Formerly the Millennium Dome, the o2 Arena in London continues to entertain millions of visitors each year as a multi-purpose indoor venue. With plenty of attractions nearby, there’s lots to enjoy here once you’ve found a cheap hotel in London.
Live music and events
The o2 Arena is one of the most popular music venues in the world and hosts big acts such as Pink Floyd, Kylie Minogue, and Robbie Williams.
The building also features events such as Monty Python Live, and family entertainment including Disney on Ice.
Every year in January, the National Television Awards are hosted here by Dermot O'Leary, celebrating acclaimed TV shows such as The X Factor and Coronation Street.
Olympic Park
The Queen Elizabeth II Olympic Park was built for the 2012 Summer Olympics and the Summer Paralympics and still serves as a sports complex, with an Aquatics Centre and a VeloPark that includes a BMX track, mountain bike trails and bikes for hire.
If you need to tire out the kids, the Tumbling Bay Playground will keep them entertained, with tree houses, sandpits, slides, swings, and even modern art to be appreciated amongst the play items.
The Timber Lodge Café is right next to the playground when you get hungry, a solar-powered eco café that serves healthy food at a decent price. Profits from the café are used to help disabled people in the local area into work.
Art fans will want to see the ArcelorMittal Orbit, a 100m high sculpture made of 2,000 tonnes of steel and Britain’s largest piece of public art. It’s also an observation tower, with spectacular views over Canary Wharf of the London skyline from its viewing platform.
Shopping
Close to the 02 Arena, and many hotels in London, is the Westfield London Shopping Centre, where you can find an impressive range of stores, from Adidas and American Apparel to Jimmy Choo and Versace. There’s also a Vue Cinema here and plenty of food options, including Byron, Jamie’s Italian, and Nandos.
If that’s not enough, the Stratford Shopping Centre is also close by, with stores such as The Body Shop and New Look, and quick food and drink options such as Starbucks and Burger King.
Take to the skies
For something a little more unique, try a ride on the Emirates Air Line, a cable car that runs between Greenwich Peninsula and the Royal Docks and offers stunning, panoramic views over the city. It’s the only cable car experience in London and just five minutes away from a number of cheap hotels in London, around the 02 Arena.
