Hotels Near O2 Arena London: Where to Stay
Most people searching for hotels near the O2 Arena London focus on price. The smarter question is how you want to get home. I’ve done the post-concert scramble at North Greenwich: 20,000 people funnelling into one Tube station at 11pm, the queue snaking back to the arena, surge pricing on every taxi app. Choose your hotel based on how you want to get home, not just how much you want to spend. Some options let you walk back. Others put you on the right transport route before the chaos starts.
Here’s what actually works.
Hotels near the O2 Arena: quick comparison
| Hotel | Distance to O2 | Price from | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| InterContinental London The O2 | 5 min walk | £250/night | Luxury, zero post-show logistics |
| Radisson RED London Greenwich | 15 min walk | £129/night | Mid-range, rooftop bar |
| Radisson Blu Edwardian, New Providence Wharf | 15-20 min by DLR | £150/night | Quality, Canary Wharf location |
| DoubleTree by Hilton London Greenwich | 20 min by bus | £130/night | Greenwich sightseeing combo |
| Novotel London Canary Wharf | 20 min by DLR | £120/night | Families, pool |
| Holiday Inn Express London Greenwich | 2 miles, bus/DLR | £90/night | Budget with parking |
| Premier Inn London Greenwich | 2 miles, bus/DLR | £80/night | Reliable budget |
| Travelodge London Greenwich High Road | 2 miles, DLR | from £51/night | Cheapest near O2 |
| Good Hotel London | 20 min by DLR | £100/night | Something different |
| Canary Riverside Plaza Hotel | 20 min by taxi | £200/night | Luxury with Canary Wharf |
Hotels you can walk back from
InterContinental London The O2
The only hotel directly connected to the venue. A covered walkway links the hotel lobby to the O2 entrance, so you can walk from your room to the arena in under five minutes. After the show, you turn left while everyone else joins the Tube queue.
The rooms are proper luxury: floor-to-ceiling windows, river-facing views of Canary Wharf and the Thames, spa, pool, multiple restaurants, sky bar. Parking is £52/day, first come, first served (you can’t pre-book). Twelve accessible parking spaces and roll-in shower rooms.
From £250/night, more during major events. Worth it if zero post-show logistics is the priority.
Radisson RED London Greenwich The O2
This one barely appears in other O2 hotel guides because it opened after most of them were written. The Radisson RED at 228 Tunnel Avenue is 15 minutes’ walk from the O2, with a rooftop bar overlooking the Greenwich Peninsula and rooms with more personality than the average chain hotel. From £129/night. The rooftop is worth using before the show.
Hotels with the best transport access
Radisson Blu Edwardian, New Providence Wharf
On the Isle of Dogs, not walkable to the O2. The Thames is in the way. The route is: 5 minutes to East India DLR, two stops to Canary Wharf, then one Jubilee line stop to North Greenwich. Around 15-20 minutes total.
Contemporary rooms, river views from the upper floors, spa, gym, decent bar. One thing to note about the shuttle: the outbound Canary Wharf service runs Monday to Friday mornings only (6:45am-9:30am, every 15 minutes). An evening return from Canary Wharf is available Mon-Fri — arrange it with the concierge before 15:30. No weekend service.
From £150/night with on-site parking at £18-25/day. Good middle ground between the InterContinental’s price and its convenience.
DoubleTree by Hilton London Greenwich
In historic Greenwich itself, about 20 minutes from the O2 by bus. The Cutty Sark, Royal Observatory, and Greenwich Market are all walkable if you’re making a full weekend of it. Parking from £25/day.
From £130/night. Better as a weekend-plus-event base than a quick concert trip.
Novotel London Canary Wharf
Reliable four-star in Canary Wharf, about 20 minutes from the O2 by DLR. Pool, gym, restaurant on-site. The brand’s family policies work well if you’re travelling with kids. From £120/night.
Budget hotels near the O2 Arena
Holiday Inn Express London Greenwich
About 2 miles from the O2, bus or DLR required. The case for this one is parking: £35/day via YourParkingSpace, bookable in advance. Worth knowing: several guides claim this hotel runs a free shuttle to North Greenwich Tube. It doesn’t. Never did.
Breakfast included. Rooms are clean and basic. From £90/night. Primarily useful for drivers.
Premier Inn London Greenwich
43-81 Greenwich High Road, SE10 8JL. About 2 miles from the O2, not walkable despite what some guides suggest. Getting to North Greenwich takes around 20 minutes: Greenwich DLR to Canary Wharf, then one Jubilee line stop. Comfortable, consistent, no surprises. From £80/night.
Travelodge London Greenwich High Road
The cheapest reliable option near the O2. About 2 miles from the venue, Greenwich DLR station a 2-minute walk away. No frills whatsoever.
From £51/night. If the criteria are “somewhere to sleep” and “can I get home,” this passes both.
ibis London Greenwich
Same story as the Travelodge: no-frills Greenwich location, DLR access to the O2. Slightly more comfortable in practice. From £60/night.
Alternative stays near the O2 Arena
The Pilot Inn
A traditional pub with boutique rooms upstairs, a short walk from the O2. Proper ales, decent food, and rooms that are small but genuinely charming rather than just described as charming. From £100/night, and worth it if you’d rather not stay in a chain.
Good Hotel London
A floating hotel moored at Royal Victoria Dock, about 20 minutes from the O2 by DLR. The social enterprise angle is real: profits fund employment projects for people who’ve experienced homelessness. Surprisingly comfortable for something this unconventional.
One transport note: the IFS Cloud Cable Car is nearby but closes at 9pm Mon-Thu, 10pm Fridays, and 11pm Saturdays — well before most shows on weeknights end. Not useful for getting back.
From £100/night.
Canary Riverside Plaza Hotel
Five-star in Canary Wharf, about 20 minutes from the O2 by taxi. Thames views, premium facilities, Canary Wharf restaurants on the doorstep. From £200/night, and unlike the InterContinental you’re not paying a concert premium.
What actually happens after the show
When a major O2 show ends, about 20,000 people head for North Greenwich station at the same time. The queue to get in can hit 45 minutes. TfL marshals manage the flow, but if you’re on the Jubilee line there’s no way around it.
Here’s how to avoid the worst of it:
Walk back. Only possible from the InterContinental and Radisson RED, both within 15 minutes on foot. If that’s an option, take it.
Thames Clipper O2 Express. On selected event nights, Uber Boat by Thames Clippers runs a dedicated post-show service. It departs 20 minutes after showdown from North Greenwich Pier, 5 minutes’ walk from the arena. Adult fare is £13.10. It sells out, so pre-book at thamesclippers.com.
Black cab rank. The O2 runs a marshalled rank after events, handling around 50 cabs at a time. Set fares, no surge, usually faster than the Tube queue. Uber and rideshare apps will be expensive.
Jubilee line. The queue is real but it moves. Budget 45-60 minutes from show end to getting on a train. Night Tube runs on Friday and Saturday nights only. Last standard trains leave North Greenwich around 12:30am.
DLR. North Greenwich is Jubilee line only. Walking 15 minutes to a nearby DLR stop isn’t worth it for most people.
If you haven’t pre-booked the Thames Clipper, the black cab rank beats the Tube queue most nights.
Hotels with parking near the O2
Here’s the situation drivers keep discovering after the fact:
| Hotel | Parking cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| InterContinental London The O2 | ~£52/day | On-site, first come, first served. 12 accessible spaces. |
| Holiday Inn Express London Greenwich | £35/day | Book via YourParkingSpace. |
| DoubleTree by Hilton London Greenwich | ~£25/day | On-site. |
| Radisson Blu Edwardian New Providence Wharf | £18-25/day | On-site. |
The O2 itself has a large car park, useful if you’re driving in for the day but not staying overnight. Evening parking rates vary by event.
Practical transport guide
North Greenwich station is directly beneath the O2. The Jubilee line gets into central London in 10-25 minutes: Bond Street takes around 24 minutes, Westminster 19, London Bridge 12. If you’re new to the London transport system, an Oyster Card covers all Jubilee line and DLR journeys and works out cheaper than buying individual tickets.
From Canary Wharf, the DLR to North Greenwich takes around 10 minutes via the Jubilee line connection.
North Greenwich Pier is 5 minutes’ walk from the O2 entrance and step-free. Regular Thames Clippers services run to Canary Wharf, Tower Bridge, Bankside, and Waterloo. Tower Bridge takes around 20 minutes.
Taxis: surge pricing kicks in immediately after shows. The marshalled black cab rank on Peninsula Square has set fares and no surge.
Accessibility: North Greenwich station is step-free. The O2 has a dedicated drop-off zone on Peninsula Square. North Greenwich Pier is step-free. The InterContinental has 12 accessible parking spaces and roll-in shower rooms. Full accessibility details for the O2 itself are at theo2.co.uk/accessibility.
When to book hotels near the O2 Arena
Prices spike when shows are announced. The closest hotels sell out first, and the InterContinental can book out months ahead for headline acts. Buy your event tickets and book accommodation on the same day.
Off event nights, the same hotels are often good value. The InterContinental on a quiet Tuesday looks very different from a concert Saturday.
The neighbourhood
North Greenwich is not a destination neighbourhood. The O2 complex has chain restaurants and bars, and not much else. For actual food and atmosphere, Canary Wharf is 15-20 minutes away and has plenty of restaurants and bars open late. Historic Greenwich (Cutty Sark, Royal Observatory, Greenwich Market, riverside pubs) is worth the trip if you’re making a full weekend of it.
Hotels near O2 Arena London: FAQ
Which hotel is closest to the O2 Arena?
The InterContinental London The O2 is the only hotel with a direct covered walkway to the venue, under 5 minutes from room to arena entrance. After the show, you walk back while everyone else queues for the Tube. From £250/night, and the proximity is genuinely worth the premium on concert nights.
What is the cheapest hotel near the O2 Arena?
The Travelodge London Greenwich High Road starts from around £51/night and is the cheapest reliable option near the O2. It’s about 2 miles from the venue, with Greenwich DLR station a 2-minute walk away. Budget also £90/night for Holiday Inn Express Greenwich (with parking) and £80/night for Premier Inn London Greenwich.
What happens at North Greenwich station after an O2 concert?
Queues to enter North Greenwich Tube station can run to 45 minutes after major events. TfL marshals manage the queue, but it’s unavoidable if you’re taking the Jubilee line. Alternatives: the Thames Clipper O2 Express (book in advance, £13.10), the marshalled black cab rank on Peninsula Square, or staying within walking distance and skipping the whole situation.
Do hotels near the O2 have parking?
Yes, several do. InterContinental: ~£52/day (12 accessible spaces available). Holiday Inn Express Greenwich: £35/day via YourParkingSpace (book in advance). DoubleTree by Hilton London Greenwich: ~£25/day. Radisson Blu Edwardian New Providence Wharf: £18-25/day. The O2 itself also has a large event car park.
Is the IFS Cloud Cable Car useful for getting to the O2?
No, not for concert nights. The IFS Cloud Cable Car (formerly the Emirates Air Line) closes at 9pm Mon-Thu, 10pm Fridays, and 11pm Saturdays. On a weeknight show, it’s likely already closed before the headliner finishes. It operates between the Greenwich Peninsula and the Royal Docks as a tourist attraction, not a practical transport route. Don’t rely on it for post-show travel.
How long does it take to get from O2 Arena hotels to central London?
From North Greenwich station: Bond Street around 24 minutes, Westminster 19 minutes, London Bridge 12 minutes. Night Tube runs on the Jubilee line on Friday and Saturday nights only. Standard last trains run until around 12:30am. Thames Clipper to Tower Bridge takes around 20 minutes from North Greenwich Pier.
Are there accessible hotels near the O2 Arena?
Yes. The InterContinental has 12 accessible parking spaces and roll-in shower rooms. North Greenwich station is step-free. North Greenwich Pier (Thames Clippers) is step-free. The O2 Arena itself has comprehensive accessibility provisions including a dedicated drop-off zone, companion tickets, and an accessibility assistance programme. Full details at theo2.co.uk/accessibility.
