A London hotel expert picks the best luxury stays in the city

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As long as you have the funds, all-out opulence across the capital is more than easily accessible, with a steady stream of hotel openings constantly jostling for attention and vying to redefine new standards of luxury. From storied addresses to sleek new-builds, London’s luxury hotel scene continues to evolve at a dizzying pace.

Some properties are heritage icons with decades of history behind them, while others are strikingly modern. What they all share in common is a dedication to top-tier service and all of the frills you’d expect from a gleaming, five-star stay: think world-class spas, state-of-the-art fitness centres, high-octane design, and some of the city’s most refined dining options. Exclusive amenities designed with well-travelled guests in mind are standard at most, as the definition of luxury – and what guests expect from a truly showstopping stay – continues to evolve.

For the best boutique hotels in London and the best hotels in London, see our guides.

For those seeking the full luxury experience while discovering London, Gina highly recommends booking a Wheely chauffeur to navigate the city in style. Opting for a private chauffeur gives you effortless access to all of the best shopping and sights without the hassle of public transport, which can often be crowded and sometimes unreliable.

Gina Jackson

Best luxury hotels in London 2025

At a glance

1. The Savoy hotel

The Savoy is one of London’s most prestigious hotels (Will Pryce)

Few names command as much prestige as The Savoy, a storied stay straddling The Strand, which pioneered the use of electric lighting, lifts, and en suite bathrooms back when it opened in 1889. Since then, a sleepover here has guaranteed impeccable, intuitive service, with each guest assigned a personal butler to curate your itinerary and share insider tips on the hotel and its surrounds. Interiors are a mix of glitzy Edwardian and Art Deco styles, with the recently renovated River Suites offering the most sumptuous sleepovers. The views from these rooms are easily some of the best in London, guaranteeing sweeping vistas over the Thames, with Big Ben and the London Eye competing for your attention. You’ll be steps away from the sights, but there’s much to keep you occupied (and well fed) inside between the swish bars and restaurants, three of which are overseen by Gordon Ramsay, including a Michelin-starred standout.

Address: Strand, London WC2R 0EZ

2. The Berkeley

Suites at The Berkeley have been designed by some of the top names in the hotel business (The Berkeley)

Checking into this belle of Belgravia unveils a playground of no-expenses-spared luxury around each corner. Generous suites soar above the skyline, each designed by a slew of lauded names, with the hotel’s top-tier pads by celebrated Hong Kong hotshot André Fu. In each, expect floor-to-ceiling vistas over Hyde Park, creamy furnishings, and marble-draped bathrooms – the largest feature super-sized living and dining rooms, so there’s little need to leave your suite. When you’re not exploring the swanky designer stores on your doorstep, you’ll nibble on ridiculously flaky croissants at cult patisserie Cedric Grolet and schmooze between the hotel’s varied bars. Don’t forget to factor in a trip to the serene Surrene spa (a subterranean hideaway that spans several floors and includes a hushed indoor pool, treatment rooms, and juice bar), as well as leaving ample time to spread-eagle yourself by the rooftop pool.

Address: Wilton Pl, London SW1X 7RL

3. Mandarin Oriental Mayfair hotel

From hand-painted wallpaper to gold accents, it’s the attention to detail that makes the Mandarin Oriental luxurious (Mandarin Oriental Mayfair)

Just steps from Bond Street, this uber-luxe hideaway offers a quietly confident alternative to its grandiose Hyde Park sibling. Set on Mayfair’s Hanover Square, Mandarin Oriental’s second London property is a subtle fusion of Asian heritage and British craftsmanship, offering discreet elegance right in the heart of London’s shopping district. Each of the 50 rooms and suites feature hand-painted wallpapers, cleverly tucked-away tech and flourishes of gold and marble. Come evening, descend the gleaming green staircase to standout restaurant Akira Back, where bold Japanese and Korean flavours take centre stage. After a day spent wracking up your step count along Bond Street, slip downstairs to the soothing spa, home to Mayfair’s longest indoor pool, a clutch of zen treatment rooms, and a gym kitted out with state-of-the-art Technogym machines and reformer Pilates equipment.

Address: 22 Hanover Square, London W1S 1JP

4. 1 Hotel Mayfair

For a more contemporary take on luxury, check into 1 Hotel Mayfair (1 Hotel Mayfair)

Discreetly tucked off Green Park, this slick, sustainably-minded hotel exudes stripped-back Scandi style, its minimalist interiors catering to more contemporary tastes than the historic heavy-hitters on this list. Inside, a neutral palette sets the tone, highlighted by natural wood finishes, linen fabrics, and sisal rugs underfoot. Top suites are generously proportioned: think floor-to-ceiling windows, oversized flat-screen TVs, and separate living areas perfect for sprawling. If you’re visiting as a group, there’s also the option to book out entire private wings. Dovetale, the hotel’s flagship restaurant helmed by celebrated chef Tom Sellers, delivers modern British cuisine centred around the best seasonal ingredients. Standouts include their legendary Sunday roast and a nostalgic make-your-own sundae trolley that’s become something of a signature attraction.

Address: 3 Berkeley St, London W1J 8DL

5. Raffles London at The OWO hotel

Step inside the Old War Office for a luxury stay with Michelin-starred dinners (Raffles London at The OWO)

For no-holds-barred luxury with all of the frills, Whitehall’s revamped Old War Office – and former stomping ground of Winston Churchill – makes for quite the setting. There are stories here in leagues, with heritage features seamlessly woven into the stately, handsome interiors. Rooms overlooking Horse Guards Parade boast original wood panelling, plush furnishings, and generously stocked minibars that beg to be raided. There’s an impressive breadth of destinations to wine and dine under Raffles’ roof, from Michelin-starred dinners at Mauro Colagreco to modern Japanese fare at rooftop restaurant Kioku by Endo. The breakfast buffet is among one of the most thoughtfully curated in London, featuring daily-changing homemade pastries. But the hotel’s crowning jewel is undoubtedly its Guerlain spa, a four-floor sanctuary that sets a new bar for wellness in London. Besides the circuit of sauna-steam rooms and a shimmering 20-metre pool, there’s a super-sized gym packed with the latest equipment, a movement studio, and a plant-based café overseen by the wellness experts at Pillar Wellbeing.

Address: 57 Whitehall, London SW1A 2BX

6. Rosewood London hotel

Manor House Suite living room at the Rosewood London (Rosewood London)

Tucked behind an ornate archway on High Holborn, this Belle Époque masterpiece wows with old-world grandeur: think grand terrazzo corridors, a seven-storey Pavonazzo staircase, and a soaring, chandelier-lit lobby that’s buzzing at all times of day. In classic Rosewood fashion, spacious rooms are kitted out with bespoke furnishings, Italianate marble bathrooms, and emperor-sized beds dressed in crisp linens and pillowcases personalised with each guest’s initials. You’ll tuck into hearty British fare at Holborn Dining Room, home to a pie menu that’s garnered a loyal legion of fans, before sashaying over to Scarfes Bar for live jazz and expert cocktails. And when it’s time to unwind, the hotel spa tempts with its knot-kneading massages and results-driven facials.

Address: 252 High Holborn, London WC1V 7EN

7. Nobu Hotel London Portman Square

Japanese minimalism has been brought to London inside this Nobu hotel (Nobu Hotel London Portman Square)

Of course you’ve heard of Nobu, but did you know that the world-class Japanese restaurant brand also has a cohort of glossy hotels around the world? Its Marylebone pad might be a stone’s throw from the bustle of Marble Arch, but this shimmering glass-fronted behemoth oozes Japanese zen from top to bottom. Minimal bedrooms feature plenty of Japanese touches (think silken kimonos in the wardrobes, traditional artworks, and stripped-back palettes of cream and grey). Head to the restaurant for servings of miso black cod and a side of people-watching (you might just spot a celebrity or two), and if you’re visiting over a weekend, the Sunday brunch offering is the stuff of legend: think all-you-can-eat sushi. Work it all off the next morning at the Pilates studio.

Address: 22 Portman Square, London W1H 7BG

8. NoMad London hotel

The Royal Opera Suites at NoMad offer stylish luxury (Benoit Linero)

Occupying the building that once functioned as the Bow Street Magistrates’ Court, this palatial pad overlooking Covent Garden is pretty hard to miss. Inside its storied walls, rooms sizzle with New York-inspired pizzaz thanks to interior designers Roman and Williams: rich fabrics, striking artworks and chintzy furnishings abound. Generous emperor beds and glittering gold mosaic bathrooms are the norm in all of the bedrooms, but it’s the split-level Royal Opera Suites that offer the wow factor, with their roll-top bathtubs and guaranteed views over neighbouring Royal Opera House. The best of the West End’s restaurants span out at your doorstep, but it would be criminal not to sample the hotel’s trio of restaurants and bars while you’re here: dine on modern American fare at leafy greenhouse-like restaurant Twenty8 or slip into Side Hustle, the hotel’s diner-style bar for Latin-inspired cocktails.

Address: 28 Bow St, London WC2E 7AW

9. Claridge’s hotel

Claridge’s restaurant serves modern British cuisine (Claridge’s)

Aptly dubbed ‘the mothership’ by its legion of loyal devotees, Maybourne Group’s flagship property (and sister hotel to The Berkeley) holds court over Mayfair, just steps away from the swish boutiques along Bond Street. This Art Deco icon embodies timeless glamour, with sweeping marble corridors, soaring ceilings, and a level of polished, intuitive service that sets the gold standard across London’s hotel scene. Rooms range from historic pads that have hosted royals to spaces imaginatively designed by contemporary studios. Expect crisp linens, marble bathrooms, and generously stocked minibars as standard in all of them. There’s plenty more beyond the bedrooms, with a dizzying variety of restaurants and bars to sink your teeth into, from ArtSpace Café, where exquisite patisserie is paired with an ever-changing programme of art exhibitions, to the picture-perfect Painter’s Room bar. With a constant rotation of restaurant collaborations and soon-to-open bakery from Copenhagen’s Richard Hart in the newly transformed basement, Claridge’s remains not just a celebrated London institution, but also a quietly pioneering force on the city’s luxury scene.

Address: Brook St, London W1K 4HR

10. Corinthia London hotel

Take in the view at the Corinthia’s top suites (Corinthia London)

Along the grand sweep of Whitehall, Corinthia London sits within a historic Victorian landmark formerly used by the British government as the Ministry of Defence. The lobby, a perfect oval crowned by a resplendent Baccarat chandelier, is framed by a clutch of restaurants and bars, including the hotel’s sumptuous lounge where afternoon tea is a daily-honoured ritual – and somewhat of an attraction in its own right. Rooms are surprisingly spacious and outfitted with elegant, expensive-feeling furnishings, with the largest penthouses featuring spa suites (so you have treatments in the privacy of your room) and sprawling private terraces overlooking Whitehall below. For the full spa experience, head downstairs, where you’ll dioscover a Daniel Galvin hair salon, fully kitted gym, and dedicated thermal floor boasting steam rooms, relaxation pods and a duo of glistening pools.

Address: Whitehall Pl, London SW1A 2BD

Why trust us

The hotels featured in this list have been carefully selected by The Independent’s expert travel writer, Gina Jackson, who was born and bred in the capital and has a deep knowledge of the destination. Gina is the author of London Hotels by Hoxton Mini Press, and as such, is an authority on all things London hotels, ensuring a personal and informed perspective. When picking which hotels to include, Gina considered. her own experience of staying in the hotels included, and evaluated location, facilities, service and all the other details that make for an exceptional stay for all types of traveller.

FAQs

When is the best time to visit London?

London is a year-round destination. As one of the most popular cities around the globe, there’s never a time of the year when you’ll be able to beat the crowds, but for the most pleasant climes, visit in spring or autumn. Alternatively, Christmas in London is a magical experience, and when the city truly comes alive, with twinkling decorations and festive fanfare on every street corner.

Where are the nicest areas to stay in London?

Where to stay really depends on what you’re here for. Mayfair is an obvious choice, with its smorgasbord of thrills (of the restaurant and retail variety), along with easy access to the West End. If you’re after museums and a gentler pace, head west to Kensington or Chelsea, where leafy boulevards and cultural heavyweights like the V&A await. Sightseers will be right at home near Whitehall or Westminster: this is London at its most iconic, with Big Ben, Westminster Abbey and the South Bank all on your doorstep.

Where do celebrities stay in London?

Hotels are famously discreet when it comes to their celebrity guests. Each property on this list has hosted its fair share of A-listers, drawing a star-studded guest book behind closed doors. The Corinthia proves especially popular among creatives and film aficionados, while Claridge’s remains a legendary hotspot for global icons from every corner of the world.

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