The best hotels in London for 2025, by Time Out travel experts

The Town Hall Hotel in Bethnal Green, once the site of the 1920 British Socialist Party conference, has undergone quite the transformation from a hub of political dissent to a haven of understated luxury. Today, its a whole blend of Edwardian architecture, art deco details and baroque corridors, like stepping into a scene from the past, and the prices are remarkably reasonable – rooms start at a mere £160 per night, with the most expensive suites starting at £400. All are stylish without pretension – big, inviting beds, homely touches, and the option of sensibly-priced in-room dining. Minor scuffs and worn paint are forgivable when you’re wrapped in a dressing gown, reluctant to leave. Larger rooms even feature full kitchens, though the lure of the on-site restaurants makes self-catering unlikely.

Dining is a highlight, with three distinct venues to choose from. At the top end, Da Terra boasts two Michelin stars and ambitious tasting menus, while Silk Weaver bar serves inventive cocktails like the smoky, mezcal-laced Smoky Sour or the playful Pink Elderflower Gimlet. Restaurant Elis, housed in a wood-panelled former council room, offers a relaxed Brazilian/Italian menu from Chef Rafael Cagali. Like the hotel itself, it has a certain charm that makes you want to linger: the space feels delightfully offbeat, and the food is posh but comforting. 

Facilities extend the appeal: a heated 14-metre pool beneath a glass roof, a well-equipped gym, and in-room spa services courtesy of Ruuby. Pet-friendly stays are available for an extra fee. Service is warm and relaxed, striking the right note between professionalism and personality – staff are quick with a joke, making the atmosphere friendly without tipping into pretension. In a building once dedicated to the drab duties of local government, the Town Hall Hotel has created somehow created one of London’s most distinctive boutique stays, at genuinely unbeatable prices. Plus there’s no better place to be in Bethnal Green for spending a weekend touring our favourite east London spots: Victoria Park, Columbia Road Flower Market, Brick Lane, the Young V&A – we could go on. 

Time Out tip: As soon as you’re booked in at Town Hall, make sure to secure a table at the fantastic Café Cecilia, a ten-minute walk from the hotel. 

Address: Patriot Square, Bethnal Green, London E2 9NF
Price: Starting from approximately £160 per night
Closest transport: Bethnal Green Underground Station is a five-minute walk

What do you get when you combine the energy of the Jazz Age with English eccentricity and a dash of disco? Broadwick Soho. Modelled to give the charm of a townhouse, the hotel has a homely atmosphere with an aesthetic inspired by the lively area where it resides. Interior designer Martin Brudnizki is responsible for the punchy pizzazz that hypnotises everyone who enters. The pastel colour palette of the lobby create an elegance and softness, achieving an almost dreamlike feel. The bedrooms are just as alluring, with charming quirky details like a gold framed TV and muralled wardrobe.

Shortly after checking in, I visited The Nook – the residents-only lounge – for a pre-dinner drink. The sultry digs have plush sofa seating, low lighting, a fireplace and a collection of vinyls provided by a local record store – all the ingredients of a cool and cosy social space to rival some of the city’s most sought-after members’ clubs. Dinner at Dear Jackie was next on the agenda; unconventional Italian fare in a dramatic underground setting, although Soho is one of the city's best areas for eating and drinking if you want to venture out and about. Wherever you dine, cocktails at opulent rooftop bar Flute is a must.

With so much going on, it would be easy to hide behind the extravagance and let service standards slip, but this certainly isn’t the case here. There seems to be a staff member on hand no matter where you happen to be in the building, with an answer to whatever you may be wondering.  

Time Out tip: The hotel likes to champion local artists and venues, so check out the 'What's On' section of their website for news on live music line-ups and restaurant collabs. 

Address: Broadwick Soho Hotel, 20 Broadwick Street, London W1F 8TH
Price: From £455 a night
Closest transport: Tottenham Court Road tube station

Eco-luxury property 1 Hotel Mayfair, opened in 2023, is a place where sustainability meets understated elegance. Every detail here feels intentional, from yoga mats in every room to a reception desk crafted from a 200-year-old fallen oak. The plant-filled interiors – a whopping 1,300 of them in total – mean stepping into this hotel feels like you’ve walked into a forest (albeit a very posh one), all warm wood, natural stone and a signature eucalyptus-and-cedar scent. This continues across the hotel’s 181 rooms, with muted tones, natural textures and thoughtful touches like living moss walls and bedside plants. Even the turndown service goes above and beyond, with neatly wrapped cables, organised toiletries and handwritten goodnight notes. Book one of their suites for a private terrace, complimentary minibar and dedicated butler – but every room has special touches, from jersey bathrobes and Bamford toiletries to bougie minibars and in-room filtered water.

Dining is a highlight, led by Tom Sellers at Dovetale, serving up elevated comfort dishes with an eye for sustainability – along with the perfect ending, a DIY sundae bar. Adjacent Dover Yard bar has a lovely sunny terrace (and an excellent spicy marg), and breakfast is à la carte and high quality, with fresh juice, fluffy pancakes and crispy bacon. From the restaurant and bar through to reception, service is warm and chilled-out, but very attentive.  

Facilities include a well-equipped gym, free weekly run club, wellness classes and a Bamford Spa (though without sauna or steam). The Lobby Farmstand offers fresh fruit for guests on the go. Mayfair’s designer boutiques and watch shops dominate the area, but Green Park, Fortnum & Mason, Burlington Arcade and the Royal Academy are all within walking distance. Make no mistake: this place is pricey, but it often has good last-minute deals – and the experience is extremely hard to fault.

Time Out tip: On the go? You can grab complimentary fruit all day long from the Lobby Farmstand on your way out.

Address: 3 Berkeley St, London
Price per night: Starting from £500 per night
Closest transport: Green Park tube is a two-minute walk away

What started out as a small hotel run by the Claridge family in the mid-1800s, soon blossomed into the five-star Mayfair Claridge's mansion we know today. Its reputation was helped somewhat by visits from Queen Victoria and Prince Albert, and royalty was inevitably followed by Hollywood stars during the ’50s. All of the hotel’s old school glamour remains today, with art deco chic throughout and a constant stream of celebrity guests frequenting the Claridge’s Restaurant and the Foyer.

The 269 rooms and suites are as comfy and as elegant as you’d hope and we couldn’t fault the service. There’s also a relatively newly dug out huge basement where you’ll find a zen spa with a serene swimming pool, extremely posh gym and a wine shop. Once you’ve worked up an appetite down there, there are plenty of eating options. As well as the faultless Claridge’s Restaurant and the Foyer (a delightful spot for a classic afternoon tea), there’s also L’Epicerie, an epic chef’s table experience where you get to dine in the middle of the bustling kitchen. Oh and cocktails at The Fumoir bar are a must. Trust us.

There's high end shopping aplenty nearby with Regents Street, New Bond Street and South Molton Street a short walk away and some of London's most famous park squares including Hanover Square, Grosvenor Square and Berkeley Square which are fun for people watching.

Time Out tip: Plump for a stay here at Christmas time to see the iconic annual unfurling of their xmas tree which is lavishly decorated by a different artist or designer each year.

Address: Claridges, Brook Street, London W1K 4HR
Price: From £930 per night
Closest transport: Bond Street tube station

Victoria isn’t exactly the sexiest postcode in London. It’s all transport hubs, chain restaurants and identikit hotels. Which is why The July is such a surprise. This is the first UK outpost from Amsterdam’s City ID group, and it’s apartment-meets-boutique-hotel perfection: all the freedom of an Airbnb, none of the passive-aggressive host notes.

Design is spot-on. Fettle (the people behind The Hoxton Rome) have gone for a Soho Home vibe with more colour, and the attention to detail is borderline obsessive: Marie-Stella-Maris toiletries in the bathroom, Maldon sea salt and a full bottle of olive oil in the kitchen, ‘Who Gives a Crap’ loo roll by the throne. Rooms – from studios to six-person apartments – come with Smeg appliances, Nespresso machines and king-sized beds you’ll struggle to leave.

Downstairs, The Idler is all marble-topped bar and soft lighting, serving modern British plates that punch above their postcode. Don’t miss the Lake District bavette or the crème fraîche panna cotta with strawberries and balsamic. Breakfast runs from eggs florentine to potato hash; the £19 continental spread could be bigger, but the quality is faultless.

There’s a dinky gym, a private-bookable sauna (cucumber water included, awkward small talk excluded) and a co-working space with an honesty bar. Staff are friendly without being fake, quick to fetch forgotten key cards or spare razors. Sure, the area’s more commuter hub than cool hangout, but that’s kind of the point. You can be anywhere in London in 20 minutes, hop to Heathrow without faff, and crash somewhere genuinely nice at the end of the day. For short or long stays, The July is an easy, stylish win – especially if you want boutique vibes without Shoreditch prices.

Time Out tip: Mildred’s and Lorne are nearby, but you’re better off venturing out of Victoria’s chain restaurant cluster to Kioko in Whitehall for posh sushi, or Nag’s Head in Belgravia for cocktails.

Address: 282 Vauxhall Bridge Rd, London, SW1V 1BB
Price per night: From £249 per night
Closest transport link: Victoria train station is a few minutes away

The Dorchester needs no introduction, but we’ll give it one anyway. Built in 1931 by Sir Robert McAlpine as the ‘perfect hotel’ and now owned by the Sultan of Brunei, it is a whopping great thing overlooking Hyde Park and Park Lane, and it’s hosted the likes of Elizabeth Taylor, Alfred Hitchcock, Barbra Streisand and Queen Elizabeth II. Inside, you’re immediately welcomed by gold flourishes, domed ceilings, chandeliers and marble floors, along with its signature Dorchester Rose scent. Service is impeccable throughout, warm, charming and fun, and staff are incredibly child-friendly and accommodating. 

The hotel has 180 rooms, 57 suites and several penthouses. Even the smallest rooms start at £900 in low season, while lavish suites can reach £4,000 a night. Suites are expansive, often including separate living and dining areas, walk-in closets and luxurious bathrooms, with extras like personalised children’s gifts, natural Wildsmith toiletries and refillable bottles. Yes, there’s many aspects of the old world (shoe shining), but you’ve got your modern comforts too (a ginourmous Bang & Olufsen telly). 

Dining is a highlight, from Alain Ducasse’s three-Michelin-starred French fine dining to The Grill by Tom Booton for contemporary British dishes. Afternoon tea is served in The Promenade, and China Tang offers glamorous Cantonese dining – or drink at the James Bond-inspired Vesper Bar or the Artist’s Bar with live piano. The spa offers Natura Bissé diamond facials and treatments by Dr Uliana Gout, and guests can use the pool and gym at sister property 45 Park Lane. Hyde Park, Mayfair, Oxford Street and cultural spots like the Serpentine Gallery are within walking distance, with Marble Arch, Hyde Park Corner and Green Park stations nearby. Though undeniably expensive, a stay delivers world-class hospitality, attention to detail and memorable experiences worthy of its grand reputation.

Time Out tip: Remember we said family friendly? Our daughter was actually welcomed into the main kitchen, given a chef’s toque and even got to pull her own soft-serve rhubarb and custard ice cream. Serious service!

Address: 53 Park Lane, London W1K 1QA
Price: Starting from approximately £900 per night
Closest transport: Hyde Park Corner Underground Station is a seven-minute walk

The Standard London is the UK branch of the global hotel chain, which has party-tastic outposts in all of the world’s sexiest cities. Opened in July 2019 opposite St Pancras station with a pill-shaped red lift that whizzes up the facade, it contains 266 rooms of varying types, two excellent restaurants (Decimo and Isla), two bars (the Rooftop and Sweeties) and one bar-restaurant (Double Standard). It’s fancy and fun; an undoubtedly luxury hotel that is boutique-y and small enough to feel personal too. The Standard eschews the laciness and fancy frippery you might commonly associate with London’s poshest hotel destinations, to appeal to contemporary tastes and people who own multiple pairs of Salomons.

The hotel itself is a brutalist vision. Built in the 1970s, it takes its interior inspiration from the dramatic curve of the building. Huge windows give guests a panoramic view of King’s Cross — one of London’s most transport-nerdy vistas. Rooms range from cosy crash pads to sprawling suites with deep-soak tubs, terraces, and seating nooks perfect for sipping wine from the minibar before heading out.

Reservations for all bars and restaurants can be made at reception, and you can add a breakfast buffet to your stay too. But in the summer months, the rooftop is unmissable; chances are you’ll end up chatting to one of the coolest people you’ve ever met up there. That’s because the Standard is pure, effortless chic. There’s a DJ booth in the lounge, and just down the road are the students of Central Saint Martins and the designer shops of Coal Drops Yard. Fancy a superstar stay that doesn’t take itself too seriously? The Standard has everything you could possibly need.

Time Out tip: Ask for a room with a free-standing bath on the balcony where you can discreetly slip into alfresco the tub high above the city.

Address: The Standard, 10 Argyle Street, London, WC1H 8EG
Price: From £217 per night
Nearest transport: King's Cross station

Most people stroll past Hazlitt’s without ever knowing that there’s a sprawling, 30-room boutique hotel tucked away behind the Georgian facade on Frith Street. The four townhouses date back to 1718, but Hazlitt’s only opened up its doors in 1986. But you wouldn’t know that once stepping inside: Hazlitt’s is a magical time warp full of four poster beds, throne-style loos, gilt mirrors and creaky staircases. But amongst the antiques, there are plenty of hotel comforts including flatscreen TVs tucked away behind wood-panels, comfy deep armchairs and claw-footed baths.

Each room is totally unique and although the Duke of Monmouth suite has its own private roof terrace, we especially liked the rooms at the back which have velvet window seats to snuggle up in. There’s no hotel restaurant but there doesn’t need to be with places like Duck Soup, Rita’s Dining and Quo Vadis a short walk away. We would also recommend tea and cake at Maison Bertaux, half pints at the French House and late night espressos at Bar Italia to keep you awake for the late night jazz at Ronnie Scott's. After a big Soho night out, you get the joy of having breakfast in bed. There’s nothing quite like the thrill of a Brick Lane bagel sat in an ornate four poster. Be sure to check out the locked bookcase in one of the lobby rooms which is full of signed copies and first editions from authors who have stayed here. 

Time Out tip: Swing by Hazlitt’s cosy honesty bar for a late night port or three.

Address: Hazlitt’s, 6 Frith Street, London W1D 3JA
Price: From £329 per night
Closest transport: Tottenham Court Road tube station

Does the most famous hotel in the world need an introduction? Probably not, but to step into The Ritz is still a semi-magical experience, transporting you back to a time when Britain ruled the world and someone had just invented the train. An update in 1995 injected some modernity into the 1906-does-Louis XVI design, but there’s a wonderful sense of old-school decorum here, appropriate given the sheer quantities of marble and 24-carat gold leaf on site. Be warned: no jeans, no trainers, and jackets for dining, please – apart from at breakfast.

And yes, this probably isn’t the place to stay if you’re watching your pennies. But if you’ve got the budget and the urge to splurge, it’s a trip you won’t forget. The Michelin-starred Ritz restaurant delivers proper fine dining in a setting of chandeliers, marble columns, and floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking Green Park (naturally). Breakfast is just as impressive – we’d recommend the breakfast deal, where you can indulge in eggs cooked any way you like, paired with champagne for good measure.

And don’t skip the legendary afternoon tea: more than 20 teas to choose from, each introduced by The Ritz’s own tea sommelier. Served in the mirrored Palm Court salon, with a pianist playing softly, there are delicate crustless sandwiches and the best clotted cream we’ve ever tasted. Best of all? You can forever tell people you’ve stayed at The Ritz – and they’ll almost certainly be jealous (or at the very least, have questions).

Time Out tip: If you like afternoon tea, this is truly one of the best places in London to get your scone and finger sandwich fix.

Address: The Ritz, 150 Piccadilly, London, W1J 9BR
Price: From £725 per night
Nearest transport: Green Park station

Art’otel Battersea opened in 2022, and immediately made a splash – mostly down to its rooftop infinity pool, which looks out over the Power Station and beyond. The whole thing was designed by Spanish artist Jaime Hayon, and there’s plenty of weird and wonderful art on display as soon as you step into the lobby. 

The arty vibe continues its its 164 rooms, grand, artsy and full of colour, which are home to a record player, a Roberts radio and more fabulous hanging art by Hayon. It’s certainly upmarket, but it doesn’t take itself too seriously; the staff are great and a laugh, the clientele is a real mix; families, couples in the lift in bath robes, groups of girlfriends having the best spa weekend of their lives. Some rooms have a direct view of Battersea Power Station itself, which is an almighty sight to wake up to – but fear not, if you’re not one of the lucky ones, the rooftop views are there for you to make up for it. 

The rooftop is definitely this hotel’s most special feature, decked out with a hot tub, deck chairs and the almighty pool. There’s often classes and events up there throughout the week, including aqua board pilates, rooftop yoga and a kids club on Sunday afternoons (the idea is that parents have a leisurely lunch downstairs while their kids hang out at the club. We like it!). To eat, book ahead for Joia, a very special Portuguese and Iberian restaurant with its very own views and a premium menu to match. If you want a more chilled-out dinner, head to Tozi Grand Café, a buzzy, cheerful Italian where the cacio e pepe is served at your table in a giant cheese wheel.

Time Out tip: After your stay, go full tourist and hop on the Uber Boat back into town. It is surprisingly fun. 

Address: 1 Electric Boulevard, Nine Elms, London SW11 8BJ
Price: Starting from approximately £200 per night
Closest transport: Battersea Power Station Underground Station is a seven-minute walk