Top-hatted doormen, afternoon tea and sparkling chandeliers are the hallmarks of a luxury stay in London. And while the British capital has always been a go-to for the glitterati, its hotel scene has gotten even swankier over the past few years.
In 2023, the city saw a huge influx of new hotels, opening close to 3,000 more rooms. Of the 33 hotels that opened, 16 were four or five-star stays. Simply put, London’s hotel scene has never been better — or posher.
With arrivals from major brands like Raffles and trendsetters like The Twenty Two, I spent a month hopping around London. After visiting 15 of its best hotels, here are my top 10.
Claridge’s
The grand dame of Mayfair has epitomized London glamor and glitz since it opened in 1856. Checking in everyone from Queen Victoria to Audrey Hepburn, its Art Deco interiors have gotten a gradual glow-up over the past seven years. A new Andre Fu-designed subterranean pool and spa, a new modern British restaurant, and 79 stunning new rooms and suites add to its laundry list of appeal. And while stunning interiors are important, it’s the exceptional white-glove service that sets it apart from competitors. From coffee orders remembered to last-minute reservations at its always-booked afternoon tea, every guest here feels like a VIP.
Raffles London at The OWO
It took eight years and $1.6 billion to restore and refurbish the famous Old War Office in Whitehall. Step inside, and you’ll see it was worth it. The room where Winston Churchill made WWII’s most important decision is now an opulent suite, and the place where MI6 met and James Bond was (probably) invented is a fabulous speakeasy spy bar. History permeates every space of this 120-key hotel, where original oak-paneled walls and an Italian marble staircase add to its rather handsome aesthetic. Channeling a softer, more feminine vibe, the 27,000-square-foot Guerlain Spa has nine tranquil treatment rooms and the city’s most incredible pool.
Beaverbrook Townhouse
Like your quirky theater-loving great aunt, you can’t help but love this 14-room boutique hotel with the same vibe. Popping patterns, whimsical chandeliers, vintage theater photos and vibrant bathroom tiles decorate each room — named after a famous London playhouse. Its signature restaurant, The Fuji Grill, churns out some of the city’s best sushi, surrounded by retro prints of its namesake landmark. And when you need a complete change of pace, pair it with its Surrey sister property, Beaverbrook.
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Broadwick Soho
This fanciful new hotel in the heart of Soho is an overdose of eye candy. Animal-themed wallpaper, cotton candy pinks and elegant green marbles decorate spaces. Fun touches like golden hands for bed feet and an elephant-turned mini bar beautify its 57 rooms and suites. Book a table at its rooftop bar, Flute, one of London’s new cocktail go-tos. Its mint green and flamingo pink colors, combined with a movie-themed cocktail menu, make it a must-visit before heading down to its basement Italian restaurant, Dear Jackie.
Corinthia London
In need of a city escape? Book a room at Corinthia London. Its 283 rooms and suites are impeccably appointed and classically British. Tufted headboards, white marble bathrooms and unique, contemporary rugs decorate the super spacious abodes. But it’s what’s underground that sets it apart. Home to one of the city’s largest spas, it has an all-glass sauna, vitality pool, heated pool and a gas fireplace — yes, a fireplace. It also has a whopping 17 treatment rooms to fulfill all your muscle-melting wellness needs.
The Ned
Located inside the former Midlands Bank building, the palatial 26-foot ceilings of its open-plan lobby and restaurant area elicit an audible “wow.” To say this hotel is huge would be an understatement. It has seven restaurants and bars, 250 keys and one of the city’s most fabulous member’s gyms and spa areas. Each of its rooms channels old-school elegance with 1920s and ’30s train travel serving as inspiration for the stylish Victorian decor. After office hours, it’s a go-to for drinks and bites where live jazz lures people in. Everything from wood-fired pizzas to T-bone steaks to fresh sushi at its various restaurants keeps them there late into the night.
The Dorchester
This London institution is a stunner from head to toe. After a multi-year renovation, its lobby, ground-floor dining and bars and suites are some of the city’s finest. Take afternoon tea in The Promenade, where gold flake-pillared columns, mammoth flower arrangements and Liberace’s actual piano embellish the space. Its 241 rooms and suites are brilliantly British with royal blue colors, ornate crown molding and heated marble flooring in the apartment-sized bathrooms. Spend days exploring neighboring Hyde Park, but come back to dine on the city’s finest roast chicken at The Grill By Tom Booton or a multi-course meal at the three Michelin-starred Alain Ducasse outpost — if you can score a table.
The Twenty Two
Grosvenor Square screams old-world, but its newest hotel is for the “it crowd.” This 31-key boutique hotel inside a stately former mansion is a maximalist dream with leopard-print carpet, red velvet walls and striking Cabochon marble bathrooms. The hotel’s restaurant is one of the city’s hottest reservations (the signature pasta al limone is worth the flight alone). A members-only club and French-style cafe are also open to guests. Just be sure to wear your best; you never know which A-lister you’ll bump into.
Brown’s Hotel
London’s original five-star haunt opened in 1832, spurring the city’s long-time luxury craze. A piece of hotel history, its wood floors still creak, but that’s the only sign of age here. Its 115 rooms and suites have recently undergone a majorly stylish renovation, including its fabulous Kipling Suite, where the author is said to have written The Jungle Book. For breakfast here, try the unbeatable full English and fresh-squeezed orange juice and, after 5 o’clock, sip on something stronger at Donovan’s Bar. One of Mayfair’s oldest and most beloved boozers, the cocktails here look as good as they taste.
NoMad London
Steps from the West End’s best plays and across the street from The Royal Opera House, this award-winning hotel has an eye for theatrics. Dramatic artwork, moody wall colors and a cathedral-ceiling glass atrium define this former Magistrates’ Court and Police Station. The vibe here is effortlessly cool, particularly the mustachioed mixologists churning out tequila cocktails at its Latin American Side Hustle. And for an even more laid-back atmosphere, its main atrium all-day dining restaurant has been called one of the city’s most photogenic — a perfect brunch booking.
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