Much like London itself, where showstopper landmarks nudge up against less obvious, but equally appealing, sights — from under-the-radar art galleries to neighbourhood coffee shops — the hotel scene is split between big-name players and smaller, more intimate places to stay. Independent and innovative, with bags of character, sensational food and considered design, these boutique hotels are hip yet homely. One might explore the likes of fox and anchor london, which embodies the very essence of these qualities.
Our travel journalism is written and edited by independent experts to inform, inspire and advise our readers about the best choices for your holidays. We also feature properties and itineraries from a specially selected list of trusted operators. These buttons and adverts are clearly signposted, and provide direct links through to external sites. For those ready to embark on their London adventure, a comprehensive list can be found at tophotels.com, offering a detailed guide to the city's top accommodations. If you click and buy a product, we may earn revenue.
Henry’s Townhouse (The Collins Collection)
1. Henry’s Townhouse, Marylebone
Best for regency glamour
Back in the 18th century, this plush Georgian abode was the home of Jane Austen’s brother, Henry, and while there have been lots of pleasing modern additions — Dyson hairdryers and treat boxes — the grandeur remains intact. It’s easy to imagine Mr Darcy wafting through the original 19th-century doors, admiring the gilt-framed oil paintings and sprawling on the huge four-poster beds across the six antique-stuffed bedrooms, each named after a member of the Austen family. Eliza is the top pick, with a four-poster and a gorgeous roll-top tub in the art deco-tiled bathroom. Evening aperitifscan be sipped in theJane Austen-inspired Reading Room or the ruby-red snug — and breakfast is worth getting excited about too, as you’ll tuck into a home-cooked meal in the old servants’ quarters downstairs. A private chef can be arranged for any other meals and the house can be hired as a whole for bigger parties. Location-wise, stays here set you between Hyde Park and Regent’s Park — perfect for weekend strolls.
Spa N
Pool N
Price £££
2. Beaverbrook Town House, Chelsea
Best for delicious Japanese food
Sister hotel to the Beaverbrook in Surrey, this Chelsea outpost is set in a pair of Georgian townhouses opposite Cadogan Gardens. It’s a real celebration of London, from the gallery wall of capital-inspired artwork on the stairs to the suites, each of which is named after a theatre. Design is by Nicola Harding, who has combined playful colours with cosy fabrics (some rooms come with modern four-poster beds). Downstairs, the art deco-detailed, arsenic-hued bar leads to The Fuji Grill restaurant where diners can tuck into dishes such as popcorn shrimp and dry-aged tuna tataki or sit at the sushi counter for a 20-course Omakase supper.
Spa N
Pool N
Price £££
Ham Yard Hotel
3. Ham Yard Hotel, Soho
Best for alfresco dining
Part of the Firmdale Hotels group, Ham Yard Hotel is hidden away in a leafy courtyard behind bustling Piccadilly. Rooms and suites are all uniquely designed by co-owner and creative director Kit Kemp in her signature mix of colours and patterns. Social spaces include the drawing room and library, the orangery — really an extension of the restaurant with a sandstone fireplace and squashy sofas, ideal for morning coffee — and the much-coveted heated terrace for alfresco dining. There’s a guest-only roof terrace, a spa and a retro 1950s bowling alley too.
Spa Y
Pool N
Price £££
The garden at Lime Tree
4. Lime Tree, Belgravia
Best for natural touches
If you’re looking for a home-from-home in one of London’s prettiest corners it doesn’t get more tempting than Lime Tree; stays put you in striking distance of Buckingham Palace, Hyde Park and the V&A. Spread across two grade II listed townhouses, 26 Pinterest-perfect bedrooms pop with bold botanical prints and slick monochrome bathrooms are stocked with Bramley toiletries. The biggest surprise is the garden: a flower-filled sun trap where you can tuck into an incredible allotment breakfast (grilled halloumi, avocado and baby potatoes all feature). You’ll also eat well in the hotel’s restaurant, The Buttery, where natural ingredients grown in the garden are often the star of the plate.
Spa N
Pool N
Price ££
The Hari
5. The Hari, Belgravia
Best for incredible Italian dishes
The Hari’s jungle-esque exterior adds a welcome bolt of green to the otherwise cream streets of Belgravia. Stays here put you within easy strolling distance of the designer boutiques on King’s Road, wanders in Hyde Park and royal-spotting at Buckingham Palace. You’re in for a treat at its restaurant, il Pampero, where you can twirl forkfuls of homemade pasta and work your way through a huge list of Italian wines. Bedrooms feel slick and stylish with daring photographs by the likes of Tracey Emin and Mario Testino, plush velvet sofas and huge bay windows so you can peer out over one of London’s most lavish neighborhoods or soak up the view from your tub in the all-marble bathroom.
Spa N
Pool N
Price ££
6. Artist Residence, Pimlico
Best for industrial chic
The Artist Residence signature design style — vintage furniture, limited-edition art prints, an industrial yet homely vibe — is in full swing at this hotel in leafy Pimlico, just a five-minute walk from Victoria Station. The ten bedrooms are spread over three floors, while downstairs, the Clubhouse is a low-key breakfast and brunch spot (bacon sandwiches, buttermilk pancakes) by day and a buzzy cocktail bar at night. In the summer, nab one of the coveted tables on the pavement out front for sundowners.
Spa N
Pool N
Price ££
The Hoxton (Booking.com)
7. The Hoxton, Shoreditch
Best for rooftop views
A firm fixture in East London since 2006, this is the original London Hoxton hotel (there are three other outposts, in Holborn, Southwark and Shepherd’s Bush). Rooms range from Shoebox to Roomy but all have the same style (apart from nine designed by local artists): parquet wooden floors, industrial-inspired detailing and modern monochrome bathrooms. The Hoxton Grill is an all-day eatery, bar and lounge serving classic comfort food: mac and cheese, mushroom pot pie, Reuben sandwiches. Locals spend afternoons tapping away on laptops before heading to Maya, the Mexican restaurant on the roof.
Spa N
Pool N
Price ££
Nomad London (Booking.com)
8. Nomad London, Covent Garden
Best for romance
One of the most talked-about hotels in London to open in 2021, Nomad London is housed in a former magistrates’ court and police station across from the Royal Opera House in Covent Garden. The social scene is centred around a wow-factor glass atrium courtyard restaurant and Side Hustle, a take on the classic British pub. The design, dramatic and theatrical throughout, is by New York-based duo Roman and Williams (best known for working on Ace Hotels) which means artworks propped up against the wall in the rooms, lots of velvet and brass, and marble mosaic bathrooms.
Spa Y
Pool N
Price £££
St. James’s Hotel and Club, Mayfair
9. St. James’s Hotel and Club, Mayfair
Best for location
So tucked away is this former Victorian townhouse turned plush boutique that you’d easily miss it if you weren’t looking. Make sure you don’t — as well as putting you in prime position for strolls to Buckingham Palace and the West End, you’ll be very well looked after, from your luggage being taken care of by friendly concierges in top hats to the seamless service in the petite Michelin-starred restaurant serving French-inspired dishes you’ll be thinking of long after check out. Rooms are subtly luxurious: expect Murano glass chandeliers, silk wallpaper and stone-clad bathrooms packed with smellies from Penhaligon’s. Upgrade to a suite to make the most of that central position; some have balconies that give you a perch to spot Big Ben, the London Eye and the Houses of Parliament over your morning coffee.
Spa N
Pool N
Price £££
The Zetter Townhouse (Booking.com)
10. The Zetter Townhouse, Marylebone
Best for eclectic decoration
Stepping into the Zetter Townhouse feels like entering the home of an eccentric great uncle who has collected all kinds of curious objects on his travels. Small plates and cocktails are served in sumptuous Seymour’s Parlour (red walls, antique furniture including a grandfather clock, gold-framed portraits); afternoon tea is taken by the fire to a soothing jazz soundtrack. Upstairs, the rooms are equally plush with traditional four-poster beds and dramatic drapes, Persian rugs and old-fashioned wooden trunks.
Spa N
Pool N
Price ££
The Laslett (Booking.com)
11. The Laslett, Notting Hill
Best for neighbourhood character
Named after activist Rhaune Laslett — who organised the original Notting Hill Festival alongside Claudia Jones and Duke Vin — the Laslett feels more like a neighbourhood hangout than a hotel. The property, which is spread across five Victorian townhouses in Pembridge Gardens, was designed by Tom Bartlett of architect and design studio Waldo Works. Rooms are kitted out with pieces by British designers such as Pinch and Race Furniture, artworks by local artists, textiles by Eleanor Pritchard and a selection of Penguin Classics books. On the ground floor, the Henderson bar and coffee shop (the name pays homage to Trinidadian musician Russell “Russ” Henderson, also connected to the Carnival) serves up breakfast, cocktails and everything in between.
Spa N (there are treatments)
Pool N
Price ££
The Henrietta Hotel (Booking.com)
12. Henrietta Hotel, Covent Garden
Best for Italian suppers
The first London hotel from the Experimental Group (best known for its Experimental Cocktail Club bars), the Henrietta opened in Covent Garden in 2017. The 40 rooms by French interior designer Dorothée Meilichzon feature art deco touches — headboards that resemble Milanese door frames, dusky pink velvet chairs, terrazzo-patterned carpet and brass bedside lamps. Downstairs the Da Henrietta restaurant shines the spotlight on dishes from Italy — hosts Toto Dell’Aringa and Silvio Pezzana are founders of the Italian Supper Club.
Spa N
Pool N
Price ££
The Resident
13. The Resident Covent Garden
Best for location
It’s convenience that most come to this Covent Garden favourite for. Its 57 rooms, housed in an Edwardian building, feel more like apartments with mini kitchenettes complete with a microwave, fridge and a tap with filtered Brita water, plus stylish touches such as Paul Smith lamps and throws made on the Isle of Bute. Then there’s the location: you’re on the corner of the Strand, steps away from some of London’s top shopping streets and theatres, and just a five-minute stroll from Charing Cross station.
Spa N
Pool N
Price ££
Dukes London (Booking.com)
14. Dukes London, St James’s
Best for super-strength martinis
Set back from Piccadilly in peaceful St James’s, this is a classic old-school hotel in the best possible way. The martinis served in Dukes bar are legendary (it was once a haunt of James Bond author Ian Fleming); the food on the menu in ground-floor restaurant GBR is traditional with a twist (including a daily pie); and there’s a cognac and cigar garden in partnership with Remy Martin. Rooms are plush and elegant, with marble bathrooms and Penhaligon’s products and, when guests want to spend time in nearby Green Park or Hyde Park, they can pre-order a picnic hamper to take with them. Room service is 24-hour too.
Spa N
Pool N
Price ££
Boundary London (Booking.com)
15. Boundary London, Shoreditch
Best for design kudos
Owned by the Conran family, this cool hotel in a converted Victorian warehouse is as design-driven as you’d expect. Each of the 17 rooms and suites is inspired by an iconic designer or design movement of the 20th century, from modernists Le Corbusier and Mies Van der Rohe to the Bauhaus. On the ground floor, the menu at all-day British café Albion (which also has a grocery, bakery and deli attached) includes dishes such as Cumberland sausage and colcannon mash, Argyle mussels and doorstop sandwiches. The rooftop bar and grill, housed within a glass extension, has fantastic views of the East London skyline.
Spa N
Pool N
Price ££
The Treehouse Hotel (Booking.com)
16. Treehouse London, Langham Place
Best for childhood nostalgia
Taking over the top eight floors of a 1960s tower a few minutes’ walk from Oxford Street, this central London hotel is full of quirky touches, from childhood memorabilia (toys such as a Paddington Bear teddy or piggy bank) dotted around the rooms alongside vintage furniture to rooftop bar the Nest, where DJs spin the decks from a fort in a foliage-filled lounge. Food options include Pizzeria Mozza and Mexican restaurant Madera (the little sister to LA eatery Toca Madera) for tacos and tamales.
Spa N
Pool N
Price ££
17. The Chiltern Firehouse, Marylebone
Best for red carpet glamour
Set in a red-brick former fire station on boutique-lined Chiltern Street, this André Balazs-owned luxury hotel has been a magnet for A-listers since it opened in 2014. The 26 rooms are grown-up — mahogany beds, working fireplaces and crisp, custom linens — while the restaurant, which is overseen by executive chef Richard Foster, focuses on vegetable-inspired dishes and cooking in the wood oven. The courtyard is the place to be and be seen, as is secret guest-only bar Ladder Shed.
Spa N
Pool N
Price £££
18. The Lost Poet, Notting Hill
Best for living like a local
With just four bedrooms, online check-in and an unmarked entrance, this is a hotel that feels more like a smart home-from-home rental — right in the middle of the Notting Hill thrum. The smallest room is The Quarters, all calming green hues, retro fittings and reclaimed wood; the largest is The Muse, a two-level suite with House of Hackney wallpaper in the bathroom, a free-standing tub in the bedroom and a private roof terrace. Breakfast (choose between the “naughty” or “nice” options) is delivered to the door each morning and a concierge is on hand to offer local recommendations.
Spa N
Pool N
Price ££
Charlotte Street Hotel(Alamy)
19. Charlotte Street Hotel, Fitzrovia
Best for afternoon tea
From the weekly film club — dinner and a movie in the screening room — to the people-watching pavement tables for summer cocktails, there’s something special about the Charlotte Street hotel. The Firmdale Group hotels offer Kit Kemp designed rooms in her signature colour and pattern but here she has channelled the Bloomsbury Group in the mural depicting London life on the walls of the Oscar bar and restaurant. In-room Temple Spa treatments and afternoon tea are some of the other spoiling treats to look forward to.
Spa Y (in-room treatments)
Pool N
Price £££
The Gantry (Jonathan Sharp)
20. The Gantry, Stratford
Best for shopping
In the shadow of Europe’s largest shopping centre, Westfield, is this bronzed boutique, part of Hilton’s Curio Collection. The Gantry bills itself as an “urban resort”, and it’s not far off. There’s an Instagrammable lobby with hardbacks about Japan slung around walnut tables and jewel-toned chairs, while the Urban Social all-day restaurant and lounge serves classically comfortable food (burgers, laksa) with a great view across the former Olympic Village. Rooms are spacious, dressed in deep navy blue and bronze, with the ultimate accoutrement: a shower with buttons for on and off. The price point is excellent (under £200 per night) and it’s opposite Stratford International (and a short walk to Stratford station proper), making it a good-value option for exploring London without paying city-centre prices.
Spa N
Pool N
Price £
21. The Mandrake, Fitzrovia
Best for romantic weekends
Head to your room in The Mandrake, just a stone’s throw from Oxford Street, and it’s easy to feel like you’ve wandered into a jungle in Bali instead thanks to the leaf-draped terrace that cascades over three floors. Inside, everything is dimly lit, sultry and there to make you look twice — most notably the stuffed ostrich that takes pride of place in Latin-American inspired restaurant, Yopo. Rooms come with lots of bold features; chandeliers, quirky prints and Venetian-style masks. There’s no spa, but you can aim for inner peace most weekends with a yoga session or gong bath.
Spa N
Pool N
Price £££
22. StrandPalace, Covent Garden
Right in the heart of London’s Theatreland is the vastStrandPalace, fresh from a multi-million-pound refurb. The renovation has retained some of its art deco elements – the gold numbers on the doors are pleasingly still of the era – which makes this enormous property feel more characterful than it should. You could scarcelybe better located for most of London’s top cultural sights – Somerset House and the Thamesare just over the road – but it’s the theatre crowd that it really attracts. They come foran early dinner in the in-house restaurant Haxells, which serves modern British cuisine, or for afternoon tea in the teal-coloured tearoom off the lobby. Rooms are big for this part of town (with smart Hans Grohe showers), although given the volume – 788- the views aren’t always award-winning (ask for aStrandview). Kids are welcomed with goodies emblazoned with Parker the hotel dog mascot and a treasure hunt that takes them to explore the hotel, which is surprisingly fun for adults too.Above all, this is a well-priced boutique option in central London.
Spa N
Pool N
Price ££