Luxury hotels in London range from Edwardian grandes dames beside Hyde Park to a former hospital turned neoclassical landmark, and the best of them reward a slow stay. These are five grand addresses worth knowing, each with its own history, its own bar and its own way of making an ordinary evening feel like an occasion.
Claridge’s, Mayfair
On the corner of Brook Street and Davies Street, Claridge’s combines an 1898 building with an Art Deco extension from the 1920s. The foyer was restored in 1996 by the architect Thierry Despont, and tea is served in the Foyer and Reading Room. The Painter’s Room, an Art Deco bar that opened in 2021, is a lovely place for an evening drink. The guest list has long been grand: Empress Eugénie stayed in 1860 and entertained Queen Victoria here.
The Connaught, Mayfair
A short walk away, on the corner of Carlos Place and Mount Street, The Connaught took its present name in 1917, honoring Prince Arthur, Duke of Connaught and a son of Queen Victoria. Its bar, designed by David Collins and opened in 2008, has been named among the finest in the world on more than one list. The restaurant of Hélène Darroze earned three Michelin stars in 2021, as of this writing, and the Aman-managed spa offers a calm, Asian-inspired retreat with a swimming pool.
The Savoy, the Strand
Richard D’Oyly Carte opened The Savoy on August 6, 1889, with profits from his Gilbert and Sullivan productions. Savoy Court out front is famous for its right-hand traffic, a quirk said to date from the days of horse-drawn cabs. Inside, the American Bar was among the first in Europe to serve American-style cocktails; Harry Craddock, head barman from 1925 to 1938, wrote The Savoy Cocktail Book in 1930. Tea is served in the Thames Foyer beneath a stained-glass cupola, revealed again after the hotel’s 2010 reopening, and the Beaufort Bar adds Art Deco black and gold.
The Lanesborough, Hyde Park Corner
The Lanesborough occupies the grand neoclassical building that once housed St George’s Hospital. William Wilkins designed it, construction began in 1827, and it was operating by 1844. Today it is Grade II* listed and stands at Hyde Park Corner, facing the park’s edge. The hotel reopened in 2015 after a renovation that began in late 2013. It suits travelers who love architecture and want a quiet, residential feel.
Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park, Knightsbridge
At 66 Knightsbridge, this Edwardian building opened as apartments in 1889 and became the Hyde Park Hotel in 1902. Its north side faces the park, and the entrance there was once reserved for royal use. Dinner by Heston Blumenthal is one of its restaurants, alongside The Aubrey and The Rosebery Lounge, and the Mandarin Bar anchors the evening. Ask for a park-facing room and keep the curtains open at dawn.
How to choose among luxury hotels in London
Choose by mood. Claridge’s and The Connaught suit a Mayfair weekend of shopping and tea; The Savoy puts the theaters and the river within a short stroll; The Lanesborough and Mandarin Oriental trade city energy for the green calm of Hyde Park. For a dinner to build the trip around, see our guide to fine dining in London, and for neighborhoods, prices and planning, our London city guide is a good companion.
