The best London hotels
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Loading... - Georgina Kane
- 03 Dec 2021
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London has so many hotels, it can be hard to know where to begin – the capital's hospitality scene covers everything, whether you fancy staying somewhere with a long Hollywood-approved history, in a concrete King's Cross monolith or in a viscount's lavish former lair.
Here's our shortlist of the must-stay hotels in the city to indulge in.
1. Pan Pacific London, City of London
One of the capital's newest luxury exports, the Pan Pacific London opened its doors in September 2021, welcoming staycationers and international travellers alike with its Singaporean hospitality. Just a four-minute walk away from Liverpool Street station, it's perfectly located for exploring the city's landmarks - St Paul's Cathedral, Bank, the Tower of London - or for taking a stroll through neighbouring Spitalfields and Shoreditch. Chic, contemporary and calming, the hotel is serenely designed with neutral, light-flooded interiors, maximised by floor-to-ceiling windows throughout much of the building. Rooms are fitted with every comfort, with beds you sink into and don't want to get out of. The wellness floor is an absolute highlight; no stay would be complete without a visit to the picturesque infinity pool that looks out over the square below (we recommend relaxing in your lounger with a cocktail after your dip). When it comes to dining, there are several options - including a Singaporean twist on the traditional afternoon tea at The Orchid Lounge - but its hard to beat the food at Straits Kitchen, a South East Asian restaurant that specialises in heritage Singaporean dishes made from ingredients grown locally in the UK to minimise their carbon footprint. Try the Merlion sampler platter to start (chicken satay, otak-otak fishcakes, spring rolls), followed by the wok-fried chilli crab or Singaporean seafood noodles, and finish with the crowd-pleasing chocolate dessert. You'll be planning your next visit before you leave.
2. The Lanesborough, Hyde Park Corner
Perfectly placed for exploring Belgravia, Mayfair and Knightsbridge, the honey-coloured Lanesborough, in a Regency building on the edge of Hyde Park, is one of London’s most unabashedly opulent hotels. From the moment an immaculate doorman sweeps you inside, lavish serenity pervades, stretching all the way from the pretty pastel walls of Céleste to the indulgent treatments in the vast spa. Michelin-starred magic awaits at the former, where live music serenades the weekend dinner guests as they enjoy dishes such as stone bass with puréed cauliflower and lobster ravioli. The spa is one of the biggest in London, with La Prairie, Tata Harper and Ila treatments to choose from. The hotel has come a long way since its original incarnation as St George’s hospital, having also been Viscount Lanesborough’s edge-of-London dwelling place in the 18th century, but Regency decor prevails – including a Withdrawing Room, perfect for after-dinner cocktails. It’s one of only three hotels in London with a royal entrance, which needs the Queen’s permission to open and close. We’re sure Her Majesty will appreciate the 54 chandeliers that grace the public areas alone. With international travel still compromised, the hotel’s staycation option is even more enticing – guests booking this can choose from a massage for two or a three-course meal at Céleste, and they’ll also have a bottle of champagne, upgrades and breakfast included.
3. Hazlitt's, Soho
The term ‘hidden gem’ is bandied around a lot in travel, but Hazlitt’s is truly deserving of the description. If you know London well, you’re likely to have walked past its Soho location without even noticing it, which is of course part of its charm. This boutique hotel was the former home of revered author and essayist William Hazlitt, who is often filed under the same bracket as George Orwell and Samuel Johnson. Two centuries later, Douglas Blain and Peter McKay took over to create Hazlitt’s as we see it today – 30 bedrooms each decorated in sumptuous old-world English finery, from velvet curtains and four poster beds to dark wood panelling and antique crests. This is opulence with a playful twist – a toilet is hidden behind a Jacobean-style seat and a gilt mirror opens up to give way to a plasma television. Roll tub baths feature in all rooms, giving an extra air of historic splendour. For true opulence, book the Duke of Monmouth suite – a two-floor space with a rooftop terrace with a retractable roof, and a huge bath where water comes via a bronze eagle sculpture. Floors creak and slope, while the resident cat, Sir Godfrey, provides even more character. If you don’t want to recline to your room just yet, there’s a sitting room and library, complete with open fires, stacks of books and, in pre-Covid times, an honesty bar now replaced with cocktail trays brought to your room. Hazlitt’s is a whimsical, atmospheric treasure that, in a city filled with generic hotels, is a real treat to discover.
4. The Standard, King's Cross
Reclaiming a Brutalist office building (once accommodating Camden Council) in King’s Cross and making it a whole lot prettier, the Standard extended its collection outside of America to include this London outpost last year. The hotel pays homage to its dwelling place with tube-seat upholstery, subway-tiled bathrooms, regular glimpses of the red-brick St Pancras spires and Craig Green-designed uniforms for the staff – though we'd argue the outdoor bath tubs come from over the pond and our more risqué neighbours. Take the red-pill-shaped lift to Decimo on the 10th floor for ceviche, vegan paella and mezcal cocktails (and amazing views of both St Pancras and the city skyline), or stick to the ground-floor Double Standard for burgers and Aperol Spritz slush puppies as you watch the formerly shady neighbourhood go by. The lounge bar is in what was once a public library, with a librarian and rows and rows of books intact to make it authentic. Current staycation packages include pampering treats like manicures and blow-dries thrown in (goodness knows we need it), and block bookings for the suites on the eighth floor to allow for rule-abiding bubble parties. We hope the former council workers won’t be too jealous of the transformation (although minimal strip lighting survived). Read More…
