Hotels in Birmingham

Birmingham: England's Second City and Industrial Heartland

Birmingham, the UK's second-largest city with a population of 1.1 million, sits at the geographic centre of England, roughly 160 km north-west of London. Built on 19th-century metalworking and jewellery manufacture, the city retains that industrial identity in the Jewellery Quarter — Europe's largest concentration of jewellery makers — and at the Custard Factory creative district in Digbeth, a neighbourhood that now anchors Birmingham's arts and nightlife scene. The Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery holds the world's largest Pre-Raphaelite collection, free to enter.

Where to Stay in Birmingham

Most hotels cluster around Broad Street and Brindleyplace, a canalside quarter beside the 35-km network of city-centre canals — more miles of canal than Venice. The Grand Central shopping complex above New Street station puts dozens of mid-range and 4-star hotels within a five-minute walk of national rail connections. Edgbaston, 2 km south-west, offers quieter guesthouse options near the botanical gardens and international cricket ground.

Practical Tips

• Getting there: Birmingham Airport (BHX) is 13 km east; the Air-Rail Link monorail connects to Birmingham International station in 90 seconds.
• Getting around: West Midlands Metro tram links New Street to Wolverhampton; most central sights are walkable from any Broad Street hotel.
• Best time to visit: September brings the Frankfurt-style Birmingham Frankfurt Christmas Market build-up; the market itself runs late November through December and is the largest German Christmas market outside Germany.