Although traditionally regarded as a financial and business district in London, Canary Wharf is becoming known as an attractive place for visitors to stay in London. Canary Wharf is well-located for tourists who want to visit Greenwich and it is well-connected to Central London. Increasingly, Canary Wharf is increasingly becoming a destination in its own right for tourists who visit to enjoy its shopping, clean environment and waterfront walks. Canary Wharf is great place for families who want a slightly quieter place to stay than Central London but who still want easy access to a wide variety of food options. Staying in Canary Wharf also offers the opportunity to travel by the Docklands Light Railway (DLR) which kids love because the trains are driverless and a seat at the front offers the opportunity to ‘drive’ the train. So, with that in mind, this guide provides some ideas on where to stay in Canary Wharf with children.
Hotels
Premier Inn Westferry
Premier Inn is an excellent family-friendly hotel chain in London. They offer consistent, reliable accommodation with spacious family rooms and budget-friendly rates.
The Premier Inn Westferry location is located just North of Canary Wharf, right by the Westferry DLR station, from which you can take a DLR train West into central London (either Tower Gateway or Bank), or East into Canary Wharf or further on to Greenwich.
Although there isn’t much in the Westferry area of note, the easy DLR connections (the DLR station is right outside the Premier Inn door) make it easy to reach places with plenty of options for food. Canary Wharf is also a walkable distance away.
The family rooms can accommodate up to two adults, two children (age 15 and under) and a child under two (in a cot). Family rooms include a double or kingsize bed, plus a sofa bed and pull-out bed (depending on the number of guests). We also provide travel cots at no extra cost.
Do note that some rooms at this hotel come with an internal view only. There is an option to pay for a room with a view (although do note that room views vary) for just a small amount more.
Good for:
- Access to the DLR, which is right outside the hotel
- Families who all want to be able to be in one room
- Those on a budget
- Free breakfast for kids – when an adult orders a Premier Inn Breakfast, up to two kids eat breakfast for free
Bad for:
- Being in the heart of Canary Wharf (the hotel is just to the North of Canary Wharf)
- Westferry isn’t the most interesting place to stay
- Views from all rooms – some rooms look onto an internal shaft
- Family rooms are quite small if staying as a family of four
Hilton London Canary Wharf
Situated just a short stroll from Canary Wharf tube station and Heron Quays DLR station, the Hilton London Canary Wharf is well-located within Canary Wharf.
In addition to rooms for two guests (in twin beds and beds of various sizes – Double, Queen, King), families can be accommodated in a Queen Bed Room with Extra Rollaway which sleeps two adults and a child up to 14 years old in a Queen bed and a rollaway, a King Deluxe Room with Sofabed which sleeps up to two adults and two children up to 14 years of age in a King bed and sofabed. In addition, they offer various suite options (some of which include sofa beds). They also offer connecting rooms which sleep up to six.
Good for:
- Free breakfast for children – children 12 years and under enjoy complimentary breakfast from our buffet
- Confirmed connecting rooms (subject to availability)
Bad for:
- Noise from the nearby DLR line may be audible from some rooms.
Doubletree by Hilton – Docklands Riverside
Unlike the other places mentioned in this guide, the Doubletree by Hilton Docklands Riverside Hotel is not actually located in Canary Wharf. It’s actually located just across the river from Canary Wharf on the banks of the River Thames, in a 17th Century building that once housed London’s last dry shipbuilding dock. So why include it here?
Well, it’s connected to Canary Wharf by a free ferry for hotel guests that runs every ten minutes until around 23.30 but, unlike many other London hotels, is located in a quieter area away from the bustle of other tourists. In addition to the ferry, a nearby bus stop is served by the C10 bus route, which also allows travel to the nearby Canada Water station (for onward travel into Central London). The Uber boats also stop at the pier outside the hotel.
In addition to rooms for two guests (in twin beds and beds of various sizes – Double, Queen, King), families can be accommodated in a Two Double Family Deluxe Room which sleeps five people in two double beds and a sofa bed, and a Two Bedroom Queen Room which sleeps up to two adults and three children in two separate bedrooms one with a queen bed and the second with twin beds. In addition, they offer various suite options (some of which include sofa beds). They also offer connecting rooms.
Good for:
- Being away from the main tourist hustle (but with views)
- Confirmed connecting rooms (subject to availability)
- Children 5 years and under enjoy complimentary buffet breakfast
- Boat lovers
Bad for:
- Facilities in the immediate hotel area
Apartments
Cove – Landmark Pinnacle, Canary Wharf
If you are looking for slightly more space and a few more facilities than a traditional hotel room, then Cove’s Landmark Pinnacle apartments in Canary Wharf might be the choice for you.
Designed with both business and leisure in mind, apartments feature super-fast WiFi and sleek interiors.
Apartments are either studio apartments, which sleep two people in a King size bed, or one bedroom apartments which can sleep up to three people in a King size bed and on a sofa bed. All apartments are equipped with a kitchen, including a dishwasher, washer-dryer, oven (with integrated microwave) and hob for cooking.
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Good for:
- Observation areas on the 27th and 56th floors
- Nearby supermarket
Bad for:
- Big families, the maximum capacity is three people
Marlin Canary Wharf Serviced Apartments
If you are looking for more than just a hotel room, then Marlin Canary Wharf Serviced Apartments might fit your needs.
Located just a 10 minute walk from Canary Wharf station, and in addition to the usual amenities you would expect from a room, these serviced apartments also benefit from a 24/7 front desk.
Marlin Canary Wharf offers a variety of room types, including studio apartments for two people in a King size bed, one bedroom apartments for up to four people in a King size bed and a double sofa bed, a range of two bedroom apartments for up to eight people in two King beds and either one or two double sofa beds, and three bedroom apartments for up to five people in two King size beds and one Single bed.
Good for:
- A variety of apartment types accommodating families
- Kitchen including a washing machine/tumble dryer
Bad for:
- Privacy in the ground floor apartments
- Air conditioning (there is none)
- The potential for some traffic noise
Have you stayed in Canary Wharf with children? Let readers know where you recommend by commenting!
