[title]
On the look out for somewhere to spend a night in true, unadulterated luxury? Look no further. Every year, the prestigious hospitality guide, La Liste, unveils what it believes to be the 1000 most exceptional hotels in the world. Now, it’s pick of the greatest stays for 2025 is out.
Like the guide’s selection of the finest restaurants in the world, this ranking spans Europe, Asia and the Americas and has been created through a ‘sophisticated algorithm’ that analyses thousands of reviews, professional judgements and guest feedback from more than 400 international sources. The result, it says, is an ‘objective evaluation that transcends cultural preferences and regional biases’.
Once the numbers had been crunched, ten hotels emerged as the very best in the world, with near-perfect scores of 99.5 out of 100. And two of them happen to be London’s most well-known five-star establishments: The Connaught in Mayfair and The Savoy on the Strand.
The Connaught
La Liste judges said: ‘The Connaught balances storied tradition with bold innovation. Its legendarily attentive service, helmed by the world's finest butlers, transforms each stay into a narrative of timeless refinement.’
The butlers at the Connaught really do wait on guests hand and foot. They’ll unpack and pack all your luggage if you so wish, can bring you late-night snacks at the drop of a hat and are even trained in shoe care by expert cobblers, if your shoes happen to need shining.
Beyond the service, this lavish hotel has three restaurants, one of which is Michelin-starred, and a legendary bar that feels like you’ve stepped straight into a Bond movie. There’s also an opulent spa featuring a black granite swimming pool, a steam room infused with essential oils and a fitness area. Obviously, such luxury doesn’t come cheap. If you fancy a stay there you’ll need to fork out anything from £800 to £3000 a night.
The Savoy
La Liste called the Savoy ‘an enduring icon of British cultural identity’. To give you an idea of just how iconic this place is, it’s hosted huge names like Martin Luther King Jr, the Rolling Stones and Marilyn Monroe and it’s where young Princess Elizabeth and Prince Philip made their debut, where Monet painted the Thames and where Vivien Leigh met Laurence Olivier. It’s also the place popularised the martini in Britain.
Judges added that the hotel, which dates back to 1889, ‘transcends mere hospitality to embody an entire era of sophistication. Its rooms-witnessing over a century of history-continue to set the standard for luxurious restraint while its legendary American Bar remains the spiritual home of cocktail artistry.’ A stay here costs between £750 and £2200 a night.
The only other city to have to hotels in La Liste’s top ten was Paris. See the full list of the world’s top ten hotels, according to La Liste, here.
Check out the best hotels in London, curated by Time Out travel experts.
Get the latest and greatest from the Big Smoke – from news and reviews to events and trends. Just follow our Time Out London WhatsApp channel.
Stay in the loop: sign up for our free Time Out London newsletter for the best of the city, straight to your inbox.