Thanks & a recap for those who helped with recommendations (or are researching their own trip):
Hotel: Premier Inn Westminster Abbey on Tothill- The location was wise due to the shortness of our trip however, I do not recommend the hotel. The room technology and auto temp control system was noisy and the room was either too hot or too cold. Along with not getting a decent sleep due to this system, the primary reason I would not stay there again is that during a brief swing by between mid-day outings, an unidentified man keyed into my room. Both of us were shocked, and he turned and left immediately when he saw me. It was unclear if he was a staff member or a previous room inhabitant whose keycard was still working and in need of a place to crash. They did change the keycard access to the room but I received no expression of concern, apology, inquiry for additional details, etc.
The area had ample food / pub options:
Blue Boar - Very good food and service in a high style pub with a neat 80's political satire vibe. Recommend the shepherds pie and creamy leek soup.
The Sanctuary House - Nice dinner ambience with good steak pies. Excellent sticky toffee dessert.
Two Chairman Pub - Crowded but I highly recommend for a fun pub vibe
Grafton Arms Pub - Nice local pub with sports, good food.
Other foodie things of note:
The Goring Hotel for Tea - Amazing service, great ambiance. We were seated right at the window to enjoy the very nice exterior view while the warm vibe inside. We selected the Bollinger Tea and were pleasantly surprised to have seconds for all our tea courses. Very generous servings. Friendly staff.
Indian Food at Dishoom Carnaby. Great service, beautiful ambiance, wonderful food. My son choose the mutton curry, (their spiciest dish), and they brought him out extra spice. I had the chicken curry, and we split an order of lamb samosas and naan with a few different chutney choices. Everything had great flavor and we agreed it was the best.
We did manage to also do a lot of sightseeing - here are the general comments for each:
Westminster Abbey - lots of history! Great audio guide with ticket. The early breakfast at the cafe previsit was fresh but was slow and not noteworthy.
London Tower - loved the Yeoman's Tour, visiting the White Tower, neat to walk around the battlements and through the various towers. Nice views of the London Bridge.
St Paul’s Cathedral - Climb up to the top provided a great view. Enjoyed a moment of rest and listened to a bit of the evensongs / service.
Churchill War Rooms - very interesting, not as hokey as expected. Strong "multimedia" exhibit. We went in the AM and did not have issues with crowds.
British Museum - We just did the highlights but could have spent all day here.
Globe Theater - Nice way to see the space when there are not any plays going on. We followed the Thames on the way back and had nice night views from that side of the bank. Fun riverside walk experience with an Xmas market / mulled wine, etc.
Buckingham Palace - Small group tour of the State Rooms. Excellent guide, a bit heavy on the art work versus other details, but worthwhile.
Misc. Walks of note:
Holiday Lights in Soho - amazing, with fun areas to "tuck into" for hot chocolate etc. Nice holiday shop at Fortnum Mason
Xmas Market in Trafalgar Square - cute
St James Park - Fun to see all the birds. As we exited the green space, we were blocked / treated to an unexpected King / Queen drive by !
Transport :
Express and Underground combo was an easy way to get from LHR to our hotel
Thames Uber Boat was chaotic and crowded
Using our no fee bank cards was great for Underground & Busses
TaxiAPP / BlkTaxi - an easy way to setup early ride to LHR & get a final look
Everyone was so nice, 3 full days was not enough. Next time ideas: Hop On / Off Bus,
an Official Thames Cruise, and More Dining and Shopping Experiences!