There are three hotels directly in the Westfield Shopping Centre building (or rather a block of buildings, because the shopping centre is so big that it can hardly be considered a single building). Several other accommodation options are within 5 minutes walk from the shopping centre and the Stratford train/tube/DLR/bus station. I have listed the best of the hotels and their pros/cons/characteristics below on this page – but if you want to jump directly to hotel search, click this link:
Hotels Directly in the Shopping Centre Complex
Let’s start with the three hotels directly in the Westfield block – you can’t stay closer to the shopping centre than that.
Premier Inn London Stratford
This one is officially a 3 star hotel and usually it’s a bit cheaper than the other two (4 star hotels), but the differences (in both prices and quality) are not that big. There is a small working desk in the rooms if you need that and free WiFi throughout the hotel. It is a good choice for a family and children under 15 stay free. If you have very small kids, there is a capacity for one cot or crib in the room at no extra charge. However, pets are not allowed. The hotel is situated at the north-western edge of the Westfield Shopping Centre, next to Stratford International Station.
Holiday Inn London Stratford City
The Holiday Inn is a 4 star hotel and compared to the former it has more facilities, including a spa/fitness/wellness, business centre and meeting/banquet facilities. The reviews praise the hotel’s cleanliness and quality of beds/mattresses. Rooms are soundproof. Some reviewers complain about the WiFi, which should officially be free and available in all areas.
Staybridge Suites London
Also directly in the shopping centre complex, this one is good if you prefer an apartment/suite style accommodation rather than a classic hotel room. Each apartment has a fully fitted kitchen (but you also get buffet breakfast included). Free WiFi in all areas, fitness centre and a lounge with a fireplace. On Tuesdays and Thursdays there is an evening reception with complimentary drinks and snacks. All apartments are air conditioned and soundproof. Reviews are highly positive, with the occasional classic complaint about difficulty of WiFi access, lack of variety at breakfast and the fact that toothpaste is not provided.
Cheap Hotels near Westfield Shopping Centre
If the above are also above your budget limits, there are several cheaper accommodation options within 5 minutes walk from Westfield Centre and Stratford Station. There is an Ibis Hotel on the other end of the other shopping centre (Stratford Centre) and a few similarly priced hotels nearby in the same street (Romford Road). If the shops and restaurants at Westfield Centre are not enough, there are some more in that street too, including a Tesco, Morrisons (next to the Ibis Hotel) and restaurants and takeaways of various styles and tastes.
(You can sort the hotels by price or filter the search to only include accommodation up to a certain price)
Westfield Shopping Centre and Stratford Station Area
The largest shopping centre in Europe and probably the best public transport connections of all London (the Central line takes you directly to Oxford Street, another shopping paradise). Stratford is not only a popular place to live with Londoners, but also an attractive area to stay for visitors.
Westfield Shopping Centre is a large block between Stratford and Stratford International stations. The former is for most of local transport, including trains to Liverpool Street, the Central line and DLR to the City, Canary Wharf and Greenwich. Stratford International is mainly for long-distance trains. There is also a well-connected bus station in front of Stratford Train Station (the road you see as A118 / Great Eastern Rd in the map). All Stratford stations were moved to zone 2 in 2016, which means cheaper fares.
On the other side of Great Eastern Road there is another, much smaller shopping centre (Stratford Centre), but except for quickly buying some food you probably won’t find it that interesting compared to Westfield. The core of the Olympic park (including the Olympic stadium) is situated to the south-west (you will get a nice view of the stadium from the train). The green area around the river Lea is also worth exploring if you have time (and good for a run or walk).