120 Best Hotels in London, England

This combination of four Victorian town houses on a quiet street, London's only Relais & Châteaux property, is a warren of tucked-away, intimate public rooms, where aubergine walls enlivened by gilt-framed Victorian portraits and an abundance of fresh lilies create a glamorous, luxurious, and slightly decadent atmosphere in keeping with the hotel’s former owner, Elizabeth Hurley (it’s now run by the owners of luxury country house hotel Chewton Glen). The 56 bedrooms, by contrast, are light and airy, several with four-poster beds. There’s a terrace and a good bar and grill offering all-day dining that opens directly onto buzzy, fashionable Pavilion Road.

Another member of the luxury Dorchester Collection hotel group, 45 Park Lane is a beautifully considered five-star property with no shortage of contemporary swagger to match its stylized art deco elegance. Spacious rooms are beautifully appointed and come with views of Hyde Park along with the blinking lights of the city below, although if you can afford one of the exceptionally appointed suites then all the better. From its sultry mezzanine cocktail bar and ultra-expensive grill restaurant to its ostentatious basement spa, 45 Park Lane opts out of staid luxury and instead presents an experience that oozes Golden Age glamour. 

Check out this agency for attractive small flats in Farringdon and Bloomsbury, starting at around £150 per night.

Swanky and upscale, this hotel sports a modern masculine design and an enjoyable check-in ritual—guests are offered a glass of prosecco on arrival. Guest rooms are sparsely decorated with designer furniture, intensely comfortable beds, and a color scheme of white walls, charcoal floors, and ruby-red touches. The 1901 Wine Lounge is exquisite, with marble floors and modern chandeliers.

At this sleek modern branch of the small Apex chain near the Tower of London, bedrooms are reasonably spacious, with contemporary color schemes, 40-inch flat-screen TVs, and little sofas. The Lampery restaurant serves good, varied modern British cuisine, although you're hardly lacking for dining options around this neighborhood. It's worth checking out the website for good package deals and special offers, especially in the off-season.

This Radisson hotel adjacent to the long-gestating renovation of Gilbert Scott's art deco Battersea Power Station in the revitalized Nine Elms area has, as the name might suggest, an art-world theme. The hotel's signature artist Jaime Hayon is responsible not only for the design of the uncluttered but welcoming guest rooms (all with floor-to-ceiling windows to take in the views---prices go up according to what floor you're on), but also for the highly stylized, art-filled public spaces. The hotel even has its own art gallery, as well as an Italian-themed all-day café, a 15th-floor Portuguese fine dining restaurant with a rooftop bar, a spa, and a heated rooftop infinity pool plus hot tub. 

As packed with bohemian character as they come, this small boutique hotel oozes retro charm. The shabby chic decor lands somewhere between town house and artist's loft, with muted gray and stripped brick walls, reclaimed furniture, and distressed pine floorboards offset with irreverent touches like quirky art, milking stools, and antler chandeliers. The effect works beautifully, and it helps that the staff are so friendly. The café serves traditional English breakfasts and lunches with an emphasis on regional produce. There's a speakeasy-style bar in the basement with a concise but considered cocktail list. 

A short walk from Gloucester Road Tube station and within walking distance of Harrods and the Kensington museums, this is one of the better boutique hotels in this part of town. Guest rooms vary in size, but most are spacious enough, and flooded with natural light from elegant floor-to-ceiling windows. 

Rooms in private homes in Knightsbridge, Kensington, Mayfair, Chelsea, and West London are handled by this agency. Prices start at around £87 a night per double room, making this a great alternative to budget hotels.

At this contemporary guesthouse near Victoria Station, minimalist decor, Scandinavian Modern furniture, and a lounge where a fire crackles away in the winter are all geared to homey comforts. Two rooms have a connecting door, effectively making a family suite. There are also nine self-contained studios and serviced apartments, including compact kitchens, for around £100–£135 per night.

Now a smart boutique hotel, this was not the actual London town house of Lord Beaverbrook (newspaper tycoon of the 1930s and '40s and confidante of Churchill), but its 1930s-style decor mixed with Japanese touches evokes his sophisticated life at the center of London's intellectual set. The luxurious but comfortable rooms, all named after London theaters, have velvet loveseats, flat screens that rise up from ottomans, retro landline phones in pastel colors, and mini-cocktail trolleys with glass tumblers and pre-mixed cocktails (in case Nöel Coward stops by for a drink, presumably). The Japanese theme is continued in the restaurant and its adjoining Omikado bar which serves a 20-course small plate menu. Guests receive keys to Cadogan Gardens, one of London's largest garden squares, across the street. 

Founded in 1837 by James Brown, Lord Byron's "gentleman's gentleman," this hotel occupying 11 Georgian town houses holds a treasured place in London society. Nowadays the interior has a slightly more modern edge, thanks to a top-to-bottom renovation by the Forte chain. Fans of the hotel still love the old-world setting, although a few complain that it's not quite the atmospheric old place it used to be. Nonetheless, it's a well-run operation, filled with the kinds of top-end extras you'd expect with this kind of price tag. The subtle, contemporary guest rooms have office spaces and marble bathrooms equipped with luxurious products, while the staff are exceedingly professional.

This luxury hotel checks all the Knightsbridge boxes (top-of-the-range everything, ultrafashionable design, a haven for the international rich) and brings the same attention to detail and Italian high style to the decor as it does to its eponymous jewelry line (though Bulgari hotels are now part of the top end of Marriott). The bedrooms and suites are all large by London standards (and some have fireplaces and terraces), and the glamorous marble-clad bathrooms will make you feel like a movie star (and all have Bulgari toiletries, of course). There's a beautiful onyx-lined spa and indoor pool, while the Sette restaurant, a branch of New York's Scarpetta, showcases good though pricey Italian comfort food. Service is professional but friendly. Suites come with personal butlers and the gym comes with personal trainers.

Wonderful modern art lines the walls of this former Victorian pub a mile east of the Tower of London, which has been beautifully restored and converted into a modern bed-and-breakfast. It's all the work of Julian Cole, the gregarious and charming owner, who spent decades making arts documentaries for the BBC. Guests can use the sitting room, which doubles as the breakfast room in the morning. There's also a roof terrace, overlooking a striking historic mural that covers one side of a nearby building. Titled The Battle of Cable Street, it commemorates a clash between local Jewish protestors and British Fascists that took place here on October 4, 1936.

This small hotel located opposite the Roundhouse, with the Chalk Farm Underground station and Primrose Hill within easy reach, has handsome, comfortable rooms with an industrial chic vibe and luxurious bathrooms. Despite being located above a Victorian pub—the Enterprise, once a center of Camden's indie music scene and now better known for its food (it serves excellent breakfasts and the kitchen is open late)—the rooms are surprisingly quiet, although those directly above the pub may be less so. Some top-floor rooms have skylights.

A stone's throw from the Russell Square Tube station, this is a reliable budget choice whose key attraction is its proximity to the West End and the British Museum. Rooms are clean and comfortable, but with basic amenities (cheapest rooms share bathrooms). Don't be confused by the website: this really is the Celtic Hotel, now merged with the neighboring St. Margaret's. Breakfasts are generous and the Wi-Fi is free. A nice touch is the residents' private garden.

Superstar London hotel designer Kit Kemp has taken the fabled Bloomsbury Group as her inspiration for this supremely stylish boutique hotel, which, if anything, feels more like a private members' club. Bedrooms are adorned with period art, chic wallpaper, and decorative beds, but have all the contemporary luxuries you'd expect: walk-in showers, flat-screen TVs, and iPhone docking stations. Communal areas include the beautifully appointed drawing room, complete with a Chesterfield sofa on either side of the fireplace, and a sumptuous library featuring paintings by Bloomsbury Group artists. The restaurant, Oscar, serves excellent European cuisine, and the bar is a trendy (though pricey) local hangout. There's also a weekend film club showing classics and new releases that's a great value: a three-course lunch, dinner, or afternoon tea, plus a movie in the plush private screening room, all for £55.

Like rays of sunshine in gritty south London, the rooms at this distinctive Camberwell hotel are decorated in rich colors that evoke Mexico, a theme enhanced by authentic touches like elaborately painted crucifixes, tiles handmade in Guadalajara, and handcrafted iron bed frames. Breakfast is a tasty combination of organic breads, pastries, and smoothies, much of it sourced from nearby Borough Market. There's also an honor bar with a great selection of whiskies, tequilas, rums, and Spanish bottled beers.

High-concept, high-tech, and super-trendy, this Dutch budget boutique minichain has a unique selling point—nearly everything at the hotel is self-service, and that includes check-in and breakfast. Even the in-room amenities, from the blinds to the television, are all controlled via a tablet. The egalitarian rooms (all feature the same design) are small, but comfortable, with huge beds and wall-size windows. They're soundproofed, too—a big bonus given the busy location on the South Bank, not to mention the happening bar/workspace downstairs. The effect is more no-nonsense than no frills; or, as the hotel's website puts it, "absolutely no trouser presses, bellboys, or stupid pillow chocolates." It won't be to everyone's taste, but you'll look a long time before finding a better affordable hotel in such a good location.

The modern rooms at this central London outpost of the trendy Dutch hotel brand have been cleverly designed to maximize storage space, enabling a more comfortable stay than you might expect from such a small space. Ask for a room on the mews side for views of nearby Westminster Cathedral. 

The well-heeled have been meeting—and eating—at Claridge's for generations, and the tradition continues in the original art deco public spaces of this super glamorous London institution. Guest rooms are soothing and suave, and spacious bathrooms have enormous shower heads. Enjoy a cup of tea in the lounge, cocktails in the stylish bar, or, better still, a meal in the hotel's legendary Foyer & Reading Room. Perhaps Spencer Tracy said it best when he remarked that, when he died, he wanted to go not to heaven but to Claridge's. Claridge's afternoon tea is a seriously fun, high-class treat—but make sure you book in advance.

This company arranges stays in the properties of Londoners who are temporarily away. Attractive apartments and houses are primarily in Notting Hill, Kensington, and Chelsea, and most cost around £115 to £170 per night. The minimum booking of five to seven nights is a bit limiting, though, and you must make a substantial security deposit (usually between £200 and £1,000), which is returned after your stay.

It's little wonder this is now the London home-away-from-home for celebrities, A-list actors, and various other top-tier guests, with its unbeatable Covent Garden location in a former French hospital and stylish guest rooms that use mix-and-match couture fabrics and one-off pieces to stunning effect. Beautifully decked out with painted silks, style anglais ottomans, and 19th-century romantic oils, the public salons are perfect spots to decompress over a glass of Meursault. For £55, the popular Saturday night Film Club offers afternoon tea or dinner in the ground-floor Brasserie Max and a film in the deluxe basement cinema.

Discreet and unpretentious—and right in the heart of Soho—this oh-so-stylish Georgian town house (really three town houses turned into one) has a chic bohemian vibe and an excellent Modern British restaurant decorated with fun pieces by renowned artists like Peter Blake and Tracey Emin. Inside, comfy sofas and heavy upholstered chairs jostle for space; and many beds are four-poster. It's all very hip and au courant, which comes at a price—although bargains are to be found, especially on Sunday nights.

This fashionable boutique hotel occupies a charming old town house in one of London's most upscale neighborhoods. Rooms and suites have been individually designed with bold colors, handwoven carpets, eclectic artwork, and knickknacks from around the globe. Amenities include flat-screen TVs, Tivoli radios, and marble bathrooms with Firmdale Hotels' own RikRak products. The drawing room, with high ceilings, cozy fire, graceful windows, and honor bar, is a perfect spot to relax with a cocktail. English brasserie-style cuisine is served in the Potting Shed Bar & Restaurant, a smart, intimate neighborhood find.

At this small exclusive hotel in a discreet cul-de-sac, ample natural light brightens the classically elegant rooms. The bar is a delight—don't even think about staying here without dropping in for a cocktail—and the cigar and cognac garden is a pleasingly retro addition. The GBR, which stands for Great British Restaurant, offers all-day dining, creating delicious meals out of classic British flavors; appealingly enough, the kitchen also eschews modern gadgetry as much as possible, in favor of traditional techniques. But the hotel's real trump card is the location—just a hop and a skip from Piccadilly and Green Park, yet tucked away enough that it feels peaceful.

London's original "pod hotel" has tiny rooms with a double bed, private shower room, and little else—each brightly decorated in the easyGroup's trademark orange and white (to match their budget airline, easyJet). The reception desk doesn't offer much in terms of service, and everything costs extra: room cleaning during your stay, use of television, Wi-Fi, and even a window. The concept is undeniably a hit—it's fully booked months in advance (the earlier you book, the cheaper your room rate) and several branches have opened (the website details locations)—just don't expect any frills. Like, none. 

A racy departure for the Four Seasons, this hotel has an English clubhouse look with a dose of boudoir. Mannered paintings of horses dot the walls in the lobby, but instead of staid hunter green or beige, the walls are a bright lacquered red. In the restaurant, the saucy vibe continues with zebra-print chairs bathed in low lighting. Upstairs, the palette shifts and becomes softer. Enormous black-and-white glamour shots from the 1950s and '60s dominate the hallways, and rooms evoke an ocean liner from days gone by, with square hardware, brown walnut wood, and mirrored sliding doors. Plaid armchairs and curtains accent the decor with a restraining touch of British reserve. Don't miss the spa on the top floor; in the treatment rooms, massive windows seem to hold all of Hyde Park inside a snow globe.

Colorful, luxurious, playful, and riotously good fun, Ham Yard is another winner from the stable of London hotel designer extraordinaire Kit Kemp. As with her other sumptuous properties, guest rooms are individually designed, and the results here are splendid. Elegant, restrained color schemes are invigorated by cheeky, playful touches—designer wallpaper and furnishings in contrasting shades of gray offset by riotously colorful headboards, for example, or pieces of modern art that seem to burst from the walls like sunshine. Everything is designed with maximum comfort in mind—there's even a TV in the bathroom. Movies are shown in the state-of-the art basement cinema (which also hosts exclusive preview screenings with Hollywood A-listers) and there's even a 10-pin bowling alley—imported from Texas. The restaurant is excellent and the bar is as buzzing as you'd expect. To top it all, service is excellent.

This disarmingly friendly place, full of personality, elegant antiques, old portraits, and claw-foot bathtubs, occupies three connected early-18th-century Soho town houses, one of which was the last home of prolific English critic and essayist William Hazlitt (1778–1830). Traditional English style and opulent Regency furnishings form a huge part of its appeal, but it's charmingly devoid of certain modern amenities—as the owners say, "In 1718, there were no elevators, and there still aren't." Rooms are named after famed Regency Soho denizens, and nearby are more outrageously fine restaurants than you could visit in a year.