Yahoo News The best hotels in London
There are over a thousand hotels in London but, with our pick of the capital’s best places to stay, you’ll be sure to find the right room.
Whether it's a staycation or your first visit, we've got you covered from iconic classics to the hottest new openings.
The best iconic Mayfair hotels
Claridge’s
One of the capital’s most iconic hotels, no London visit would be complete without a pitstop at Claridge’s. For more than a century, it has provided the embodiment of classic English luxury at the heart of Mayfair. The hotel prides itself on impeccable service and classic, yet stylish, interiors - the place to go for a memorable stay.
Rooms from £540, claridges.co.uk
The Ritz
Oozing opulent style, The Ritz is a bona fide London landmark as well as a five-star hotel. Its world-famous afternoon tea and ideal location next to Green Park make it the perfect destination for a quintessential London experience.
You can read our full review of The Ritz here.
Rooms from £395, theritzlondon.com
The Connaught
This exclusive Mayfair hotel is not to be missed. Lucky guests can expect spacious, luxurious rooms and suites, world-class wellness at the luxury Aman Spa and Michelin-starred cuisine from Hélène Darroze.
You can read our full review of The Connaught here.
Rooms from £540, the-connaught.co.uk
Brown’s
This historic luxury hotel opened in 1837 and, famously, was the location of London’s first telephone call - made by none other than Alexander Graham Bell. Today, the hotel remains one of the capital’s most illustrious establishments, with its flair for modern style secured by hotel design guru Olga Polizzi.
Rooms from £500, roccofortehotels.com
The best modern classic hotels
Shangri-La at the Shard
If unparalleled views are what you’re after, you’ll find them at the Shard’s Shangri-La hotel. Stretching 306 metres into the sky, the Shard is London’s tallest building and the Shangri-La occupies floors 34 to 52. With Borough Market, the Globe, Tate Modern and the Tower Bride close by, your days will easily fill with sightseeing but the hotel's rooms, with views across the city, will easily lure you back come nightfall – as will the hotel’s restaurant, Ting, which offers tasting menus starting from £55.
You can read our full review of the Shangri-La at the Shard here.
Rooms from £489, shangri-la.com
Blakes
Converted from a set of Victorian town houses in a secluded street in South Kensington, Blakes sets the bar for luxury boutique hotels. Each exotically-inspired room is finished with opulent attention to detail; as a whole, the place exudes indulgent excess carried off with style and a touch of drama.
Rooms from £240, blakeshotels.com
Sea Containers London
Any hotel designed by lighting guru Tom Dixon was always going to be incredibly stylish. The first London outpost for the Mondrian group, it took over the Old Sea Containers building on the South Bank, offering incredible views across the river to St Paul's. Drink champagne cocktails on the roof in the decadent 12th Knot, book a massage in the vast underground Agua Spa or catch a film at the in-house Curzon cinema. Its central location can't be beaten.
You can read our full review of Sea Containers (formerly the Mondrian) here.
Rooms from £195, seacontainerslondon.com
Charlotte Street Hotel
Decorated in fresh, bold colours by co-owner and Creative Director Kit Kemp, the Charlotte Street Hotel is a Bloomsbury gem. Despite its ideal location close to London’s best theatres, galleries and museums, the lively bar and state-of-the-art screening room may make you reluctant to leave.
Rooms from £270, firmdalehotels.com
The best hotels for old world opulence
The Goring
Located down a leafy and unassuming side street near some of London’s most iconic landmarks, you’ll find The Goring – a hotel quite literally fit for royalty (the Duchess of Cambridge famously stayed in the Royal Suite the night before she married Prince William). If your wallet can stretch, we recommend the Royal Suite for the chance to live like a princess for the evening, but each of the rooms are sophisticated and classic with more than a hint of luxury. The family-owned hotel also boasts a Michelin-starred restaurant – The Dining Room, which serves impeccable British-inspired dishes. Be sure to wake for the legendary breakfast, where you’ll find items like a lobster omelette or Eggs Drumkilbo – the hotel even has its own forager which finds truffles and wild herbs to accompany each dish.
You can read our full review of The Goring here.
Rooms from £502, thegoring.com
The Savoy
Located just off the Strand, The Savoy is irrefutably one of London’s grandest hotels. Merging Art Deco and Edwardian styles, this legendary hotel is still gleaming from its £220 million revamp in 2010. Gordon Ramsay’s Savoy Grill adds deliciously to the 1920s glamour.
You can read our review of The Savoy Grill here.
Rooms from £390, thesavoylondon.com
Rosewood London
Since its launch in 2013, Rosewood’s London outpost has made its name as one of the most lavish five-star hotels in the capital. The grand façade can be found in Holborn and, upon entering, expect to be greeted with decadent interiors than extend from the lobby to each of the 262 rooms. Antique books and cocktail chairs from the ‘50s take centre stage in Scarfes Bar while those looking for a further escape from reality can head below to the Sense Spa on the property’s lower ground floor. Currently offering a Van Gogh-inspired afternoon tea, there’s no better time to visit than the present.
You can read our full review of the Rosewood London here.
Rooms from £799, rosewoodhotels.com
Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park
Perfectly perched between Knightsbridge and Hyde Park, this glamorous hotel features opulent rooms, suites and a world-renowned spa. For added gastronomic delight, the hotel is home to the exclusive Dinner by Heston Blumenthal, which has two Michelin stars. The hotel has recently undergone a massive refurbishment making it more luxe than ever.
You can read our full review of the newly refurbished Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park here.
Rooms from £450, mandarinoriental.com
Sheraton Grand London Park Lane
Founded in the 1920s, this Art Deco gem recently reopened its doors after a sleek multi-million pound renovation. Offering redesigned rooms as well as a new restaurant and bar, this Roaring Twenties throwback has gained a new lease of life without losing its glorious heritage.
Rooms from £249, marriott.com
The best for laid-back luxury
The Mandrake
No visit to the Mandrake in Fitzrovia is complete without a tipple from its bar Waeska enjoyed in the courtyard. With jasmine draping down the walls, the three-storey space is otherworldly (and extremely Instagrammable). Inside, we recommend staying at the penthouse, if your budget so allows – even just for the multi-person bath with a retractable roof, that allows you to stargaze as you bathe. The restaurant, Serge & Le Phoque, is another showstopper with a lively French menu and a penchant for seafood.
You can read our full review of The Mandrake here.
Rooms from £412, themandrake.com
The Four Seasons Hotel London at Ten Trinity Square
Housed in the majestic 1922 headquarters of the Port of London Authority, this is London’s second Four Seasons outpost. Inside the historic facade lies an equally prestigious hotel, containing two grand ballrooms, 100 sleek guest accommodations and a lavish spa. A tempting addition to the luxury hospitality scene in the capital.
You can read our full review of London's Four Seasons hotel here.
Rooms from £344, fourseasons.com
Kimpton Fitzroy London
Formerly the Principal Hotel, this palatial Bloomsbury-based hotel re-opened as the Kimpton Fitzroy London in summer 2018, after a multi-million pound restoration. Its distinctive thé-au-lait ('tea with milk') terracotta exterior overlooks Russell Square, while the inside features the chic and cosy Palm Court, which is an exciting new venue for afternoon tea.
You can read our full review of the Kimpton Fitzroy London (formerly the Principal London) here.
Rooms from £280, kimptonfitzroylondon.com
The LaLiT London
This is the first overseas venture for luxury Indian hotel group The LaLiT London. Set in a Grade II-listed Victorian building on the South Bank - formerly a grammar school attended by novelist Lawrence Durrell - the hotel combines Indian culture with British charm. Afternoon tea with an Indian twist and a spa offering ayurvedic therapies and yoga add to the atmosphere.
Rooms from £289, thelalit.com
Henrietta Hotel
The team behind Chinatown’s Experimental Cocktail Bar opened its first London hotel in 2017, and has been a hit with the Instagram set ever since. A sumptuous boutique number in Covent Garden, the Henrietta has 18 bedrooms dressed with handpainted wallpaper, upholstered headboards and marble details - yet this room number could soon double as an expansion plan has been permitted. The beating heart of the hotel is its eponymous restaurant, a chic fusion of ornate Victorian and sleek Art Deco led by star chef Sylvain Roucayrol.
You can read our review of the Henrietta Bistro here.
Rooms from £250, henriettahotel.com
The best new hotels in London
Belmond Cadogan Hotel
While the Belmond has been in operation since 1887, the recently renovated and refurbished hotel in the heart of Chelsea now boasts 54 incredibly chic rooms with a mix of modern and traditional British design, laced with Edwardian splendour. The Cadogan Place Gardens are reason enough to visit the hotel, so be sure to visit in spring to experience London’s hidden oasis in full bloom.
Rooms from £423 per night. belmond.com
The Biltmore
The newest luxury hotel to be welcomed into the Mayfair fold will also be the first UK property from LXR Hotels & Resorts – the new luxury branch of the Hilton hotel franchise. With 257 lavish rooms, the hotel is billed to open this spring but has no official date just yet. Located just moments from Bond Street, the hotel will boast a year-round alfresco terrace, cocktail bar and gymtech fitness suite
Room rates and website TBC.
Hard Rock Hotel
In the spring of 2019, London will welcome its first-ever Hard Rock Hotel, set to grace the corner of Oxford Street and Park Lane. The 900-room hotel will boast two buzzing bars, plus a Hard Rock Cafe set to serve American cooking with a British twist.
Rooms from £322 per night, hardrockhotels.com/london
The Dixon
Located on Tooley Street, near London's iconic Tower Bridge, The Dixon is close to many of the capital's landmarks, like Tate Modern and Shakespeare's Globe. The elegant design of the hotel takes inspiration from the area's vibrant cultural heritage and has 193 rooms, including 10 suites, with an atmospheric bar and buzzing restaurant to while away the night in.
You can read our full review of The Dixon here.
Rooms from £199, thedixon.co.uk
The best design-led hotels
Courthouse Hotel Shoreditch
This hotly anticipated luxury boutique hotel once held a colourful array of guests. Formerly the Old Street Magistrates’ Court and Police Station, the Grade II listed building used to house the East End’s most notorious felons, including the Kray twins. Having undergone a luxurious renovation (to the tune of £40 million) the Courthouse Hotel is now a haven of spacious rooms, restaurants and bars. There’s even a bowling alley and a cinema - plead guilty!
Rooms from £179, shoreditch.courthouse-hotel.com
The Curtain
New York hotelier Michael Achenbaum introduced a new brand and vision to this side of the pond with this hip new Shoreditch hangout. Not far from Shoreditch House, The Curtain houses Red Rooster Shoreditch, run by acclaimed chef Marcus Samuelsson and serving up comforting soul food. Upstairs you'll find a 1,600 sqm rooftop, complete with the glittering Lido restaurant, Moroccan-style pool and day beds.
Rooms from £240, thecurtain.com
Nobu Hotel Shoreditch
Nobu’s first European hotel is designed in a distinctive east-meets-west aesthetic. The hotel also features a Japanese-infused food and drinks menu curated for the hotel by Chef Nobu Matsuhisa. Elsewhere in the hotel, you'll find a state-of-the-art fitness centre, a luxury spa as well as and banqueting and meeting rooms.
You can read our full review of the Nobu Shoreditch restaurant here.
Rooms from £249, nobuhotelshoreditch.com
The Ned
Nick Jones strikes again with The Ned, but this time the Soho House entrepreneur created a luxe space targeting the City suits with his hotel-cum-members-club. £200 million was spent on transforming the former Midland Bank headquarters which now houses 252 rooms, eight restaurants, numerous bars and a Cowshed spa. There's also a rooftop pool, a boxing ring and a yoga and pilates studio.
You can read our review of The Nickel Bar at The Ned here.
Rooms from £260, thened.com
The best boutique hotels in London
The London EDITION
Teetering on the edge of Soho, a short walk from the Oxford Street underground, you’ll find the London outpost of Edition, a luxury collection of boutique hotels in the world's chicest destinations, like Bodrum, New York and Barcelona. With 173 elegantly designed minimalist rooms, and a restaurant serving contemporary British fare, there are noticeable Studio 54 influences - after all, co-owner and co-founder of Studio 54 Ian Schrager was involved in the hotel's opening.
You can read our review of Berners Tavern, the Edition’s restaurant, here.
Rooms from £520, editionhotels.com/london
Chiltern Firehouse
In the heart of Marylebone, the Chiltern Firehouse was one of the first purpose-built fire stations in London. Now an A-List haunt, the hotel was restored by American hotelier André Balazs in 2013 and joined the ranks of bespoke luxury hotels akin to the iconic Chateau Marmont in LA and the Mercer hotel in New York. With 26 elegant bedrooms, lofts and suites, each room offers a minimalist chic design that you’ll want to emulate in your own home. Be sure to nip down to Nuno Mendes for dinner while staying for a touch of celebrity spotting.
You can read our review of the Chiltern Firehouse restaurant, Nuno Mendes, here.
Room from £530, chilternfirehouse.com
The Hoxton, Holborn
This now iconic hotel is credited with making 'Midtown' cool. There's a Cheeky beauty parlour for all your mani-pedi needs, a Chicken Shop from the Soho House group and proper coffee at the Holborn Grind. Rooms have a funky edge - hashtag embroidered cushions, anyone? - and range from 'Snug' to 'Roomy'.
You can read our full review of The Hoxton Holborn here.
Rooms from £89, thehoxton.com/london
The Ace Hotel
One of the more tempting hotels for a London staycation, why not book a room after dinner at its in-house restaurant Hoi Polloi? One for the creative crew, the Ace nails downtown NYC-style cool with its super trendy industrial-style lobby bar, juice station and coffee shop. The rooms are best described as industrial-chic and come complete with anglepoise lamps, wifi and extras such as acoustic guitars and vinyl selections.
You can read our full review of The Ace Hotel's Lobby Bar here.
Rooms from £149, acehotel.com
Dean Street Townhouse
You can’t say a hotel with baths in the bedrooms isn’t romantic, you just can’t. This Soho House outpost is based across two Georgian buildings and it’s all about subtle earthy hues, Egyptian cotton bedding and classic design.
You can read our review of the Dean Street Townhouse restaurant here.
Rooms from £255, deanstreettownhouse.com
The best of the West
The Laslett
Five former Victorian townhouses in spitting distance from Notting Hill Gate station make up this boutique hotel. On the ground floor you’ll find a neighbourhood hangout rather than a lobby, a cocktail bar and coffee shop supplied by Sally Clarke. Each of the 54 rooms are designed to feel like a friend’s stylish home with books for bedtime reading, locally sourced antiques, blankets and Neal’s Yard Remedies in the bathrooms.
You can read our full review of The Laslett here.
Rooms from £250, living-rooms.co.uk
Zetter Townhouse Marylebone
Just as the original Zetter in Clerkenwell is known to its fans as Great Aunt Wilhelmina's, the new Marylebone Zetter is to be known as Wicked Uncle Seymour's. Designed by Russell Sage, you can expect its unique rooms to feature antique furniture, elegant bathrooms and curiosities from this eccentric old relative's imagined European Grand tour. If you really want to go all out, book the Rooftop Apartment, which has its own private staircase, dressing room and roof terrace with an outdoor roll top bath.
You can read our full review of the Zetter Townhouse here.
Rooms from £258, thezettertownhouse.com
Artist Residence
A very well-kept secret in Pimlico, this hotel has just 10 rooms which all champion the rough-luxe look. Housed in all old pub, the bijou Artist Residence is fun, friendly and eccentric - think of it as your home from home in the capital. Fluffy beds, rainfall showers and stand-alone bath tubs in the eclectically furnished rooms complete the look.
You can read our full review of Artist Residence Pimlico here.
Rooms from £230, artistresidence.co.uk
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