Best Hotels in London

London doesn't really have a single "best neighborhood" for hotels — it has a dozen of them, each with its own personality. Mayfair is where old-money luxury lives. Shoreditch is where creative London drinks. The City empties out on weekends but offers some of the most interesting modern hotels. Paddington and Marylebone are quietly excellent for travelers who want to be central without paying Mayfair prices. The point is: choosing a London hotel is really choosing a London.

This shortlist is built for travelers who want a stay that actually reflects the city — not an interchangeable international chain that could be anywhere. We've focused on hotels with a clear sense of place, whether that means a century of polished service or a sharp design point of view at a sensible price.

The shortlist

The Connaught — Mayfair

If you want the platonic ideal of a London grand hotel, this is it. The Connaught has been quietly excellent for over a century, and unlike some of its rivals it doesn't feel like a museum. The bar is one of the best in the world, the Hélène Darroze restaurant is a destination in its own right, and the service has that rare quality of being attentive without ever being performative. Choose this when the occasion warrants it.

Claridge's — Mayfair

Claridge's is the art deco counterpoint to The Connaught — a few streets away, similar pedigree, completely different mood. The lobby is theatrical in the best way, afternoon tea here is genuinely worth the ritual, and the rooms have been thoughtfully updated without losing their bones. It's a hotel people return to for decades, which is the truest review you can give.

The Ned — City of London

Inside a former bank headquarters in the City, The Ned is part hotel, part members' club, part eight-restaurant compound. The ground-floor lobby — all marble pillars, live jazz, and verdant green banquettes — is a destination unto itself. Rooms are well-priced for what they are, and the rooftop pool is one of the best amenities in central London. Good for a weekend when the financial district quiets down.

The Pilgrm — Paddington

The Pilgrm is what the boutique category should always look like: a thoughtfully restored Victorian townhouse with original tile work, well-chosen materials, and rooms priced fairly because they've cut the things that don't matter (no room service, no minibar) and invested in the things that do (great beds, strong coffee, beautiful common spaces). Paddington is underrated as a base — Heathrow Express in 15 minutes, Hyde Park at the end of the street.

citizenM Tower of London — City

citizenM is the rare modern budget brand that actually delivers on its promise. Rooms are small but cleverly designed, beds are excellent, and the public spaces are where you're meant to spend time anyway. The Tower of London location puts you next to one of the most photogenic stretches of the river. Choose this when you want a smart, contemporary stay without spending Mayfair money.

Shangri-La The Shard — London Bridge

The case for Shangri-La The Shard is simple: nowhere else in London do you get views like this from your bed. Floors 34 through 52 of Western Europe's tallest building, floor-to-ceiling windows, the city spread out below. The hotel itself is excellent — polished Asian-influenced service, a serious spa, a 52nd-floor pool — but you're really paying for the geography.

The Hoxton Shoreditch — Shoreditch

The original Hoxton, and still the one that captures the brand best. The lobby functions as a neighborhood living room, the restaurant is genuinely good, and Shoreditch outside the front door is one of the most interesting parts of London for food, drink, and walking around. Rooms are compact but cleverly done. Best for travelers who'd rather be where London actually goes out than where tourists congregate.

What we left off and why

We excluded most of the big chain hotels in London — the Hiltons, Marriotts, and Sheratons — not because they're bad, but because they're interchangeable. If you've stayed at one in Frankfurt, you've stayed at one in London. We also avoided recommending hotels in Bayswater and the strip around Lancaster Gate; it's a tourist-trap zone with a lot of tired three-star inventory that consistently disappoints.

The Savoy and The Ritz are both legitimately great and frequently appear on lists like this, but we think The Connaught and Claridge's edge them on consistency and the actual feel of staying there today. The Standard King's Cross has its fans, but we find the design tries harder than the experience delivers. And while The Langham is historically significant, it sits in a slightly awkward spot — close to Oxford Street crowds but not in any neighborhood you'd want to walk around in the evening.

How to book + IMPT advantages

Booking through IMPT means earning rewards on every stay — including at properties like The Connaught and Claridge's, where rates are often locked across booking platforms. We surface the same rooms with the same cancellation terms, and the points stack on top. For a city where you'll likely return many times, that compounds quickly.

Heading elsewhere in Europe next? Our guides to the best hotels in Paris, best hotels in Amsterdam, and best hotels in Barcelona apply the same shortlist approach.