The 12 best five-star hotels in London

For London’s best views, it’s a no-brainer. The Shangri-La inhabits floors 34-52 of The Shard, Western Europe’s tallest building, so on a clear day you can pretty much see the whole city (unless you book one of the cheaper, south-facing rooms). A less welcome aspect of the impressive floor-to-ceiling glass is that you can also see your neighbours in their room. Awkward! (Don’t worry, there are blinds for the timid.) Rooms are furnished in glamorous Asian contemporary style with luxury materials such as marble and silk, and they all contain binoculars, making it obvious that the star of the show was always going to be the vista.

Claridge’s continues to fly the flag for Mayfair super-bling with its art deco-meets-Victoriana design and a lobby with pics of previous guests (hello Winston Churchill). Simon Rogan’s Michelin-starred Fera restaurant is now run by protégé Matt Starling and is always packed. Off-duty celebs tend to hide away in the handsome, discreet bar – if they care to venture out of their rooms at all. And why would they, when they come adorned with such luxuries as art deco toilet flushes? If it’s payday, book one of the stunning David Linley suites.

Everything you need to know about The Ned can be described in two words: Soho House. This five-star hotel and members' club has been lovingly refurbished with £200 million from the SH pocket. It's in a former bank in the City and everything about reeks of money. From the marble tables in one of eight eateries, to the rooftop pool (one of two), and the French-polished walnut panelling in their four-poster Heritage rooms. Certain parts, including the rooftop bar (one of 15, ahem) are only open to Soho House members, so it’s worth checking in advance to avoid disappointment. But even the ground-floor bar, open to everyone, is a joy to behold.

The Langham is the choice of many visiting celebs headed for the BBC’s Broadcasting House opposite. It’s an understated, charming hotel with enduring, timeless appeal, first-class service and winning spaces – from the art deco Palm Court, where afternoon tea is served, to the cocktail bar and Chinese-influenced spa. Unfortunately, for foodies, the gourmet in-house French restuarant, Roux at the Landau, is temporarily closed, but should reopen as a post-pandemic world slowly returns.

In keeping with its Park Lane location, The Dorchester is the bee’s knees, from its opulently classical interior and grand lobby to its first-class restaurants (including three Michelin-starred Alain Ducasse at The Dorchester, headed by Jean-Philippe Blondet) employing around 90 chefs. A cutting-edge attitude encompasses impressive service, state-of-the-art mod cons and a magnificent spa complete with glittering tearoom: The Spatisserie.

This positively palatial London institution is the place to head if you like the idea of a world where jeans and trainers are banned in public areas and jackets must be worn by gentlemen when dining. The rooms have been restored to their full Louis XVI glory, but such opulence isn’t for everyone, and neither are the prices. If you fancy being an interloper, book well in advance and pack your glad rags for an elegant afternoon tea in the Palm Court or dinner at the Michelin-starred Ritz Restaurant, a riot of murals, ceiling frescoes, statues and drapery.

This hotel is in the prime riverside location. You'll find everything here. A cocktail bar, an agua spa, a rooftop bar and a terrace with panoramic views over London. Oh and how could we forget, a cinema too! Decorated by award winning designer Tom Dixom, you'll find a ship theme running throughout, and each room is decked out with bespoke furniture as well as Malin+Goetz toiletries. You'll get the king/queen treatment staying here. 

The Beaumont embodies all things 1920s. It's a big hotel, but still manages to pull of an intimate feel with just 50 rooms and 22 suites and studios. You'll find Art Deco interiors (which have been recently revamped by designer Thierry Despont), and if you're a fan of al-fresco dining, don't forget to visit the the brand-new Terrace. While the new Gatsby's Room is the ideal setting for afternoon tea or evening drinks. The spa features a gym and offers many relaxing treatments to truly help you unqind from the hustle and bustle of the city.

Despite surviving both world wars, the St Pancras Renaissance (or Midland Grand as it was previously known) almost faced demolition in the 1960s for being a big old crumbling burden. The Victorian gothic behemoth was too expensive to run and repair, but gained Grade I-listed status in 1967 thanks to the efforts of 'furious' former Bletchley Park codebreaker Jane Fawcett. Now maintained by Marriott, it provides an awe-inspiring silhouette to the King's Cross landscape, along with 120 sensitively decorated rooms, two restaurants (set to reopen in September), a spa, pool and gym.

We bet you didn't know that Chiltern Firehouse isn't only a restaurant, but a hotel too. Here, you'll find 26 beautifully retro rooms kitted out with leather chairs, velvet-style sofas and armchairs – and super luxe beds that will have you sleeping like a baby. This hotel has thought of everything, for those cold winter nights, you'll find heated floors in the bathroom. You'll be woken up to the natural light bouncing off the windows ready to start your morning like an A-lister.

This is a classic hotel close to Buckingham Palace (the Middleton family stayed here before Kate’s wedding) with plenty of chintz, mahogany and genteel luxury. There are even oh-so-polite cards ask you not to use your phone or conduct business during afternoon tea. It’s also the place for Michelin-starred dining, as well as the ideal ‘Downton Abbey’ experience (croquet on the lawn during the summer months and, if you book a suite, the services of a footman).

A grand Edwardian building that was once a newspaper office is now the preferred spot for the fashion crowd during London Fashion Week (the shows at Somerset House are just across the road), as well as armies of visitors who come for the ease of access to Theatreland and the West End. That said, there’s plenty to keep you here: two restaurants, a hip bar in the lobby, TVs in the bathrooms and even music piped underwater in the fabulous (chlorine-free) pool. The corner rooms have views out over Waterloo Bridge and the river.