WTM London: Hotels & Where to Stay
3 Nov – 5 Nov 2026 ExCeL London 46,500 attendees
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- Pay over up to 16 weeks
- Business invoices
- Free cancellation rooms
WTM London 2026 runs 3–5 November at ExCeL London in the Royal Docks, gathering around 46,500 travel-industry professionals — tourism boards and ministers, tour operators, hotel groups, airlines, DMCs and travel-tech founders from over 180 countries — for the northern hemisphere's biggest travel trade week. ExCeL's location in east London concentrates hotel demand ferociously: the Royal Docks properties beside the halls go first because they turn a cross-London commute into a five-minute walk, then Canary Wharf and Greenwich fill via the Elizabeth line and DLR. Early November also collides with normal London business demand, so there is no low-season slack to absorb the spike. This page sets out the practical picture — City Airport and Elizabeth line access, the UK's ETA regime, what sells out — alongside live, bookable hotel rates near ExCeL so you can judge real availability for the 2026 edition.
Popular areas for attendees: Royal Docks · Canary Wharf · Greenwich.
- Hotels curated by actual journey time to ExCeL — dockside first, then Elizabeth line and DLR corridors
- Live 4–5 star London rates for 3–5 November 2026, not indicative pricing
- Free-cancellation rates listed first, useful while WTM diaries and buyer programmes are still being confirmed
- Instant tax invoice with VAT breakdown at the moment of booking
Event at a glance
- Dates
- 3 Nov – 5 Nov 2026
- Venue
- ExCeL London
- City
- London, United Kingdom
- Airport
- LCY
- Attendance
- 46,500
Recommended Hotels for Business Travellers
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Reserve early and spread payments over up to 16 weeks.
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Stay close to the venue
Hotels ranked by walking distance.
Flexible bookings
Pay Weekly available on free cancellation rooms.
Rates shown for the event window, Mon, Nov 2 → Fri, Nov 6 (arrive the day before, leave the day after) — or choose your own dates above.
Hotel rates near major event venues rise as the dates approach and the closest hotels sell out first. Booking a free-cancellation rate early locks the price with no downside.
On the map
The venue, your hotel options and where to eat — all in one view. Tap the map to explore it full screen.
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- The best hotels within walking distance of the venue
- Where to host clients for dinner near the halls
- How to beat the sold-out fair-week rooms
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Need to expense this trip? Business invoices available at checkout.
Where to eat during WTM London
ExCeL sits in the docks, but the Elizabeth line puts serious dining 15 minutes away — book the client dinner in town and keep the dockside gastropub for post-show pints.
Da Terra
Latin American-Italian tasting menus
Bethnal Green — ~25 min from ExCeL via Elizabeth line
Rafael Cagali's two-star room in the old Bethnal Green Town Hall — East London's most impressive client-dinner ticket and the closest two-star to the Royal Docks.
Tip: Last seatings ~8pm — leave the show floor by 7. Book before DSEI/WTM week.
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Galvin La Chapelle
French-Mediterranean
Spitalfields — Elizabeth line from Custom House (~15 min)
A soaring converted Victorian chapel holding its Michelin star since 2011 — one of the easiest genuinely impressive rooms to reach from ExCeL.
Tip: The set lunch is strong value for a starred room between sessions.
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Rules
Traditional British · since 1798
Covent Garden — ~30 min from ExCeL
London's oldest restaurant — game in season, steak and kidney pie year-round, beneath gilded art-crammed walls. The definitive old-London experience for international colleagues.
Tip: Upstairs cocktail bar for a pre-dinner martini; book evenings.
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St. JOHN
British nose-to-tail
Smithfield — Elizabeth line to Farringdon (~15 min)
Fergus Henderson's whitewashed smokehouse has defined modern British cooking since 1994 — Michelin-starred, unfussy, and beloved by every chef you'll meet.
Tip: Roast bone marrow and parsley salad; zero dress-code anxiety.
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The Fox Excel
Gastropub
Royal Victoria Dock — 2 min walk from ExCeL's west entrance
A converted tobacco warehouse beside the ExCeL entrance — the default for post-show pints, casual client catch-ups and decent pub food without leaving the docks.
Tip: Slammed within an hour of halls closing — grab a table before 5:30pm.
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WatchHouse Cabot Place
Specialty coffee
Canary Wharf — one Elizabeth-line stop from Custom House
The polished specialty roaster's Canary Wharf outpost — excellent espresso and laptop-friendly seating, the best serious coffee minutes from ExCeL.
Tip: Before 8:30am on show days to beat the Wharf commuter rush.
Open in Google MapsAfter the halls close: London
Client dinner, team night out or a free day after WTM London — bookable experiences in London, same account, same checkout.
While you're in London
Few cities pack more world-class sport and entertainment into a business week than London, from Premier League nights to West End-scale arena shows.
Premier League football (Arsenal, Chelsea, Spurs, West Ham)
With several top-flight clubs inside the city, there is usually a Premier League fixture within reach on any given trip during the season.
Find ticketsWimbledon Championships
The world's most famous tennis tournament is a bucket-list experience, and the daily ticket queue makes it possible even on short notice.
Find ticketsNFL London Games
Regular-season NFL games at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and Wembley give US-facing travellers a familiar spectacle with a London twist.
Find ticketsThe O2 Arena concerts
One of the world's busiest arenas, The O2 almost always has a major artist, comedian or show on during your stay.
Find ticketsSix Nations rugby at Twickenham (Allianz Stadium)
England's home Six Nations matches are huge occasions, and hospitality packages suit client entertaining perfectly.
Find ticketsFixtures recur each season; exact dates for your fair week are confirmed at ticket search.
Getting there
From London City Airport (LCY)
- LCY is less than a mile from ExCeL — the closest airport-to-venue pairing of any major trade show city
- Take the DLR one stop to Canning Town and change to a Beckton-bound train for Prince Regent (east entrance), typically 10–15 minutes door to door
- A taxi from LCY to ExCeL takes about five minutes outside peak times
- LCY's network is short-haul European and UK domestic — long-haul arrivals will use Heathrow or Gatwick instead
From Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted
- From Heathrow, the Elizabeth line runs direct to Custom House, the station attached to ExCeL's western entrance, in roughly 50 minutes
- From Gatwick, take a train to London Bridge then the Jubilee line to Canning Town and DLR to ExCeL — about 70–80 minutes in total
- From Stansted, the Stansted Express to Liverpool Street connects to the Elizabeth line for Custom House, around 75 minutes overall
- Contactless bank cards work across all these rail journeys except the Stansted Express and Gatwick mainline portions, where tickets are cheaper bought in advance
Getting around during WTM London
Getting to ExCeL daily
- Custom House (Elizabeth line and DLR) serves the western halls and Prince Regent (DLR) the eastern — check which end WTM assigns your entrance badge scan
- The Elizabeth line from central London (Liverpool Street, Farringdon, Paddington) reaches Custom House in 15–25 minutes and is the fastest approach at peak
- The DLR is driverless and frequent but small — 8.30–9.30am trains from Canning Town get very full during WTM
- Taxis and ride-hail can drop at the venue boulevards, but east London traffic makes rail quicker almost every morning
Around London
- Tap in and out with a contactless card or phone — fares cap daily automatically, and paper tickets are never better value
- Canary Wharf, one Elizabeth line stop from Custom House, is where much of the WTM crowd stays and networks in the evenings
- Black cabs can be hailed anywhere; Uber and Bolt work well but surge after evening receptions in the docks
- Early November brings dark evenings by 4.30pm and frequent rain — build umbrella time into dockside walks
Visa & entry
Visa-free / visa on arrival
- Since February 2026, virtually all visa-exempt visitors — EU/EEA, US, Canada, Australia, Japan, GCC nationals and about 80 other nationalities — must hold a UK Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) before travelling
- The ETA costs £20, is applied for via the UK ETA app or gov.uk, and is valid for two years of multiple visits up to six months each
- Irish citizens do not need an ETA or visa
eVisa / visa required
- Nationals of visa-required countries — including India, China, South Africa, Türkiye and Nigeria — need a Standard Visitor visa, which covers attending trade fairs and business meetings
- Visitor visa processing usually takes about three weeks but can stretch during peak periods, and WTM attracts a heavily visa-required audience — apply at least two months before the show
Documents to carry
- Passport valid for your whole stay, with your ETA or visa linked to that same passport
- WTM London registration confirmation and any invitation from exhibitors or the organiser, in case Border Force asks about your visit's purpose
- Hotel confirmation and evidence of your return or onward journey
UK ETA and visitor visa rules have changed repeatedly since 2025, so check gov.uk or your nearest British embassy for current requirements before booking.
First time at WTM London?
- Register in advance and have your badge QR ready on your phone — WTM's entry scanning is fast for the prepared and slow for the Monday-morning printer queue
- Arrive on Monday 2 November: check-in pressure at Royal Docks hotels is heaviest on day-one morning, and early buyers book their first appointments for 10am Tuesday
- ExCeL is nearly a kilometre end to end — note whether your key stands are in the western or eastern halls and pick your DLR station accordingly
- Dockside hotels at ExCeL sell out first, then Canary Wharf; Greenwich via the Elizabeth line plus DLR is the value play
- Pre-book meetings through WTM's networking platform before you travel — walk-up conversations with tourism boards rarely reach decision-makers
Insider tips from repeat attendees
- Thursday, the final day, is when senior exhibitors finally have open diaries — many buyers leave Wednesday night, and the halls are noticeably calmer
- The evening receptions hosted by tourism boards are where WTM's real business happens; invitations circulate in the weeks before, so work your contacts early
- Hall catering queues at ExCeL are long and pricey at 1pm — the boulevard's food outlets at the far ends move faster, and Canary Wharf is 10 minutes away for client lunches
- At show close, walk to Prince Regent instead of Custom House — the eastbound platform crowd is thinner and you can double back on the DLR
WTM London travel FAQs
Where should I stay for WTM London?
The Royal Docks hotels beside ExCeL are the most practical — several are directly on the dockside boulevard. Canary Wharf is the best blend of restaurants, evening networking and a one-stop Elizabeth line ride, while Greenwich and Stratford offer value within 20–25 minutes of the venue.
How much do hotels cost during WTM London?
Expect a firm premium — early November is already strong London corporate season, and WTM adds tens of thousands of visitors focused on one district. Dockside hotels near ExCeL rise the most, often well above double their quiet-week rates, while central London inflates more modestly.
How early should I book hotels for WTM London?
Three to six months ahead for anything walkable to ExCeL; the dockside properties are usually the first in London to fill for the week. Booking early on a free-cancellation rate costs nothing and protects you from the late scramble.
Which airport do I fly into for WTM London?
London City (LCY) if your route allows — it is under a mile from ExCeL. For long-haul, Heathrow is the strongest choice because the Elizabeth line runs direct to Custom House, the station attached to the venue, in about 50 minutes.
Do I need an ETA to attend WTM London?
If you are from a visa-exempt country (EU, US, Australia and around 80 others), yes — the £20 UK ETA is mandatory before boarding and is usually approved within a day, though you should allow three working days. Visa-required nationals need a Standard Visitor visa instead, and Irish citizens need neither.
EventEscapes is an independent travel platform and is not affiliated with WTM London or its organizers. Dates and venues can change — verify with the official event site before booking travel.