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Somerset House - London Hotels .com

Somerset House

Within the elegant 18th century walls of this former tax office, now known as the Somerset House, there are three attractions, the Courtauld Gallery of Impressionist Art, the Gilbert Collection and the Hermitage Rooms.

The Gilbert Collection is a gift to Britain from Sir Arthur Gilbert and includes works in gold and silver, Italian mosaics, portrait images and jewelry, and the Hermitage Rooms displays a collection on loan from the State.

Some of the collections housed in the Courtauld Institute of Art Gallery are as follows: the Princes Gate Collection - Sir Peter Paul Rubens, The Family of Jan Brueghel the Elder, c. 1613-15; the Gambier Parry Collection - Bernardo Daddi, The Crucifixion with Saints, 1348; the Lee Collection - Lucas Cranach I, Adam and Eve, 1526; and the Fry Collection - Vanessa Bell, A Conversation, 1913-16.

Vistors can dine at the exclusive Admiralty Restaurant, or relax at the riverside café.

The nearest nice hotel in the area is the Charing Cross. Another option is the Royal Horseguards Thistle Hotel, which has great views of the River Thames from the Victorian building.

Tel: +44 (0) 20 7845 4600

Admission: Free

Tube Station: Temple, Covent Garden, Charing Cross and Embankment.

URL: http://www.somerset-house.org.uk