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The 33 Best Hotels in London

By Steve King and Condé Nast Traveller

There are approximately 123,000 hotel rooms in London . Nobody knows for sure exactly how many. You would think that, as with schools or hospitals or public swimming pools, there would exist a definitive and up-to-date list of the city’s hotels. Apparently not. In any case, 123,000 was the figure that some diligent scholar of the hospitality sector came up with back in 2010. A decade later, that number has no doubt increased considerably.

Still, a shortlist of 33 hotels in London is plenty to be getting on with, especially 33 that are as diverse, exciting, innovative, sumptuous, original, and surprising as these. While it is true that certain other great cities of the world are, in hotel terms, similarly blessed— Paris and New York , undoubtedly; Hong Kong and Rome , possibly—none is more so than London.

As for the word ‘best’ in our headline, with its hint of know-it-all certainty, well, provoking a bit of civilized debate is part of the point of lists like these. We hope you will agree that our idea of what is best is generally on the money. If you do not, you may take comfort in the fact that there are at least 123,000 alternatives available to you during your time in London.

What area in London is best to stay in?

If it’s your first time to the capital or you’re looking to stay among the action, most of the best hotels in London tend to surround the West End in areas such as Soho, Piccadilly, Mayfair, and Covent Garden. For a stay that sits alongside greenery, some of London’s smartest high-end hotels neighbor Hyde Park or Green Park, with grand landmarks like Buckingham Palace and Harrods located nearby. To be closer to London’s creative, music and nightlife hub, head to East London, where there are a number of smart hotels in Shoreditch.

Read our complete London travel guide here .

All listings featured on Condé Nast Traveler are independently selected by our editors. If you book something through our links, we may earn an affiliate commission.

Chelsea Townhouse Arrow

If you know London , you also know how prized its private communal gardens are to the residents lucky enough to live by them. The Cadogan Place Gardens in Sloane Square, with their mature trees and gated railings, are among the most prestigious—and the newly opened Chelsea Townhouse gives its guests access to that rarified local perk. The 36-room hotel—the third London property and the sixth hotel in the Iconic Luxury Hotels collection—is stitched across three redbrick Victorian town houses and includes roomy, ground-level suites with French doors that open directly into the garden. The decor here leans antique but is light-touch and chic—think botanical prints, pleated lampshades, velvet headboards, and the odd porcelain figurine. Much of the period furniture has been repurposed from its predecessor, the Draycott Hotel, but the redesign has breathed new life into its spaces, which are bathed in restful shades of gray and cream. Its communal areas include a fire-warmed dining room and bay-windowed library, made cozier with staff who anticipate your needs. Once nestled in this cocoon, it’s easy to forget the abundance at your doorstep: Stylish sister property 11 Cadogan Gardens—with a clever little gym that’s available for Townhouse guests—is around the corner, as is Pavilion Road, a pedestrian mews street with indie restaurants, bars, and design shops. Further out in Chelsea and Kensington, opportunities abound for a great night out; but as you wind your way back to this comfy, tucked-away sanctuary, you’ll be ever glad to be home. —Arati Menon

Claridge's, Mayfair Arrow

Founded in 1812, frequented by Queen Victoria and listed by 1878’s influential Baedeker’s guide as “the first hotel in London ,” Claridge’s could easily rest on its storied laurels. But it has always kept ahead of the rest, enlisting the likes of Guy Oliver and Diane von Furstenberg for face-lifts over the decades to ensure it bestrides the classic and modern in a way few hotels manage. The lobby captures the art deco glamour of the Jazz Age when flappers hobnobbed with royalty. Its checkered-floor expanse buzzes with an international motley crew of Hollywood stars, brides and business types catching up over zesty Ginger John cocktails in the 1930s-style Fumoir bar. The pick of the new suites is the Georgian, an impeccable meld of English heritage and subtle chinoiserie. There’s a Steinberg baby grand piano, silk de Gournay panels in the dining room and a kitchen with a 24-hour butler. The hotel’s expansion into the next-door building created space for suites such as the Mayfair, where designer Bryan O’Sullivan (The Berkeley Bar) has ingrained modernity through scalloped mohair furniture in coral and pastel-green palettes. Claridge’s has also dug deep to impress guests with its subterranean spa. Designed by André Fu (the Maybourne Bar in Beverly Hills), its limewood and stone textures and dreamy peachy hues are the backdrop for bamboo-stick massages and Cryo Oxygen Shot facials. The pool ripples beneath a vaulted ceiling, surrounded by stone columns and cushy cabanas. Claridge’s is no longer the only show in town, but it’s with good reason that every other heritage hotel in London still sees it as the benchmark. Noo Saro-Wiwa

The Dorchester, Hyde Park Arrow

Not to be outdone by arrivistes thudding onto the top-end scene, the Dorch has been shaking her tail feathers with the biggest refurb in three decades: public spaces supercharged, and two floors of new rooms and suites revealed. Penthouses and a rooftop remain under lock and key until later in 2024. The hotel where Elizabeth Taylor signed her Cleopatra contract in the bath remains out-and-out fabulous—but with a Pierre-Yves Rochon uplift. The Artists’ Bar sparkles with a mirrored ceiling, Lalique crystal pillars girdling the bar, and Liberace’s mirror-ball-clad baby grand. This is the spot for caviar, native oysters, and Petal Head cocktails (Stoli Elit vodka, kumquat, Aperol, and passion fruit) served from a trolley. A hoard of London -centric art glints on the walls: Ann Carrington’s Elizabeth II silhouette in mother-of-pearl buttons, Sue Arrowsmith’s delicate silver leaf with coral branches. Martin Brudnizki’s Vesper Bar invites intimacy with its smoked glass and scalloped armchairs, and the spa (best for Dr. Uliana Gout’s new medical-grade facials) is a pink girly haven. The Grill by Tom Booton, a fun slice of British culinary theater, has a fresh menu; don’t miss the squid bolognese à la Koffmann, given the tick of approval by Pierre Koffmann himself. The new suites have the palettes of an English garden, in leaf green, rose, and heather. If Hôtel Plaza Athénée is the American fantasy of Paris, then this Park Lane dame’s new rooms are the American fantasy of Britishness—one we are happy to buy into. From $1,136. —Lydia Bell

Raffles London at The OWO Arrow

The War Office is not the War Office anymore. It’s now the OWO (aka “The Old War Office”). It consists of Raffles London at the OWO, which takes up about half the building, along with some mighty luxe private residences and various other restaurants. It’s hard not to over-emphasise how little other London hotels can touch what Raffles has been lucky enough to tap into here. Historically, the building has perched at the very hub of the establishment. The hefty $1.9 billion restoration investment, over seven years, has included a 25-meter downward excavation (to create the wellness levels of the hotel). Nine restaurants and three bars join the 27,000-ft Goddard Littlefair-designed Guerlain spa (with three subterranean levels) and 20-meter pool. The final shimmering product has 120 rooms and suites, with an entry-level rate of more than $1,400 per night. All is presided over by the soave, somewhat slinky French hotelier Philippe Leboeuf, the Managing Director, Anglophile and self-professed Churchillphile.

Jessica Puckett

Lee Marshall

Meaghan Kenny

The Peninsula Arrow

Inside The Peninsula’s vast lobby, there’s an abstract sense that the red buses and black cabs outside on Hyde Park Corner might as well be a digital projection. All the hallmarks of one of the world’s most iconic hotel brands are here – the pristine service, the all-encompassing tech, the Rolls-Royces in brand green, the tinkly underwater music in the pool; every lion statuette, marble surface and Japanese maple tree blessed by a hallowed feng shui master. Barely a week after its September soft opening, the place was already busy with an international crowd, between the columns and chandeliers, overlooked by London Parks murals by wallpaper specialists De Gournay. The 190 rooms were designed by American Peter Marino, all with a prevailing sense of haute-generic seven-star neutrality but are set apart by elaborate technology and extreme comfort. Bright walls of china plates and delicate cups are the backdrop to Pensinsula veteran chef Dicky To’s dishes at The Canton Blue, which fuse Cantonese techniques with British ingredients. Downstairs is the sexy street-side Little Blue bar, where ex-Cheval Blanc mixologist Florian Thireau has created a lovely cocktail list themed by the Keying junk journey (to Hong Kong, St Helena, New York and London). And then there's the faintly Jetsons-styled rooftop bar and restaurant, with knockout London views from the terrace, rare Cuban cigars and classic British food by former Bibendum and Hibiscus head chef Francesco Di Benedetto.

Nomad London, Covent Garden Arrow

Despite the Ace Hotel’s departure from the city, there’s something of a USA revival going on in London, with The Standard landing in King’s Cross and the Mondrian just launched in Shoreditch . And earlier this year, the first NoMad outside the States opened in a palatial former magistrates’ court opposite the Royal Opera House . It came with some expectation – after all, the original put a whole New York City neighbourhood on the map, its Dirty Martini-fuelled bar an overnight sensation – but has hit the ground running. The centrepiece restaurant, in a luminous, almost neoclassical atrium draped with greenery, was booked up for weeks, a see-and-be-seen destination. There’s plenty of showmanship here, but it’s more Noël Coward than PT Barnum: vintage chandeliers, brass and crimson, mohair and damask, mural painters from the opera house involved in the decor. In the bedrooms, bathrooms nod to golden Twenties Art Deco and the main spaces to a sort of transatlantic connoisseur spirit, with big-brushed abstract expressionism propped up on the floor, Hopi kachina dolls beside the fireplace and a blend of Victoriana and art history on the walls (we perhaps have hotelier Andrew Zobler’s grandmother, who owned an antiques shop , to thank for this). The Library bar has shelves and shelves of books, though the prominent criminology section can’t match a tour of the adjacent new Bow Street Police Museum, birthplace of London’s first force, which has seen the Krays, Oscar Wilde and Emmeline Pankhurst pass through its cells. Shakers rattle like sidewinders in the tavern-esque Side Hustle, mixing up fancy American-style cocktails. This is a big-thinking but surprisingly intimate hotel that deserves a standing ovation.

Broadwick Soho Arrow

This Martin Brudzinski-designed hangout on the corner of Berwick Street and Broadwick Street is no elegant grand dame or glassy international transplant. Instead, the 57-room hotel owned by a group of friends throws patterns (leopard print, zebra stripe, geometric lines), textures (cork panelling, glitter DJ booths, silk walls) and colours (flamingo pink, maroon, aquamarine) together to create a joyful place to stay. As is Brudzinski's way, spaces here are hardly shy and retiring. The designer's trademark maximalist vibe naturally draws comparisons to his other projects, especially Annabel's, but Broadwick is her own person entirely. Two enormous elephants hover above the street-level entrance in top hats and bow ties, while bedrooms pick up the motif and run with it by placing handcrafted Jaipur elephant mini bars front and centre and decking the walls in shimmering elephant-print wallpaper. A hotel this fun, of course, needs sharp public spaces for merrymaking: Flute is the disco-chic rooftop bar; Dear Jackie is a sultry, dimly lit restaurant with an impeccable Sicilian-inspired menu; and little sister Bar Jackie is a more casual café with strong coffee for soothing weary heads the morning after the night before. Then there's The Nook, a guests-only den for nightcaps or afternoon snoozes. The result is a hotel that feels fresh while simultaneously fitting right into the London scene; a space that trades heavily on its glamour and distinctly Soho soul. — Sarah James

1 Hotel Mayfair, Mayfair Arrow

This nine-story hotel is a sustainable sanctuary slotting naturally among London’s oldest hospitality icons just across the road from The Ritz and The Wolseley. Inside, you are greeted by a giant suspended plant chandelier, a reception desk hewn from the trunk of a giant oak tree in a Sussex forest and a wall of Yorkshire stone, tactfully slotted together with no additional materials by a father and son carpentry stonemason duo. It’s an unexpectedly soothing space amid  London ’s busiest shopping district; inside, the noise of  Piccadilly  fades away, absorbed by thousands of plants (1,300 to be exact – including 200 local and regional species) and raw materials sprinkled throughout the hotel. The reception’s tranquil aesthetic extends into each of the 181 bedrooms. Sandy hues and creamy tones come in the form of linen-covered cushions, soft furnishings and oak flooring, and each room has a living moss wall, further emphasising the hotel’s dedication to bringing the outdoors inside. Downstairs the hotel also has is a cafe and  co-working space  by day which transforms into a wine bar  by night, as well as an elegant, low-lit cocktail bar area leading on to London’s most talked-about  new restaurant , Dovetale.

The Connaught, Mayfair Arrow

A hotel known for its Englishness—a quality embodied in its celebrated central staircase (dark and woody of bannister, bright and stripy of carpet), which apparently drove Ralph Lauren into such a fit of longing that he commissioned a replica of it for his Madison Avenue shop. The Connaught Bar is a mini Art Deco masterpiece and our pick for the best bar in London . Both Hélène Darroze's three Michelin-starred restaurant and the less formal Jean-Georges at The Connaught are outstanding too (the latter with a view onto a magical Tadao Ando water sculpture outside).

The Twenty Two, Mayfair Arrow

This previously residential Edwardian manor house has been turned into a 31-room hotel and member’s club by former Blakes owner Navid Mirtorabi, with the help of business partner Jamie Reuben, a scion of a family that owns swathes of Mayfair . In a marble-floored lobby that smells of churchy frankincense, guests are greeted by a cape-wearing doorman and a row of staff in Charlie Casely-Hayford suits. A pervasive friendliness cuts through the velveteen quality of a place that feels more like a louche Parisian hideaway than most smart new  London hotels , which tend to fit into Hoxton or Heritage pigeonholes. Most rooms are understatedly plush, painted an elegant blue that’s on the sensual side of Edwardian; former Arbutus chef Alan Christie hits the key modern British notes in the dining room. Some of the prices are shiver-inducing, but then this is Mayfair, and The Twenty Two is offering something different— something sexier and more fun, which might just be a marker point for the area’s future.

The Mayfair Townhouse, Mayfair Arrow

The brains behind classic country-house hangouts Cliveden and Chewton Glen have whisked up a sharp new city offshoot for any of their loyal troupe of guests wanting to overnight in a London hotel. But there’s no whiff of a rural familial connection. Instead, the Half Moon Street address pays tribute to the frilly artistic folk of the 19th century: there’s a playful dose of Alice in Wonderland meets The Importance of Being Earnest (the play is set on the same street), with nods to the flamboyance of Oscar Wilde’s characters and quirky coloured graphic art referencing motifs from down the rabbit hole. It could all add up to something distinctly gimmicky but a sense of restraint and a Claridge’s-like appreciation for Art Deco has resulted in rooms that are moody, masculine and smart. Some have a tiny quiet garden terrace to retreat to—a rare thing indeed for central London – while others major in marble. The building spreads grandly across 15 converted Georgian houses, a few Grade II-listed, and a lucky handful of the jewel-toned suites come with views over leafy Green Park below. But the real high point is The Dandy Bar on the ground floor—a shiny mirror-and-plush-leather speakeasy serving up a smooth menu of cocktails alongside dishes such as chicken cobb salad and steak frites. If you can prise yourself off your bar stool, Shepherd Market with lovely Kitty Fisher’s restaurant is just around the corner, the Royal Academy is a brisk 10-minute walk down Piccadilly and 5 Hertford Street is a late-night stumble away. A brilliant new spot in a location that already knows how to have fun.

Lime Tree Hotel, Belgravia Arrow

This Ebury Street townhouse conversion is a masterclass in how to maximize eclectic style in a small space. It also delivers on a hard-to-keep promise: an elegant hangout that feels like home, in a great location, at an affordable price. Owners Matt and Charlotte Goodsall opened the property in 2008, quickly turning it into the area’s loveliest little boutique hotel and the best affordable hotel in London . They reframed challenge as opportunity during the 2020 lockdown, overhauling the interiors and adding a new café. The couple enlisted Fraher & Findlay architects, whose previous projects include Wolf & Badger in Coal Drops Yard, but relied on their own taste for the decorative details, sprucing up corners with Sanderson wallpaper and Pooky lampshades. The 28 bedrooms range from minuscule to moderately sized, but this only contributes to the country-cottage cosiness. Clever design ensures that even the tiniest space is optimized, with teal velvet headboards, mountains of ikat pillows and marmalade-colored armchairs (thoughtful reading material is provided—ours was Aesop’s Fables ). Single rooms come at a keener price, so solo travelers are well looked after. The Buttery kitchen is helmed by Stefano Cirillo, previously at Notting Hill spot Beach Blanket Babylon. Breakfast is made up of perfectly executed classics—avocado on sourdough with runny eggs, chocolate-spread-layered French toast topped with berries, a full English with halloumi—accompanied by the smell of freshly ground Gentlemen Baristas beans and crunchy pastries from the bakery down the road. The back garden is a tiny pocket of quiet for chatting late on summer evenings. Just like the rest of the house, it’s a sweet miniature that has all the elements needed and charm in spades.

Mondrian London, Shoreditch Arrow

This East London enclave should really have had its day. It’s been years since Shoreditch’s street-food stalls, concept bars and cutting-edge boutiques started taking off. Then came the smart stays, award-winning cocktail dens and Michelin-starred restaurants . Bright young creatives were quickly priced out of living here. Then, over the past 18 months, the once-buzzing streets went silent. A couple of big names closed for good and there was space for fresh players to shake up the re-emerging neighborhood scene. Mondrian, the city-slicking group dreamt up by Ian Schrager in the 1990s, was primed to launch a new London hotel after handing over the keys of its South Bank stalwart a few years ago. The company, helmed by the Reuben brothers, took over splashy members'-club-hotel The Curtain when it shuttered and brought in design studio Goddard Littlefair – also behind the 2016 facelift of Scotland ’s Gleneagles—to switch things up. The loveliest of the 120 whitewashed, exposed-brick rooms have large balconies and skyline views, but this is the sort of place where you won’t spend much time in bed. Art fills the lobby—spot the double-height piece by British painter Fred Coppin—while ground-floor Christina’s serves glossy pastries by day and Espresso Martinis by night. There’s a members'-only rooftop restaurant with its own pool and co-working space where events and panels are held. And – the biggest coup of all – Spanish chef Dani García has opened the first UK outpost of his renowned BiBo brand downstairs. The best incentive yet to rediscover Shoreditch.

The Standard, London Arrow

Having cracked Manhattan , Miami and Hollywood since it was founded 20 years ago, when The Standard London opened in 2019, it brought a much-needed edge side to King's Cross. Its Brutalist building and former annex of Camden Town Hall was much maligned by locals who nicknamed it the egg box. Now, with its red-pill-shaped lift that scales the Euston Road façade, it more than squares up to the splendid Gothic Revival St Pancras station nearby. Inside, American designer Shawn Hausman, a long-time Standard collaborator, created all the spaces with a decade-switching look that is mind-boggling and fabulous. Utilitarian civic signage meets Seventies Milanese terrazzo and tiling: Transport for London’s color palette inspired the loud carpets; and the colorways, shapes and humor of Italian design movement Memphis permeate everything. Rooms range from about £199 for a single, aimed at students and early-bird Eurostar travelers, to about £729 for a terraced room with an outdoor bathtub overlooking St Pancras. Expect Memphis design meets Miami with a mix of bright colours and pastels, crazy carpets and tiles. Furniture is both vintage and bespoke and all the rooms have great views. The hotel's 10th-floor restaurant Decimo continues to be one of the hottest tables in town, where Michelin-starred chef Peter Sanchez-Iglesias highlights Spanish dishes with a Mexican twist and a cocktail menu full of margaritas. The downstairs cocktail bar Double Standard serves burgers, fish and chips and pints, while next-door Isla offers seasonal British small plates.

The Hari, Belgravia Arrow

With the flurry of London openings in recent years, you’d be forgiven for overlooking hotels such as The Hari, but this is a contemporary bolthole with an artistic temperament and loft-style bedrooms that are a pleasure to dawdle in. And while many of London’s classic hits are a stroll away, staying in for an evening isn’t to be sniffed at either, drifting on a little passeggiata from the bar with its riffs on classic cocktails down to the restaurant for authentic Italian dishes . There’s a real sense of being tucked away here, of bedrooms being chic dens from which you can peek out at London, with decor mixing Starck-like polish with just a little burlesque (a waft of gauze, a lingerie-clad portrait) and lithographs such as Tracey Emin’s ‘She Lay Down’. For a personable, well-connected London base tucked away in Belgravia – this feels like a secret hotel for romantic liaisons or a weekend break taking in a show or exhibition, shopping on Sloane Street then stretching out for an indulgent Sunday morning.

The Lanesborough Arrow

Minimalists, modernists, fanciers of all things sleek, shiny, geometrical and monochrome—this is not the place for you. The Lanesborough was always an unrepentant riot of Regency splendor. In 2015 it reopened more unrepentant, riotous and Regency-splendid than ever. The Royal Suite, at $33,000 a night, is supposedly the most expensive in London—guilty as charged—but certain of the Junior Suites are among the most charming and cleverly contrived hotel rooms you will find anywhere. The celebrated Library Bar and cigar terrace are still there, little altered. The main restaurant, Céleste, deserves mention as one of the most spectacular dining rooms in town, with decorative cues from Wedgewood and daylight from God, via a gorgeous 'sky dome'.

The Berkeley Arrow

Part of the Maybourne Group, which also manages Claridge's and The Connaught, The Berkeley is a bit like both but not much like either. A child of the early 1970s, there are no heritage trappings; instead, the look is cool, low-key, non-specifically modern. Soothe your aching muscles and achieve a state of serenity at the Blue Bar, or at the health club, home to one of the best spas in London . The views over Hyde Park are excellent; the rooftop pool is itself as pretty as a picture, though too small to be of much use to anyone who actually wants to swim. By way of compensation, there is Andre Fu's 3,000-square-foot Opus Suite—a spectacular space boasting more impressive vistas.

Nobu Hotel London Portman Square Arrow

Nobu Hotel Portman Square spills out onto a cool, cosmopolitan terrace reminiscent of New York (fitting, perhaps, considering Lower Manhattan was where the legendary Nobu restaurant first opened in 1994) and builds on Nobu’s Park Lane legacy while adding fresh, minimalist rooms and chill-out spaces to complete the picture. There are no frills or fancy here—it’s all smooth urban energy with design-led chairs and sleek tables where London’s glitterati fine-dine on signature dishes such as black cod miso and yellowtail sashimi, sizzling wagyu beef, Chilean sea bass and wasabi lime miso. As one of the best restaurants in London , the space (and omakase multi-course tasting menu) feels grown up, sexy even, with flashes of diamonds, stilettos and red lacquered chopsticks, while the bedrooms demonstrate Japanese minimalism in its purest form: clean lines, muted woods, restrained natural fabrics. For a near-mythical, indulgent (and mind-blowingly tasty) lunch or supper experience, followed by a calming sleep in the bedrooms, this is a hotel that’s earned its spot occupying the corner of one of Marylebone ’s handsomest patches. Staying without booking a table in the restaurant is akin to visiting The Ritz and forgoing their famed London afternoon tea.

Beaverbrook Town House Arrow

A smart offshoot of the Surrey Hills original, this property has taken over a pair of restored Georgian townhouses in a prime position near Sloane Square. It feels like a joyous and timely celebration of the capital—especially on the stairs where an extraordinary collection of artwork has been cherry-picked by creative director and advertising legend Frank Lowe: old posters for the Boat Race, Brooks’ Peckham Brewery and Kew Gardens. Just as bedrooms in the country mansion pay homage to former owner Lord Beaverbrook’s friends and guests, here each one is named after a London theatre, with framed programs of past productions and books on opera and Laurence Olivier. Interior designer Nicola Harding, who previously worked on the estate’s Garden House, has used a bolder, more playful palette for this spin-off, lending it a grown-up urban edge. Four-posters and fringed velvet sofas sit alongside antique desks, patterned lampshades and cushions made from vintage fabrics by Penny Worrall; bathrooms are equally colourful, with glassy tiles in rich apple green and bottle blue. On the ground floor, a Japanese apothecary cabinet at the entrance of the arsenic-hued, Art Deco-detailed bar marks a shift to the East. The best spot in the Fuji Grill restaurant, helmed by ex-Dinings SW3 chef Alex Del, is at the counter, where a sensational 20-course omakase supper is prepared, combining traditional techniques with modern European elements for dishes that might include tuna dry aged in house and hamachi sashimi with smoked aubergine. This standout addition to the area—where the Cadogan reopened under Belmond in 2019 and Hotel Costes is slated for late 2022—is part of a new chapter for Chelsea.

The Ritz London Arrow

There have been a few changes at The Ritz in recent years. Above all there was the renovation of the Rivoli Bar (which serves the best-presented cocktails in London ) and the acquisition of the magnificent William Kent House next door (César Ritz's dream ever since he built the hotel in 1906). Yet the main public spaces—including the adored Palm Court and dining room, aligned along the sumptuous gallery that runs the length of the building, from Arlington Street at one end to Green Park at the other – remain little changed. Here you still have a sense, enhanced by the rich, warm, golden glow of this part of the hotel, of having found yourself preserved in amber. No celebrity interior-designers have been let loose on the rooms, which retain their original Louis XVI style and a lustrous palette of pinks, yellows and blues. Ravishing.

Shangri-La The Shard, London Arrow

Never has a traffic jam on the Old Kent Road looked so enchanting – everything seen from The Shangri-La looks enchanting. The hotel occupies floors 34 to the 52 of Renzo Piano's 87-storey London landmark. The rooms (contemporary, creamy, Asian-influenced), restaurants (especially the romantic Ting) and bar (gin and rosemary—divine) are all fantastic, though nothing can compete with the extraordinary views over London , which turn every guest into a slack-jawed infant, lost in wonder, gazing out, palms to the window, all day long. At night, sitting cross-legged on the bed with the blackout blinds open is like being on a magic carpet, floating high above the ceaseless glow of the great city.

Dean Street Townhouse Arrow

This Soho House outpost comprises three adjoining Georgian townhouses close to the original club. Rooms (Tiny, Cosy, Small, Medium and Bigger) are fetchingly pale and interesting, and no two are exactly alike. Care has been taken over every little detail—mirrors, lighting, throws, digital everything. The descriptively named Dining Room dishes up oysters, Scotch eggs, mince-and-potatoes, apple and blackberry pie. And while the silvered tea and coffee tins hint at the black-Labs-and-wellies wholesomeness of sister property Babington House, this is more Dangerous Liaisons territory, providing stiff competition for the nearby Soho Hotel.

The Savoy Arrow

Though people tend to think of it as monolithic and unchanging, The Savoy has something of a split personality and has in fact changed a great deal over the years. It's decorated in Edwardian style on the Thames side—from which Monet and Whistler painted the river—but it's quintessentially Art Deco on the Strand side. Rooms are large and traditional but never frumpy; and in a world of shrinking bathtubs , The Savoy's remain satisfyingly deep. The Savoy Grill is excellent and The River Restaurant by Gordon Ramsay brings the best of British seafood and shellfish; and the hotel is blessed with two of the finest watering holes in London, The American Bar, granddaddy of London's cocktail bars, and its younger, sassier sibling, The Beaufort Bar. So don't even try to make it an 'either/or' proposition—it must be an 'and'.

The Beaumont Arrow

This used to be a multi-story car park, you may be surprised to learn. The Beaumont is named after Jimmy Beaumont, a fictional character from Prohibition-era New York. Hence the Art Deco trimmings, wood panelling, vintage photos, and red-leather banquettes in the Colony Grill Room, where the shrimp cocktail is as good at the steak. In this context, Antony Gormley's astonishing 'Room' literally sticks out like a sore thumb—a three-story sculpture extruding from one side of the building, which also happens to contain a suite.

Corinthia London Arrow

As delicious as the huge slice of cake that it resembles when seen from the right spot by the Thames. No fewer than 1,001 Baccarat crystals illuminate the double-height, Victorian-pillared lobby, whose parquet floors and elegant palette of creams, caramels and charcoals with splashes of lime-green hint at the splendors beyond. Guests with a list of London landmarks to be checked off will find this a convenient base, within striking distance of Downing Street, Trafalgar Square, the Houses of Parliament, Buckingham Palace, Theatreland and the South Bank (if you take one of the top-floor suites with a terrace, you can save yourself some time and see all of them at once). The ESPA Life spa occupies four levels, with 15 treatment 'pods', a marble-and-leather spa lounge, glass-encased sauna and steel-lined pool.

Dukes, Mayfair Arrow

Practically hidden down a barely existent alleyway between St James's Street and Green Park. Practically hidden is how they like it here. Hushed, discreet, cosy and ever-so-English – yet by no means sombre, stuffy or stuck-up. How could anyone remain sombre, stuffy or stuck-up after a martini perfectly prepared by Alessandro Palazzi in one of the greatest bars on the face of the earth? This was supposedly where Ian Fleming first envisioned James Bond ordering his favorite drink 'shaken, not stirred'. The GBR (Great British Restaurant) is delightful; so is the entirely chic Cognac and cigar garden.

Hotel Café Royal Arrow

This revamped Regent Street landmark combines fin de siècle opulence with streamlined modernity. There are subtle references to its storied past—vases filled with tulips are a silent salute to Oscar Wilde, who once drank so much absinthe in the Grill Room that he hallucinated he was cavorting in a field of the flowers. The Grill Room has been turned into a bar, and its opulent gilt and mirrors have been sexed up with a frankly immodest blush of red furnishings. Recover your composure downstairs at the Akasha spa, which specializes in watsu aquatic-massage treatments.

The Langham, London Arrow

If it feels as though The Langham has been there forever, that's because, in hotel terms, it pretty much has. But a century and a half on, it's looking grand, as sophisticated and elegant as it did when Napoleon III spent the night. These days the Victoriana and chinoiserie are offset by smooth, occasionally quirky contemporary elements—notably in the award-winning Artesian bar, with its timber chandeliers, imitation-snakeskin flooring and resin-topped tables. It would be difficult to name a finer hotel restaurant than Roux at the Landau, where father-and-son dream team Albert and Michel Roux Jr have been casting their culinary spells.

The London EDITION Arrow

A restaurant with rooms ? That wouldn't be entirely fair, but there's no escaping the fact that chef Jason Atherton's ground-floor Berners Tavern is the palpitating heart of the hotel. The lobby cocktail bar, oak-paneled, reservation-only Punch Room and nightclub Basement only increase the pulse-rate. Ian Schrager 's considered, gimmick-free design has given the stucco, marble and stained-glass of the historic lobby a funky edge; upstairs, rooms are James Bond-slick, with buttoned-linen George Smith sofas alongside Scandinavian wishbone chairs and Schrager's trademark floor-to-ceiling white drapes. They are also marvelously quiet, a perfect antidote to the hubbub below.

Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park, London Arrow

The Queen learnt to dance in the ballroom of this splendidly florid pile. A great deal has changed since then. There's now an award-winning, state-of-the-art spa, zeitgeisty restaurants by Daniel Boulud and Heston Blumenthal, and perpetually packed bars (not one, not two, but three, and all terrific in their very different ways). In June 2018, straight off the back of the biggest refurbishment in this Hyde Park hotel’s history, a major roof fire kept the hotel closed for another 10 months. Reopening in April 2019, the Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park retains elements of its gentler, more cosily traditional past, but with interiors that have had a modern makeover, and are significantly lighter and brighter. Meanwhile, the clippity-clop that rises faintly from the Hyde Park side as horses from the Household Cavalry make their way past the hotel never gets old.

Rosewood London Arrow

With their first foray into London, Rosewood has created not just a magnificent new hotel but a whole new neighborhood: 'Midtown', previously known, without any of that implied New York spunk, as plain old Holborn. Yet the location is extraordinary, starting with the most unexpected of courtyards, like a mini Somerset House, from which a kind of country-house vibe emanates – a country house, however, with a tremendous sense of wit and panache. The style of the interiors is difficult to characterize, by turns demure and decadent, muted and glossy, traditional and contemporary. The overall effect is dazzling. The perpetually jammed Scarfe's Bar and the elegantly elongated Mirror Room are at either end of an exquisitely lit bronze corridor that insulates the lobby from the outside world. The Holborn Dining Room, run by Calum Franklin, adds a lively brasserie buzz. Sitting outside in the courtyard terrace in summer with a glass of something chilled is a joy.

Bulgari Hotel London Arrow

Just when you thought the vita in this part of town couldn't get any more dolce , along came this gem from the great Roman jewelery house. It's all very hard-edged and stealthily spoiling, but softened and enlivened with thoughtful design touches such as bedside lamps inspired by Bulgari 's classic silver candlesticks. The clever use of subterranean space is one of The Bulgari's distinguishing features – there's a serious screening room, the swimming pool is positively radiant with golden mosaic tiles, and the spa is among the biggest and best in the city.

Four Seasons Hotel London at Park Lane Arrow

The proverbial oasis of calm over the Circus Maximus that is Hyde Park Corner. Trust Four Seasons stalwart Pierre-Yves Rochon to keep things elegant but well and truly on the down-low. There are no expressive upheavals or synapse-battering splashes of color here—apart, perhaps, from the red chairs in the excellent Italian restaurant Amaranto (which is as good for breakfast as it is for dinner). Otherwise, the most conspicuous decorative features are the use of discreet walnut and sycamore panelling in the rooms, and the large-format black-and-white fashion photos from Vogue in the corridors. The spa on the tenth floor has serene park views, and perpetuates the chilled-out ambience.

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The 23 best hotels in London

With tens of thousands of rooms spread across London's hotels, travelers have no shortage of choices when it comes to booking a place to stay in the Big Smoke. And even once you stay at all the best hotels in London, more will join the ranks every year.

There are iconic London hotels in some of the poshest neighborhoods that have legacy and reputation on their side, and affordable hotels that prioritize communal spaces designed for mingling with others. Families might prefer something casual from one of the larger chains.

No matter what type of trip you're planning , these are some of the best hotels in London — and you can even use points at many of these properties to put a stay here within reach.

What is the best area to stay in London?

Some of the most convenient areas to stay in London for first-time travelers include West London neighborhoods such as Covent Garden, Mayfair, Holborn, Soho and Leicester Square, which are within walking distance of the city's great theaters, royal parks and palaces, and many bustling restaurants. If you are flying in or out of Heathrow Airport (LHR) , West London also puts you slightly closer to the airport, especially if you are near Paddington, the terminus of the Heathrow Express.

For travelers eager to explore new neighborhoods, there are the grittier, more creative neighborhoods of East London, including the popular enclave of Shoreditch with its world-famous Indian eateries. Alternatively, the bohemian neighborhood of Brixton, the unofficial capital of the British African-Caribbean community in London, buzzes with art, music and delicious food.

Travelers seeking a quieter and more residential stay may prefer Kensington, while areas along the south bank of the River Thames, such as Southwark, put visitors close to attractions like Shakespeare's Globe Theatre, colorful Borough Market and the Tate Modern museum.

Since making its London debut in 2013, the Rosewood has transformed an Edwardian belle epoque mansion on High Holborn into one of the most in-demand luxury hotels in the city.

Italian marble is abundant here, from the grand seven-story staircase coiling around the interior of the hotel to the bathrooms in the guest rooms and suites. Other elegant touches throughout the rooms and suites include decorative wainscoting and rich textiles befitting a London hotel, like tweed chairs with pintuck details.

Grab a cocktail at the gentlemen's club-inspired Scarfes Bar, a cozy spot with more than 1,000 antique books and live jazz anchored by a roaring fireplace, or any of the Rosewood's multiple drinking and dining venues.

Rates at the Rosewood London start at around 616 British pounds ($758) per night.

It's no surprise that this self-described "super boutique hotel" punches above its weight with pops of color, staff uniforms worthy of a stage production, theatrical busts and bathroom vanities reminiscent of backstage dressing rooms. After all, The Londoner, which debuted in 2021, is in the center of London's bustling entertainment district, just steps from Piccadilly Circus and the city's famous West End theaters.

Behind colorful doors with crystal knobs are unusually spacious rooms in a city known for economizing square footage. Of note are the oversize bathrooms with separate water closets for Toto bidets and rainfall showers clad in colorful, gleaming tiles.

But it's the hotel's clublike venues that really stand out. Guests have access to an exclusive lounge — no outsiders allowed — that serves complimentary light bites and beverages throughout the day. Or, mingle with the locals at 8, the rooftop bar serving Japanese-inspired cocktails. You might even catch live music at the lobby-level Champagne bar, The Stage.

Rates at The Londoner start at around 423 British pounds ($517) per night.

In a city known for astronomically expensive hotel rates, The Hoxton provides a more affordable stay without sacrificing style.

The Hoxton, Shoreditch was the brand's first property, which reclaimed a parking lot in the bustling East London neighborhood. It paved the way for a series of innovative hotels that focus on large, communal public spaces and compact rooms that offer everything travelers need but few of the extra services that many can live without.

For travelers who don't mind squeezing in to save money, the Hoxton's "Shoebox" rooms offer tight quarters (at the Shoreditch property, from 130 square feet) with a double bed and a small, monochrome tiled bathroom.

It's a leap up from a hostel stay, but guests will certainly be inspired to join the locals in the cozy sitting areas in the lobby or its two restaurants: the Hoxton Grill and Llama Inn.

What you won't find is a gym or a spa, but the lobby staff will provide you with a discounted pass to a nearby fitness center.

Rates at The Hoxton, Shoreditch , can be found from 219 British pounds ($268) per night.

Multicolored marbles, dignified terra cotta tiles, stained-glass windows and ornate balustrades are a few of the elegant details that make the Kimpton Fitzroy London feel more like a regal estate than a chain hotel.

Revered architect Charles Fitzroy Doll, who worked on the dining room of the RMS Titanic (yes, that Titanic), designed this architectural masterpiece.

Even in the rooms, thoughtful touches like upholstered canopy beds, rotary-style phones the color of the city's iconic double-decker buses, picture-frame wainscoting and marble bathrooms make guests at the Kimpton Fitzroy feel like dignitaries visiting London for royal affairs.

Breakfast here is casual, with simple breakfast sandwiches, eggs Benedict and pancakes at Galvin Bar & Grill. Later, you can order a cocktail at Fitz's and sip it on a scalloped velour sofa beneath a twinkling disco ball or grab a seat in a leather armchair by the mantle.

In addition to the bold design, which doesn't shy away from its grandeur, the Kimpton Fitzroy stands out as one of the best hotels in London because it offers Kimpton loyalists all the perks travelers have come to love about the brand: complimentary social hours, pet-friendly policies and Raleigh bikes you can use for free during your stay to explore the city.

Rates at the Kimpton Fitzroy London start at 321 British pounds ($392) or 56,000 IHG One Rewards points per night.

From its enviable address on Park Lane, the JW Marriott Grosvenor House puts guests within walking distance of London's most iconic sites and attractions, including Hyde Park and Buckingham Palace.

Inside, the JW Marriott — the former home of the dukes of Westminster and Gloucester — delivers a classic hotel aesthetic consistent with the JW brand, with plenty of dark wood accents contrasted with neutral hues, light marbles and floral prints evocative of Hyde Park at the cusp of spring or autumn.

Distinctly British dining experiences (such as afternoon tea and evening canapes) are available to guests who have executive lounge access, and the nod to traditional hotel experiences continues at the JW Steakhouse, which sets the tone with dark wood paneling, cast-iron crockery and black-and-white photographs.

Or, enjoy live piano music while tucking into afternoon tea (open-face sandwiches with smoked Scottish salmon, buttermilk scones, treacles, tarts and lemon possets) at The Park Room, which has an English home aesthetic elevated by white tablecloths and jewel-tone velvet booths.

Rates at the JW Marriott Grosvenor House start at around 380 British pounds ($465) or 52,000 Marriott Bonvoy points per night.

Playing on the area's affinity for street art, the Andaz Liverpool Street, which has undergone a series of renovations and refreshes, brings splashes of color and saturated velvet furnishings to this Liverpool Street mainstay (it's been a hotel since the Great Eastern Hotel opened in this red-brick landmark in 1884).

The lobby has a distinct sense of movement, home to a funky bar with steamer trunks, exposed brick and gleaming gold accents.

The artistic flourishes continue in the guest rooms, where you might find the modern furniture accented by pops of fuchsia. Whether you book an entry-level room or one of the designer suites, expect amenities such as Nespresso machines, yukata robes and the brand's signature complimentary minibars.

When it's time to eat, head to Lady Abercorn's for a whimsical British pub experience, including dishes like Punjabi mutton curry, bangers and mash with sage-and-onion gravy and — what else — fish and chips with tartar sauce and minted peas.

Rates for the Andaz Liverpool Street start at 268 British pounds ($328) or 17,000 World of Hyatt points per night.

Nothing short of a London legend, this renowned art deco hotel is often hailed as the first luxury hotel in England. Even its bars and restaurants are attractions in their own right, such as the Thames Foyer, with its gazebo at the center where pianists might play tunes while guests sip tea beneath the atrium's glass dome.

Or perhaps you've seen images of the black-and-gold Beaufort Bar, which serves vintage Champagnes to well-heeled guests, or the glitzy American Bar, where travelers tipple vintage cocktails while listening to live jazz.

When it's time to bed down, choose from Edwardian or art deco-inspired rooms, most of which offer views of the River Thames or the city. Best of all, you can now use Accor points to offset the cost of a stay at this Fairmont-managed hotel — and don't forget that Capital One miles transfer to ALL — Accor Live Limitless.

Rates at The Savoy start at 680 British pounds ($827) per night.

Having served such esteemed guests as Napoleon III and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle since opening its doors in the 19th century, it's no surprise this luxury hotel has such an impressive reputation.

Today, The Langham continues to exude British elegance, with upholstered headboards, elegant wood furnishings and wainscoting in the accommodations.

Splurge on an executive room or suite for access to the hotel's club, where you can sip glasses of Taittinger Champagne while nibbling on canapes designed by chef Michel Roux Jr., of London's two-Michelin-starred Le Gavroche.

Of course, you can always visit the Langham's other celebrated dining and drinking venues, including Artesian, with Japanese influences in the pagoda-inspired bar and on the menu. Afternoon tea in the spectacular Palm Court is a particularly decadent and quintessentially British delight.

Check out the Langham's fitness and wellness offerings, including the 16-meter swimming pool in a former bank vault.

Rates at The Langham London start at 405 British pounds ($495) per night.

Another art deco landmark with a litany of celebrities and heads of state in its guest book (among them Audrey Hepburn, Queen Victoria and Kate Moss), Claridge's doesn't refresh its interiors with every passing design trend.

Instead, one of London's most iconic hotels stays true to its roots with decor such as lacquered wood headboards, shagreen lamps, a cozy neutral palette and thoughtfully appointed marble bathrooms you won't want to leave, thanks to Toto water closets, the brand's namesake products and heated mirrors (so you'll never lose your reflection in the steam).

Beneath a 1930s Rene Lalique glass panel, you can elbow up to the black-marble horseshoe bar at The Fumoir, which specializes in vintage spirits served from Lalique decanters. Or, retreat to The Painter's Room, a study in Provencal style marked by a stained-glass mirror and a striking blush-colored marble bar that opened to much-deserved fanfare in 2021.

Rates at Claridge's start at 919 British pounds ($1,124) per night.

The Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park straddles London's Knightsbridge and Hyde Park neighborhoods, placing travelers at the nexus of London's poshest addresses.

While here, take advantage of the hotel's celebrated culinary program, including Dinner by Heston Blumenthal, which has two Michelin stars. Here, Blumenthal plays with historic British dishes, such as scallop frumenty (circa 1390) and powdered duck breast (circa 1670), with blackberry tarts (circa 1800) and brown bread ice cream (circa 1808) leading the dessert menu.

There's also The Aubrey, an outpost of Mandarin Oriental Hong Kong's Japanese izakaya experience that's sure to delight frequent jet-setters, the jewel box-like Rosebery (for afternoon tea and Champagne cocktails) and the namesake Mandarin Bar, anchored by a catwalk-style bar and filled with eye-catching design elements by Adam D. Tihany.

Designer Joyce Wang led the guest room refresh, incorporating Hyde Park-inspired natural elements and art deco flourishes such as custom onyx chandeliers, leather-topped desks and Volakas marble bathrooms stocked with Diptyque products.

Rates at the Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park start at 840 British pounds ($1,028) per night.

For travelers who crave color, texture and individuality, few hotels compete with Ham Yard Hotel, a Soho property from Firmdale Hotels that turns a hand-crafted aesthetic into unquestionable luxury.

The 91 rooms and suites were individually designed by Kit Kemp and channel an "urban village" vibe through an array of patterns and prints — expect a riot of seersucker or chevron, ikats or florals, jacquard or stripes. All rooms, though, have expansive floor-to-ceiling windows and granite bathrooms with oak accents.

The carefully orchestrated cacophony of color and texture continues in the public spaces and restaurant, Ham Yard Bar & Restaurant, where travelers might sample a smoked haddock Scotch egg with butter crab curry or share a juicy chateaubriand with friends. If you're treated to a sunny London day, dine in the heated courtyard.

Or, head to the fourth-floor roof garden, where you might spot the herbs and vegetables that will season your dinner. Other unusual amenities and facilities include the Croc bowling alley, which dates to the 1950s and will make you forget every preconceived notion you have about bowling with its Howard Hodgkin artworks and silver baby grand piano.

Rates at the Ham Yard Hotel start at 536 British pounds ($659) per night.

If you remember seeing The Ritz in "Notting Hill" starring Julia Roberts, you'll recall the hotel has main character energy.

With its Michelin stars, majestic marble columns, gilded chandeliers and museumworthy frescoes, the eponymous restaurant is one of the many alluring amenities at The Ritz London. Here, you reserve dinner dances led by full bands that hark back to a simpler era.

Lean into the over-the-top luxury by reserving a spot for afternoon tea in the hotel's former ballroom to sample teas curated by tea master Giandomenico Scanu and nibble on tiered towers of pastries and cakes.

The rooms are designed with the sort of romantic aesthetic you'd expect to find in the manor of a duchess — marble bathrooms, monogrammed linens and gold-and-marble mantles. You might find a television tucked in the corner, but guest rooms and suites at the Ritz are meant to evoke far less modern moments in London.

Rates at The Ritz London start at 753 British pounds ($921) per night.

Related: 7 London hotels used by actual royalty

The former Curtain boutique hotel has been transformed by Accor into the 120-room Mondrian Shoreditch London , an unfussy retreat with small rooms, reasonable rates and smart design touches, such as retro Marshall radios and cozy leather sofas.

Guests love the marble showers, which double as steam rooms, and the design details that nod to the neighborhood (exposed brick, Studio Graphite artworks).

When it's time to eat and drink, head to Laurel's on the Roof for California-influenced cuisine any time of year, thanks to the retractable glass roof, or dip down to Bibo for tapas created by chef Dani Garcia of Michelin acclaim. Save room for sweets: a chocolate mousse for two and a glass of Pedro Ximenez dessert wine.

One of the most-loved amenities is the beautiful (albeit tiny) mosaic-bottomed heated swimming pool on the roof, which guests can access until midday. There's also an elegant fitness center reminiscent of old-school athletic clubs with Technogym equipment and Peloton bikes.

Rates at the Mondrian Shoreditch London start at 271 British pounds ($338) per night.

Warm, welcoming and modern accommodations capture both the spirit of 21st-century London and the Four Seasons brand — particularly if you book a room with a terrace or a suite with a fireplace.

It's all about the amenities at the 196-key Four Seasons Hotel London at Park Lane, including the private chauffeured ride in a Bentley anywhere within 2 miles of the hotel, plus twice-daily housekeeping when many hotels are doing away with the service altogether.

You can even sightsee while squeezing in your workout on the 10th-floor gym, which offers views of Big Ben, the Houses of Parliament and the London Eye observation wheel in the distance, or while waiting for your massage at the rooftop spa.

Rates at the Four Seasons Hotel London at Park Lane start at 761 British pounds ($931) per night.

With an exterior harking back to the hotel's origin as a duo of houses belonging to the Duke of Westminster, you might not expect the organic blend of classic design with contemporary lines.

Even the most basic rooms have curvaceous dark-wood writing desks and soothing color schemes, as well as marble bathrooms with bathtub televisions for late-night soaks with your favorite show. The modern amenities continue with Dyson hair dryers and Bang & Olufsen speakers.

But it's the food and beverage program that lands The Connaught on best-of lists time and time again. The Connaught Grill is now helmed by chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten, and the only thing more impressive than the exquisite woodwork is the parade of dishes coming from the wood-burning grill.

There's also the colorful, light-filled Jean-Georges at The Connaught (perfect for people watching) and gauzy Red Room, which appears like a reverie behind a velvet curtain separating it from the Champagne Room.

Of course, guests can also book a table at Helene Darroze at The Connaught, the hotel's three-Michelin-starred restaurant with sumptuous leathers, velvets, hand-crafted wood furnishings and seasonal tasting menus.

Rates at The Connaught start at 929 British pounds ($1,137) per night.

While West London is a solid destination choice for first-time visitors, there are many attractions in the east of London, too.

Intercontinental London — The O2 enjoys stunning views of the River Thames and overlooks the 20,000-seat O2 arena, one of the United Kingdom's largest indoor spaces with past performances from the likes of Adele, The Rolling Stones, Elton John, Beyonce and Bon Jovi. Nearby, you'll find the IFS Cloud Cable Car, the ExCeL London convention and exhibition space, and London City Airport (LCY), which is much closer to Central London than Heathrow Airport (LHR). Many major financial institutions are also headquartered at Canary Wharf, a stone's throw from this hotel.

Rooms feature plenty of natural light thanks to floor-to-ceiling windows, and the granite bathrooms have a separate bathtub and walk-in shower, and signature Agraria toiletries.

Dining options include Kinaara, the hotel's award-winning Indian fine-dining restaurant, with options like Keralan crispy duck with tamarind, Indian Ocean king prawns with black garlic chutney and fiery lamb curry simmered in cipollini onions, perfect for an early dinner before a show at the O2. The hotel's Meridian Lounge serves quintessentially British afternoon tea and hand-crafted cocktails.

Rates at Intercontinental London — The O2 start at about 249 British pounds ($300) or 44,000 IHG One Rewards points per night.

Rooms at this Rocco Forte hotel are whimsical and eclectic; no two are exactly the same, though they all mix subtle patterns and textures to great effect.

Like the rooms, the restaurants at Brown's effortlessly blend classic ingredients and style with contemporary, eccentric flourishes.

Charlie's, helmed by executive chef Adam Byatt, serves British dishes from silver trolleys beneath coffered ceilings while gleaming wood walls and illustrative wallpaper with botanicals and birds give the space personality and warmth. At The Drawing Room, which employs similar design duologies, guests can enjoy a leisurely afternoon tea.

Brown's Hotel is also a popular pick for families with young children who don't want to sacrifice an iota of luxury: Easy-to-book interconnecting rooms and family suites afford families generous floor plans and amenities that will keep the little ones entertained.

With the Rocco Forte Kids program, you might find a stylish play tent set up in your room or suite upon arrival, plus a host of treats and extras specifically for the youngest members of your family (including Albemarle, an oak-wood monkey toy to play with for the duration of the stay).

Rates at Brown's Hotel start at 765 British pounds (about $935) per night.

Unmistakable vestiges of designer Ian Schrager are all over The London Edition , from the walnut wood-paneled walls and faux fur throws in the rooms to the members club-inspired Punch Room with a wide-ranging sonic landscape that, occasionally, includes live music.

But you won't mistake The London Edition for a night at New York's bygone Studio 54. This hotel is decidedly British — particularly Berners Tavern, the moody restaurant with hundreds of framed photographs and paintings on the walls and an ornately carved plaster ceiling. Grab a seat at the pewter-topped bar for cocktails worth crossing the Atlantic for.

Rates at The London Edition start at around 398 British pounds ($486) or 55,000 Marriott Bonvoy points per night.

Presiding over Hyde Park is The Dorchester, a hotel dating back to 1931 that is preparing to emerge from a significant renovation.

Light, airy design elements are emphasized throughout the rooms, suites and public areas, nodding to the city's lush parks (think: dusty rose, pale sage and heather blue), bringing brightness and femininity into the historic property.

Guests will discover entirely new spaces, too, including a flower and pastry shop showcasing the talents of in-house florist Philip Hammond and pastry chef Michael Kwan. There's also a new contemporary art collection to explore and Vesper Bar, a glowing, glamorous space that replaces the former watering hole known as The Bar.

Not all of The Dorchester's well-loved institutions are being overhauled or replaced, however. Travelers can still book a table at Alain Ducasse at The Dorchester, which maintains three Michelin stars.

China Tang continues to serve traditional dim sum in a dazzling art deco space with Eastern influences. Chef Tom Booton, known for kick-starting his culinary career at 15, is the youngest-ever chef of the revamped The Grill.

Rates at The Dorchester start at 899 British pounds ($1,099) per night.

If you're familiar with Dukes, you might be an Ian Fleming fan — or a diehard anglophile. Either way, this elegant property in quiet St. James's is all about the details. Marble bathrooms are stocked with fragrant Penhaligon's toiletries; most have deep soaking tubs.

At the historic Dukes Bar, you can sip world-famous martinis poured tableside while waiting for a Bond villain to amble over to one of the deep-blue velvet club chairs. All-day dining is served at GBR — Great British Restaurant — a beautifully mirrored space serving a variety of steaks, Yorkshire chicken, Cumbrian lamb neck and more.

But for many travelers, the hotel's quiet address in Mayfair truly sets it apart — a timeless retreat you can adjourn to beneath a Union Jack flag for a final martini before drifting back to your guest room or suite.

Rates at Dukes London start at 351 British pounds ($488) per night.

Housed in a former — you guessed it — fire station, this hotel is the brainchild of celebrated hotelier Andre Balazs. Even though it opened in 2014, the hard-to-book tables at its eponymous restaurant and limited room count ensure the hotel is still one of the hottest spots in London.

Also keeping the heat level high are its en suite gas fireplaces (most rooms have them) and heated bathroom floors. Cozy corner banquettes and armchairs in the room are upstaged only by the gleaming mahogany-paneled headboards.

But since the hotel holds tables specifically for its guests, you won't want to waste too much time sitting around your room. Despite the price tag and the acclaim, trust us and order the black truffle wood-fired pizza with blue cheese, taleggio, Parmesan and pecorino, plus the rib-eye steak.

Rates at Chiltern Firehouse start at 651 British pounds ($760) per night.

Since its debut in 2021, the NoMad London has caught the attention of hotel industry insiders and travelers with its striking public spaces — particularly the eponymous restaurant housed in a multistory glass atrium.

The answer to the chartreuse-hued banquettes and cascading foliage in the conservatory-style restaurant is the deep red velvet-and-leather boudoir-inspired library replete with highbrow texts that nod to the transatlantic love affair between New York City and London.

The frenzy of opulent design decisions continues in the guest rooms, where glittering mosaic-tiled bathrooms with gold fixtures complement the embossed leather headboards and damask-print textiles.

For drinks, head to Side Hustle, where Mexican-influenced cocktails and plates take center stage. Don't miss the tequila mai tais served in skulls and topped with crowns of pineapple leaves and citrus slices.

Rates at the NoMad London start at 373 British pounds ($456) per night.

Occupying 18 floors of the Shard, the tallest building in Western Europe, is Shangri-La The Shard — an ultramodern hotel infused with the brand's distinctly Asian heritage.

Expect Shangri-La's renowned hospitality and flourishes, such as walls embossed with patterns of cherry blossom branches, in-room tea sets and a food and beverage program specializing in cuisines and flavors found across Asia.

With one of the highest swimming pools in Europe (the infinity-edge Sky Pool on the 52nd floor), the restaurant Aqua Shard on the 31st floor and Gong, also on the 52nd floor, views are everything at this Shangri-La hotel.

After taking in endless vistas of Tower Bridge and other attractions along the southern bank of the River Thames, consider a stroll around the neighborhood or retreat to the spa for a treatment from Neal's Yard Remedies.

Rates at Shangri-La The Shard start at 583 British pounds ($712) per night.

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Where to Stay in London in 2024: Best Hotels & Neighborhoods

Julie Last updated: February 13, 2024 England , United Kingdom 8 Comments

Deciding where to stay in London can feel like a monumental task.

London is enormous.

This sprawling city is one of the largest in Europe and it is home to a long list of things to see and do. Most of these sights are clustered in the city center and along the banks of the Thames River, but not all of them. To get around, you will do a lot of walking but you will also ride the Underground, maybe a taxi or two, or even a Big Red Bus.

The trick is to pick a place that fits in your budget but doesn’t have you spending hours every day on the Underground.

To make your decision easier, we narrowed down the long list of where to stay in London to much shorter list of the best hotels. This list is organized by neighborhood and then further narrowed down by budget.

Table of Contents

Overview of London

Before we jump into where to stay in London, here is a quick geography lesson. This is very important if it is your first visit to London.

The Thames River flows through the heart of London. The main landmarks in London are located along this river, although there are a few outliers.

London is divided up into smaller areas, or neighborhoods. There are more than 30 different neighborhoods in London, although I won’t cover all of them. We will stick the more centrally located neighborhoods to save you time on public transportation.

There is not one prime location to stay in London. No matter where you stay in London, you will use public transportation to get around. However, the more centrally located neighborhoods do make it quick and easy to get to most sights but you will pay a premium to stay near the city center.

Here is a map of where to stay in London. Each color corresponds to a different neighborhood in London.

How to Use This Map: Click the tab in the top left hand corner of the map to view the layers. You can click the check marks to hide or show layers. Each color corresponds to a different neighborhood in London. The black markers indicate the most popular landmarks.

Where to Stay in London

How we chose these hotels and apartments.

The hotels we list in this article are very highly rated. All but a few get 8.5 stars or higher on Booking.com, and most of them get at least 9 stars. They are also conveniently located near Underground stations, an important factor in picking out where to stay in London.

Even though this is a narrowed down list of all the hotel options in London, it is still a very long list. At the end of the article, I narrow it down even more, giving you our top recommendation (skip ahead to this list now).

I list hotels as luxury, upscale, mid-range, and budget. A luxury hotel is a 5-star hotel, an upscale hotel is a 4-star property, a mid-range hotel is a 3-star property, and a budget hotel is a 1 or 2-star property or a hostel.

How Much Does It Cost to Stay in London?

London can be very expensive.

In London, you will have no problems finding 4-star and 5-star hotels that get impeccable reviews. There are also some great mid-range, or 3-star hotels and apartments to choose from. Finding a cheaper 2-star hotel or hostel that gets decent reviews in London is more challenging.

If you are a budget traveler, you can spend as little as £10 per night in a hostel. If you are traveling as a group of two or more, a double room in a 2-star hotel will cost between £40 and £120. For the mid-range traveler, on average you will pay between £100 and £275 per night for a double room. 4-star rooms usually range from £275 to £400 per night, and the 5-star hotels usually start around £400 and go up from here.

These are the prices for a standard room at this level. 4-star hotels can offer deluxe rooms or rooms with a view for two or three times the price of one of their standard double rooms.

These average costs can go up based on the time of year and during times of high demand for hotel rooms. Prices may also be cheaper during the off-season.

Where to Stay in London: By Neighborhood

Best Hotels in The City of London Best Hotels in Covent Garden & Soho Best Hotels in Marylebone Best Hotels in Mayfair Best Hotels in Westminster & St. James’s Best Hotels in South Kensington Best Hotels in Southwark & South Bank Best Hotels in King’s Cross Best Hotels in Camden Town Best Hotels in Shoreditch

Best Hotels in The City of London

The City, also known as “the Square Mile,” is a sprawling neighborhood that is located along the north bank of the Thames River.

This is where London began. Romans established their rule here in 43 AD, in a small settlement called “Londinium.” Over the past 2,000 years, the city has expanded into what we know today.

This area is home to some of the oldest and most historic sites in London and it is also an important financial district. The Bank of England is headquartered here.

View from St Paul’s Cathedral

Top Experiences in The City: St. Paul’s Cathedral, the Sky Garden, and the Royal Exchange. The Tower of London and Tower Bridge sit just across the border of The City.

Key Underground Stations: Bank, Monument, Blackfriars

Pros: Good central location

Cons: This area looks and feels like a financial district, so it lacks the charm that you get in the West End, South Kensington, or Marylebone

LUXURY: Vintry & Mercer. This 5-star hotels offers luxurious, modernly decorated rooms and an onsite restaurant that serves British and Asian cuisine. From here, you are just steps away from St. Paul’s Cathedral and London Bridge.

UPSCALE: Locke at Broken Wharf. This property offers luxury apartments with views of the Thames River. The apartments can accommodate 2 or 3 people, so it’s not a great pick for many families, but if you are looking for some extra space or the ability to prepare some of your own meals, this is worth considering.

MID-RANGE: Motel One London Tower Hill. This hotel is located on the east end of The City north of Tower Bridge. Rooms can accommodate up to 1 to 2 people and are stylishly decorated.

Best Hotels in Covent Garden & Soho

Covent Garden and Soho are centrally located in London in an area that also includes the theater district, Leicester Square, and Chinatown. The shops along Regent Street and Oxford Street form the western edge of Soho.

If you are looking for a great central location with convenient access to the theaters, the opera, and some of the best shopping in London, this is the place to stay. From here, it is also very easy to get to many of London’ top sights.

Top Experiences in the Covent Garden & Soho: National Gallery, National Portrait Gallery, Piccadilly Circus, Leicester Square, Trafalgar Square, Neal’s Yard, theatre district, and the shops on Oxford and Regent Streets

Key Underground stations: Piccadilly Circus, Leicester Square, Covent Garden, Oxford Circus

Pros: Central location; easy to walk to some of London’s top sights; great area for nightlife; this is the best place to stay in London if you plan to watch a show in the theater district

Cons: This bustling neighborhood is busy and can be loud at night; lacks the charm of some other neighborhoods; can be expensive

LUXURY: The Savoy. This world-famous hotel dates back to 1889. It sits on the River Thames and from here it’s just a short walk to Covent Garden and the British Museum. Have a drink in the famous American Bar and dine in Gordon Ramsey’s Savoy Grill.

UPSCALE: Hazlitt’s. This boutique-style hotel features rich, sumptuous décor and antique furniture. This hotel was built in 1817 and with its Victorian furnishings and architecture, this is a great place to stay in London if you want to stay in a hotel with some history. 

UPSCALE: Wilde Aparthotels by StayCity Covent Garden. With apartments that can accommodate up to four people, this is a great place to stay in London for families. This property is located on The Strand near Trafalgar Square.

UPSCALE: Radisson Blu Edwardian Mercer Street Hotel. This top-rated hotel is located in Seven Dials near the Covent Garden tube station. Rooms are modernly decorated. The onsite restaurant, Monmouth Kitchen, features Peruvian and Italian cuisine.

MID-RANGE: Assembly Hotel. This hotel is located just 3 minutes from Trafalgar Square. Rooms are modernly decorated and can accommodate two peopel.

BUDGET: hub by Premier Inn London Covent Garden. We stayed at a hub by Permier Inn property in Edinburgh and had a great experience. The rooms are small but with innovative storage options there is plenty of room to unpack your things. This is a great property to consider if you are on a budget but want to stay in central London. 

Best Hotels in Marylebone

If you want to stay in a quiet, trendy, chic neighborhood, take a look at Marylebone. The streets are colorful and charming and laced with cafes, bookstores, shops, and restaurants.

On our next visit to London, you just might find us here. Marylebone looks absolutely delightful.

Top Experiences in Marylebone: The list of sights is low but the streets and the shops are the main attraction here. The Sherlock Holmes Museum and Madam Tussaud’s are located on the northern part of Marylebone.

Key Underground Stations: Baker Street, Regent’s Park, Oxford Circus, Bond Street

Pros: Quiet, charming neighborhood; you could easily spend an afternoon here wandering the streets and hopping from shop to shop or pub to pub.

Cons: This neighborhood lacks the top sights that make most first-timers to London’s to do list…but that is why it is so charming…it doesn’t look or feel like a neighborhood that caters to tourists. Not a good pick for mid-range or budget travelers.

LUXURY: The Marylebone Hotel. Not only is this one of the top hotels in Marylebone, it is also one of the top hotel picks in London on Trip Advisor. This beautiful hotel offers rooftop terrace suites. This hotel is located centrally in Marylebone and it is a short walk to Oxford Street and Mayfair.

The Marylebone Hotel | Where to Stay in London

UPSCALE: Mandeville Hotel. This 4-star hotel is conveniently located near the shopping district along Oxford and Regent Streets. Rooms are luxuriously decorated and there is a highly rated onsite restaurant, the Reform Social & Grill.

UPSCALE: The Holmes Hotel. This boutique hotel is a bit different than a standard hotels in London. The Holmes Hotel is located in an 18th-century Georgian townhouse on Chiltren Street near the Baker Street station. Rooms are modernly decorated with tasteful Sherlock Holmes accents. This property looks like a real gem.

Holmes Hotel | Where to Stay in London

MID-RANGE: Astor Court Hotel. This is a great choice if you want to stay in Marylebone without paying a small fortune. Rooms are tastefully decorated and the quad room can accommodate up to four people, a great choice for families.

Best Hotels in Mayfair

Mayfair is one of London’s swankiest neighborhoods. With numerous five-star hotels, over 20 Michelin-starred restaurants, and a short walk to the best high-end shopping streets in town, this area attracts well-to-do tourists and locals. In London, Mayfair is one of the most exclusive neighborhoods to call home.

Mayfair is located right between Hyde Park and Soho. To the south sits St. James and Buckingham Palace.

Top Experiences in Mayfair: Regent Street shops; Grosvenor Square

Underground Stations: Green Park, Oxford Circus, Bond Street

Pros: Quiet neighborhood; if you have the money to spend, the hotels and restaurants are top-notch

Cons: Don’t expect to find any budget hotels in this neighborhood

LUXURY: The Ritz London. Not only does the Ritz offer the highest in luxury when it comes to service and comfort, but you can also dine in The Ritz Restaurant, a Michelin-starred restaurant, or have afternoon tea at the Ritz.

UPSCALE: The Chesterfield Mayfair. This 4-star hotel also oozes luxury, only with a cheaper price tag than the Ritz. The Chesterfield offers traditional British charm with a modern twist. Without leaving the hotel, have traditional afternoon tea or visit The Terrace Bar and sample the large whiskey selection.

Chesterfield Mayfair | Where to Stay in London

UPSCALE: 9 Hertford Street. These luxury apartments offer extra space that you don’t get in a traditional hotel room. Each apartment comes with a fully equipped kitchen and washing machine. Some apartments can accommodate up to eight people.

Best Hotels in Westminster & St. James’s

These two neighborhoods form the royal heart of London. If this is your first time in London, there is a very good chance that you will be spending a nice chunk of your time here.

This is an excellent location if you want to stay in the city center. Westminster and St. James’s sit side-by-side, with Buckingham Palace and The Mall located smack in between them. If you have plans to watch the Changing of the Guards, visit Westminster Abbey , or stroll down Whitehall Street, this is the most convenient place to stay.

Top Experiences in Westminster: Westminster Abbey, Parliament and Big Ben, Buckingham Palace, St. James’s Park, Whitehall, 10 Downing Street, and the Churchill War Rooms

Key Underground Stations: St. James’s Park, Green Park

Pros: Centrally located; historic

Cons: Can be expensive; no handy Underground stations unless you stay near Green Park, so expect to transfer one or two times when traveling to other places in London

LUXURY: Hotel 41. This gorgeous hotel is worth checking out. At the time that I am writing this, 41 is the #1 hotel on Trip Advisor. It gets rave reviews and it offers the ultimate in luxury. All rooms have a black and white theme, come with Bose sound systems, and complimentary snacks. Want to gaze at the stars from your room? Check out the Conservatory Suite. Plus, it’s located next to Buckingham Palace, so it has a prime location if it’s your first time in London.

LUXURY: Corinthia London. This hotel makes the list because of its unbeatable views from the rooftop terrace. From here, you can look across the Thames River to the London Eye. This hotel also has multiple restaurants and bars, an award-winning spa, and a fantastic location just steps away from Trafalgar Square and Whitehall. 

Corinthia London | Where to Stay in London

LUXURY: Great Scotland Yard Hotel. Yes, I know, three luxury hotels are a lot, but it was very hard to narrow down these options. This hotel, which is part of the Unbound Collection by Hyatt, is located in the original Scotland Yard building, making this one of the most historic hotels in the city. Not only would it be cool to say that you stayed in Scotland Yard, but the hotel is also renowned for its luxurious rooms, hospitality, and hidden whiskey bar.

UPSCALE: St. James’ Court, A Taj Hotel. This hotel boasts a Michelin-starred restaurant (Quilon) and an award-winning afternoon tea. Rooms are elegantly decorated and this hotel is located very close to Westminster Abbey and Buckingham Palace.

MID-RANGE: The Sanctuary House Hotel. Just a 5-minute walk from Westminster Abbey and Big Ben, this is a great mid-range hotel to consider if you want to be centrally located in London. Rooms are tastefully decorated and there is a traditional pub on the ground floor that offers hearty meals like fish and chips.

Sanctuary House Hotel | Where to Stay in London

Best Hotels in South Kensington

South Kensington encompasses the area south of Hyde Park and west of Westminster. It is not as centrally located as the Covent Garden or The City, but what it lacks in location it makes up for in charm.

South Kensington is one of the most affluent areas in London. Egerton Crescent is one of the most expensive places to live in England. But don’t let that scare you. Hotel prices here can be cheaper than those in Marylebone, Mayfair, and Westminster.

This is where we stayed on our trip to London and chose South Kensington for its cheaper prices.

Top Experiences in South Kensington: Victoria and Albert Museum, Natural History Museum, Royal Albert Hall, Harrod’s, Hyde Park, Kensington Gardens

Key Underground Stations: Gloucester Road, South Kensington

Pros: Upscale neighborhood; quiet

Cons: You will have to ride the Underground to get to almost anywhere else in London

LUXURY: The Ampersand Hotel. This Victorian hotel is conveniently located next to the Gloucester Road tube station and a 5-minute walk from the Victoria and Albert Museum. Prior guests love the heated bathroom floors.

UPSCALE: Cheval Harrington Court at South Kensington. If you are looking for an apartment rather than a traditional hotel room, this is a great property to consider. Take your pick from a nice mix of studios and 1 and 2-bedroom apartments.

MID-RANGE: Ibis Styles London Gloucester Road. This hotel gets decent reviews, but if you want to stay in South Kensington without spending a lot of money on a hotel room, this is our top choice. It is conveniently located near the Gloucester Road underground station. Rooms can only accommodate two to three people so it is not a great pick for families, unless you reserve two or more rooms.

Best Hotels in Southwark and the South Bank

This stretch of land is located on the south side of the Thames River, from Waterloo to Tower Bridge. If you stay here, you have a handful of London’s top sights right on your doorstep, and it is just a short walk to one of the most iconic views in London: Parliament, Big Ben, and the Thames River.

Top Experiences in Southwark: London Eye, Shakespeare’s Globe Theater, Tate Modern, Borough Market, The Shard, Millennium Bridge, Tower Bridge.

Key Underground Stations: Southwark, London Bridge, Waterloo

Pros: Great for families; if you stay in South Bank (near the London Eye), it’s a short walk to Westminster Bridge and iconic views of Parliament and Big Ben; good central location in London

Cons: Feels touristy if you stay near the London Eye, with places like the London Eye, The London Dungeon, and the SEA Life London Aquarium.

LUXURY: Shangri-La Hotel at The Shard. For the best view of London from a hotel, stay at the Shangri-La. The Shangri-La occupies levels 34 to 52 on The Shard. Each guest room has floor-to-ceiling windows that offer spectacular views over London. The rooms are luxurious and the hospitality is world-class. This hotel also has London’s highest infinity pool and highest bar.

LUXURY: Sea Containers London. If you want a room with a great view, this is a great place to stay in London. This innovative hotel is located in the Sea Containers House, right on the south bank of the Thames River. The rooms are modernly decorated and some rooms have a balcony with a view across the Thames River.

Sea Containers London | Where to Stay in London

UPSCALE: London Marriott Hotel County Hall. We just stayed here on our most recent trip to London. The location is unbeatable. It’s located on the River Thames, in between Westminster Bridge and the London Eye. Some rooms have views of Parliament and Big Ben. This hotel is within walking distance of two handy Underground stations: Westminster and Waterloo. We loved the location, the views, the onsite restaurants, and being just steps away from Westminster Bridge.

The view from our room at the London Marriott County Hall | Where to Stay in London

UPSCALE: citizenM London Bankside. This modern, tech-savvy hotel gets rave reviews. You can control everything in your room, from the TV to the temperature, from a touch screen tablet. Rooms are small and can only accommodate two people, so families should look elsewhere or consider reserving multiple rooms.

MID-RANGE: Ibis Styles London Southwark – near Borough Market. There are two Ibis properties in Southwark. This one gets better reviews and is located near Borough Market and Tower Bridge, so I think that this is the best of the two hotels. If you stay here, it is just a short walk to Tower Bridge, Millennium Bridge, and The Shard.

Best Hotels in King’s Cross

There are several good reasons to stay in King’s Cross. If you are visiting London as part of a multi-country trip and traveling by train, there is a very good chance that you will arrive and depart from St. Pancras station. With its location further from the city center, hotels tend to be cheaper here. And Harry Potter fans won’t want to miss the visit to Platform 9 ¾.

Top Experiences in Kings Cross: St. Pancras Station, Platform 9 ¾

Underground Stations: London Kings Cross

Pros: Cheaper prices; handy location near St. Pancras Station

Cons: This area can be gritty and less charming than central London; you will spend more time on the Underground

LUXURY: St. Pancras Renaissance Hotel. This historic hotel is located next to St. Pancras International Station. The building is one of London’s greatest Victorian landmarks and has two bars and restaurants onsite, along with a salon and spa. With access to 6 tube lines it is super easy to get anywhere in London from this location.

UPSCALE: Pullman London St. Pancras. This 4-star hotel is just a short walk to the St. Pancras International Station and tube stations. From here, it is a 10-minute walk to the British Museum. The hotel and the rooms are modernly decorated and some rooms can accommodate up to four people.

BUDGET: Kabannas London St Pancras. If you are visiting London on a budget, this property is a great choice. This hostel sits just across the street from St. Pancras station. It gets very good reviews and it is easy to get anywhere in London with its handy location near multiple tube lines.

BUDGET: Generator London. This is one of the most popular properties in London for budget travelers. The YHA St Pancras gets better reviews and has a slightly better location, in my opinion, since it is located so close to St. Pancras International and multiple tube lines. I think it is worth taking a look at both of these properties and then choose your favorite. Generator London is located in Bloomsbury, just south of Kings Cross.

Best Hotels in Camden Town

This is the farthest neighborhood on this list from the city center, but if you like the idea of staying in a place with a local vibe, put Camden Town on your list.

Located northeast of Regent’s Park, this neighborhood offers a different experience than Westminster or South Bank. Here, you get to explore London with local flavors. Go shopping in Camden Market, photograph the street art, stroll along Regent’s Canal, and enjoy the view from Primrose Hill.

Top Experiences in Camden Town: Camden Market, Camden Lock, Regent’s Canal, Primrose Hill

Key Underground Stations: Camden Town

Pros: Perfect for those who want to mix in with the locals and stay in a non-touristy part of the city

Cons: Longer trips on the Underground to get to London’s main sights

UPSCALE: Mirabilis Apartments – Bayham Place. Take your pick from several different apartments that can accommodate anywhere from 2 to 5 people. These apartments are beautifully decorated and some come equipped with a washing machine. This property is located next to the Mornington Crescent tube station.

MID-RANGE: Deluxe Central London North Apartment. This relatively new property offers several apartments that can accommodate between seven and nine people. The apartments come equipped with a full kitchen and washing machine.

Best Hotels in Shoreditch

Located in London’s East End is the trend-setting neighborhood of Shoreditch. This neighborhood is the place to go to see colorful street art and murals and go boutique shopping. Shoreditch is also one of London’s top spots for nightlife.

Top Experiences in Shoreditch: Try the street food at Boxpark or Dinerama; visit the Brick Lane Sunday market; go bar hopping

Key Underground Stations: Liverpool Street, Shoreditch High Street

Pros: Has a local vibe; great place to stay for those who want to see London by day but stay close to the bars and clubs at night

Cons: Due to its location you will spend more time on the Underground; can be loud at night

LUXURY: Batty Langley’s. This boutique hotel is exquisitely decorated with antique furniture, rich colors, and eclectic bathrooms. Some rooms have a terrace or balcony with a city view.

UPSCALE: citizenM London Shoreditch. CitizenM advertises that it provides luxury at an affordable rate. This modern hotel offers a lot of unique touches, such as black out curtains, extra-large beds, and a “MoonPad” to control your room.

MID-RANGE: Point A Hotel London Shoreditch. This hotel offers basic rooms at affordable prices. This hotel is a popular pick in Shoreditch, just note that the rooms do look like they are on the smaller side.

Best Hotels By Travel Style

Best hotels in london by traveling style.

Best Hotels in Londons for First-Timers Best Hotels in London for Families Best Hotels in London for Budget Travelers Best Hotels in London for Mid-Range Travelers Best Hotels in London for Luxury Travelers Best Hotels in London with a View Best Boutique Hotels in London Best Historic Hotels in London

Best Hotels in London if it’s Your First Visit

I recommend staying somewhere centrally located to save you time on the Underground. It’s a bonus if you can also stay near a tube station that has several different lines, making it faster and easier to get around the city.

Neighborhoods that fall into this category are Covent Garden & Soho ( Wilde Aparthotels is great for families and hub by Premier Inn Covent Garden is great for budget travelers), Westminster & St. James’s ( Hotel 41 looks incredible and the Sanctuary House Hotel is a great option if you are looking for a mid-range hotel), and Southwark & South Bank (the London Marriott has an excellent location near the London Eye and Big Ben).

Best Hotels in London for Families

There are a nice collection of hotels and apartments on this list that can accommodate four or more people.

If you want a good, central location, consider the London Marriott next to the London Eye.

The Cheval Harrington Court is a beautiful upscale property with 1 and 2 bedroom apartments in South Kensington. 

Best Hotels in London for those on a Budget

It is hard to beat the Kabannas St. Pancras, with its great views and handy location near St. Pancras International Station and Kings Cross. Generator London is also a popular pick for budget travelers.

The hub by Premier Inn Covent Garden is an awesome choice if you want to stay in a central location.

Wombat’s City Hostel gets rave reviews. It is located in a neighborhood called Tower Hamlets, which located east of the Tower of London, but with that you get a great place to stay at a budget price. They offer a range of dormitory style rooms as well as double rooms with a private bathroom.

Best Hotels in London for Mid-Range Travelers

For the mid-range traveler, we recommend the Astor Court Hotel in Marylebone, the Sanctuary House Hotel in Westminster, and Deluxe Central London North Apartment in Camden Town.

Best Hotels in London for Luxury Travelers

The Savoy is often hailed as the top luxury pick in London. However, Hotel 41 gets excellent reviews and is #1 on TripAdvisor at the time that I am writing this. And that’s not just in the luxury category…it’s the top pick out of all the hotels in London.

The Ritz in Mayfair, The Marylebone Hotel in Marylebone, the Shangri-La Hotel at The Shard, and the St. Pancras Renaissance Hotel all get impeccable reviews and offer world-class service.

What if you want to stay in a highly-rated, upscale hotel, but don’t necessarily need the full 5-star experience? You have a LOT to choose from. The 4-star hotels that stand out the most include The Chesterfield Mayfair, St. James’ Court, A Taj Hotel in Westminster, the Mandeville Hotel in Marylebone, and Hazlitt’s in Covent Garden.

Best Hotels in London with a View

The Shangri-La Hotel at The Shard offers one of best views of London. From this hotel, whether it is from your room or a hotel restaurant, you can look out over the Thames River, Tower Bridge, and London’s most iconic sites. If you can’t swing the price to stay here, it is also possible to get a similar view from The Shard’s viewing platform. 

Sea Containers London offers rooms with a balcony and views across the Thames River.

Montcalm Royal London House was not mentioned earlier in this post, since it is located in Finsbury, which is north of The City and west of Shoreditch. However, this 5-star hotel has a rooftop terrace with stunning views of London.

Montcalm Royal London House | Where to Stay in London

You can also get an awesome view of London from a rooftop terrace room at The Marylebone Hotel and the Corinthia London in Westminster.

Finally, from the London Marriott County Hall, some rooms have a view of Big Ben, Parliament, and Westminster Bridge.

London Marriott County Hall | Where to Stay in London

Best Boutique Hotels in London

If you want to stay in a smaller, unique, beautifully decorated hotel, we recommend the Holmes Hotel in Marylebone, Hazlitt’s in Covent Garden, and Batty Langley’s in Shoreditch.

Best Historic Hotels in London

For those who want to stay in a hotel with some history, we recommend the Great Scotland Yard Hotel in Westminster, the St. Pancras Renaissance, Hazlitt’s in Covent Garden, The Savoy in Covent Garden, The Holmes Hotel in Marylebone, and the Ampersand Hotel in South Kensington.

Covent Garden

If you have any questions about where to stay in London, let us know in the comment section below. Or if you have a hotel or apartment that you recommend, we would love to hear about that too.

More Information about London

LONDON ITINERARY: In our article 5 Days in London , we include detailed daily itineraries for exploring London. You can do all five days or follow just a day or two, if you have less time in the city.

BEST OF LONDON: For a list of the top experiences in London, read our article Best Things to Do in London . Tour Westminster Abbey in photos and plan your visit in our Guide to Westminster Abbey. And learn how to plan a day trip to Windsor Castle from London.

LONDON TRAVEL ADVICE: Here are 12 important things to know if it will be your first time in London.

LONDON AT CHRISTMAS: For an overview of what to do, here are 15 things to do in London at Christmas. We also have guides to the best Christmas lights and best Christmas markets. Learn how to put it all together in our London Christmas Itinerary.

ITINERARIES WITH LONDON: London and Paris can be combined into a wonderful 7 or 10 day trip. With 10 days, you can also visit London, Amsterdam, and Paris.

Note: This post contains affiliate links. When you make a purchase using one of these affiliate links, we get paid a small commission at no extra cost to you.

All rights reserved © Earth Trekkers. Republishing this article and/or any of its contents (text, photography, etc.), in whole or in part, is strictly prohibited.

Related Posts

Thanks for sharing the list of best hotels to stay in london

great information about best hotels in UK, thanks for sharing

Thanks a lot for this detailed information. This will definitely help travelers in finding a right place to stay according to their needs and preferences. Keep sharing such amazing work.

Simply put, you are amazing! Thanks a billion for great treasure of info. We will follow this for our forthcoming London-Amsterdam-Paris trip in August 2022. May God Bless you!

I am really enjoying your website! It has been so helpful in even selecting where we are going! We are going to Europe for the first time – 4 in our family – my husband and I and our 21 yr old twins. We are going to do the London-Paris 7 day itinerary ..in August. You have mentioned a lot of hotels here – we are looking for mid-range to upscale..location to the underground and walk to pub, cafe, etc. We will need two rooms and one room needs to have two beds (can be two twins but two beds). Where do you suggest?

Same need for Paris….

That is very exciting that you are planning your first trip to Europe! At the end of this post, we list recommended hotels for mid-range and luxury travelers (at the end of the luxury section I list 4-star upscale hotels). You can click these links for room types to see the bed options. The Astor Court Hotel does offer rooms with twin beds. As for Paris Hotels, at the end of the post we sort the hotels by travel type. I recommend looking at the hotels we mention for boutique style hotels. We really liked Hotel Brighton and Hotel Fabric looks wonderful. In Europe, sometimes finding a room with two beds can be challenging. Twin beds are easier to get than 2 doubles or queens. But in both Paris and London, there are so many pubs and cafes that most hotels we list should be in walking distance of these. On Booking.com, each hotel will have a map so you can see its location with regards to the metro and restaurants. Cheers, Julie

Hi, thanks for all the great information. My wife and I are flying back through London on our way back to the US. We have one late night (arriving at 8pm) and a full day and night. So essentially one full day and two evenings. Never been to London. Recommendation on what to take in for one day for first timers. We’re less into museums but would love to be around the Christmas markets and nightlife and maybe check out a few landmarks. Thanks for any suggestions you may have on best area, hotels, must-do sites and restaurants.

If you want to see landmarks and skip the museums, I recommend spending the morning and midday either visiting Westminster Abbey, Buckingham Palace, Big Ben, and Whitehall, and maybe ride the London eye for great views of the city. OR, spend the morning and midday visiting the Tower of London, see Tower Bridge, and visit St. Paul’s Cathedral. In the afternoon, visit the Christmas markets and end the day in Covent Garden. We have a 5 day itinerary with some of these places grouped together, so that might help you plan your visit. I recommend staying in Covent Garden, since it is centrally located and you could be ending your day here. There are a lot of great restaurants in London (and Covent Garden) and when we visited, we honestly didn’t eat anywhere worth mentioning. We use Trip Advisor to pick out restaurants while traveling and the recommendations are generally very good. London should be lovely at Christmas! Have a great trip! Cheers, Julie

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• World's Best

The 10 Best Hotels in London in 2022

The best hotels in London, according to Travel + Leisure readers, embody the city’s history and legacy of refined hospitality.

Note: If you’re looking for our most recent recommendations, check out the 2023 list of our favorite hotels in London .

Read the words London hotel, and what does your mind conjure up? A doorman in a red tailcoat on the front step, doffing his top hat. A vase of fresh flowers on a round mahogany table. Afternoon tea enjoyed in a wingback chair. Of course, you can find those time-honored treats at almost any of the hotels that Travel + Leisure readers chose as the best in London. But look closely and you'll also discover the more present-tense pleasures to be had.

Every year for our World's Best Awards survey, T+L asks readers to weigh in on travel experiences around the globe — to share their opinions on the top hotels, resorts, cities, islands, cruise ships, spas, airlines, and more. Hotels (including safari lodges) were rated on their facilities, location, service, food, and overall value. Properties were classified as city hotel, resort, or safari lodge based on their locations and amenities.

Many readers chose similar (if not identical) words to describe London's classic properties. For No. 2, the Goring: "steeped in history." For No. 3, the Connaught: "quintessentially British." For No. 7, the Savoy: "first class."

Even with such deep and celebrated history to contend with, London's hotels continue to innovate. Take, for example, the very modern Aman spa at the Connaught, the contemporary art gallery at No. 6 Claridge's, and the Gucci-designed suite at the Savoy.

No matter which of the best hotels in London a traveler chooses, the experience promises to be thoroughly English, but there are many reasons T+L readers have voted Shangri-La the Shard, London, No. 1 for the third consecutive year. Find out what they are below.

1. Shangri-La the Shard, London

"Probably the most incredible hotel on earth!" one voter wrote. Passionate words, but this T+L reader favorite, which has topped our list three years in a row, seems to stir deep feelings in the hearts of its guests. Occupying 18 floors of a Renzo Piano skyscraper, the Shangri-La has sumptuous suites, an acclaimed restaurant, and sybaritic spa treatments. But it's the impressive views over London that keep travelers hooked. "I recommend this hotel to all who like to travel in London," shared another voter, who specifically praised the views from the pool bar and Ting restaurant.

Score: 97.86

Book on Tripadvisor

2. The Goring

Score: 96.55

3. The Connaught

Score: 95.79

4. The Lanesborough, Oetker Collection

Score: 95.50

5. Kimpton Fitzroy London

Score: 95.24

6. Claridge's

Score: 94.60

7. The Savoy

Score: 93.63

8. Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park

Score: 92.95

9. Four Seasons Hotel London at Park Lane

Score: 92.50

10. Rosewood London

Score: 92.39

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The 95 best hotels in London

From cheap-and-cheerful hostels to palatial luxury, check out the best places to stay in London

Need a place to stay in London? We’re here to make it easy for you. Even now, a wealth of new hotels are opening – which we reckon is a testament to the fact that London remains one of the most desirable places to visit in the world. Many of the hotels listed below are incredible enough to have made it straight into the Time Out top 20, but our hand-picked list of the best hotels covers locations right across the capital, and every category from blowout luxury (including having your own butler, might we add) to budget basic and brilliant. We’ve listed everything from  five-star hotels in Mayfair to incredibly affordable hotels in some of London’s very best neighbourhoods. Plus you’ll be able to check out one or two of the capital's many  Michelin-starred restaurants  because yep, loads of them call London hotels their home. But if spending a small fortune on food isn’t your bag? There’s also an ever-increasing number of good-value food options  for budgeteers, too. Throw great design and architecture into the mix, plus superb bars, world-class hospitality and the opportunity to have a home-from-home in the best city in the world and, well, you’re laughing. Basically, you’re totally spoilt for choice. So, read on, decide where to stay in London, and ready yourself for a hotel visit like no other. Enjoy!

Looking for even more options? Check out London’s best Airbnbs . Keen on a steamy night in? Check out London's best hotels for sex .

Who makes the cut? While we might not stay in every hotel featured below, we've based our list on top reviews and amenities to find you the best stays. This article includes affiliate links. These links have no influence on our editorial content. For more information, see our  affiliate guidelines .

An email you’ll actually love

Best hotels in London

Shangri-La Hotel at The Shard

• 5 out of 5 stars
• Luxury hotels
• London Bridge
• Recommended

Despite the fabulous new openings we’ve seen in the capital over the last couple of years, this hotel still offers what none of the others can: the most extraordinary London vistas. Even its foyer is sky-high, perched on floor 34, with a restaurant and the kind of luxe, cosmopolitan, neutral look you’d expect. Guest rooms have wraparound, floor-to-ceiling windows (even in the bathrooms) and are furnished in glamorous Asian-international-contemporary style with luxury materials – think marble and silk. Acknowledging it’s all about the views, every room comes equipped with binoculars.

Best for  views of London Time Out tip: Head up to floor 52, home to Western Europe's highest swimming pool, along with a fitness room and bar.

• price 4 of 4

What started out as a small hotel run by William and Marianne Claridge in the mid-1800s, soon blossomed into the five-star Claridge's mansion we know today. Its reputation was helped somewhat by visits from Queen Victoria and Prince Albert, and royalty was inevitably followed by Hollywood stars during the ’50s. All of the hotel’s glamour remains today, with art deco chic throughout. There’s a dazzling chandelier designed by Dale Chihuly in the foyer, and both The Foyer and L'Epicerie (set in the famous kitchens of Claridge’s) impress when it comes to high-quality dining.

Best for  old-school glamour

COMO Metropolitan London

• 4 out of 5 stars
• Boutique hotels

If you’re as old as me, you might remember this as the place where ‘90s celebs would get papped spilling out of the Met Bar. Today, it feels a bit more sedate. And while it’s still very much five-star plushness all around, it’s definitely a lot more minimalist than some of the hotels around here. The entrance is economical to say the least: just enough room for a small army of exceptional staff, a door to a doozy of a restaurant, and a short little pathway to the lifts transporting you to your room. 

Best for  a cosy inner-city retreat.

Perhaps all you need to know about The Ned is that Soho House and £200 million are involved in a sensitive refurb, retaining wood panelling, of an original Sir Edwin Lutyens building. There are gorgeous furnishings, four-poster beds, eight restaurants, 15 bars, a spa, two pools and a boxing gym. Certain parts, including the rooftop bar, are only open to Soho House members, so it’s worth checking to avoid disappointment but even the ground floor bar, open to everyone, is a joy to behold.

Best for  grand style and top facilities

Bulgari Hotel London

• Knightsbridge

Book a room at the Bulgari and you’re not getting much change from four figures for a standard room. The suites, meanwhile, are really only for those with proper FU money. But you know what? It’s totally, totally worth it. Despite being designed by a bling-loving fashion house, it’s surprisingly understated and clearly prioritises sophistication over gaudy opulence. Delve into the five labyrinthine subterranean floors to enjoy a swimming pool, spa, cocktail bar and a private cinema (amongst other treats). Oh, and did we mention the toiletries smell really – we mean really – good?!

Best for : Perfect level of service and some excellent smellies

The Langham

The hotel of choice for many visiting celebs headed for the BBC’s Broadcasting House just opposite, The Langham is the kind of understated, charming place that endures because of its timeless appeal, first-class service and winning spaces, from the art deco Palm Court, where afternoon tea is served, to the cocktail bar and Chinese-influenced spa. Foodies will be thrilled that Roux at The Landau is still firing on all cylinders, and The Wigmore is a great up-market version of your classic London pub. Well, kind of.. if classic London pubs were spared no expense. Rooms are distinctly English.

Best for  A-list celeb-spotting

The Mandrake

Inspired by the plant it’s named after and converted from a RIBA-winning building in Fitzrovia, this OTT hotel was an instant hit with the fashion crowd when it opened in 2017. And no wonder: its dark, intimate and opulent styling offers sumptuous and quirky elements wherever your eye lands. The 30 bedrooms, set over four floors around a beautiful hidden courtyard, are little works of art in their own right. Gorgeous, different and a stunning addition to the London hotel scene.

Best for  Instagram likes

• price 1 of 4

Hate checking in? You’ll love The  Pilgrm . With this affordable (by London standards) 73-room hotel, Jason Catifeoglou – formerly of the Zetter group – has done away with reception, minibars and phones to create a hotel that has a personal feel and features superfast wi-fi, Marshall speakers, 24-hour pantries and natural toiletries. (Plastics begone, we’re using soap on a rope!) He has sensitively retained and restored original  Victorian fixtures and fittings while adding interesting reclaimed ones to create a unique space that’s a real winner. There’s some really good food going on in the Lounge, too.

Best for  innovation

Kettner’s Townhouse

Older Londoners will have fond memories of Kettner’s restaurant, opened in 1867 by August Kettner, chef to Napoleon III, which has been incorporated into this gorgeous new townhouse hotel from the Soho House group. The massive restoration project involved 15 Georgian townhouses (including 11 listed buildings), plus Soho House Greek Street. The result? Thirty-three lavish rooms, from ‘cosy’ to suites, with both original features and twenty-first-century nods to art deco design. The only negative? It’s for members only, friends.

Best for  a trip down memory lane

La Suite West

Vegans and health buffs rejoice: this sleek Japanese-inspired hotel in Bayswater has been designed with your lifestyle choices in mind. Yin and yang interiors paired with Japanese minimalist furnishings, Zen vibes throughout, and a classy restaurant offering a good selection of plant-based dishes. And if you want to enjoy one of London’s finest parks? Kensington Gardens is a five-minute walk. 

Best for  park life

The best thing about this boutique hotel tucked away down a Shoreditch alleyway is the importance they put on design. Then that's hardly surprising considering it's from the hands of the late Sir Terence Conran. Each of the 17 rooms has a different style to it and the corner ones all pay tribute to pioneering designers. Think Charles and Ray Eames, Eileen Grey and Mies van der Rohe.

Best for tastefully crackpot inventions Time Out tip: Head to the rooftop at sunset – it's magical.

The Mondrian Shoreditch

You might have known this as The Curtain a few years back, with its high-quality – Obama-approved, in fact – fried chicken joint, Red Rooster. Today it’s in the hands of the Mondrian group, who have returned to London to open their sixth hotel, giving it a very slick new lick of paint in the process. Make sure you try out Dani García’s excellent restaurant, BiBo Shoreditch, for some top-notch Spanish food.

Best for a classy base for exploring east London

Ham Yard Hotel

Design director Kit Kemp has teamed her trademark bold colours with antique and distressed furniture to create this grandly proportioned Firmdale complex of hotel, apartments and shops around a courtyard that’s great for warm days – as is the secret rooftop garden. On cold ones, the basement bowling alley is a nice alternative to the brash attractions of Piccadilly Circus.

Best for  bowling

• price 3 of 4

A boutique time-warp in the depths of Clerkenwell, full of four-poster beds, antiques and one very proud house cat. The charming Rookery is conveniently located amongst all the finest restaurants and bars, but if you don't feel like stepping out there's an 'honesty bar' in the drawing room.

Best for  tradition

Henrietta Hotel

• Covent Garden

This is the first London outpost of Paris-based Experimental Group, a collective of friends with a shared love of fine food, wine, cocktails and design. The hotel has 18 bedrooms and suites designed by Dorothée Meilichzon. Picture leopard-print wallpaper, marble skirting boards and zingy geometric floor coverings. All of them have the appropriate wow factor. The 80-seat restaurant is being taken over by Italian Supper Club founders Silvio Pezzana and Toto Dell'Aringa.

Best for  seriously OTT decor

Does the most famous hotel in the world need an introduction? Probably not, but to step into The Ritz is still a semi-magical experience, transporting you back to a time when Britain ruled the world and someone had just invented the train. An update in 1995 injected some modernity into the 1906-does-Louis XVI design, but there’s a wonderful sense of old-school decorum here, appropriate given the sheer quantities of marble and 24-carat gold leaf on site. Be warned: no jeans, no trainers, and jackets for dining, please – apart from at breakfast.

Best for  Liberace chic

The Hoxton, Holborn

This sister venue to the  The Hoxton in  Shoreditch has brought all the style of the East End to central London. Situated a stone's throw from the British Museum, the Holborn branch offers classy midcentury modern decor throughout, iMacs for guests and a lovely cafe/bar.

Best for  tomb raiding

Shoreditch Rooms

Shoreditch House’s stayover option perfectly captures the atmosphere of its neighbourhood, with its fun and slightly retro design. There’s a holiday vibe throughout, with rooms – decked out in pastel-painted tongue-and-groove cladding – that feel fresh and a bit like beach huts, and an excellent rooftop pool in the members’ club next door. If you crave more space, High Road House in Chiswick, also owned by Soho House, has 14 bedrooms from £130 per night (20 percent cheaper for members).

Best for  pretending you’re a hipster

Sea Containers London

This South Bank hotel has been a smash for two reasons: firstly, the fabulous interiors, courtesy of Tom Dixon of Habitat fame; think bold colours and design touches that nod to the building’s nautical heritage, such as the Cutty Sark-like copper hull in reception. Then there’s the location: bang on the river and great for the Tate Modern and Southbank Centre. Icing on the cake? The 56-seat Curzon-run cinema and the seriously impressive Lyaness cocktail bar, from Ryan Chetiyawardana’s award-winning Mr Lyan team. 

Best for yo ho hoing

The Beaumont

You’d never guess that central London’s most striking-looking hotel was Selfridges’ former garage until a few years ago. After humble beginnings, The Beaumont is now, quite literally, a work of art, with Antony Gormley’s part-suite, part-sculpture, ROOM, adorning its front. Elsewhere decor is pure art deco fantasia and service manages to find the right line between efficient and obsequious; friendly and pseudo-matey. It’s a convenient spot for Selfridges and Le Magritte Bar is perfect for a post-spree old fashioned.

Best for  art deco styling

Great Northern Hotel

• King’s Cross

The city’s first railway hotel opened in 1854 has been reborn as a 91-room classic, thanks to a fabulous refit. Railway fans will love the couchette rooms with beds snugly fitted into the window to evoke sleeper carriages. Each floor has a pantry filled with jars of vintage sweets, fresh cakes, tea and coffee, newspapers, books, and even a USB-friendly printer.

Best for sleeper chic Time Out tip: Check out the bar terrace for a nightcap.

Historical figures echo in the halls of old-school Brown’s, among them Napoleon III and Empress Eugénie, Emperor Haile Selassie and Agatha Christie, whose ‘At Bertram’s Hotel’ was inspired by the place. But the comfortable and elegant Mayfair hotel – London’s first, and built across 11 townhouses – is perfectly at home in the twenty-first century with all mod cons, among them a spa, walk-in showers and free airport transfers, plus arresting original art by the likes of Tracey Emin and Bridget Riley.

Best for  immersing yourself in history

CitizenM Tower of London

This latest addition to the growing CitizenM chain (there are Bankside and Shoreditch branches too) is affordable, chic and dependable, from its self-check-in to the youthful contemporary styling of its slick café-bar and reception area. Rooms are small but well designed, with wall-to-wall windows, drench showers, and free wi-fi and movies. Funky-coloured lighting, air con and blackout blinds are controlled with an in-room tablet.

Best for  technology

St Pancras Renaissance Hotel London

Derelict for years, this fabulous Victorian building by George Gilbert Scott was restored to its former glory, with new additions, and opened in 2011. Pamper yourself in the spa and then indulge in a British-inspired meal at the Hansom restaurant (replacing the sadly-closed Gilbert Scott restaurant), preceded perhaps by an 1873 gin cocktail, named after the year the hotel was built. The St Pancras Renaissance is also the best choice for anyone travelling by Eurostar: the hotel has security clearance and a side door takes you straight to the platform.

Best for trainspotting

Covent Garden Hotel

• Seven Dials

Slap bang in the heart of the theatre district, this lovely five-starrer oozes charm. You can see it in the floral prints, in the warming colour palate and the classic panelled library. In the lobby you'll find Brasserie Max, decked out like a 1920s Parisian bistro, with a British and European menu.

Best for  feeling like a film star

Green Rooms

A 1930s art deco block in Wood Green might not initially have much to recommend it but this is the UK’s first arts-led social enterprise hotel. The Scandi-basic accommodation offers dorm beds at £24 per night with doubles at £89, unless you're an artist, in which case you qualify for a discount (contact them directly to book). The brains behind the hotel are Nick Hartwright (Mill Co Project), with Kurt Bredenbeck (Hoxton Hotel) advising on hospitality and chefs mentored by Johnny Smith (Michelin-starred The Clove Club). As well as the ideals and the food, there are exhibitions, yoga and DJ nights. And it’s only 15 minutes from central London by tube.

Best for  arty accommodation

One Aldwych

The breathtaking Lobby Bar and Dominic Teague’s Indigo restaurant set up this modern conversion (of the 1907 offices of The Morning Post ) beautifully. The rest of the hotel doesn’t disappoint either, from Frette linen and bathroom mini TVs to an environmentally friendly loo-flushing system. A cosy screening room, excellent spa and swimming pool with underwater sound system playing soothing music may dissuade you from ever stepping outside.

Best for  fashion and theatre

W London Leicester Square

• Leicester Square

A stylish hotel perched on the corner of Chinatown and Leicester Square, the W is a palace for affluent international travellers, rock stars and party people. Firstly, there's a nightclub on the first floor. Secondly, they provide vinyl room service, which isn't as kinky as it sounds. They have playlists curated by DJs Annie Mac and Lauren Laverne that you can select from and order direct to your room. There's also a private 3D cinema screen.

Best for  West End hipness

Good Hotel London

• Royal Docks

A hotel with a difference, and not just because it resembles a huge shipping container floating on the river. The message ‘Create beauty, do good’ is emblazoned on the wall inside and the interior is all cool, industrial design. The ‘good’ bit is covered off by the training of local long-term unemployed, with the hotel’s profits going back into the project. Stay in the cosy cabins, with portholes looking out over the Thames, and hang out in the sustainable Living Room, a bar and restaurant serving Spanish-based tapas and small plates. Or if it’s a nice evening? Head up to the roof for great views of London.

Best for  sleep with a good conscience

Z Hotel at Gloucester Place

Budget hotels got a whole lot cooler when Z arrived. The Marylebone branch, in some converted Georgian townhouses, retains much of the original wood panelling and has made the most of its high ceilings. Rooms are contemporary and industrial in style, and the size of them – some minuscule – is reflected in pared-back pricing (which happily includes wi-fi, organic breakfast and the 5pm-8pm cheese and wine buffet). Z can also be found in Shoreditch, the City, Soho, Piccadilly, Victoria, Covent Garden and Tottenham Court Road.

Best for  central cool

Town Hall Hotel

• Bethnal Green

Incongruously set in a Grade II-listed former town hall in the otherwise grungy heart of Bethnal Green, this upscale aparthotel is a masterclass in refitting a classic space, retaining many beautiful original features but jazzing up the whole thing with contemporary art in pale-toned, spacious and well-appointed rooms and apartments. The excellent two-Michelin-starred Da Terra restaurant definitely adds to the appeal.

Best for  local government Time Out tip: Head to the basement for a late-night dip in the sparkly tiled swimming pool.

The hotel loved for its mix of Edwardian neoclassical and art deco design acquired a host of grand new features in its oh-so-twenty-first-century £100 million refurb, including an atrium pool with a jet stream. But we love it for its star-filled history – where else can you stand on the spot where Monet painted the Thames, or where Vivien Leigh met Laurence Olivier? Then there’s Gordon Ramsay’s Savoy Grill, his new River Restaurant, and the fabulous American Bar.

Best for  A-list glamour

The London Edition

The London Edition makes a big impact as you walk into its grand hall of a lobby, complete with double-height rococo ceilings, floor-to-ceiling windows and marble pillars. Bedrooms are similarly impactful: akin to lodges or dachas, with matte oak floors, wood-panelled walls and faux-fur throws tossed on luxurious beds. Larger rooms come with sofas, some have furnished terraces, all have rainforest showers and Le Labo toiletries (with the hotel’s woody signature scent).

Best for  partying and dining with the in-crowd

• Shepherd’s Bush

The staff wear Converse, the fittings are Starck and the suites are former BBC recording studios in this deluxe west London hotel. Rooms are designery but in a cool, understated way. They’re spacious too (the smallest is 23 square metres) and boast in-room tablets, handy smartphones and granite bathrooms with White Company toiletries. Don’t miss the spa – particularly the Snow Paradise cabin chilled to -15C and designed to complement the hot-cold therapy.

Best for  cool

Montcalm Royal London House

This City hotel is one of what's now a nine-strong Montcalm family, and it has all its siblings’ fizz-pop-bang features and then some. Russell Sage’s design is to the fore with statement copper-pipe lighting and silk-lined corridors, but it’s the little touches that make it exceptional: in-room Nespresso machines, Elemis and Hermès toiletries, a complimentary smartphone service with unlimited internet data and selected free local and international calls all add real value.

Best for  design twists

No hotel in London is more English than the family-owned Goring; it’s where the Middleton family stayed before the royal wedding. Expect lots of chintz, mahogany and silk, together with genteel luxury: polite tent cards ask you not to use your smartphone or conduct business during afternoon tea. For a true ‘Downton Abbey’ experience, book a suite and the services of a footman are yours. Hide all twenty-first-century encumbrances in the safe and go back in time for a few days.

Best for  traditional English luxury

Eschew modern styling and views for these four Georgian townhouses, named after eighteenth-century essayist William Hazlitt, and you won’t regret it. The flamboyance and exquisite attention to detail are spot-on, while the addition of modern luxuries like TVs (discreetly hidden away in antique cupboards, of course) makes for an elegant whole in the heart of Soho.

Best for aged atmos

The Soho Hotel

The noisy exuberance of Soho is left firmly outside in this Firmdale hotel group favourite: tucked away in a mews, the place is wonderfully quiet, with what was once a car park now feeling like a converted loft building. Its big contemporary bedrooms are peaceful too, with nicely judged touches lifting the decor beyond bland.

Best for  being at the heart of the action

Sanderson London

No designer flash in the pan, the Sanderson remains a statement hotel, a Schrager-Starck creation that takes clinical bedroom chic to new heights. Colour is generally conspicuous by its absence: the design throughout is all flowing white net drapes, gleaming glass cabinets and retractable screens. The Long Bar sports fabulous cocktails and regular DJ nights.

Best for  minimalism (with a bit of Prince chucked in)

The Treehouse Hotel

The Treehouse Hotel prides itself on its plastic-free and sustainable mission – while providing a high-end stay in the heart of central London. This whopper of a 95-room hotel is located just off Regent's Street, mere steps away from the wilderness of Oxford Circus. Unique amenities include complimentary toiletries and niceties, quirky decor such as magic 8 balls and cuckoo clocks and super modern bathrooms, complete with rainfall showers. Top up your in-room glass water bottle from one of the many filtered water dispensers along the corridors before heading up – or down – to dinner and one of the three on-site venues.

Best for rooftop drinks in the rainforest Time Out tip:  Dine at Monza Pizzeria and chat with Francesco – he'll make your evening something to remember. 

Dorsett City

Set in a 13-storey building formerly called The Matrix, this hotel next to Aldgate tube station has two restaurants, a bar and 1,600 square feet of meeting space. The hotel features 267 guest rooms and suites, a rooftop bar, and a fitness centre. The hotel brings two popular restaurant concepts from west to east London for the first time, with the opening of Shikumen and VQ (Vingt-Quatre).

Best for  a touch of west London in east London

The Laslett

This award-winning hotel in Notting Hill looks like the home of your dreams: there’s gloriously retro and modern decor here and there, classic Penguin paperbacks for bedtime reading and even bathroom products from Neal’s Yard Remedies. The Laslett has succeeded in doing such a fine job of celebrating the best bits of London art and design, you won’t want to leave. Split across five interconnected townhouses, the hotel offers 24-hour room service, complimentary gym passes and in-room spa treatments.

Best for  a bedtime story

Courthouse Hotel Shoreditch

This addition to the five-star Courthouse family brings the elegant Old Street Magistrates Court bang up to date with modern must-haves like a rooftop bar, spa, pool, 196-seat cinema and bowling alley. But its USP lies in the space and its history; to imagine former ‘guests’ like Joe Orton and the Krays in one of the the original courtrooms (now the main casual fine-dining restaurant and an ultra-exclusive members’ bar), or indeed in one of the five cells pressed into service as bar booths, really is special.

Best for  aberrant behaviour

Motel One Tower Hill

Close to the Tower of London, this is one of the newest low-budget high-design hotels to hit London. Stylish rooms with rainfall showers are affordable, and include organic breakfast, free wi-fi, and early check-in plus late checkout. Work or relax over cocktails in the modern café-bar, with Chesterfield-style sofas and a fire.

Best for  budget designerisms

Dukes Hotel

London’s hotel scene is stuffed with some top-notch quintessential Englishness, but few places can lay claim to being the watering hole of James Bond creator Ian Fleming and (some say) the home of the world’s best martini. Beyond Dukes’s bar, chic understated rooms feature regal purple and gold accents and manly (but lovely) marble bathrooms. The Cigar and Cognac Garden is the place to head for a post-dinner puff (though only of cigars purchased from the hotel).

Best for  a martini followed by a fine cigar

The Zetter Hotel

• Clerkenwell

There’s a refreshing lack of attitude at this Clerkenwell joint, where staff are friendly and the eco-credentials impressive (this hotel owns its very own borehole allowing self-sufficiency in terms of water supply). Rooms feature walk-in showers with The White Company smellies, and some even have private rooftops overlooking the London skyline – the perfect spot for a soak in the claw-foot rooftop tub. The Zetter group also boasts the Zetter Townhouse Clerkenwell across St John’s Square and The Zetter Townhouse Marylebone. Both are also worth checking out.

Best for  cycling

Hoxton Hotel

• price 2 of 4

Famous for its low rates, the Hoxton also deserves credit for well-thought-out rooms. Sure, they’re on the small side and weekend rates can be high, but hey, you’re in the heart of Shoreditch, at one of the hippest hotels in the city, in one of the hippest cities in the world. And if you come on a Sunday you can enjoy all that hipness for a little less, including breakfast. Hip hip hooray!

Best for  affordable Shoreditch

Corinthia Hotel London

The Corinthia’s conversion from government offices to grand hotel takes in an expansive lobby complete with central dome, dark wood and silk-covered walls in the high-spec rooms and luxurious bathrooms with pool-like oval baths, all done with a light, modern touch that avoids self-importance or stuffiness. The Espa spa and subterranean pools (with jacuzzi, steam room, sauna and hot seats) form a complex over two floors.

Best for  a stroll to Downing Street

Lime Tree Hotel

If you're looking for a budget-friendly stay in central London, the Lime Tree Hotel is the place for you. Located just off the 'prettiest street in London', this boutique Belgravia hotel presents 26 rooms in an eclectic style of old-school country and worldly delights. The double bedroom offers a surprise ensuite – you'll need to look beyond the bookcase wallpaper to find it – that offers sustainable locally-produced toiletries and a fabulous shower. The bed will have you drifting off to la-la-land in no time, before rising for a stellar breakfast at the on-site brunching spot; The Buttery. Try the salmon and eggs; it's magic.

Best for country life in the city Time Out tip: Grab coffee in the garden – you wouldn't know you're in London.

Dean Street Townhouse

Soho House’s central London spot is a Grade II-listed, 1730s townhouse-turned-chic-hotel. Bedrooms, over four floors, run from full-size with early Georgian panelling and reclaimed oak floors to a sweet split-level ‘Broom Cupboard’ room. Whatever the size, all come with Apple TV and Bose iPod docks, as well as bathrooms with rainforest showers and Cowshed products. The atmosphere is that of a gentleman’s club: both low-key and luxurious.

Best for  members’ club vibes

Number Sixteen

• South Kensington

Kit Kemp’s Firmdale hotels are generally unaffordable to mere mortals, but this South Kensington gaff keeps prices lower and quality high, with bright, generously sized bedrooms that carry the Kemp trademark mix of bold and traditional. Best of all, there’s a large, tree-filled garden, with breakfast is served in a pretty conservatory.

Best for  affordable luxe

Chiltern Firehouse

André Balazs, the man behind the celeb-friendly Chateau Marmont in LA and New York’s Mercer, has a gift for creating exclusive hotels with incredible buzz, and did exactly that with this former fire station, whose lovely red-brick exterior is matched inside by sumptuous colours and design that marries restrained and imaginative beautifully. If you plan to stay in one of the 26 refined suites and want to eat in, book well in advance for the celebrated restaurant – it’s still busy despite Nuno Mendes leaving for pastures new.

Best for  food

Haymarket Hotel

A terrific addition to Kit Kemp’s Firmdale portfolio, this block-sized building was designed by John Nash, the architect of Regency London. Wow factors include the bling basement swimming pool and bar (shiny sofas, twinkly ceiling) and the central London location. Rooms are generously sized (as are the bathrooms), individually decorated and discreetly equipped with facilities, and there’s plenty of attention from the switched-on staff. The street-side bar and restaurant are top-notch and the breakfast is exquisite.

Best for  hanging by the pool

St Martins Lane Hotel

St Martins Lane led the way in flamboyant, theatrical hotel design when it opened in the ’90s, courtesy of Philippe Starck’s playful decor. Clever renovation has managed to update the wow factor for the twenty-first century with mood-interactive light displays and smart TVs, while retaining the stunning floor-to-ceiling windows. Some rooms have private balconies, all offer access to a neighbouring gym, bike loans, and a laundry service for workout wear.

Best for  fragrant exercise sessions

Charlotte Street Hotel

Now a fine exponent of Kit Kemp’s much-imitated fusion of flowery English and avant garde, this gorgeous hotel was once a dental hospital. Public rooms have colourful murals and Bloomsbury Set paintings by the likes of Duncan Grant and Vanessa Bell, while bedrooms mix English understatement with bold flourishes and feature trademark polished granite and oak bathrooms. The Oscar restaurant and bar are classy and busy with a smart crowd of media and advertising folk.

Best for  art fans

ME by Meliá

London’s first ME by Meliá is a deluxe beauty by Foster + Partners, modelled on the lines of the 1920s Marconi House next door but with resolutely modern styling – like the breathtaking nine-storey pyramid atrium and rooms featuring triangular windows with views on to Aldwych. The tenth-floor roof-terrace bar offers exceptional vistas. The Meliá White House near Regent’s Park has all the modern touches and style, but much cheaper rooms in a great 1930s apartment block.

Best for  rooftop drinking

The Academy

The decor behind the facades of these five Georgian houses is a mix of restrained country-house florals and intellectual sophistication that’s just right for Bloomsbury’s studious yet decadent history. The library and conservatory open on to a fragrant walled garden, where breakfast is served in summer.

Best for  an alfresco start to your day

The Landmark London

The rows of leafy trees standing sentinel outside soften the otherwise beautiful but imposing red-brick exterior of this classic Marylebone grand hotel, a worthy architectural peer to the likes of the Renaissance and Andaz Liverpool Street. It’s traditional through and through, with marble, gilt and glitz aplenty, and if the decor in the rooms is a little on the safe side, they’re as plush and comfortable as they come.

Best for Solid, understated excellence

Malmaison London

Shoreditch gets all the hip plaudits, but Malmaison, on a lovely cobbled square on the edge of the Square Mile, is just as well-placed for an East End night out without the weekend crowds – though you might find some of the cannier ones enjoying the pleasingly understated design and lovely basement brasserie.

Best for  old-world elegance

South Place Hotel

In keeping with its City location, South Place is a nice balance of formality for its expense-accounters and fun for their guests. Interior decor impresses with conversation-piece art, touch controls in the rooms, and a Bond-themed pool room and library complete with vinyl and turntable. There’s a pretty interior courtyard garden bar too. Foodies will appreciate the Michelin-starred experience at the Angler restaurant on the sixth floor.

Best for  sustainable seafood

Bermondsey Square Hotel

Kitsch and fun, this well-located hotel has gimmicks aplenty – loft suites named after the heroines of psychedelic rock classics (Lucy, Lily, Jude, Ruby and Eleanor), private terraces, hammocks and even a suite with an eight-person outdoor hot-tub – but the real draw is its well-designed rooms for competitive prices. The bar’s lounge area is a good spot to relax, and travellers with pooches will love its dog-friendly touches, including beds, bowls and treats.

Best for canine-friendly psychedelia

Artist Residence London

With its abundance of exposed brickwork, cool bar and buzzing small-plates restaurant, Artist Residence is a little slice of Shoreditch in the sleepy-but-convenient environs of Pimlico. Part of a boutique chain (there are others in Brighton, Penzance and South Leigh in Oxfordshire), with only ten rooms, it offers good value as well as great fun. And it’s well positioned for central sights – the river, Westminster Abbey, Tate Britain – as well as Victoria station, which is a five-minute walk away.

Best for  blitzing Zone 1 attractions

Rosewood London

There aren’t too many first-class hotels around Lincoln’s Inn Fields, which is a shame as it’s just far enough away from Covent Garden to be a haven from the teeming masses – and the quiet courtyard outside this restored Edwardian mansion helps. Inside, contemporary design is mixed with original art-nouveau features in rooms with marble bathrooms, Nespresso coffee machine and Czech & Speake toiletries. The spa’s gorgeous too, but our favourite thing? The 200 single-malt whiskies on offer in the bar.

Best for  whisky

The Lalit London

Indian hotelier Lalit’s first London outpost is a stunner. There’s its setting for a start, in the grammar school where novelist Lawrence Durrell was a pupil, and the cost of the refurb (£50 million) for 70 rooms filled with high-end furnishings and fabrics like mother-of-pearl and silk. But what we’re most excited about is the Indian theme – from traditional English afternoon tea with a twist to Subcontinental dishes in the former school’s great hall and a basement spa offering Indian therapies.

Best for  Indian summers

Hilton London Bankside

• Chain hotels

If you’ve no head for heights but want to be near Borough Market, this is a great alternative to the Shangri-La. The bronzed-metal façade with its colourful murals is a clue to the modernity on offer in this affordable, central hotel that features a pool, gym, bar and good-value dining room, as well as contemporary rooms with free wi-fi.

Best for  Borough Market grazing

Sofitel London St James

A grand location in St James’s is the perfect setting for this oh-so-traditional grand hotel, set in a former banking hall. The feeling throughout is one of timeless elegance: muted tones, mahogany furniture and heavy fabrics keep everything quiet and calm, while Nespresso machines and Roberts iPod docks bring a touch of modernity. Don’t miss the Michelin-starred Wild Honey St James, headed up by the hugely talented Anthony Demetre.

Best for  a weekend in the West End

The Ampersand Hotel

Behind a Victorian stucco frontage, the Ampersand zings with splashes of bold colour against its dove grey and duck-egg blue decor. The hues extend to the lounge, where afternoon tea is served at comfy colourful sofas and armchairs in scarlet velvet. Botanical drawings reference the nearby South Kensington museums.

Best for  colour

Premier Inn London County Hall

This Premier Inn’s position right by the London Eye, the Thames, Westminster Bridge and Waterloo station is a gift for out-of-towners on a bargain weekend break. Check-in is quick and easy, rooms are spacious, clean and warm, with free wi-fi and decent bathrooms featuring very good showers, and extra points are garnered for its friendly and efficient staff. Breakfast, a buffet-style affair in a comfortable dining room, is extra but provides ballast for the day. 

Best for  the   South Bank on the cheap

The Trafalgar St James

• Trafalgar Square

The Trafalgar is part of the Hilton chain of hotels, but the mood is young and dynamic, and it’s housed in the imposing edifice that was once the headquarters of the venerable Cunard Steamship Company. To the right of the open reception is the boisterous Rockwell Bar; breakfast downstairs is accompanied by gentler music. Its none-more-central location, however, is the hotel’s biggest draw.

Best for  hitting the central sights Time Out tip: Got a conference? Book one of the many event rooms on offer.

B+B Belgravia

How do you make a lounge full of black and white contemporary furnishings seem cosy and welcoming? Hard to achieve, but the owners have succeeded at B+B Belgravia, which takes the B&B experience to a new level with a style that’s fresh and sophisticated without being hard-edged or too precious. A gleaming espresso machine provides 24/7 caffeine, and there’s a large (if somewhat gloomy) garden to sit in out the back.

Best for a caffeine fix

Milestone Hotel & Apartments

Wealthy American visitors make an annual pilgrimage here, their arrival greeted by their regular concierge, as English as roast beef, and a glass of sherry in the room. Yet amid the old-school luxury (butlers on 24-hour call) thrives inventive modernity (the resistance pool in the spa). Some rooms feature the inspired decor of South African owner Beatrice Tillman: Our favourite? The Safari suite, containing tent-like draperies and leopard-print upholstery.

Best for  big-game hunting

San Domenico House

San Domenico owes much of its tasteful, historic look to interior designer and one-time owner Sue Rogers, who transformed this former private residence into a boutique hotel masterpiece in which all the categories of guest room feature original furnishings or antiques. Royal portraits, Victorian mirrors and Empire-era travelling cases are complemented by fabrics of similar style and taste, offset by contemporary touches to bathrooms. The spacious bedrooms enjoy wide-angle views of London, and some have small balconies.

Best for  individual style

The Connaught

This isn’t the only hotel in London to provide butlers, but to our knowledge it is the only one that offers ‘a secured gun cabinet room’ for the hunting season. This is traditional British hospitality for those who love stern portraits in the halls but all mod cons in their room, down to TVs and heated bidets in the en suite. Chef Hélène Darroze’s cuisine has won three AA Rosettes and two Michelin Stars, and the hotel’s modern wing houses a swanky spa and 60 square-metre swimming pool. But if that's not enough? Jean-Georges Vongerichten has recently opened up Jean-Georges at The Connaught – further adding to the serious culinary appeal here.  

Best for  small-game hunting

Apex London Wall

• City of London

The mini-chain’s second London hotel (the first is at nearby Seething Lane), shares the virtues of the first, with obliging service, crisply designed rooms (most with balconies) with colourful decor and all mod cons, and quirky but appealing touches, like free local calls, jelly beans and internet, and an iron and kettle in the room. More traditional facilities like a gym and well-priced breakfast menu add to the appeal, and prices are decent for the City location.

Best for  chatterboxes

Aloft London Excel

Right beside the ExCeL convention centre, Aloft, from the swanky W chain, is refreshingly original. Service is winningly low-key and rooms nicely finished, including a remote keyboard to operate the telly, free wi-fi, and a decently appointed wet room. Your room card also gets you into the pool and fitness centre, which includes a steam room and sauna. A new opening in Tobacco Dock is due in 2023.

Best for  unconventional conventions

The futuristic decor might seem a little incongruous on a street of terraced properties, but once inside it’s all royal blue curtains, aluminium panelling and illuminated glassware that looks like something out of the Starship Enterprise. All rooms are clean and well-appointed, with en suite pod bathrooms, but for a little more space and privacy try Stylosuites, which are just around the corner above a pub.

Best for  stylish metal

Eccleston Square Hotel

The 39 masculine rooms at this Grade II-listed Georgian townhouse near Westminster are a gadget fan’s dream: there’s underfloor heating in the bathroom, while lighting and curtains are all operated by finger-tip control pads. Our favourite feature? The one that turns the ‘smart glass’ of the bathroom walls opaque for privacy. Oh, and no kids under 13.

Best for  gadgets

The Corner London City

• Whitechapel

Formerly the Qbic Hotel, the Corner offers sleek Scandi style and great savings from this Dutch hotel firm. Qbic, based in Amsterdam and Aldgate East, design their rooms on the 'cubi' concept, so each room is like a self-contained little cube. A stay here comes with a bed (obvs), flat screen telly, USB ports, and an en suite. There's an elegant cafe/bar downstairs, but given the hotel's proximity to Shoreditch, you'll have your pick of some of the best food and drink options in the city.

Best for  the feel-good factor Time Out tip: Stroll down to Brick Lane for a famous Biegel.

Hub London Covent Garden

The central feature of the Hub’s concept, courtesy of budget chain Premier Inn, is an app that controls everything from booking and checking in, to basic room controls and even a guide to the local area. The air-conditioned rooms, with Hypnos beds and wi-fi, are small but well designed, and keenly priced for their locations – along with this one, there are branches at Brick Lane, Goodge St, Tower Bridge, Soho, King’s Cross and Westminster, all with rooms starting at very competitive prices.

Best for  a budget break

Two grand Victorian South Kensington townhouses make up this wonderfully OTT fin-de-siècle period piece, founded by descendants of Captain Cook. Bedrooms all have fantastic nineteenth-century carved-oak beds, and the suites are spectacular – ‘Wizard of Oz’ fans should plump for the Judy Garland room with her old bed (and replica ruby slippers).

Best for  drama

Grange Langham Court Hotel

Here at the Grange Langham, you’re more likely to bump into savvy overnighting visitors than celebs being put up at the more famous Langham, but the striking Grange Langham Court is much more affordable than its more famous namesake, so it’s perfect for a weekend of shopping and sightseeing. The 56 modern, airy rooms feature free Wi-Fi, luxury marble and granite bathrooms, there’s a stylish French brasserie, and the distinctive black and white exterior makes it very easy to find.

Best for  clever booking

The May Fair

A luxury hotel with a boutique feel, the May Fair is colourful, excessive and a cut above the safe design directions that some five-star hotels take. Lush tones and sumptuous fabrics are the order of the day here, in both public spaces, like the indoor May Fair terrace, and through to the rooms, which include an entertainment system with a choice of music and movies.

Best for  interior design

Church Street Hotel

This family-run hotel has José Raido to thank for its attractive and original craftsmanship. He’s responsible for the brightly coloured décor and he made the bedframes himself. A good breakfast is included in some rooms and there’s an honesty bar too, not to mention plenty of local buzzing options to whet your appetite.

Best for  south London exploration

45 Park Lane

The sprightly offspring of the venerable Dorchester, which it faces across a twinkly-treed forecourt, has translated the famously high standards of its parent into buzzier, boutiquier form. A personal host is sharply suited in grey, you can borrow folding bikes, and rooms come with considered touches such as a yoga mat, designer glassware and an in-safe electrical outlet. Technology is state of the art, with TVs embedded in the bathroom mirror (so that you can watch from the giant marble bath); and touchscreens controlling room functions electronically.

Best for  bathtime viewings of ‘Strictly’

Montagu Place

This small, fashionable townhouse hotel fills a couple of Grade II-listed Georgian residences with sharply appointed rooms graded according to size. All have a cool and trendy look, with cafetières and ground coffee as well as TVs. The decision to combine the bar and reception desk (situated at the back of the house) means you can get a drink at any time and retire to the graciously modern lounge. Service is at once sharp and very obliging.

Best for  visits to the Wallace Collection

Andaz Liverpool Street

• Liverpool Street

In 2007 the red-brick Great Eastern became the first of Hyatt’s new Andaz portfolio, bringing in down-to-earth, well-informed service and eco-friendliness in an affordable but upscale space. The bedrooms wear style-magazine uniform – Eames chairs, Frette linens – but free services (local calls, healthy minibar) are an appreciated touch. Food and drink options include a traditional pub and British nosh at the 1901 restaurant, set in a magnificent former ballroom with a stained-glass dome. The the cinema – set in the basement masonic temple, a feature of the original hotel – appropriately favours horror movies.

Best for  a Halloween weekend

Dorsett Shepherds Bush

The foyer of this London Dorsett (there’s another in the City) has serious wow factor, soaring up as it does through the hotel’s eight storeys with rich wooden wraparound balconies creating a warm but impressive introduction. Beyond it, 317 rooms mix modern architecture and design with original art deco features of this Grade II-listed former cinema overlooking Shepherd’s Bush.

Best for  architecture

The Sumner’s cool, deluxe looks have earned it many fans, not least in the hospitality industry, where it’s won a number of awards. You’ll understand why when you get here: from the soft dove and slatey greys of the lounge and halls you move up to glossily spacious accommodation with brilliant, huge showers. The breakfast room has vibrant Arne Jacobsen chairs and the stylishly moody front sitting room is a cosy gem.

Best for  kicking back and meditating Time Out tip:  Wave hello to the Royals as Buckingham Palace is a five-minute walk away.

Harlingford Hotel

An affordable hotel with tons of charm in the heart of Bloomsbury, the perkily styled Harlingford has light, airy rooms with boutique aspirations. The decor is lifted from understated sleek to quirky with the help of vibrant splashes from coloured glass bathroom fittings and mosaic tiles, creating something of a Scandinavian feel. The crescent it’s set in has a private garden where you can knock a tennis ball about by day or just dream under the trees on a summer’s night.

Best for  a central London picnic

Fox & Anchor

Check in at the handsome attached boozer before heading to the separate front entrance for the hotel and a handful of well-appointed, atmospheric and surprisingly luxurious rooms. All are different, but the high-spec facilities (big TVs, drench showers) and quirky attention to detail (bottles of ale in the minibar) are common to all. Expect some noise in the early mornings as the traders roll in, but the proximity to the historic Smithfield meat market also means a feisty pub fry-up in the morning.

Best for  eye-popping Instagrams of meat

The Portobello Hotel

• Notting Hill

The Portobello has hosted the likes of Johnny Depp, Kate Moss and Alice Cooper (who used his bath tub to house a boa constrictor) over the last half-century, but it’s a pleasingly unpretentious place, with a more civilised demeanour than its legend might suggest. The rooms are themed – the superb basement Japanese Water Garden, for example, has an elaborate spa bath, its own private grotto and a small private garden – but all are stylishly equipped.

Best for slebby   idiosyncrasy

This Bayswater cutie is modern, modish and moderately priced for the area. The lobby and lounge are slick and glamorous, and the rooms low-key with some vibrant, twirly Eastern influences. Some of the larger family rooms retain their elaborate period pillars and cornices. The bathrooms are a symphony in marble; the huge showers have deluge heads. There’s a pleasant little patio, upstairs at the back, for morning coffee and evening drinks.

Best for  enjoying Little Venice

Vancouver Studios

Step into the hall or comfortably furnished sitting room of this imposing townhouse and it feels like the gracious home of a slightly dotty uncle, with decor in the public spaces comprising colonial swords and historic prints. Each room has its own style – from cool contemporary lines to a softer, more homely feel – and all are well equipped with appliances. The pretty garden with its fountain and heady scent of jasmine is a shady stunner.

Best for  eating in (or outside)

Formerly knowns as the Tune chain and with s ix London locations – Shoreditch, King’s Cross, Paddington, Westminster, Canary Wharf and Liverpool Street – the Point A chain is convenient as well as cheap (from £65, possibly without a window). Though perhaps not as stylish as the Qbic, Z or Hub, the no-frills air-conditioned rooms feature Hypnos beds, power showers and free wi-fi.

Best for great budget convenience

Find more hotel inspiration in London

Best romantic hotels in London

Choosing the best romantic hotels in London was never going to be an easy task. We defy anyone to walk across  Waterloo  Bridge with your beloved by your side and not feel your heart glowing. The city really is one of the best places on earth to be loved up, especially if you pick a hotel where there’s champagne on arrival,  breakfast  is served in bed and the  views  will make your hearts soar. 

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The best hotels in London according to the editors of Condé Nast Traveller

By Steve King and Condé Nast Traveller

At last count, there was something in the region of 123,000 hotel rooms in London . Nobody knows for sure exactly how many. You would think that, as with schools or hospitals or public swimming pools, there would exist a definitive and up-to-date list of the city’s hotels. Apparently not. In any case, 123,000 was the figure that some diligent scholar of the hospitality sector came up with back in 2010. A decade later, that number has no doubt increased considerably.

Still, a shortlist of 37 hotels in London is plenty to be getting on with, especially 37 that are as diverse, exciting, innovative, sumptuous, original and surprising as these. While it is true that certain other great cities of the world are, in hotel terms, similarly blessed – Paris and New York , undoubtedly; Hong Kong and Geneva , possibly – none is more so than London.

As for the word ‘best’ in our headline, with its hint of know-it-all certainty, well, provoking a bit of civilised debate is part of the point of lists like these. We hope you will agree that our idea of what is best is generally on the money. If you do not, you may take comfort in the fact that there are at least 123,000 alternatives available to you during your time in London.

What area in London is best to stay in?

If it’s your first time to the capital or you’re looking to stay among the action, most of the best hotels in London tend to surround the West End in areas such as Soho , Piccadilly, Mayfair , and Covent Garden . For a stay that sits alongside greenery, some of London’s smartest high-end hotels neighbour Hyde Park or Green Park, with grand landmarks like Buckingham Palace and Harrods located nearby. To be closer to London’s creative, music and nightlife hub, head to East London, where there are a number of smart hotels in Shoreditch .

All listings featured on Condé Nast Traveller Middle East are independently selected by our editors. If you book something through our links, we may earn an affiliate commission.

1. Claridge's, Mayfair Arrow

Best for: old-world glamour

Over the years, Claridge's has acquired an almost mythical aura, making it something more than the sum of its parts. Not that there's anything wrong with its parts – an irresistible hybrid of flapper-tastic Art Deco, grand Victorian flourishes and low-key, streamlined contemporary luxe. To pass through its oddly fragile-feeling revolving doors is to pass into another, lovelier world. One of the best afternoon teas in London is served in the foyer and a drink at the bar (or, better still, in the tiny Lalique-panelled fumoir) is de rigueur. Eternally on our list of the best hotels in London. To find out more, read our Claridge's hotel review .

Address : Claridge's, Brook Street, London W1K 4HR

2. NoMad London, Covent Garden

Featured on our 2022 Hot List of the best new hotels in the world

Best for: showmanship

Despite the Ace Hotel’s departure from the city, there’s something of a USA revival going on in London, with The Standard landing in King’s Cross and the Mondrian just launched in Shoreditch . And earlier this year, the first NoMad outside the States opened in a palatial former magistrates’ court opposite the Royal Opera House . It came with some expectation – after all, the original put a whole New York City neighbourhood on the map, its Dirty Martini-fuelled bar an overnight sensation – but has hit the ground running. The centrepiece restaurant, in a luminous, almost neoclassical atrium draped with greenery, was booked up for weeks, a see-and-be-seen destination. There’s plenty of showmanship here, but it’s more Noël Coward than PT Barnum: vintage chandeliers, brass and crimson, mohair and damask, mural painters from the opera house involved in the decor. In the bedrooms, bathrooms nod to golden Twenties Art Deco and the main spaces to a sort of transatlantic connoisseur spirit, with big-brushed abstract expressionism propped up on the floor, Hopi kachina dolls beside the fireplace and a blend of Victoriana and art history on the walls (we perhaps have hotelier Andrew Zobler’s grandmother, who owned an antiques shop , to thank for this). The Library bar has shelves and shelves of books, though the prominent criminology section can’t match a tour of the adjacent new Bow Street Police Museum, birthplace of London’s first force, which has seen the Krays, Oscar Wilde and Emmeline Pankhurst pass through its cells. Shakers rattle like sidewinders in the tavern-esque Side Hustle, mixing up fancy American-style cocktails. This is a big-thinking but surprisingly intimate hotel that deserves a standing ovation. To find out more, read our NoMad London review. Rick Jordan

Address : NoMad Hotel, 28 Bow St, London WC2E 7AW

3. The Mayfair Townhouse, Mayfair

Best for: decadent design

The brains behind classic country-house hangouts Cliveden and Chewton Glen have whisked up a sharp city offshoot for any of their loyal troupe of guests wanting to overnight in a London hotel. But there’s no whiff of a rural familial connection. Instead, The Mayfair Townhouse pays tribute to the frilly artistic folk of the 19th century: there’s a playful dose of Alice in Wonderland meets The Importance of Being Earnest (the play is set on the same street), with nods to the flamboyance of Oscar Wilde’s characters and quirky coloured graphic art referencing motifs from down the rabbit hole. It could all add up to something distinctly gimmicky, but a sense of restraint and a Claridge’s-like appreciation for Art Deco has resulted in rooms that are moody, masculine and smart. Some have a tiny quiet garden terrace to retreat to – a rare thing indeed for central London – while others major in marble. The building spreads grandly across 15 converted Georgian houses, a few Grade II-listed, and a lucky handful of the jewel-toned suites come with views over leafy Green Park below. But the real high point is The Dandy Bar on the ground floor – a shiny mirror-and-plush-leather speakeasy serving up a smooth menu of cocktails alongside dishes such as chicken cobb salad and steak frites. If you can prise yourself off your bar stool, Shepherd Market with lovely Kitty Fisher’s restaurant is just around the corner, the Royal Academy is a brisk 10-minute walk down Piccadilly and 5 Hertford Street is a late-night stumble away. A brilliant new spot in a location that already knows how to have fun. Katharine Sohn

Address : The Mayfair Townhouse, 27-41 Half Moon St, London W1J 7BG

4. The Connaught, Mayfair

Best for: one of the world's best bars

A hotel known for its Englishness – a quality embodied in its celebrated central staircase (dark and woody of bannister, bright and stripy of carpet), which apparently drove Ralph Lauren into such a fit of longing that he commissioned a replica of it for his Madison Avenue shop. The Connaught Bar is a mini Art Deco masterpiece and our pick for the best bar in London . Both Hélène Darroze's three Michelin-starred restaurant and the less formal Jean-Georges at The Connaught are outstanding too (the latter with a view onto a magical Tadao Ando water sculpture outside). To find out more, read our The Connaught hotel review .

Address : The Connaught, Carlos Place, London W1K 2AL

5. Lime Tree Hotel, Belgravia 

Best for: a sweet, affordable stay

This Ebury Street townhouse conversion is a masterclass in how to maximise eclectic style in a small space. It also delivers on a hard-to-keep promise: an elegant hangout that feels like home, in a great location, at an affordable price. Owners Matt and Charlotte Goodsall opened Lime Tree Hotel in 2008, quickly turning it into the area’s loveliest little boutique hotel and the best affordable hotel in London . They reframed challenge as an opportunity during the 2020 lockdown, overhauling the interiors and adding a new café. The couple enlisted Fraher & Findlay architects, whose previous projects include Wolf & Badger in Coal Drops Yard, but relied on their own taste for the decorative details, sprucing up corners with Sanderson wallpaper and Pooky lampshades. The 28 bedrooms range from minuscule to moderately sized, but this only contributes to the country-cottage cosiness. Clever design ensures that even the tiniest space is optimised, with teal velvet headboards, mountains of ikat pillows and marmalade-coloured armchairs (thoughtful reading material is provided – ours was Aesop’s Fables ). Single rooms come at a keener price, so solo travellers are well looked after. The Buttery kitchen is helmed by Stefano Cirillo, previously at Notting Hill spot Beach Blanket Babylon. Breakfast is made up of perfectly executed classics – avocado on sourdough with runny eggs, chocolate-spread-layered French toast topped with berries, a full English with halloumi – accompanied by the smell of freshly ground Gentlemen Baristas beans and crunchy pastries from the bakery down the road. The back garden is a tiny pocket of quiet for chatting late on summer evenings. Just like the rest of the house, it’s a sweet miniature that has all the elements needed and charm in spades. Katharina Hahn

Address : Lime Tree Hotel, 135–137 Ebury Street, London SW1W 9QU

6. Mondrian London, Shoreditch 

Best for: a Los Angeles-style rooftop pool

This East London enclave should really have had its day. It’s been years since Shoreditch’s street-food stalls, concept bars and cutting-edge boutiques started taking off. Then came the smart stays, award-winning cocktail dens and Michelin-starred restaurants . Bright young creatives were quickly priced out of living here. Then, over the past 18 months, the once-buzzing streets went silent. A couple of big names closed for good, and there was space for fresh players to shake up the re-emerging neighbourhood scene. Mondrian , the city-slicking group dreamt up by Ian Schrager in the 1990s, was primed to launch a new London hotel after handing over the keys of its South Bank stalwart a few years ago. The company, helmed by the Reuben brothers, took over splashy members'-club-hotel The Curtain when it shuttered and brought in design studio Goddard Littlefair – also behind the 2016 facelift of Scotland ’s Gleneagles – to switch things up. The loveliest of the 120 whitewashed, exposed-brick rooms have large balconies and skyline views, but this is the sort of place where you won’t spend much time in bed. Art fills the lobby – spot the double-height piece by British painter Fred Coppin – while ground-floor Christina’s serves glossy pastries by day and Espresso Martinis by night. There’s a members-only rooftop restaurant with its own pool and co-working space where events and panels are held. And – the biggest coup of all – Spanish chef Dani García has opened the first UK outpost of his renowned BiBo brand downstairs. The best incentive yet to rediscover Shoreditch. To find out more, read our First in: Mondrian Shoreditch review. Sarah James

Address : Mondrian Hotel, 45 Curtain Road, London EC2A 3PT

7. The Lanesborough, Hyde Park Arrow

Best for: Regency grandeur

Minimalists, modernists, fanciers of all things sleek, shiny, geometrical and monochrome – this is not the place for you. The Lanesborough was always an unrepentant riot of Regency splendour. In 2015 it reopened more unrepentant, riotous and Regency-splendid than ever. The Royal Suite, at around £26,000 a night, is supposedly the most expensive in London – guilty as charged – but certain of the Junior Suites are among the most charming and cleverly contrived hotel rooms you will find anywhere. The celebrated Library Bar and cigar terrace are still there, little altered. The main restaurant, Céleste, deserves mention as one of the most spectacular dining rooms in town, with decorative cues from Wedgewood and daylight from God, via a gorgeous 'sky dome'. Read the full review of The Lanesborough .

Address : The Lanesborough, Hyde Park Corner, London SW1X 7TA

8. Ham Yard Hotel, Soho

Best for: dizzying design

First things first: it's got its own bowling alley. A 1950s bowling alley, no less, imported from Texas . Nine properties down, Kit Kemp's design sensibility continues to impress. Here, her fondness for acid accents, contemporary art and rampant eclecticism imparts its own peculiar energy. Little about Ham Yard's public spaces suggests 'hotel'. Sink into a chintzy armchair before an open fire with a volume plucked from a library shelf, or nibble a savoury tartlet in the drawing room served on china designed by Kemp for Wedgwood – the tone is almost clubby. Only better, because clubs don't have bowling alleys. To find out more, read our Ham Yard hotel review .

Address : Ham Yard Hotel, 1 Ham Yard, London W1D 7DT

9. Nobu Hotel Portman Square, Marylebone

Best for: foodies

Nobu Hotel Portman Square spills out onto a cool, cosmopolitan terrace reminiscent of New York (fitting, perhaps, considering Lower Manhattan was where the legendary Nobu restaurant first opened in 1994) and builds on Nobu’s Park Lane legacy while adding fresh, minimalist rooms and chill-out spaces to complete the picture. There are no frills or fancy here – it’s all smooth urban energy with design-led chairs and sleek tables where London’s glitterati fine-dine on signature dishes such as black cod miso and yellowtail sashimi, sizzling wagyu beef, Chilean sea bass and wasabi lime miso. As one of the best restaurants in London , the space (and omakase multi-course tasting menu) feels grown up, with flashes of diamonds, stilettos and red lacquered chopsticks, while the bedrooms demonstrate Japanese minimalism in its purest form: clean lines, muted woods, restrained natural fabrics. For a near-mythical, indulgent (and mind-blowingly tasty) lunch or supper experience, followed by a calming sleep in the bedrooms, this is a hotel that’s earned its spot occupying the corner of one of Marylebone ’s handsomest patches. Staying without booking a table in the restaurant is akin to visiting The Ritz and forgoing their famed London afternoon tea. To find out more, read our review of Nobu Hotel Portman Square . Rosalyn Wikeley

Address: Nobu Hotel, 22 Portman Square, Marylebone, London W1H 7BG

10. Beaverbrook Town House, Chelsea

Best for: a country house in the city

A smart offshoot of the Surrey Hills original, Beaverbrook Town House has taken over a pair of restored Georgian townhouses in a prime position near Sloane Square. It feels like a joyous and timely celebration of the capital – especially on the stairs where an extraordinary collection of artwork has been cherry-picked by creative director and advertising legend Frank Lowe: old posters for the Boat Race, Brooks’ Peckham Brewery and Kew Gardens. Just as bedrooms in the country mansion pay homage to former owner Lord Beaverbrook’s friends and guests, here each one is named after a London theatre, with framed programmes of past productions and books on opera and Laurence Olivier. Interior designer Nicola Harding, who previously worked on the estate’s Garden House, has used a bolder, more playful palette for this spin-off, lending it a grown-up urban edge. Four-posters and fringed velvet sofas sit alongside antique desks, patterned lampshades and cushions made from vintage fabrics by Penny Worrall; bathrooms are equally colourful, with glassy tiles in rich apple green and bottle blue. On the ground floor, a Japanese apothecary cabinet at the entrance of the arsenic-hued, Art Deco-detailed bar marks a shift to the East. The best spot in the Fuji Grill restaurant, helmed by ex-Dinings SW3 chef Alex Del, is at the counter, where a sensational 20-course omakase supper is prepared, combining traditional techniques with modern European elements for dishes that might include tuna dry aged in house and hamachi sashimi with smoked aubergine. This standout addition to the area – where the Cadogan reopened under Belmond in 2019 and Hotel Costes is slated for late 2022 – is part of a new chapter for Chelsea. Emma Love

Address : Beaverbrook Town House, 115-116 Sloane Street, London SW1X 9PJ

11. The Berkeley, Hyde Park

Best for: Seventies style

Part of the Maybourne Group, which also manages Claridge's and The Connaught, The Berkeley is a bit like both but not much like either. A child of the early 1970s, there are no heritage trappings; instead, the look is cool, low-key, non-specifically modern. Soothe your aching muscles and achieve a state of serenity at the Blue Bar, or at the health club, home to one of the best spas in London . The views over Hyde Park are excellent; the rooftop pool is itself as pretty as a picture, though too small to be of much use to anyone who actually wants to swim. By way of compensation, there is Andre Fu's 278-square-metre Opus Suite – a spectacular space boasting more impressive vistas. To find out more, read our The Berkeley hotel review .

Address : The Berkeley, Wilton Place, London SW1X 7RL

12. The Ritz, Piccadilly Arrow

Best for: a grand dame

There have been a few changes at The Ritz in recent years. Above all, there was the renovation of the Rivoli Bar (which serves the best-presented cocktails in London ) and the acquisition of the magnificent William Kent House next door (César Ritz's dream ever since he built the hotel in 1906). Yet the main public spaces – including the adored Palm Court and dining room, aligned along the sumptuous gallery that runs the length of the building, from Arlington Street at one end to Green Park at the other – remain little changed. Here you still have a sense, enhanced by the rich, warm, golden glow of this part of the hotel, of having found yourself preserved in amber. No celebrity interior-designers have been let loose on the rooms, which retain their original Louis XVI style and a lustrous palette of pinks, yellows and blues. Ravishing. Read the full review of The Ritz .

Address : The Ritz Londo

13. The Zetter Hotel, Clerkenwell

Best for: a very British weekend

Two adjoining Georgian houses on cobbled (or, if you're wearing high heels, hobbled) St John's Square, Clerkenwell, just across from sister hotel The Zetter . Supposedly inspired by Dickens's London and in particular the gin distilleries for which this part of the city was once known. The curio-filled reception/cocktail lounge/breakfast room is, if not exactly Dickensian, at least chock-a-block full of zany drama and incident. Plonk yourself down on a velvet sofa and order one of Tony Conigliaro's witty cocktails and nibble on steamed bao buns, aubergine dip or a platter of British cheese. Upstairs, rooms are furnished with reclaimed and vintage furniture and mahogany four-posters.

Address : The Zetter Hotel, 49-50 Street John's Square, London EC1V 4JJ

14. The Shangri-La at the Shard, London Bridge Arrow

Best for: the views

Never has a traffic jam on the Old Kent Road looked so enchanting – everything seen from The Shangri-La looks enchanting. The hotel occupies floors 34 to the 52 of Renzo Piano's 87-storey London landmark. The rooms (contemporary, creamy, Asian-influenced), restaurants (especially the romantic Ting) and bar (gin and rosemary – divine) are all fantastic, though nothing can compete with the extraordinary views over London , which turn every guest into a slack-jawed infant, lost in wonder, gazing out, palms to the window, all day long. At night, sitting cross-legged on the bed with the blackout blinds open is like being on a magic carpet, floating high above the ceaseless glow of the great city. To find out more, now go to our Shangri-La at the Shard London hotel review .

Address : Shangri-La at The Shard, 31 Street Thomas St, London SE1 9QU

15. Henry's Townhouse, Marylebone

Best for: literature nerds

Heritage and hedonism are happy bedfellows at Henry’s Townhouse . Said to be Jane Austen’s favourite brother, the eponymous proprietor lived here in the 19th century, putting the author up as she toiled away at her masterpieces – apparently, early sections of Sense and Sensibility were written here. Today, there are first editions of her works to pore over in the velvety Snug, with its enormous fireplace. That’s the kind of vibe that owners Steven and Jane Collins have established throughout the seven-bedroom Georgian house, previously a “dreadful” B&B. The couple injected a hefty dose of fun and frivolity into every corniced corner during an 18-month makeover, for which they tapped designer Russell Sage, behind some of the city’s best-looking addresses ( The Savoy Grill, Zetter Townhouse). As well as the commanding original staircase, floors and doors, there are 15th- and 16th-century oil paintings from Steven’s personal collection, and every bedroom is named after one of Austen’s family – with twin canopy beds in brother Frank and celestial blues in sister Cassandra. Crafty modern extras – silent Dyson hairdryers, slick flatscreen TVs – are smartly hidden away. But it’s the social spaces and pitch-perfect service that really supercharge the place. For now, it’s all about having the run of the whole house with your crew. Gregarious housekeeper Ann Grimes helps to make everything happen, poised for a call via speed dial on one of the antique telephones. Chef George Parkes, meanwhile, uses local produce for feasts served in the Pantry, a dining room large and private enough for even the most rip-roaring supper. Chic yet cheeky, historic but with all the cutting-edge trimmings, Henry’s is the ultimate good-time crashpad. To find out more, read our Henry's Townhouse, Marylebone, London hotel review . Becky Lucas

Address : Henry's Townhouse, 24 Upper Berkeley Street, London W1H 7QH

16. The Lost Poet, Notting Hill

Best for: living like a local

This property arrives six years after the local hotel scene was levelled up with The Laslett, whose five Victorian mansions, made over by a British group keen to invoke a sense of ‘old’ Notting Hill , put the district back on the map for shiny people looking for late nights and a fun vibe. But The Lost Poet has opened in what is today an entirely different Notting Hill, one that collectively leans into the hyper-local, where the baristas know your coffee order and the most curious new bakery/ restaurant/bar is only stumbling distance from the front door. On the quiet end of Portobello Road – before the vegan cafés, film-set mews and paintbox-pastel terraces with makeshift lemonade stands – the unmarked townhouse is capturing the zeitgeist for serious privacy and a sense of rootedness in its surroundings. Checking in here feels more like renting an apartment than staying in a hotel. Rooms have monochromatic wallpaper (pistachio green, pastel pink, sunshiny yellow), artwork from the Nelly Duff Gallery and a rainfall shower or silver bathtub deep enough for a proper dip. The front-of-house team is always at the end of WhatsApp, dropping off hampers of cheese and crackers from The Sloe Kitchen and breakfast tote bags stuffed with Ottolenghi bakes and salty butter at the door. Windows look onto the curving entrance of Portobello Road – the lower-level Suite has a whitewashed deck while showstopping two-storey penthouse The Muse is all about the top-floor suntrap terrace, with views to rival any rooftop bar in the area. This patch of W11 has long been a classic spot for weekend day-tripping – and now there’s a lo-fi address for sleepovers too. To find out more, read our review of The Lost Poet hotel, London . Sarah James

Address : The Lost Poet, 6 Portobello Road, London W11 3DG

17. Sea Containers London, Southbank

Best for: Thameside living

Designer Tom Dixon went full steam ahead with the maritime theme here, transforming Sea Containers House, a great lump of an office building on the south bank of the Thames, into a hotel that is meant to resemble a transatlantic liner. A transatlantic liner, however, that also references Art Deco, Pop Art and disco, and that makes expressive use of a distinctly non-nautical palette (velvet banquettes in mimosa-yellow, wardrobes in bubblegum pink, staff uniforms in baby blue). Outside, there's Tate Modern to your left, Shakespeare's Globe to your right, and all of London seemingly spread out before you beneath the balcony of the hotel's brilliant, brassy rooftop bar 12th Knot. See our full review of the Sea Containers, South Bank .

Address : Sea Containers London, 20 Upper Ground, London SE1 9PD

18. The Goring, Green Park

Best for: a romantic weekend

The Goring has been owned and run by the same family since it opened a century ago. It shows. The hotel possesses a no-expense-spared quirkiness for which you will search in vain elsewhere. It is a glorious one-off. Rooms and suites are elegant and opulent, from the smallest Splendid Rooms to the silkily sumptuous Belgravia Suites and the duly palatial yet winningly homely Royal Suite, where Kate Middleton spent her last night as a single woman. The bar is one of the most romantic in London , the restaurant Michelin-starred, the private garden the biggest of its kind in London and as pleasing to contemplate on a rainy day as it is to wander around on a sunny one.

Address : The Goring, 15 Beeston Place, London SW1W 0JW

19. Dean Street Townhouse, Soho

Best for: Soho House fans

This Soho House outpost comprises three adjoining Georgian townhouses close to the original club. Rooms (Tiny, Cosy, Small, Medium and Bigger) are fetchingly pale and interesting, and no two are exactly alike. Care has been taken over every little detail – mirrors, lighting, throws, digital everything. The descriptively named Dining Room dishes up oysters, Scotch eggs, mince-and-potatoes, apple and blackberry pie. And while the silvered tea and coffee tins hint at the black-Labs-and-wellies wholesomeness of sister property Babington House, this is more Dangerous Liaisons territory, providing stiff competition for the nearby Soho Hotel. To find out more, read our Dean Street Townhouse hotel review .

Address : Dean Street Townhouse, 69-71 Dean Street, London W1D 3SE

20. The Savoy, Covent Garden Arrow

Best for: Art Deco vibes

Though people tend to think of it as monolithic and unchanging, The Savoy has something of a split personality and has in fact changed a great deal over the years. It's decorated in Edwardian style on the Thames side – from which Monet and Whistler painted the river – but it's quintessentially Art Deco on the Strand side. Rooms are large and traditional but never frumpy; and in a world of shrinking bathtubs , The Savoy's remain satisfyingly deep. The Savoy Grill is excellent, and The River Restaurant by Gordon Ramsay brings the best of British seafood and shellfish; and the hotel is blessed with two of the finest watering holes in London, The American Bar, granddaddy of London's cocktail bars, and its younger, sassier sibling, The Beaufort Bar. So don't even try to make it an 'either/or' proposition – it must be an 'and'. To find out more, read our The Savoy London hotel review .

Address : The Savoy, Strand, London WC2R 0EZ

21. 45 Park Lane, Hyde Park

Best for: masculine interiors

45 Park Lane is an Art Deco-styled, contemporary-art-filled 45-room hotel (and part of the Dorchester Collection – the mothership is just across the way). The vibe is masculine, with lots of dark wood, suede and leather. Wolfgang Puck's superior steakhouse, Cut, is said to have the widest selection of beef in London. To find out more, read our 45 Park Lane hotel review .

Address : 45 Park Lane hotel, 45 Park Lane, London W1K 1PN

22. The Beaumont, Mayfair

Best for: art aficionados

This used to be a multi-storey car park, you may be surprised to learn. The Beaumont is named after Jimmy Beaumont, a fictional character from Prohibition-era New York. Hence the Art Deco trimmings, wood panelling, vintage photos, and red-leather banquettes in the Colony Grill Room, where the shrimp cocktail is as good at the steak. In this context, Antony Gormley's astonishing 'Room' literally sticks out like a sore thumb – a three-storey sculpture extruding from one side of the building, which also happens to contain a suite. To find out more, read our The Beaumont London hotel review

Address : The Beaumont, 8 Balderton Street, Brown Hart Gardens, London W1K 6TF

23. Boundary London, Shoreditch

Best for: a warehouse feel

Terence Conran's first hotel – whoops, 'multi-functional space' – comprises a dozen large, expensively pared-down rooms in a converted warehouse in Shoreditch, showcasing the work of Conran's favourite designers (Le Corbusier and Mies van der Rohe) against gallery-style white walls and exposed brick. On the third and fourth floor of Boundary , there are also four duplex lofts and studios, plus a further suite designed by Sir David Tang . The good looks continue in Albion, a self-styled 'caff' with shop and bakery attached, and the swishy restaurant, where City swells and media types nibble on frogs' legs and do their best to deplete the well-stocked wine cellar. Upstairs, there's something of a Manhattan state of mind at the rooftop bar , an oasis of good taste above the nitty gritty big bad city, albeit an oasis with a 24-hour soundtrack of sirens and revelry. If you're a light sleeper, pack earplugs. To find out more, read our Boundary London hotel review .

Address : Boundary London, 2-4 Boundary Street, London E2 7DD

24. Corinthia Hotel London, Trafalgar Square 

Best for: the spa

As delicious as the huge slice of cake that the Corinthia resembles when seen from the right spot by the Thames. No fewer than 1,001 Baccarat crystals illuminate the double-height, Victorian-pillared lobby, whose parquet floors and elegant palette of creams, caramels and charcoals with splashes of lime-green hint at the splendours beyond. Guests with a list of London landmarks to be checked off will find this a convenient base, within striking distance of Downing Street, Trafalgar Square, the Houses of Parliament, Buckingham Palace, Theatreland and the South Bank (if you take one of the top-floor suites with a terrace, you can save yourself some time and see all of them at once). The ESPA Life spa occupies four levels, with 15 treatment 'pods', a marble-and-leather spa lounge, glass-encased sauna and steel-lined pool. To find out more, read our Corinthia London hotel review .

Address : Corinthia London, Whitehall Place, London SW1A 2BD

25. Brown's Hotel, Mayfair

Best for: a refined Mayfair hangout

This Mayfair grande dame submitted to a thoroughgoing facial in 2005 at the hands of owner Rocco Forte's sister Olga Polizzi, who gave it a whole new complexion, nipping and tucking her way around all that lovely old oak panelling, wrought-iron and stained-glass. The result is a contemporary classic that respects the past without getting stuck in it. Former guests such as Rudyard Kipling and Agatha Christie, were they to return, might have to steady their nerves over Adam Byatt's seasonal menu at Charlie's.

Address : Brown's Hotel, 33 Albemarle Street, London W1S 4BP

26. The Dorchester, Hyde Park Arrow

Best for: chintz

Its walls were apparently built to withstand practically anything that nature or man could throw at them; The Dorchester's reputation is similarly robust. Whether or not it's entirely to your taste – one look at The Promenade just off the lobby should be enough to make up your mind – there's no denying its wow-factor. It has two of the best hotel restaurants in town (Alain Ducasse and the recently revamped Grill), one of the most enduring nightspots (China Tang) and one of the best bartenders (the ageless Giuliano Morandin). There is impressive variety among the rooms – from the impeccable 1950s time-capsule apartments by Oliver Messel to classic chintz to the most smoothly contemporary – and the spa inspires fanatical loyalty. To find out more, read our The Dorchester hotel review .

Address : The Dorchester, 53 Park Lane, London W1K 1QA

27. Dukes, Mayfair

Best for: a Martini, shaken, not stirred

Practically hidden down a barely existent alleyway between St James's Street and Green Park. Practically hidden is how they like it at Dukes . Hushed, discreet, cosy and ever-so-English – yet by no means sombre, stuffy or stuck-up. How could anyone remain sombre, stuffy or stuck-up after a perfectly prepared drink by Alessandro Palazzi in one of the greatest bars on the face of the earth? This was supposedly where Ian Fleming first envisioned James Bond ordering his favourite drink 'shaken, not stirred'. The GBR (Great British Restaurant) is delightful; so is the entirely chic Cognac and cigar garden. To find out more, read our Dukes London hotel review .

Address : Dukes London, 35 St James's Place, St. James's, London SW1A 1NY

28. Hotel Café Royal, Piccadilly 

Best for: shopping getaways

This revamped Regent Street landmark combines fin de siècle opulence with streamlined modernity. The Grill Room at Hotel Café Royal has been turned into a bar, and its opulent gilt and mirrors have been levelled up with red furnishings. Head downstairs to the Akasha spa, which specialises in watsu aquatic-massage treatments. To find out more, read our Hotel Café Royal hotel review .

Address : Hotel Cafe Royal, 10 Air Street, London W1B 4DY

29. The Langham, Marylebone

Best for: Victoriana

If it feels as though The Langham has been there forever, that's because, in hotel terms, it pretty much has. But a century and a half on, it's looking grand, as sophisticated and elegant as it did when Napoleon III spent the night. These days the Victoriana and chinoiserie are offset by smooth, occasionally quirky contemporary elements – notably in the award-winning Artesian bar, with its timber chandeliers, imitation-snakeskin flooring and resin-topped tables. It would be difficult to name a finer hotel restaurant than Roux at the Landau, where father-and-son dream team Albert and Michel Roux Jr have been casting their culinary spells. To find out more, read our The Langham, London hotel review .

Address : The Langham, 1C Portland Place, London W1B 1JA

30. The London Edition, Fitzrovia

Best for: party people

A restaurant with rooms ? That wouldn't be entirely fair, but there's no escaping the fact that chef Jason Atherton's ground-floor Berners Tavern is the palpitating heart of the London Edition . The lobby cocktail bar, oak-panelled, reservation-only Punch Room and nightclub Basement only increase the pulse-rate. Ian Schrager 's considered, gimmick-free design has given the stucco, marble and stained-glass of the historic lobby a funky edge; upstairs, rooms are James Bond-slick, with buttoned-linen George Smith sofas alongside Scandinavian wishbone chairs and Schrager's trademark floor-to-ceiling white drapes. They are also marvellously quiet, a perfect antidote to the hubbub below. To find out more, read our London Edition hotel review .

Address : The London Edition, 10 Berners Street, London W1T 3NP

31. Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park

Best for: walks in the park

The late Queen Elizabeth II learnt to dance in the ballroom of this splendidly florid pile. A great deal has changed since then. There's now an award-winning, state-of-the-art spa, zeitgeisty restaurants by Daniel Boulud and Heston Blumenthal, and perpetually packed bars (not one, not two, but three, and all terrific in their very different ways). In June 2018, straight off the back of the biggest refurbishment in this Hyde Park hotel’s history, a major roof fire kept the hotel closed for another 10 months. Reopening in April 2019, the Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park retains elements of its gentler, more cosily traditional past, but with interiors that have had a modern makeover, and are significantly lighter and brighter. Meanwhile, the clippity-clop that rises faintly from the Hyde Park side as horses from the Household Cavalry make their way past the hotel never gets old. See our full review of the Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park .

Address : Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park, 66 Knightsbridge, London SW1X 7LA

32. Rosewood London, Holborn

Best for: a glossy stay

With their first foray into London, Rosewood has created not just a magnificent new hotel but a whole new neighbourhood: 'Midtown', previously known, without any of that implied New York spunk, as plain old Holborn. Yet the location is extraordinary, starting with the most unexpected of courtyards, like a mini Somerset House, from which a kind of country-house vibe emanates – a country house, however, with a tremendous sense of wit and panache. The style of the interiors is difficult to characterise, by turns demure and decadent, muted and glossy, traditional and contemporary. The overall effect is dazzling. The perpetually jammed Scarfe's Bar and the elegantly elongated Mirror Room are at either end of an exquisitely lit bronze corridor that insulates the lobby from the outside world. The Holborn Dining Room, run by Calum Franklin, adds a lively brasserie buzz. Sitting outside in the courtyard terrace in summer with a glass of something chilled is a joy. To find out more, now go to our Rosewood London hotel review .

Address : Rosewood London, 252 High Holborn, London WC1V 7EN

33. COMO Metropolitan London

Best for: understated interiors

Plain on the outside, plain on the inside – only you're talking about two very different kinds of plain here. While the COMO Metropolitan's exterior is anonymous to the point of charmlessness, the interiors are, particularly for this part of London, a pleasant surprise. Icy-calm, uncluttered and understated, though with some arresting and endearing touches – vivid block-coloured carpets, splendid orchids, big sofas arranged alongside big windows the better to enjoy the big views over the park outside. Though no longer in the first flush of their youth, the Nobu restaurant and Shambhala spa continue to deliver the goods.

Address : COMO Metropolitan London, 19 Old Park Lane, London W1K 1LB

34. The Soho Hotel

Best for: classic English style

Cleverly converted from a multi-storey car park, the Firmdale Group's Soho property remains one of London's most fashionable hotels. There's a great big fat Fernando Botero bronze sculpture of a cat in the lobby, probably contemplating his next saucer of milk in the adjacent Refuel bar, even though he could clearly do without it. The rooms are a celebration of colour and pattern, richly varied, in designer and co-owner Kit Kemp's characteristic eclectic-English style. Six apartments have private entrances, kitchens and sitting rooms. You know you're in Soho when there's not one but two screening rooms in the basement. To find out more, now go to our Soho Hotel review .

Address : The Soho Hotel, 4 Richmond Mews, London W1D 3DH

35. Bulgari Hotel and Residences, Knightsbridge

Best for: a taste of Italy

Just when you thought the vita in this part of town couldn't get any more dolce , along came this gem from the great Roman jewellery house. It's all very hard-edged and stealthily spoiling, but softened and enlivened with thoughtful design touches such as bedside lamps inspired by Bulgari's classic silver candlesticks. The clever use of subterranean space is one of The Bulgari's distinguishing features – there's a serious screening room, the swimming pool is positively radiant with golden mosaic tiles, and the spa is among the biggest and best in the city.

Address : Bulgari Hotel and Residences, 171 Knightsbridge, London SW7 1DW

36. Blakes, South Kensington

Best for: holing up on a romantic escape

Every hotel is to some extent a theatrical space. Some more so than others, and very few more so than Blakes . It's dramatically different before you even cross the threshold – its unmissable dark-grey exterior has the force of a thunderclap. Inside, the plot thickens amid decadent bohemian clutter – objets and curios from all over the world compete for attention with antique pieces and richly textured fabrics. Rooms are wildly dissimilar, though all are elegant and slightly louche, with come-hither four-posters, low lights, smoke and mirrors (you're actually allowed to smoke in your room). If only in terms of its spirit of grown-up playfulness, the other London hotel to which Blakes bears comparison is, oddly enough, The Goring. It's testament to the enduring charm of Anouska Hempel's vision that, although the hotel has been going for 30 years now, and has lately changed hands, it's still as youthful and witty as any of the countless boutique hotels that it inspired. To find out more, now go to our Blakes hotel review .

Address : Blakes London, 46-48 Jaggard Way, London SW12 8SG

37. Four Seasons Hotel Park Lane

Best for: a sophisticated palette

The proverbial oasis of calm over the Circus Maximus that is Hyde Park Corner. Trust Four Seasons stalwart Pierre-Yves Rochon to keep things elegant but well and truly on the down-low. There are no expressive upheavals or synapse-battering splashes of colour here – apart, perhaps, from the red chairs in the excellent Italian restaurant Amaranto (which is as good for breakfast as it is for dinner). Otherwise, the most conspicuous decorative features are the use of discreet walnut and sycamore panelling in the rooms, and the large-format black-and-white fashion photos from Vogue in the corridors. The spa on the tenth floor has serene park views, and perpetuates the chilled-out ambience. To find out more, now go to our Four Seasons Hotel London at Park Lane review .

Address: Four Seasons Hotel, Hamilton Place, Park Lane, London W1J 7DR

A version of this article originally appeared on Condè Nast Traveller UK .