £15 for 12 hours. Check rates on Booking.com →

Westminster, St James’s and the Strand: the finish

The last miles take in the Highway, Tower Hill and the Victoria Embankment before Parliament Square, Birdcage Walk and the final corner in front of Buckingham Palace, then The Mall. A hotel here means a short walk after 26.2 miles. Last year’s spectator guide said Westminster station and St James’s Park would be extremely busy, that Westminster would be exit-only, and suggested Charing Cross, Piccadilly Circus, Victoria or Waterloo, so choose a hotel near one of those.

Where to stay in Westminster, St James’s and the Strand

• Althoff St. James’s Hotel & Club, splurge. At 7-8 Park Place, St James’s, with rooms from Superior to The Penthouse, family and interconnecting rooms, and Restaurant Francatelli. Its page says Buckingham Palace is within minutes. Choose it to finish a few minutes from the palace end of The Mall. Watch out: its site gives no distance to the finish and no marathon terms, so ask. Check rates on Booking.com →
• The Savoy, splurge. On a private road called Savoy Court, a short stroll from Trafalgar Square and Covent Garden, with rooms and suites that the hotel says include many with Thames or city skyline views. Choose it for the grand option. Watch out: only some rooms see the river, and its site does not mention the marathon. Check rates on Booking.com →
• Strand Palace Hotel, comfortable. On the Strand since 1909, renovated in 2019, with room service, free high-speed Wi-Fi and the Gin Palace cocktail bar. Choose it for a large hotel between Trafalgar Square and Covent Garden. Watch out: it is cashless, and it publishes no marathon terms. Check rates on Booking.com →
• One Aldwych, splurge. At the centre of Covent Garden, with Superior and Deluxe Bedrooms, twelve suites, a spa, gym and pool. Choose it for a rest-day base with a pool near the Strand. Watch out: its site publishes no marathon terms or minimum stay. Check rates on Booking.com →

Getting in from the airports

• Heathrow Express runs every 15 minutes to Paddington. A standard single is £26, and advance singles start from £10, by the operator’s own fare table.
• Elizabeth line from Heathrow starts from £13.90 for a journey that starts, ends or goes through Zone 1, by Heathrow’s own page. Check TfL’s fare finder for your exact stations.
• Gatwick Express reaches Victoria in as little as 31 minutes, the operator says.
• For more routes and fares, see where to stay in London.

London’s hotel tax: 20% VAT, and no city tax yet

The standard rate of VAT is 20%, which GOV.UK says applies to most goods and services. If a quoted room price includes VAT, one-sixth of it is the VAT: on a £250 room that is £41.67 (our arithmetic from the 20% rate). We could not confirm from the hotels’ own sites whether each rate includes VAT, so look at the total at the payment step. On 10 September 2026 the government said mayors in England will be handed the power to introduce an Overnight Visitor Levy, charged as a percentage of the cost of accommodation, and the Mayor of London said he strongly welcomed the power for London. We found no levy in force for London.

How to book London for the marathon

• Book around your allocated day. A Saturday runner and a Sunday runner need different nights, and the organiser says allocated days cannot be changed, so check your day before you pay for a non-refundable room.
• Count the nights. The Running Show runs before race day, so a runner collecting an event pack may want a night earlier. If you might defer, the organiser lists the deadlines as 23:59:59 on Friday 23 April for the Saturday event and 23:59:59 on Saturday 24 April for the Sunday event.
• Read cancellation terms and minimum stays. The Clarendon’s marathon page, written for 2023, said two nights or more. For 2027 none of the hotels here publishes a marathon minimum that we found.
• Packages exist. The organiser names Marathon Tours & Travel as its Official Participant Hotel Provider, with packages for runners with a confirmed entry; they do not include entry. We have not checked their prices.
• Compare totals. Our hotel booking sites compared goes through where to book, and hotel taxes around the world sets London beside other cities.

All 12 at a glance

Before you go

• Sort your data and cover. See the best eSIM for Europe (check that the UK is included) and the best travel insurance.
• More of London. For the rest of the city, see where to stay in London, and for a winter trip, where to stay in London for New Year’s Eve.

Frequently asked questions

Sources & further reading

• London Marathon Events: TCS London Marathon
• London Marathon Events: 2027 Double TCS London Marathon FAQs
• London Marathon Events: the course
• London Marathon Events: road closures
• London Marathon Events: the Running Show
• London Marathon Events: participant guide
• London Marathon Events: 2026 participant event guide (last year’s)
• London Marathon Events: spectator guide
• London Marathon Events: book a hotel
• World Marathon Majors: two-day event in 2027
• GOV.UK: VAT rates
• GOV.UK: local leaders handed powers to drive investment in communities, 10 September 2026
• Heathrow: Heathrow Express
• Heathrow: Elizabeth line
• Gatwick Express
• The Clarendon: will remain open for another year, 13 July 2026
• The Clarendon: London Marathon accommodation (2023 page)
• Official websites of each hotel named above, checked in November 2026

Dates, rules, rates and hotel terms change, and the organiser had not published 2027 start areas, transport or the Running Show hours when we checked; where we describe last year’s arrangements we say so. Every hotel detail here was checked in November 2026; confirm minimum stays, rates and cancellation terms with the hotel before booking. These are researched picks, not reviews. This article contains affiliate links: hotel rates on Booking.com and other booking sites through Stay22, and tours, transfers and eSIMs through our partners; if you book through them we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. No hotel pays to be included.

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