30 Great Hotels

Got the rellies coming? Need to put up your mates? Or just fancy a break from it all yourself? We select 30 of the top places to stay in London - from super-cheap hostels to boutique hotels.

Deluxe: over £250

Blakes Hotel
Blakes – Anouska Hempel’s other hotel venture – is a self-contained fantasy world of red-lacquered walls, Murano glass and cinematic lighting. Room 007 is a magnificent lily-white and blood-red boudoir, while the warm-coloured honeymoon suite, with a 15-foot four-poster bed, is spectacular. Staying here is a bit like stepping into a 35mm, big-budget Hollywood remake of your life.
Blakes Hotel, 33 Roland Gardens, SW7 (020 7370 6701/ www.blakeshotels.com) Gloucester Rd tube. Double from £305.

Cadogan London
The Cadogan’s claim to fame is that Oscar Wilde was arrested here for his infamous ‘offences against young men’ and manhandled unceremoniously from room 118 (now named The Oscar Wilde Room). Located in an Edwardian townhouse overlooking Sloane Square, the interiors are full of period splendour, soft colours and interesting textures – feather, crushed velvet, satin and swags of drapery. Guests also have access to the peaceful leafiness of Cadogan Gardens, and tennis courts across from the hotel, which are for the exclusive use of guests.
Cadogan London, 75 Sloane St, SW1 (020 7235 7141/ www.cadogan.com) Knightsbridge or Sloane Square tube. Double from £290.

Claridges
Generally considered the Rolls-Royce of London hotels, Claridges was established in 1812, and since then has housed celebrities and royalty, ranging from Queen Victoria to fork-tongued queen of US Vogue Anna Wintour. It is a grand, old-fashioned place where you can ring a bell to summon a maid and the magnificent old elevator is manually operated – and has a sofa to relax in. In the foyer lounge, a mini-orchestra plays. Inside the rooms, beds are famously comfortable, while bathrooms are spacious, with showerheads the size of lilypads. Recently, the bar has attracted a younger, hipper clientele (ever since Kate Moss held her thirtieth birthday party here).
Claridges, 55 Brook St, W1 (020 7950 5481/www.claridges.co.uk) Bond St tube. Double from £395.

Newest: Courthouse Kempinski Hotel
In its previous life as the largest and oldest magistrates’ court in the UK, the recently opened Courthouse Kempinski Hotel was once the training ground of the young court reporter Charles Dickens and witnessed the trials of Oscar Wilde, Mick Jagger and Marianne Faithfull. Where once stood hard docks and cold cells, guests are now greeted with petit fours and fresh fruit in rooms fitted out with soft, high beds and marble bathrooms. The lobby bar, with its all-female bar staff, has three private drinking cells – which include the original cell toilets, now used as ice buckets. A 100-seater private screening room with acid-green leather upholstery occupies the lower ground floor. The spa, Sannok, is rather snugly positioned underground and features a glass-floored treatment room that hangs above a part of the pool for ultra-indulgence.
Courthouse Kempinski Hotel, 19-21 Great Marlborough St, W1 (020 7297 5555/www.courthouse-hotel.com) Oxford Circus tube. Usual rate from £290, but Time Out readers can get a special weekend rate of £225 per night, which includes double room, breakfast and dinner for two with a bottle of house wine at the Carnaby bistro-style restaurant.

Covent Garden Hotel
The decoration in this elegant hotel is traditional English with a twist, featuring panelled walls, pinstriped wallpaper and granite-and-oak bathrooms. There is also a gym, a beauty room and a basement cinema that plays classic films every Sunday. Some of the rooms can be quite noisy because of its location in the heart of Covent Garden, so it is worth asking specifically for a quiet room.
Covent Garden Hotel, 10 Monmouth St, WC2 (020 7806 1000/ www.firmdalehotels.com) Covent Garden or Leicester Square tube. Double from £255.

The Great Eastern
This stylish east London hotel caters for well-heeled City financiers as well as hip European couples and young families on weekend jaunts. The hotel has a subtly luxurious interior and laid-back vibe, swanky gym and seductive bar. During August it will host its La Playa event, featuring an indoor beach (inspired by the Paris Plage) that comes with real sand, deckchairs, volleyball, cocktail nights and indoor sunsets.
The Great Eastern, Liverpool St, EC2 (020 7618 5000) Liverpool St tube/rail. Double from £140 during current weekend promotion (usual rate from £285).

No.5 Maddox Street
Most stylish
This swish Mayfair townhouse has a sumptuous chocolate-and-cream interior with bamboo floors, black-lacquered furniture and kimonos in place of towelling bathrobes.
Positioned in the heart of W1, it’s as central as can be, although you wouldn’t realise it thanks to a
laid-back, hushed atmosphere.
No.5 Maddox Street, W1 (020 7647 0200/www.living-rooms.co.uk) Oxford Circus tube. Double from £210 during current promotion, which runs until September (usual rate from £250).

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Soho Hotel
Hidden away down a warren of Soho backstreets, this contemporary hotel is much better-looking on the inside. A newcomer to the hotel scene (it opened last year), it’s from the same stable as the Charlotte Street and Covent Garden Hotels. The fantastic attention to detail substantiates that – from the modern art on the walls to the granite, oak and glass in the bathrooms.
Soho Hotel, 4 Richmond Mews, W1 (020 7559 3000/www.sohohotel.com) Tottenham Court Rd tube. Double from £250.

Mid-range:
£100-£250

Collonade Town House
An oasis of calm among the lapping waterways of Little Venice, this Victorian townhouse-hotel is renowned for its quiet, luxurious charm rather than tales of drug-fuelled debauchery. It does, however, have a fascinating past: John F Kennedy and Sigmund Freud have both stayed here; and the hotel’s Mediterranean restaurant, The Enigma, is named in memory of Alan Turing (cracker of the Enigma Code), who was born here.
Collonade Town House, 2 Warrington Crescent, W9 (020 7286 1052/ www.etontownhouse.com)Warwick Avenue tube. Double from £173.

The Gore
Just around the corner from the Albert Hall, this opulent and mildly eccentric hotel caters to a chic crowd who also have a sense of humour. Many of the rooms are themed: 211 is redolent of the Hollywood golden age with knobs on (murals of Greek goddesses in the bathroom, no less), while room 101 is certainly the worst room in the world for modernists, with its stained glass and minstrel’s gallery.
The Gore, 189 Queen’s Gate, SW7 (020 7584 6601/www.gorehotel.com) Gloucester Rd tube. Double from £223.

Hazlitt’s
This is the house where cult Romantic essayist William Hazlitt lived and died. Back in the early nineteenth century it was a cheap Soho lodging house, which got an unfavourable review from Hazlitt himself: in one of his deathbed essays he condemned it as an ‘unwholesome dungeon’. In a master stroke of irony, the house (and its two adjoining neighbours) have since been transformed into a luxurious hotel. A bit like a very comfortable museum, this place is full of creaky character, including a throne-style antique lavatory in one room, and many of the rooms have claw-footed baths and four-poster beds. You can even sleep in the room where Hazlitt died. Understandably, this place is very popular with writers: there is a tradition of visiting authors leaving a signed copy of their book in the hotel library.
Hazlitt’s, 6 Frith St, W1 (020 7434 1771/www.hazlittshotel.com) Tottenham Court Rd tube. Double from £240.

The Hempel
Anouska Hempel’s famous temple to minimalism, a breathtakingly empty building with a six-storey lobby. Lilies, cool whiteness and low lighting abound. One of the rooms even has a bed that hangs from the ceiling. Opinion tends to be divided about the Hempel: some find its aloof minimalism awe-inspiring, others think it is dated. If tumbledown homely cosiness and a log fire is what you want from a hotel, it might be wise to give this one a miss.
The Hempel, 31-35 Craven Hill Gardens, W2 (020 7298 9000/ www.the-hempel.co.uk) Lancaster Gate tube. Double from £245.

Hotel 41
Hotel 41 is gaining a solid word-of-mouth reputation for good service. Tucked away near the Albert Hall, it’s quiet, comfortable and discreet, with the atmosphere of a private club. It would suit those travelling to London on business who want somewhere smart and calm to stay. Complimentary food is available at all hours, while staff are famously attentive and personal, making for a very special stay.
Hotel 41, 41 Buckingham Palace Rd, SW1 (020 7300 0041) Victoria tube/rail. Double from £225.

Miller’s
The home of Martin Miller, gregarious author of ‘Miller’s Antiques Price Guide’ and consequently furnished throughout with old clocks, tables, chairs, cherubs and gilt; there’s also a roaring log fire in winter. The eight rooms, all en suite, are named after the Romantic poets. Byron is hung with paintings of Venice. One of Miller’s regulars lives only a mile away but keeps coming back because he loves the atmosphere so much.
Miller’s, 111a Westbourne Grove, W2 (020 7243 1024/www.millersuk.com) Bayswater, Notting Hill Gate or Queensway tube. Double from £175.

Best for a romantic weekend: Portobello Hotel
An infamous old bohemian den, the Portobello has enjoyed a cult following since it opened in the 1970s. Ceiling fans, slatted blinds and sprawling potted plants lend a colonial feel. Antique furniture is covered with swathes of fabric, cushions and Moroccan and Chinese touches. Some of the rooms are tiny, but some are spectacular, such as number 16, which has a famous round bed and an original claw-footed Edwardian bathing-machine.
Portobello Hotel, 22 Stanley Gardens, W11 (020 7727 2777/www,portobello-hotel.com) Notting Hill Gate tube. Double from £160.

Best for a 24-hour honeymoon: The Rookery
Made up of three interconnected houses, this higgledy-piggledy hotel draws on an 1830s census to lay on a heavy Victorian theme. Carved wooden beds and salvaged fixtures and fittings are all fun, but the huge Victorian baths are an absolute joy. Service is efficient but low-key, and the atmosphere peaceful. Tucked away in the heart of Clerkenwell – close to Smithfield, St Paul’s and Exmouth Market – it is at once a great hideaway and the perfect location from which to be a tourist in your own city.
The Rookery, Cowcross St, EC1 (020 7336 0931/www.rookeryhotel.com) Farringdon tube/rail. Double from £225.

Threadneedles
This converted banking hall styles itself as ‘the City’s boutique hotel’ and, indeed, it successfully marries old-fashioned luxury (duck-down duvets and Egyptian cotton bed linen) with all the mod cons a businessman could ever need. During the day, meetings take place under the stunning domed glass roof; by night, guests relax with a drink from the honesty bar.
Threadneedles, 5 Threadneedle St, EC2 (020 7657 8080/ www.theetoncollection.com) Bank tube/DLR. Double £245.

Twenty Nevern Square
Miles away from the swathes of chintz and mini-kettles that usually characterise Earl’s Court hotels, this sister to The Mayflower (see p35) is equally stylish and almost as affordable. Rooms in this converted Victorian house are furnished with carved Oriental headboards and wardrobes, and windows hung with silk curtains. There is also a conservatory breakfast room full of wicker and greenery.
Twenty Nevern Square, SW5 (020 7565 9555/ www.twentynevernsquare.co.uk) Earl’s Court tube. Double from £110.

Best for design junkies: The Zetter
Restaurateurs Michael Bergman and Mark Salisbury bought an old Victorian warehouse in Clerkenwell (previously owned by the Zetter football pools family) and decided to create something they thought London lacked: a boutique hotel without a bank-breaking price tag. The Zetter has a ‘2001: A Space Odyssey’ flavour, with curvy ’60s furniture and clean white walls. There are lots of quirky touches, such as hot-water bottles with hand-knitted covers on beds, well-thumbed Penguin paperbacks in each room and a vending machine selling everything from toothpaste to champagne. There’s also a bustling on-site restaurant that wraps around the ground floor, selling modern Italian food.
The Zetter, 86-88 Clerkenwell Rd, EC1 (020 7324 4444/ www.thezetter.com) Farringdon tube/rail. Double from £150.

Cheap: £50-£100

26 Hillgate Place
The owner of 26 Hillgate Place imports textiles from India, and many of her glittering finds decorate the house. The feel here is cool, airy and tropical, with Caribbean details. There are two bedrooms, one with an en suite bathroom, and the house has a hideaway garden with table and chairs. Portobello Road is on the doorstep and Notting Hill Gate tube three minutes’ walk away.
26 Hillgate Place, W8 (020 7727 7717) Notting Hill Gate tube. Double from £65.

Best-kept secret: 66 Camden Square
Camden Square is like an unexpected patch of Notting Hill in NW1, full of leafy streets and big old houses, which feels a world away from the grubbiness of Camden. Number 66 is a striking, Japanese-style building made from African teak and glass, and designed by the architect-owner. Inside is just as exotic. Not only have the owners filled their light, airy house with things they brought back from their tropical travels, they also have a pet macaw called Peckham. There are two guest rooms: a double and a single, with shared bath.
66 Camden Square, NW1 (020 7485 4622) Camden Town tube. Double from £90.

78 Albert Street
Just off Parkway, in a quiet part of Camden, this lovely Georgian house is furnished in simple, modern style. The location of this B&B is good for anyone wanting to stay close to the centre of town but away from the noisiness of central London.
78 Albert St, NW1 (020 7387 6813) Camden Town tube. Double from £90.

Florence Street Bed & Breakfast
Located near the Almeida theatre and Sadler’s Wells, Lady Valerie Rushmore’s bed and breakfast (officially nameless) is the much-loved haunt of visiting thespians, dancers and artists, many of whom regard it as a kind of second home when in London. Rushmore, a former theatre designer, is warm, kind and friendly. This place has heaps of handpainted, colourful character while the atmosphere is bohemian and homely, with a wonderful jumbly yellow kitchen boasting an Aga, and a Moroccan-styled conservatory over two floors. Full continental breakfast is provided, with croissants and brioches from the local bakery.
Florence Street Bed & Breakfast, 26 Florence St, N1 (020 7359 5293) Highbury & Islington tube/rail. Double from £90.

Hamilton House Hotel
This charming, elegant and historic Georgian house overlooking Blackheath dates back to 1734, and has been the residence of two former Lord Mayors of London. Several rooms have views accross to Canary Wharf, or across the gardens and heath. Treat yourself to an upgrade and enjoy some fancy four-poster luxury.
Hamilton House Hotel, 14 West Grove, SE10 (020 7585 2767/ www.hamiltonhousehotel.co.uk) Greenwich rail/DLR. Single and double £100-£120 inc full English breakfast and VAT.

Hampstead Village Guesthouse
This warm and welcoming guesthouse is another good bet for bohemian homeliness. Walls are crammed with books, rag dolls and blue Delft china. Bathrooms have Victorian brass shower fixtures, and the house is full of quirky idiosyncrasies such as the freestanding tub in The Blue Room and the roof terrace and canopy bed in The Yellow Room. The Guesthouse also has a resident dog called Marley. Breakfast is served in the garden, weather permitting. For families and large groups, there’s also a separate garden cottage that sleeps five.
Hampstead Village Guesthouse, 2 Kemplay Rd, NW3 (020 7435 8679/ www.hampsteadvillageguesthouse.com) Hampstead Heath rail. Double from £72.

Hotel 167
This idiosyncratic hotel is something of an inspiration: the subject of an unreleased Manic Street Preachers track and a (now out of print) novel, ‘Hotel 167’ by Jane Solomon. The interior decoration here has personality and style: white walls, potted palms, antique details, ceiling fans and a great black-and-white tiled lobby. Located among the verdant squares and white-iced houses of Kensington, it is perfectly placed for dinosaur-watching at the Natural History Museum or Sloane-watching on the King’s Road.
Hotel 167, 167 Old Brompton Rd, SW5 (020 7373 0672/www.hotel167.com) Gloucester Rd tube. Double from £90.

Lavender Hotel
Centrally located just off Lavender Road and near Clapham Junction Station, this convivial hotel boasts a beautiful garden for lazing on those hazy summer days, as well as exceptionally friendly, helpful staff. Breakfast is included, and a self-catering option is also available.
Lavender Hotel, 18 Lavender Sweep, SW11 (020 7585 2767) Clapham Junction rail. Double from £60.

The Mayflower Hotel
A cheap hotel with style and flair. The interior decoration is inspired by Harry’s Bar in New York and has a Far Eastern feel: wooden floors, ceiling fans, Venetian blinds, lanterns and hand-carved beds. The lobby has a teak arch from Jaipur. The hotel also has a juice bar. The Mayflower is an interesting place with bags of personality for a surprisingly good price.
The Mayflower Hotel, 26-28 Trebovir Rd, SW5 (020 7370 4934/ www.mayflowerhotel-group.co.uk) Earl’s Court tube. Double from £89.

Best for rock ’n’ roll fantasies: The Pavillion
Fancy yourself as a bit of a rock star but can’t afford to trash a penthouse suite at the Met? This stylish and vivacious 1840s townhouse is a favourite with rock, fashion and film people (a roll-call of past guests includes Leonardo Di Caprio, Naomi Campbell and the ubiquitous Pete Doherty). Interiors are kitsch and deliciously wild, with rich, vibrant colours and luscious textures. Each of the 30 rooms is themed, with names like Cosmic Girl, Highland Fling and Diamonds Are Forever, featuring everything from pink feathers to minimalist retro. Basic snacks are available through room service, but there are Lebanese, Italian and Cuban restaurants – not to mention Oxford Street – within walking distance.
The Pavillion, 34-36 Sussex Gardens, W2 (020 7262 0905) Edgware Rd tube. Double from £85.

Budget: under £50

Arlington Avenue
An Islington townhouse in peaceful surroundings, with a lush, jungly hideaway of a garden. It is centrally located (Clerkenwell and Shoreditch are both within walking distance) while being so calm and quiet you could almost be in the countryside as the road it’s on is closed to traffic. Interior decoration is stylish and thoughtful, with lots of original period features. Book well in advance.
Arlington Avenue, N1 (07711 265183) Angel tube or Old St tube/rail. Double from £35.

King’s College Conference & Vacation Bureau
One of many universities letting out their student residences over the summer holidays, King’s has several sites in central London including en suite rooms at Stamford Street in Waterloo for only £40 a night. A clean, functional, no-frills solution to visiting any university city.
King’s College Conference & Vacation Bureau, Strand Bridge House, 138-142 Strand, WC2 (020 7848 1700/fax 020 7848 1717/www.kcl.ac.uk/kcvb) Temple tube. Single £17-£34, twin £39.50-£49. Rooms available until Sept 13.

Best value for money: The Main House
Owner Caroline Main’s warmth and charisma would be reason enough to come here. Additional strong points include the fact that this is a seriously stylish place; rooms are vast, with beautiful wooden floorboards covered with animal skins, antique furniture and white walls. Fresh coffee arrives in the mornings on a silver tray, and guests get a special discount for breakfast at the local deli in Notting Hill. As hotels go, this is a pretty exceptional place, for an equally exceptional price. A former DJ and explorer, Main hasn’t needed to advertise yet, running a flourishing business on word-of-mouth: previous guests have included Eskimos, Maoris, Mongolians and LA film producers. Booking well in advance is essential.
The Main House, 6 Colville Rd, W11 (020 7221 9691/ www.themainhouse.co.uk) Ladbroke Grove or Notting Hill Gate tube. Room from £45.

Best for students: Wake up! London
Some 125,000 people pass through the beds of this popular backpacker stopover in Paddington which is ideal for students visiting town on a minuscule budget. Guests must be aged between 18 and 35, and there’s a bar and lounge for socialising. Accommodation is cheerful, clean and, crucially, central.
Wake Up! London, 1 Queens Gardens, W2 (020 7262 4471/ www.wakeuplondon.co.uk) Bayswater tube or Paddington tube/rail. Dorm from £12, single and twin from £20 per person.

Prices given are for a room per night unless otherwise indicated. Many hotels offer special deals, so it’s worth enquiring about discounts.

Jessica Ferguson
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