Best London hotels: new, boutique and ultra-luxe stays in the capital

Evidence of jaw-dropping historical moments is so ubiquitous in London that most of its residents go about their days without giving them much consideration. But to visitors, the idea of staying in a hotel where Winston Churchill directed the minutiae of WWII is nothing short of extraordinary. Welcome to Raffles London at The OWO.

The OWO building was originally the Old War Office (hence OWO), where the storied statesman planned D-Day, among other things, and the grandeur and gravity of the place is immediately evident upon arrival, thanks to its extravagant Baroque exterior. Inside, Raffles London’s 120 rooms and suites are all mahogany, oak and sumptuous damask, and butlers are on hand to grant any wish (except, probably, storming the beaches of Normandy).

Reasons to stay:

• Celebrated chef Mauro Colagreco has directed the food at three of the hotel’s nine restaurants.
• For relaxation and indulgence, it doesn’t get more luxurious than the hotel’s Guerlain Spa, a wellness space that occupies four subterranean levels.
• If it’s good enough for author Sir Ian Fleming, who worked on his 007 James Bond character in the building’s library, it’s good enough for you.

Colour clashes and camp extravagance are the hallmarks of this bohemian boutique hotel in London’s buzzy Soho. Guests should feel like they’re stepping into the private townhouse belonging to an off-kilter English eccentric, in the best possible way.

There are 57 rooms in total and its three dining and drinking spaces, plus a members’ only coffee and cocktail lounge, means there’s very little reason to step beyond the hotel’s bounds (beyond the fact that you’re right in the centre of London’s coolest district and there’s so much to explore).

Reasons to stay:

• The rooftop bar, Flute, has sparkling views across the London skyline.
• It’s worth booking for the art collection alone, featuring pieces from Francis Bacon to Andy Warhol.
• There’s a sense of fun and frivolity here that can be missing from other big-name London digs.

It’s the most coveted spot on the Monopoly board, and Mandarin Oriental has put one mighty hotel on it. Mandarin Oriental Mayfair is the luxe Hong Kong brand’s second London site, a sublime sequel to the Hyde Park glamazon in Knightsbridge (which also rates in this list having reopened after a rampant fire).

For Mayfair, the feel is sleek and boutique with just 50 guest suites climbing five floors joined by 77 private residences. There’s a lavish spa and Technogym-equipped fitness centre, but the best perk – almost worth the extravagant nightly rate – is sleeping within stumbling distance of Korean-born super-chef Akira Back’s debut UK restaurant.

Reasons to stay:

• ABar Lounge is an intimate spot for cocktails and snacks, open till 3am (Thursday to Saturday) for the jetlagged jetsetter.
• The luxury extends past the hotel’s glitzy entrance, with high-end shopping and private members clubs paving Mayfair’s streets.
• Nab a booking at Akira Back’s 14-seat, one-seating-per-night Korean chef’s table, Dosa.

In a city that heaves with postcard locations, The Laslett, which is just footsteps from Notting Hill Gate tube station, a tiny stroll to Portobello Road in one direction, and Kensington Palace in the other, is hard to beat. Small and disarmingly friendly, its 51 rooms are filled with colourful Cool Britannia curiosities from local art to turntables stocked with Bowie and The Beatles.

Reasons to stay:

• It serves a top-shelf British-ish breakfast in the ground-floor Henderson Bar and Kitchen.
• The Recharge Spa focuses on state-of-the-art, techy treatments rather than the usual cream-slathering options favoured by other upscale hotel spas.
• It’s situated in a properly pretty neighbourhood street, giving guests a true sense of Notting Hill.

Much copied but rarely matched, designer Kit Kemp creates whole worlds within hotel rooms, pairing travel necessities with gleeful vignettes. As founder and creative director of Firmdale hospitality group, Kemp dishes up big helpings of whimsy and eccentricity in all her projects, including three in New York and nine in the UK.

Ham Yard Hotel is Firmdale’s biggest London property and arguably the best. The town hall in a fantasy Soho “Urban Village”, the hotel includes a basement cinema and bowling alley and a plush European restaurant. Rooms are equipped to feel like pied-à-terres, layered with upholstery, pin-tucked bed skirts and drapery galore. In less capable hands, the look would be chaotic and chintzy, but Kemp’s go-for-broke style always lands on the edge of chic.

Reasons to stay:

• London’s Convent Garden and Charing Cross tube stations are nearby, but the plush mood is better upheld by the hotel’s private chauffeur service.
• Savile Row, Carnaby Street and Liberty’s are but a few of the hotel’s fashionable neighbours.
• Rejuvenating hydrafacials in the on-site Soholistic Spa.

If you’re interested in getting away from the city’s absolute tourist centre, a boutique bolthole in the comparatively under-the-radar Pimlico in Westminster might be more your speed. There are only 10 rooms at this reasonably priced residence, and what Artists Residence lacks in frills and excessive luxury, it more than makes up for in artistic flair and covetable comforts such as exposed brick walls, faded vintage rugs and Bramley bath products.

Reasons to stay:

• The Cambridge Bar is a hidden London gem, serving all-day drinks and eats.
• An easy amble to big-name attractions, including Buckingham Palace and Tate Britain which are only a 20-minute walk away
• A lovely, low-key stay in a pretty locale.

Independently owned and located in the heart of Covent Garden and the West End, One Aldwych is a rare gem in the world of luxury hotels, perfectly balancing polish and silver service with the comforts of (a very upmarket) home.

Originally built to house the Morning Post newspaper (the basement swimming pool now sits where the printing presses once roared), One Aldwych cossets guests away in Grade II-listed Art Nouveau heritage, inviting guests to settle in and make their own Martinis at leisure, or help themselves to a complimentary minibar. Downstairs, Lobby Bar buzzes with Londoners swilling pre-theatre cocktails, while chef Dominic Teague leads the kitchen at the award-winning Indigo restaurant.

Reasons to stay:

• Book one of the hotel’s specialist curators for an exclusive tour of London, learning about their area of expertise, including art, history, theatre and more.
• Close proximity to Fleet Street (and one of London’s best historic pubs, Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese). Plus, it’s across the road from Somerset House, where award-winning Australian chef Skye Gyngell’s Spring Restaurant is located.
• Enjoy an exclusive movie night in the hotel’s private cinema.

The Ritz. The Connaught. The Dorchester. The Savoy. They are, of course, some of the most recognisable hotel names anywhere on the planet, and if you’re going to splash all-out on a London stay, any of them will exceed your most feverish live-like-a-royal dreams. But Claridge’s is worthy of a special place on this list of best London hotels because every update and transformation seems to skyrocket it to another level of luxury. After several dazzling renovations, it’s now home to a brand-new penthouse and a 2000-square-metre spa.

Reasons to stay:

• The art and design at Claridge’s is unmatched, from suites revamped by famed Hong Kong interior architect André Fu to an extraordinary Damien Hirst stained-glass skylight.
• It’s practically illegal to visit London without taking the famous Afternoon Tea at Claridge’s.
• The list of guests who’ve laid their heads here is eye-popping: everyone from John Wayne to Audrey Hepburn to half the royal families of Europe.

Part of the same group as Claridge’s, The Emory in Belgravia is designed to be a discreet whispered secret of utmost luxury and privacy. The property, which opened in April 2024, has no obvious lobby and you enter via a cobbled alleyway, which all feels delightfully James Bond. Nothing here is labelled a ‘room’ — it’s all suites, all the time, with 61 spread across nine levels, including a glazed glass penthouse. All guests are escorted by chauffeur from any London airport, and a 24-hour assistant is on hand to cater to any needs.

Reasons to stay:

• The rooftop, which features a bar and a cigar lounge, offers 360-degree views of the city skyline.
• Guests have exclusive access to the private members’ club and wellness space, Surrenne.  
• Cuisine at abc Kitchens is in the hands of Chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten.