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If your invitation from Queen Elizabeth still hasn't shown up in the mail, no worries—staying at one of London's grande dame hotels is the next best thing to being a guest at the palace—and some say it's even better. Luckily there is no dearth of options where friendliness outdistances luxe; London has plenty of atmospheric places that won't cost a king's ransom.
That noted, until fairly recently it was extremely difficult to find a decent hotel in the center of town for less than £150 per night. Things have improved, thanks to a flurry of new mid-priced hotels that have sprung up in recent years. You'll still have to shop around for deals—never assume you'll be able to find somewhere good and cheap on short notice.
Of course, it's very different if money is no object. London has some of the very best and most luxurious hotels in the world. Freshly minted millionaires favor the rash of supertrendy hot spots like the Corinthia or ME London, while fashionistas gravitate toward Kit Kemp's superstylish hotels like the Covent Garden and the Charlotte Street. But even these places have deals, and you can sometimes snag a bargain within reach of mere mortals, particularly in the off-season, or just be a spectator to all the glamour by visiting for afternoon tea, the most traditional of high-society treats.
Meanwhile, several mid-range hotels have dropped their average prices in response to the choppy waters of the global economy, which has pulled some fantastic places, such as Hazlitt's, the Rookery, and Town Hall, back into the affordable category. There's also a clutch of new, stylish, and supercheap hotels that are a real step forward for the city. The downside is that these places tend to be a little out of the way, but that's often a price worth paying. Another attractive alternative includes hotels in the Premier and Millennium chains, which offer sleek, modern rooms, lots of up-to-date conveniences, and sales that frequently bring room prices well below £100 a night.
At the budget level, London has come a long way in the last couple of years, with a familiar catch: to find a good, reasonably priced bed-and-breakfast, you must be prepared to look outside the very center of town. This means that you have to weigh the city’s notoriously high transport costs against any savings—but on the plus side, the Tube can shuttle you out to even some far-flung suburbs in less than 20 minutes. If you're prepared to be just a little adventurous with your London base, you will be rewarded by a collection of unique and interesting B&Bs and small boutiques, in the kinds of neighborhoods real Londoners live in—places like the Cable Street Inn, the Main House, and the Church Street Hotel. If you're willing to fend for yourself, the city also has some great rental options.
But if you are interested in luxury, London is just the place. Although the image we love to harbor about Olde London Towne may be fast fading in the light of today's glittering city, when it comes time to rest your head, the old-fashioned clichés remain enticing. Choose one of London's heritage-rich hotels—Claridge's supplies perfect parlors; the Savoy has that river view—and you'll find that these fantasies can, and always will, be fulfilled.
Formerly the supercool Curtain hotel, the Mondrian takeover has only raised the hipness stakes here, thanks to a glossy but subtle refurbishment that sees the industrial look of the place toned down to offer a more elegant feel. Book direct for all-day access to the rooftop pool, which is otherwise limited to 7 am to 11 am.
This friendly, comfortable Georgian townhouse hotel is a proverbial stone's throw from the British Museum. All rooms have air-conditioning and are well-appointed and comfortable, with the quietest ones overlooking the peaceful gardens out back. There's live jazz in the bar most evenings as well as an excellent in-house bistro. In the summer months, one of the garden terraces transforms into a pop-up beach bar, complete with palm trees and cocktails served in coconuts.
Rooms at this small chic charmer—tucked away down a side street in an upscale neighborhood—are tiny but sophisticated, with colorful pastel throws atop crisp white down comforters. The beauty is in the details: the fire-warmed bar serves light meals and tea; there's a relaxing spa; and the guest library lends DVDs and books. Tiny bathrooms are brightened by pale-pink granite countertops and the hotel claims to use feng shui principles in its design.
Nobu's first European hotel combines ravishing design (think soothing Japonism-inspired patterns and palettes alongside bold statements of industrial chic) with slick service, in a backstreet location in the heart of Shoreditch.
A fine Edwardian building, with an artsy lobby and an understated blend of contemporary and classic, provides pure modern luxury in a great location for theaters and shopping. Guest rooms are equipped with feather comforters, Italian linen sheets, and ample elegance, and suites have such amenities as private gyms, kitchens, and terraces. The gorgeous swimming pool in the health club has underwater speakers that play music you can hear only when you dive in.
One of the first boutique hotels ever in London, this still-stylish choice is just a short stroll away from the Natural History, Science, and Victoria and Albert museums. Settle down at the end of the day with a book from the well-stocked guest library in the stylish, wood-paneled drawing room complete with honor bar, or go straight to the chic, contemporary guest rooms, each individually decorated with the hotel's combination of classic British country house style infused with a touch of Italian glamour. Michelin-starred chef Alfredo Russo offers an innovative twist on traditional Italian cuisine in the downstairs La Trattoria restaurant.
One of London's quirkiest hotels, The Portobello (formed from two adjoining Victorian houses) has attracted scores of celebrities to its small but stylish rooms over the years, and the decor reflects these hip credentials with joyous abandon. Rooms are individually designed and range in size from "Box" rooms for the solo traveler to the 400 square-foot "Signature" rooms, replete with four-poster beds and views over the pretty garden. One room even contains a circular bed, next to which is an original Victorian "bathing machine"—legend has it that Johnny Depp once filled it with Champagne for his then-girlfriend Kate Moss.
The small but nicely decorated rooms at this budget choice are in the same County Hall complex as the fancier London Marriott Hotel County Hall, and, though it lacks the spectacular river views and facilities are more basic, it has the same convenient location at a fraction of the price. The friendly staff is an added bonus. Best of all for families on a budget, fold-out beds let you accommodate two kids at no extra charge.
This Edwardian stucco town house close to bustling Earl's Court Road (but on a quiet street overlooking a garden square) offers a useful compromise between a full-service hotel and self-catering lodging in the form of clean comfortable rooms with well-designed modern looks. Basic double rooms are very small, but larger doubles offer more space and fold-out couches. All have tiny kitchenettes equipped with microwaves (reception will accept your delivery order from one of the many local restaurants and bring it to your room). Some rooms have bunk beds that are great for families.
Despite being on the notoriously traffic-clogged Cromwell Road, the Rockwell, with its triple-soundproofed windows, offers good value. Bedrooms are modernist in style and decorated in slightly retro tones, all while being comfortable, well designed, and very spacious by London standards; mezzanine suites are split-level lofts and basement garden rooms have small patios. There's a pleasant walled deck to the rear. Family rooms offer especially good value for money. The restaurant serves an all-day brunch menu focusing on contemporary classics.
Originally designed by French designer Philippe Starck, the style of this fashionable, quirky hotel is part surrealist baroque, part Alice in Wonderland; sleigh beds are positioned in the middle of bedrooms at playful angles, and so are the freestanding bathtubs and wash basins—indeed, everything is off-center. This extends to the hotel's popular afternoon tea, with its Mad Hatter's Tea Party theme. Amenities include an excellent spa with holistic bathhouse and indoor-outdoor fitness classes. There's also a pretty Japanese garden courtyard where you can get away from it all.
The achingly hip Sea Containers started life as a working warehouse in London's docklands and now incorporates stylish nods to the area's history. Once one of the world's busiest urban ports, bombing from World War II and a mid-20th-century decline saw it become virtually derelict by the 1970s. The site was earmarked for a hotel until another company snapped it up and built a modernist office complex called Sea Containers House instead. Fast-forward 30 years and it finally has a hotel, with a style that is definitely cool rather than cozy. The decor makes the most of the midcentury modern surroundings as interpreted by noted designer Tom Dixon, complete with bespoke furniture elevating the bedrooms. The standard bedrooms aren't very large, but it's worth spending extra on an upgrade for a river view, or, even better, a patio overlooking Blackfriars Bridge to St. Paul's. Failing that, head to the Rooftop Bar for the same vista. The public rooms are very scene-y, with the trendy Lyaness bar serving exotic cocktails by one of London's top mixologists found nowhere else. The restaurant specializes in seasonal, ingredient-led cooking, with a selection of small and large sharing plates. The spa is not just a spa but a "treatment destination" that encourages group visits. The hotel even has its own branch of the arthouse Curzon Cinema mini-chain.
A mecca for film, media, and fashion folk, this super-trendy hotel personifies Soho's enduring hipness with its artsy, urban-chic vibe. The boldly designed public rooms are filled with bright colors and big statement artworks, while the large bedrooms are calmer, most with neutral beige and cream tones, or subtle, sophisticated pinstripes, all offset by modern furniture. The bar and restaurant, Refuel, is consistently excellent, and there are handy private film screening rooms downstairs (in case the wide-screen TVs in the bedrooms aren't big enough for you).
Design-conscious travelers come to this Philippe Starck–designed spot positioned artfully between Trafalgar Square and Covent Garden. Giant Baroque mirrors, pink hydrangea-filled vases, and golden molar seats dot the lobby, while leopard print–carpet bedrooms are very modish with white-lacquer fittings, etched glass, and aluminum teardrop lights. Be sure to sneak into the secret Blind Spot speakeasy bar for late-night cocktails, hidden behind a fake tea counter and entered via twisting a creepy golden hand–shape handle.
A hotel that caters to guests who are here for sightseeing rather than the daily grind of the financial district, Sun Street Hotel makes its case with a quiet luxury. Opting to embrace the history of the building it inhabits (it resides within six combined Georgian town houses), the hotel is awash with heritage colors, William Morris-esque prints, and plush velvet and buttoned leather at every turn, creating an atmosphere of grown-up, elegant luxury. Close to the buzz of Shoreditch in one direction and the likes of the Tower of London in the other, all while enjoying its place among the peace (particularly on weekends) of the City, Sun Street is well placed for exploratory wanderings.
The elaborate building housing this grand hotel in the financial district is a former bank, and the vast old banking hall—beautifully adapted as the lobby, with luxurious marble and mahogany panels—really sets the scene. Guest rooms are stylish and spacious, with modern bathrooms, big comfortable beds, and sage green and taupe decor along with more mahogany. Given the location, it's no surprise that this place looks as if it were custom-designed to please business travelers although its decor will appeal to anyone with a penchant for classic glamour.
An Art Deco town hall, abandoned in the early 1980s and turned into a chic hotel 30 years later, is now a lively and stylish place, with the best of the building's elegant original features intact. In keeping with the Town Hall Hotel's hip image, the excellent Da Terra restaurant serves South American food with an Italian twist. Guest rooms are bright and airy, and bathrooms are visions of white and chrome, but some sacrifice too much in the name of design, with only a curtain separating them from the bedroom.
Located close to the London Stock Exchange, merchant banks, hedge funds, and The City's oldest guilds, the luxury boutique hotel Vintry & Mercer offers a nod to tradition, then proceeds to deliver a chic, colorful, and contemporary experience that stands out in this neighborhood. A handsome basement cocktail bar, a ground-floor restaurant, and the refined rooftop terrace offer great accompanying public spaces to the bright, luxuriously appointed rooms.
This former Methodist chapel that dates back to 1824 has been converted into a stylish boutique hotel in an area sorely lacking them (the church is still a part-owner of the property and the basement space, which retains the original stained glass window and is used for worship and community functions). Bedrooms are comfortable and thoughtfully designed in terms of storage, while the smart TVs are huge and the free Wi-Fi is fast. There is no restaurant on-site but Camden Town's many dining options are right on your doorstep.
Spectacular views of the river, Big Ben, and the London Eye fill the floor-to-ceiling windows in this rather stark, steel-and-glass building steps from Tate Britain. The hotel comes with sleekly modern guest rooms and two self-explanatory dining options, STK Westminster and Bao Yum. Fitness buffs will love the penthouse fitness suite.
This sweet and rather elegant old hotel, on the premises of one of London's first B&Bs (1881), is a decent, well-situated option. It's a cheery little place, with comfortable (if small) bedrooms, in which muted modern color schemes clash only slightly with the kind of floral fabrics your grandmother would love. The restaurant serves decent, though unimaginative British and European cuisine; however, you're just a couple of blocks from London's Victoria train station and the multitude of eateries close by. Breakfasts are delightful.
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