Hotels for Tracey Emin

Expect raw, confessional work that doesn't soften the edges of memory, illness, love or loss. Visitors move slowly through these rooms, often in silence, drawn in by handwritten text and unfinished-looking canvases that feel closer to diary entries than paintings. It suits those willing to sit with discomfort rather than rush past it. Friday's opening hours tend to draw a mix of after-work visitors and those keen to beat the weekend crowds.

Tate Modern is Britain's temple to modern and contemporary art — a former power station on Bankside whose vast Turbine Hall stages era-defining installations, with free galleries running from Picasso and Rothko to the very latest. The riverside setting is one of London's best: the Millennium Bridge crosses to St Paul's, and Borough Market, Shakespeare's Globe and the South Bank are all a short stroll.

Blackfriars and Southwark stations are close, and the whole West End sits just over the river. Staying nearby means quiet early-morning gallery time with the Thames on your doorstep.