London is not a city to rest on its laurels.
In between being one of the most cosmopolitan centres on the planet and a leading light in pretty much everything worthwhile from theatre to fashion to food, it’s long held pride of place for its many hotels, which are just as diverse and delicious as the capital itself.
Years ago, even the best hotels in London were just places to rest your head in between experiencing the sights, sounds, flavours and, er, smells of the place you’re visiting.
However, in recent times, London has fostered a hotel culture that holds its own against Paris, New York, Hong Kong, Las Vegas, Tokyo and anywhere else you could care to name.
Below, you’ll find our list of the 25 best hotels in London. Among the destinations below, there’s a little something for everyone, whether you’re looking for old school traditional luxury that’s been around for north of a century; a more intimate boutique hotel with a world-class culinary experience; or an achingly cool urban boite with its own magnetic scene.
So pack your weekend bag and dive in.
The best hotels in London
The Hoxton Southwark
The Southwark outpost marks The Hoxton’s third London opening thus far and shines through as one of the most unique properties in the chain’s stable. Its all-day rooftop bar and restaurant Seabird specialises in sea-to-table cuisine and has spilled much critical ink and absorbed lashings of online bandwidth since its launch during the pandemic. There’s a special je ne sais quois to necking oysters with cold libations in the sunshine. This sensation is compounded by being elevated 14 floors above the street with views of a shimmering Thames. A cool vibe prevails, and the location is supreme for venturing into the arty Southbank or food-forward Borough Market.
Henrietta Hotel
The Henrietta Hotel marks the enterprising Experimental Group’s first foray into London’s hotel scene, opening across two townhouses on Covent Garden’s Henrietta Street, within a stone's throw of the market. As one would expect, Henrietta’s cocktail game is very much on point, with a vibey mezzanine restaurant and bar catering to drinkers seeking accomplished mixology. The 40 bedrooms, designed by French interiors doyenne Dorothee Meilichzon, exude an effortlessly chic Gallic ambience, similar to what you might find at the Experimental Group’s Compagnie de Vins Surnaturels, located nearby in Neal’s Yard.
One Hundred Shoreditch
But sometimes something new just, you know, wins all the cool points. Taking over from the era-defining Ace Hotel in London’s notoriously trendy E2, One Hundred Shoreditch offers a laundry list of vibey hangouts. These include neo seafood bistro Goddard & Gibbs, Mr Lyan’s most recent foray into concept bars Seed Library, and a rooftop bar where you can let the sunshine in with spectacular 360 degree panoramic views of East London. The rooms follow suit with a midcentury-modern studio vibe that’s as good for tucking in with a good book as it is tucking into the drinks cabinet.
NoMad Hotel
If you’ve ever traipsed around the NoMad Hotel in Midtown Manhattan, you’ll have experienced one of the best hotel lobby scenes on the planet. The Sydell Group has built on their hip credentials with their newest NoMad venture on Covent Garden’s Bow Street. Taking over the historic Grade II listed building known as The Bow Street Magistrates’ Cout and Police Station, they’ve built a cathedral of good taste, with a restrained design across all of the property’s mid-century modern rooms and a world class food and beverage programme that includes The Restaurant, set inside a soaring glass conservatory; Side Hustle, an all-day restaurant set in the former police station; and The Library, a clubby leatherbound private space with plenty of books alongside light fare and drinks.
Chiltern Firehouse
When it first opened, the Chiltern Firehouse, and particularly its Ladder Shed area, was the best place to rub shoulders with celebrities in the capital. On any given evening you might be playing chess next to Tom Cruise, listening to Sir Alan Sugar bray at the adjacent table, or watching Lindsay Lohan spill out of the hotel in grand style. And the hotel hasn’t been a flash-in-the-pan by any means, with guests spending time navigating reservations lines and walk-in queues in equal measure to enjoy its stunning takeover of a Grade II listed gothic firehouse in Marylebone.
The Stratford
Until the 2010s, E20 didn’t have a huge amount of pull with international tourists. However, the unbridled success of the 2012 Olympics changed all that, putting the East London suburb firmly in the conversation, and a slew of restaurant, hotel and destination openings shortly after have made it an essential part of town for those looking to get out of the centre of town. The Stratford is the jewel in the crown: from operator Harry Handelsman, the gleaming development includes sumptuous rooms and suites with an excellent bar, the Mezzanine, plus Patrick Powell’s excellent Allegra restaurant.
Town Hall Hotel
Town Hall Hotel has long held sway as a principal East London hangout, playing host to various Michelin-starred restaurants including Nuno Mendes’s Viajante and Rafael Cagali’s Da Terra, which was recently awarded its second. The design seamlessly merges Edwardian classicism with contemporary flourishes, such as the statement laser-cut aluminium skin that caps the edifice. Town Hall Hotel really helped to put Bethnal Green on the map as a viable foodie destination in the late 2000s and continues to rivet the attention in 2022.
The Standard
The Standard has perennially dominated as a cool-as-ice international hotel brand, from its early days playing host to the creme-de-la-creme of New York’s party scene to its most recent launch in the Maldives. The Standard King’s Cross is no exception, with a buffet of sui generis offerings separating it from the pretenders. These include Decimo, the tenth-floor resto headed up by Michelin-starred chef Peter Sanchez-Iglesias; a sultry 1970s Brutalist design that recalls Stanley Kubrick in a particularly lysergic state of mind; its own recording studio; and outdoor bathtubs overlooking St Pancras.
Treehouse Hotel London
Located in the lap of the BBC building on Langham Place, Treehouse Hotel London has done justice to its iconic location near Regent’s and Oxford Street with 95 rooms across six floors, all given an industrial-chic design, stunning city views, and blackout curtains to ensure good sleep. Food and beverage at Treehouse is firing on all cylinders. Opt for Californian chef Nancy Silverton’s (you know, the woman who kickstarted the sourdough trend in the 80s) ground floor Pizzeria Mozza for enlightened Italian-American fare, or ascend to the top floors for 360 panoramic views of Marylebone and Fitzrovia at cocktail bar The Nest or Mexican-inspired eatery Madera.
The Ned
The Ned largely reframed what The City could offer culturally when it opened its doors across the street from The Bank of England. As a joint venture between Soho House and Sydell Group, it ticks all the boxes for the urban sybarite, with a host of name brand restaurants on its ground floor. For private members’ clubs and hotel guests, there are an abundance of luxuries on offer, ranging from the world-beating spa in what was formerly the building’s underground bank vault to the traditionally-minded gym area to the classy Library Bar to the rooftop Ned’s Club, featuring one of the coolest pools in the capital.
The Zetter Marylebone
For anyone who enjoys their hotels with a hearty dose of Victoriana, The Zetter Marylebone is a shoo-in. Nestled in a particularly bucolic corner of Marylebone, the second outing from the hotel group, and spin-off from the more contemporary Zetter Hotel, is jewelbox small with only 24 rooms. Guests will be lavished with throwback fin-de-siecle details in the room such as hot water bottles, vintage radios, hand-knit blankets and bottled cocktails. The proximity to Marylebone, Mayfair and Soho means that you can drop in and out of some of the best boutiques and shops in London, with plenty else to pursue in the meantime.
Beaverbrook Town House
The charming city pied-à-terre to Beaverbrook’s sprawling country pile, Beaverbrook Town House has made quite the entrance since installing itself in Sloane Square. The boutique hotel is spread over two townhouses with just fourteen suites, offering guests the opportunity to be looked after with the utmost attention throughout their stay. The property’s flagship restaurant – The Fuji Grill – borrows inspiration from the Japanese isles with an omakase menu that has earned a lot of love, and its bar – Sir Frank’s – pays homage to the history of Lord Beaverbook’s colourful life with classic cocktails.
The Mandrake
Situated on Newman Street in Fitzrovia, The Mandrake has imported a notably Gallic sense of style to central London. Alongside an exceptionally edgy art collection, it also boasts one of the finest courtyard gardens in all of the city, Jurema, festooning red-brick with hanging jasmine and passionflower in fabulous fashion. Hospitality is well run, from Latin American restaurant YOPO to the ethnobotany-led Waeska Bar, and The Mandrake also operates an industry-leading spiritual wellness centre with gong baths, sensory sound meditation, crystal reiki and new moon cacao ceremonies. To that we say, namaste.
The London EDITION
Those with their finger on the pulse of the design world will know that the London EDITION is something of a masterpiece. Opened by hotel maven Ian Schrager (who has a slew of zeitgeisty venues under his belt including Studio 54, the Delano and PUBLIC, to name a few), The London EDITION spliced bleeding-edge style with a staunchly Georgian original facade, retaining features like original stained glass windows and marble floors. He then installed top chef Jason Atherton in flagship restaurant Berners Tavern and the rest, as they say, is history. Ten years on, it still trades punches as one of London’s best hotels.
The Connaught
The Connaught has played a central role in London’s fine dining and cocktail scene since its inception. It’s eponymous bar has won innumerable awards, and taken home top trumps at the World’s 50 Best bars on several occasions. Hélène Darroze at The Connaught recently won its third Michelin star and sees its chef in top form, drawing from her storied family history as some of France’s foremost culinary movers and shakers. Rooms have been given a similar degree of attention from designers Guy Oliver and the late, great David Collins. Taken together, The Connaught is London luxury at its finest.
The Londoner
Alright, we know. Leicester Square is one of London’s most tourist-ridden corners, but if you want to stay there and reap the benefits of an incredibly central location, head to The Londoner Hotel – as they do it best. Six years of construction and the investment of a cool £500 million have culminated in the creation of one of the world’s most ambitious hotels. Set over six storeys, the property is a world unto its own, with six separate restaurants including a rooftop izakaya bar, neighbourhood tavern, French Mediterranean bistro, Champagne bar and wellness-driven cafe. Alongside that, guests can help themselves to an array of drinking dens, beauty salons, a two-screen private cinema, and a 1000-person ballroom.
The Beaumont
The Beaumont transports guests to the Roaring Twenties just as much as it does to present day London, with an art deco design par excellence and the same service one would expect from the gilded era. It boasts 73 bedrooms spread across the building’s Grade II-listed edifice, which was originally constructed in the heady days of 1926. It also features over 1,500 pieces of artwork, hair and beauty salons, a 24-hour gym, a hammam, and two excellent F&B propositions: the cocktail lounge Magritte and the staunchly trad Colony Grill Room. Art aficionados must attend to ROOM - Anthony Gormley’s infamous suite/statue that presides thoughtfully over Brown Hart Gardens.
The Mondrian Shoreditch
The Mondrian migrated from its Thameside location into the upper end of Curtain Road in trend-chasing Shoreditch, and is the better for it. Since landing they’ve launched an ambitious array of hospitality options. First off is Dani Garcia’s excellent BiBo. Formerly touting three Michelin stars at his eponymous Marbella eatery, he’s imported Iberian ebullience into the heart of the hotel. Those that want a dose of Vitamin D with their stay will be rewarded at rooftop swimming pool and private club, and alongside 120 stylish rooms, guests will be treated to a 24-hour gym, spa treatment rooms and a co-working space, making the Mondrian catnip for millennials.
Pan Pacific London
Anyone who’s experienced the hotels of Singapore, Hong Kong or KL will know there’s something to be said about the Asian hotel experience, and the Pan Pacific London delivers it in spades. Perched above One Bishopsgate Plaza and Liverpool Street Station in a 43 storey skyscraper, the 5-star hotel features 237 bedrooms, 42 of which are suites, with interiors by the renowned Yabu Pushelberg. Anyone wanting to indulge in the Singaporean dining experience should make tracks toward the Straits Kitchen – it does a badass lobster laksa as well as a Jacob’s Ladder rendang. Otherwise, there are an array of excellent drinking redoubts including Ginger Lily, The Orchid Lounge and Silverleaf.
The Berkeley
The Berkeley is the most contemporary in the trio of hotels that comprises the Maybourne Group’s London collection, and an ideal option for anyone who wants to push the boat out in Mayfair. Having opened its doors in 1897, it’s had a moment to make sure its offerings are top class, and that they are, with a resonating set of strings to its bow. The newest is Cedric Grolet at The Berkeley - one of the most sought-after patisseries in the city - with along Marcus Wareing’s stalwart Michelin-starred reprieve MARCUS, keeps the gastro-inclined returning to the hotel. As you’d expect of a classic, service is of the highest quality, the bars are works of art in themselves, with rooms that you’ll never want to leave.
The Pilgrm Paddington
Keen to stay somewhere cut from a different cloth that isn’t much of a muchness? The Pilgrm, nestled just a stone’s throw away from Paddington, will give you free rein to discover some of London’s less-frequented and leafy neighbourhoods, with Little Venice and St John’s Wood just right around the corner. Boasting 73 rooms, The Pilgrm Paddington is also one of the most affordable hotels on this list, with bunks starting at £109. Sustainability is front and centre in its offering: much of the furniture and woodwork used to craft the property was reclaimed, and they aspire to utilise as much recycled material as possible.
Portobello Hotel
Portobello Hotel is a boutique property with 21 unique rooms nestled in the heart of one of London’s most suave and sophisticated neighbourhoods. Spread over two whitewashed Victorian town houses in Notting Hill’s Stanley Gardens, this characterful property has garnered a name for itself as a wild-child for playing host to a procession of actors, models and celebs. The rooms skew towards the Belle Epoque with a number of standout, signature details, such as giant Victorian bathtubs or rooms replete with ornithology, that imbue the experience with a special-occasion feel. For exploring Notting Hill, there’s no better.
Claridge’s
Just like not all new hotels are cool, not all cool hotels are new – and this is definitely a sentiment that shines through when considering The Savoy London, one of the capital’s most historic venues and a symbol of London high life that exploded in popularity in the 1920s, but which can trace its roots back more than a century before that. With everything from simple rooms to presidential suites and even self-catered cottages to choose from, those with refined taste and the disposable income to back it up flock to what is undoubtedly the capital’s most iconic old-school hotel. The food and drink more than lives up to its reputation, too: The Painter's Room and Claridge’s Bar are fantastic venues for a nightcap, while the world waits to see who’ll helm its flagship restaurant after outgoing chef David Humm left Davies & Brook.
Ham Yard Hotel
When the Ham Yard Hotel opened its doors on a quiet Soho bystreet it changed the game for what a central London property can provide. It’s been decked to the nines with all of the creature comforts a modern urbanite would expect, and some they wouldn’t. For instance, the Ham Yard Hotel has its own bowling alley, cinema room, and rooftop apiary from which they craft their own honey. Part of the Firmdale hotel group, it’s created a perpetual buzz amongst central London’s media types, who can be found frequented Ham Yard’s cocktail bar and restaurant.
Chateau Denmark
Channel your inner 1990s alt rock star at Chateau Denmark on Soho’s Denmark Street, which has long been a nexus for musicians across the country. Spread across 16 different buildings, the 55 bedrooms have been designed to pay homage to the rich musical history of the area, where bands from the Rolling Stones to the Sex Pistols recorded albums. The interiors draw from all corners of the tradition: psychedelia dandyism and punk rock shot through with modern gothic. As part and parcel of its rock-forward credentials, Chateau Denmark boasts three live music venues as well as a recording studio. No rock has been left unturned.
