Our Pick Of The Best Hotels in London
By Guest Writer
1 year ago
The capital's finest staycation spots
Maybe you live in the London and just want a change and a rest away from your own walls? Or perhaps you are a country dweller and crave a dose of its buzz, shopping, thrilling culture and equally thrilling world-class restaurants? Whichever, London’s hotels make brilliant – and sometimes surprisingly affordable – boltholes.Â
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Some reviews are taken from this year’s Great British & Irish Hotels Guide. You can read the full reviews online or purchase your print Hotels Guide here.Â
St. Pancras Renaissance
This Gothic masterpiece has been part of the London landscape since the 1870s when it was designed by prolific architect George Gilbert Scott for the Midland Railway. In the 20th century it declined before being spectacularly restored and re-opening with great fanfare a decade ago. Today, guests can choose between suites in the heritage Chambers Wing (these come with Eurostar VIP service and access to the Chambers Club) or the contemporary luxury of the Barlow Wing. The spa, which is housed in the original underground kitchens, is a Victorian inspired, peacock-themed haven of tranquility with a pool, steam room and sauna.
BOOK
+44 (0)20 7841 3540 / stpancraslondon.com
Strand Palace
Since 1909, Strand Palace has been welcoming guests to its unbeatable location on the famous thoroughfare of the Strand. Just minutes from Covent Garden and the River Thames, it is perfectly placed for those who are eager to explore the heart of the capital. The hotel has recently completed a two-year, multi-million-pound refurbishment with modern Art Deco-inspired design that channels the spirit of the hotel’s earlier 1920s heyday. In addition to refreshing all 785 bedrooms, the brand new restaurant and bar, Haxells, is the ideal spot to enjoy a bite to eat before seeing a West End show.
BOOK
+44 (0)20 7379 4737 / strandpalacehotel.co.uk
Bulgari Hotel London, Knightsbridge
Perfectly positioned between Hyde Park and Sloane Street, Bulgari Hotel London is the ultimate city escape. Elegant contemporary architecture and Bulgari’s legendary flair for design are matched with authentic and impeccable service. Generously proportioned rooms and suites are combined with unrivalled facilities, including a 25-metre swimming pool and a beautiful ballroom. The Bulgari Lounge offers elegant all-day dining – featuring a new ‘Dolci’ (all the sweet bits) menu – while Sette by Scarpetta on the ground floor serves authentic Italian food with its own inimitable flair. Nolita Social lies beneath the restaurant – an underground bar and lounge that brings the energy of ‘the New York night’ to London with a heady mix of crafted cocktails, live music and DJs.
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+44 (0)20 7151 1010 / bulgarihotels.com
The Mayfair Townhouse, Mayfair
Spread across 15 Grade II-listed Georgian houses in London’s historic Mayfair, this playful yet sophisticated spot draws on its rich history and literary associations to evoke an ‘Oscar Wilde meets Alice in Wonderland’ aesthetic. The sister property to countryside stalwarts Cliveden and Chewton Glen, the Townhouse has the feel of a home away from home – a discreet residency for those in the know.
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+44 (0)20 8138 3400 / themayfairtownhouse.com
The Trafalgar St. James
Part of the Curio Collection by Hilton, The Trafalgar St. James is brilliantly positioned on the edge of St James Park and Trafalgar Square, and just moments from Soho, Mayfair and the West End. This luxury hotel blends innovative bold design and thoughtful service with excellent dining and nightlife – a true sanctuary to work rest and play for locals and international visitors alike. Guests can choose from three signature suites and 128 spacious guest rooms, all of which come with quintessentially British Molton Brown products in the bathrooms.
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+44 (0)20 7870 2900 / trafalgarstjames.com
Hazlitt’s Hotel, Soho
Hazlitt’s is the real deal: as genuine, amusing and revealing a hotel as you could hope for, especially in bustling Soho. It’s named after the radical essayist and master of English prose, William Hazlitt. He died in poverty in 1830 at 6 Frith Street, one of three adjoining townhouses that the owners, experts on the Georgian era, fashioned into Hazlitt’s in 1986. A fourth building behind was converted to create a sitting room with an honesty bar and an additional eight bedrooms, reached by a lift. As befits an establishment with such literary connections, the hotel is popular with authors, who leave signed copies of their works when they depart.
BOOK
+44 (0)20 7434 1771 / hazlittshotel.com
Corinthia London, Westminster
With the wow-factor elegance of the Corinthia’s Crystal Moon Lounge – lit by a dramatic Baccarat chandelier – this is a luxury hotel for the 21st century. There’s plenty to impress: some of the city’s most spacious hotel bedrooms are counted in Corinthia’s 283 sumptuous rooms, suites and penthouses, as well as a multi award-winning spa covering four entire floors. Not to mention the delectable food offerings: modern British cuisine at The Northall, with its own magnificent bar; Michelin-starred chef Tom Kerridge’s first London venture, Kerridge’s Bar & Grill; al fresco drinking and dining in The Garden.
BOOK
+44 (0)20 7930 8181 / corinthia.com
One Aldwych, Covent Garden
As London’s cultured, independent hotel, One Aldwych is brilliantly positioned in bustling Covent Garden and is renowned for its iconic heritage building, towering flowers and exceptional art collection. The brilliant Lobby Bar is popular with locals and travellers alike, as are the two exquisite restaurants: pioneering dairy and gluten-free Indigo, and Eneko Basque Kitchen & Bar, the London home of superstar Spanish chef Eneko Atxa and his modern Basque dishes. Newly refurbished interiors are sophisticated and contemporary, including quiet, comfortable suites and bedrooms in calm pastel hues.
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+44 (0)20 7300 1000 / onealdwych.com
The Ritz London
One of the most iconic hotels in the world, with an enviable location on London’s Piccadilly overlooking the Royal Green Park. Opened in 1906 by hotelier César Ritz, The Ritz quickly became a favourite home-from-home for Hollywood stars and royalty alike. It was also the first hotel to be awarded a Royal Warrant in 2002. Ideal for families and couples alike, guests today can choose between lavishly decorated Louis XVI-style rooms and suites.
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+44 (0)20 7493 8181 / theritzlondon.com
Great Scotland Yard Hotel, Westminster
Expect the unexpected at one of London’s most historic and cherished buildings. Dedicated to delight, Great Scotland Yard holds more hidden stories than any other kind in London as the former headquarters of the Metropolitan Police. The ground floor is split into various bars and restaurants, including the flagship Ekstedt at The Yard – run by Michelin-star chef Niklas Ekstedt, known for his signature wood-fired ‘old Nordic’ cooking. Visit The Parlour for afternoon tea inspired by Floris London’s fragrances, the only appointed perfumery to Her Majesty The Queen. Try SÃbÃn bar for delectable whisky, or The 40 Elephants – the hub of the hotel named for the UK’s first all-female gang – for delightful cocktails.
BOOK
+44 (0)20 7925 4700 / hyatt.com
Lime Tree Hotel, Belgravia
It’s rare to find an affordable hotel in central London; even more so in smart Belgravia. But the Lime Tree is just that, and what’s more it has the air of a place in the country, with painted furniture and breakfast menus chalked jauntily on blackboards. Matt and Charlotte Goodsall took over the guesthouse, which is spread across two Grade II-listed townhouses, from Charlotte’s parents more than a decade ago. After a major six month refurbishment last year, this delightful bolthole has 28 simple, stylish and homely bedrooms each with pretty geometric patterned cushions and a Roberts Radio, and Bramley goodies in the bathroom.
BOOK
+44 (0)20 7730 8191 / limetreehotel.co.uk
The Goring, Belgravia
Opened in 1910 and still in the same family, The Goring is gloriously British. But although it’s a grand, dignified institution, it never takes itself too seriously, possessing what so many smart hotels lack: a sense of humour. Where else does Noël Coward sing Mad Dogs and Englishmen while your call is being connected? Its rooms are world-renowned as some of the most luxurious in the city, pairing great comfort with undeniable wow-factor glamour.
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+44 (0)20 7396 9000 / thegoring.comÂ
The Rookery, Clerkenwell
Those in the know in London don’t lay their heads in the centre of town – they swerve east to its most fashionable districts. Luckily, we know of secret abodes beyond the reach of hipsters and tech geeks. One such hideaway is the deliciously unique Rookery, set in the heart of gastronomic Clerkenwell. After eating top-class grub and partying hard, you can retreat to one of its 33 quirky bedrooms, none of which is the same. Each, though, shares gorgeous Georgian detailing, polished brass metalwork in bathrooms, antiques aplenty and shelves bulging with real books.
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+44 (0)20 7336 0931 / rookeryhotel.comÂ
The Beaumont, Mayfair
Overlooking a quiet garden square in the heart of Mayfair, The Beaumont has embodied the spirit of grand 1920s hotels – albeit on a far more intimate scale – since it opened in 2014. Now, the ground floor has had a gentle refresh. A classy joint (with chequerboard lobby floor, early 20th-century paintings and gleaming antiques), subtle changes include the redesigned Magritte Bar; a new all-day dining and afternoon tea lounge; and for the first time, a terrace for light al-fresco suppers among lush greenery.
BOOK
+44 (0)20 7499 1001 / thebeaumont.com
Brown’s Hotel, Mayfair
Archetypally British, with a hint of the unexpected, Brown’s was founded by Lord Byron’s butler in 1837 as London’s very first hotel. In the heart of Mayfair, this five-star delight has all the history and gravitas but none of the pomp or flashiness of some of its rivals. The rooms and suites have been curated by Olga Polizzi for her brother, Sir Rocco Forte, each paying tribute to the hotel’s illustrious heritage and charm. The Kipling Suite honours Rudyard Kipling, who famously penned The Jungle Book while staying here. In the award-winning Drawing Room (where Queen Victoria became an early fan of Brown’s afternoon tea) original panelling sits easily with modern art from neighbouring Mayfair galleries.
BOOK
+44 (0)20 7493 6020 / roccofortehotels.com
Batty Langley’s, Spitalfields
As you walk through the doors of this charming hotel, packed with character and Georgian detail, you feel as if you’re entering another era. In lively, gentrified Spitalfields, Batty Langley’s lives up to its unusual name. Under the same ownership as the equally captivating Hazlitt’s and The Rookery it was inspired by the 18th-century architect and landscape gardener of the same name, who wrote guides to help his clients plan their houses and gardens in a grand style. The panelled interior, with its open fires, countless books and fine paintings feels more like a private house than a hotel.
BOOK
+44 (0)20 7377 4390 / battylangleys.com
The Athenaeum, Mayfair
A proudly independent five-star hotel in the heart of prestigious Mayfair, The Athenaeum exudes luxury with a nod to its glamorous Art Deco roots (it began in 1850 as the elegant mansion of Henry Pelham-Clinton, sixth Duke of Newcastle, and was restyled in the 1930s). With the designer fashion boutiques of Bond Street and Buckingham Palace all just a stroll away, this is an enviable location to call home – and the perfect base to explore the capital’s best-loved landmarks. Rooms and suites come with all of life’s luxuries and views over Green Park or the characterful surrounding streets.
BOOK
+44 (0)20 7499 3464 / athenaeumhotel.com
Rosewood London, Holborn
Since its opening in 2013, Rosewood London has risen effortlessly to the highest echelons of the capital’s luxury hotels, combining English heritage with contemporary sophistication. The grade II-listed Belle Époque building has been sensitively renovated, with the feel of a stylish London residence; guests enter a grand, wrought iron-gated former carriage arch, leading to the hotel’s historic central courtyard, with its majestic stone facades while the Grand Pavonazzo marble staircase soars to a dizzying 166-foot cupola.
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+44 (0)20 7781 8888 / rosewoodhotels.com
The Cadogan, A Belmond Hotel, Chelsea
A stand out on Sloane Street, midway between Chelsea and Knightsbridge, The Cadogan’s sleek and glamorous good looks may recall well-heeled Knightsbridge, but its many literary and artistic accents mean that boho Chelsea is here too. In bold check uniforms that reference Mary Quant, books and author talks curated by beloved Chelsea bookshop John Sandoe, specially commissioned art from young artists, and recollections of Oscar Wilde (famously arrested here) and his friend Lillie Langtry, whose adjacent house now forms a private entrance for hotel guests and a dining room of the restaurant.
BOOK
+44 (0)20 7048 7141 / belmond.com
Number Sixteen, South Kensington
In a mid-Victorian white stucco terrace, Number Sixteen is one of Firmdale’s townhouse hotels, which include Dorset Square Hotel and Knightsbridge Hotel. Decorated by founder and creative director Kit Kemp in her inimitable, contemporary, eclectic style, it’s full of bold colours, joyful collisions of pattern and hand-picked artworks. The result: your spirits are lifted the moment you walk inside. The ground-floor rooms are flooded with light from floor-to-ceiling windows and include two drawing rooms, a library with an honesty bar, and an Orangery, leading to a beautifully designed and leafy garden – a rare treat, and one of London’s best-kept secrets.
BOOK
+44 (0)20 7589 5232 / firmdalehotels.com
The Portobello Hotel, Notting Hill
In room 16, Kate Moss and Johnny Depp filled the Victorian bath with champagne, Alice Cooper kept his snakes in it, and Tim Burton flooded the room by leaping from the bed into the bath and back again. The Stones, U2, Tina Turner and many other starry names from music, fashion and showbiz also stayed at The Portobello in its heyday. A few years ago it was given a new lease of life by Peter and Jessica Frankopan of A Curious Group of Hotels, which includes Cowley Manor, L’Hôtel in Paris and Canal House in Amsterdam. Today’s look encapsulates the bohemian spirit of Portobello Road in the Swinging Sixties and that famous bed and bath are still there, among many other items from the hotel’s decadent past.
BOOK
+44 (0)20 7727 2777 / portobellohotel.com
The Marylebone, Marylebone
Which born-and-bred Londoners would have dreamed that Marylebone, an area once dusty and overlooked, could become such a chic and lively quarter, full of quirky, stylish shops, restaurants and cafés? And at its heart this cosmopolitan community has The Marylebone, a great place for breakfast, lunch, or dinner in its sassy 108 Brasserie with red leather upholstery – also perfect for a catch-up drink at the bar with a friend. Sister to The Bloomsbury and The Kensington hotels, as well as the The Westbury in Dublin, The Marylebone’s refurb has added a new lobby cocktail bar, seasonal lounges, including an outdoor Summer Terrace, and sparkling new party and event spaces – The Marylebone Rooms and Number Six.
BOOK
+44 (0)20 7486 6600 / doylecollection.com
The Kensington, South Kensington
What a great address, in an attractive and central part of London that so far hasn’t been noted for its hotels; at least, not until spot-hitting ones like this Doyle Collection model from the family-owned luxury group that also owns London’s The Marylebone and The Bloomsbury hotels, and The Westbury in Dublin. Its chairman, Bernie Gallagher, oversaw the interior design to make it feel like a beautiful private residence. Comfortable, sophisticated, but never try-hard, you can eat and drink in the homely Town House restaurant or in the K Bar, which offers signature cocktails and bar bites and do not miss out on the acclaimed London Landmarks Afternoon Tea. The public drawing rooms are stylish yet relaxing and there are 150 beautifully decorated bedrooms and suites including two sumptuous signature suites.
BOOK
+44 (0)20 7589 6300 /Â doylecollection.com
COMO The Halkin, Belgravia
Can a hotel corridor be seductive? It can here. From the lift you navigate a graceful arc of black-painted strips of wood in which bedroom doors are all but invisible as gently curving walls give the impression of infinite depth, and create a zen mood of unhurried calm. Throughout, bespoke Italian design is combined with subtle Asian nuances. Contemporary, cosseting rooms are furnished with soft carpets and warm wood panelling, and have some of the largest bathrooms in London. Guests can sign up for yoga and personal training sessions or work-out in the gym; pampering in-room COMO Shambhala therapies and spa treatments can be arranged.
BOOK
+44 (0)20 73331000 /Â comohotels.com/thehalkin
Henry’s Townhouse, Marylebone
Set in the former home of Jane Austen’s favourite brother Henry, this discreet, exclusive-use townhouse hotel is a home-from-home in Marylebone for up to 14 guests. In-demand interior designer Russell Sage has created seven sophisticated yet cosy bedrooms – all named after Jane Austen’s relatives – with original period features and Georgian glamour. Breakfast is served at the refectory table in Monsieur Halavant’s Pantry Kitchen, while Jane’s Sitting Room is ideal for afternoon tea or curling up with a book. Don’t miss the first-floor landing carriage snug, based on a railway carriage, where you can squirrel away for a glass of wine, or the outdoor terrace for morning coffee looking out over the neighbourhood below.
BOOK
+44 (0)7557 100892 / henrystownhouse.co.uk
Artist Residence, Pimlico
The third hotel from the hands of dynamic duo Justin and Charlie Salisbury –following their Artist Residences in Brighton and Penzance – was once just a down-at-heel local boozer. Together, with enthusiasm, hard work and artistic flair, they’ve transformed it into a charming, affordable London hotel with bags of character. On three elegant floors, it has ten comfortably rustic bedrooms and two fabulous suites, all imaginatively decorated and furnished with quirky, cleverly sourced finds. There’s a moody and glamorous bar tucked away in the basement that comes alive at night, serving drinks inspired by cult movies like Kill Bill, which comes with a black vanilla sugar stripe, or The Departed, a cocktail so lethal it’s limited to two per person.
BOOK
+44 (0)20 3019 8610 / artistresidence.co.uk
Claridge’s, Mayfair
Do you love giving special gifts? Then pop Claridge’s in a presentation box, tie it up with red ribbon and give it – for a night or two – to someone you love. We can guarantee it’ll be one of the best gifts they’ve ever had. Claridge’s has always had cachet. But while it used to be the staid and stately base for visiting royalty, today it is a spirited mix of the glittering and gracious, hip and dignified, all underpinned by it superb service. As part of the Maybourne Group that includes The Connaught and The Berkeley, it’s the attention to detail that makes it sing. From the moment you push through the revolving door, past celebrity-spotting photographers, into the marble-floored front hall to the wrought-iron lift complete with attendant, it just keeps giving.
BOOK
+44 (0)20 7629 8860 /Â claridges.co.uk
The Londoner, Leicester Square
Six years in the making and spread across 16 storeys, The Londoner is all bells-and-whistles – from the two-screen cinema to the vast ballroom and the subterranean wellness floor, where the tranquil pool is surrounded by cabanas (ideal for escaping the West End bustle). The bars and restaurants are a must: French fine dining at Whitcomb’s, with influences from the Mediterranean; Joshua’s Tavern, inspired by 18th-century artist Joshua Reynolds, specialises in terroir-led gins; and The Stage for grown-up afternoon tea or a glass of champagne, often with live music at weekends. Perhaps the biggest buzz, though, is 8 at The Londoner, the izakaya rooftop bar with a terrace offering top-draw cityscape views.
BOOK
+44 (0)20 7451 0101 / thelondoner.com
The Connaught, Mayfair
How we love The Connaught. It has always been a special, very British place and now, as part of the Maybourne Group, it’s both a home from home and a glamorous destination, with superbly orchestrated service. While the magnificent mahogany staircase compels guests not to take the lift, treats don’t come better than a martini in the seductive, buzzing Connaught Bar. Or take home a limited-edition, hand-inscribed bottle of the bar’s very own gin distilled in house by master mixologist Agostino Perrone. Since 2008 The Connaught has been home to the two-Michelin-starred Hélène Darroze restaurant, where the ravishing dishes are perfectly complemented by Pierre Yovanovitch’s sophisticated, colourful interiors.
BOOK
+44 (0)20 7499 7070 / the-connaught.co.uk
Dorset Square Hotel, Marylebone
The first of Firmdale’s vibrant and welcoming city hotels, opened in 1985 by multi-talented husband and wife team Tim and Kit Kemp. Like their Knightsbridge Hotel and Number Sixteen, it’s a beautiful London townhouse, in this case Regency, with some gentle decorative reminders that it overlooks the site of Thomas Lord’s first cricket ground, Dorset Square. There are cricket bats arranged like works of art, miniature balls used as wardrobe door handles, photographs and cartoons of famous cricketers and other memorabilia, all incorporated into Kit’s sophisticated interiors. There’s an elegant drawing room with an honesty bar and fireplace, and 38 seductive bedrooms, many overlooking the private Dorset Square garden, to which guests have access.
BOOK
+44 (0)20 7723 7874;Â firmdalehotels.com
Bingham Riverhouse, Richmond
Evoking the feel of a private members’ club, this intimate riverside idyll is as convivial as it is stylish. It began life as two Georgian townhouses and from 1899-1910 it was home to the poets Katherine Bradley and Edith Cooper. ‘I have rubbed myself against nature’s great warm hand,’ wrote Katherine, after a bout of gardening, ‘in a spirit of pagan delight’. Crikey. Today, the friendliest of staff serve food from the kitchen of Steven Edwards at Bingham Riverhouse (winner of MasterChef: The Professionals) in the parlour, with its striking modern art and verdant views, and the library with its wall lined rows of nicely dog-eared old Penguin paperbacks – 2,816, to be precise.
BOOK
+44 (0)20 8940 0902 / binghamriverhouse.co.uk
The Bloomsbury, Bloomsbury
A cherished member of The Doyle Collection, an exclusive Irish hotel group that also includes The Kensington and The Marylebone in London, and The Westbury in Dublin, The Bloomsbury is a sympathetic conversion of a Grade II-listed 1930s Lutyens building just a few minutes’ walk from Soho and Covent Garden. Following a multi-million pound investment, the transformation includes a new reception area and luxury studio suites with vintage-style upholstery, statement wallpaper and Italian marble bathrooms. There’s also a library dedicated to Seamus Heaney, comfortable guest sitting room and a stunning, chandeliered 1920s-style bar, The Coral Room, created by the acclaimed Swedish designer, Martin Brudnizki.
BOOK
+44 (0)20 7347 1000 / doylecollection.com
The Soho Hotel, Soho
This punchy and exciting, yet deeply comfortable and welcoming, Firmdale hotel is tucked away on a quiet street in the heart of London’s characterful entertainment district, surrounded by some of its best restaurants, bars, cafés, theatre and nightlife. It’s full of bold statements that are typical of founder and creative director Kit Kemp: her eye for beauty, fun and colour starts with the ten foot bronze Fernando Botero cat in the lobby, which has become something of a Firmdale symbol (see also Dorset Square Hotel, Knightsbridge Hotel and Number Sixteen). As well as the drawing room, a quirky take on a private London residence where light floods in and a bartender brings round the gin trolley every afternoon, you’ll find a library, screening room and film club.
BOOK
+44 (0)20 7559 3000 / firmdalehotels.com
Knightsbridge Hotel, Knightsbridge
Tim and Kit Kemp, owners of Firmdale Hotels, have the knack of creating places to stay that not only look fabulous but are also easy-going and smoothly run; Knightsbridge Hotel is no exception. An imposing house in a quiet tree-lined cul-de-sac and the ideal canvas for their skills (see also Dorset Square Hotel, Number Sixteen and The Soho Hotel). Kit has designed the interior with typical panache, using vivid colours, specially designed fabrics, original British art and statement furniture. There are two public rooms downstairs, the drawing room and library, each with a working fireplace.
BOOK
+44 (0)20 7584 6300 / firmdalehotels.com
Ruby Lucy, Waterloo
Nestled just round the corner from Waterloo Station, Ruby Hotels has its London flagship hotel, Ruby Lucy. Ruby’s mantra is ‘Lean Luxury’, doing away with fluff and grandeur and focusing on sleep quality, food and service. With its quirky interiors and carnivalesque magic in the lobby, this hotel is the ideal spot for a morning coffee or early evening cocktail, surrounded by wonderful artefacts and mismatched chairs. The rooms provide a small oasis from bustling London life and are tailored to provide a perfect night’s sleep with soundproofed walls, blackout curtains and custom-made mattresses. The brand even has its own care products like shower gels, perfumes and lotions, specially created to either invigorate you or send you softly off to sleep.
BOOK
+44 (0) 20 347 534 60 /Â ruby-hotels.com
