The Best Hotels and Residencies in London to Take Your Other Half

London can be an expensive place, but if you're coming for a relatively short stay suddenly the luxury hotel scene opens right up to you. There are few better cities in the world to have a short term blow out, where the building you're staying in is as memorable as the city around it. The best hotels in London are an experience in and of themselves.

Or maybe you're a Londoner who just needs to step outside of your own four walls, away from your own bed, for a night or two? If lockdown taught us anything, it’s that a change of scenery does us good every now and again.

Here we round up the best London hotels for a short, romantic stay. They range from the reasonable to the high end of the price scale, but they all have a special something to recommend them above the rest.

A red bubble lift is the only pop of colour on the beautiful brutalist facade of The Standard Hotel in King’s Cross (the group’s first London outpost), but it’s a sign of things to come. Walk inside, straight through to the open plan lounge/bar/restaurant, and you’ll be met with a tribute to confidently cool Sixties and Seventies interior design – Austin Powers' swinging London with a dash of counterculture Hollywood Hills; walnut panelling, soft leather sofas, furry walls and shag carpeting, geometric shapes and optical-art murals – all conceived by American designer Shawn Hausman. He was inspired by the building’s previous life as a library during that period, so you’ll find a selection of carefully curated books in the lounge too.

Venture up into one of the 266 rooms, and you’ll discover tastefully kitsch homages to London transport designs (in the rooms facing St Pancras), minimalist mixes of relaxing wood furnishings and plants (in the windowless Cosy Core rooms at the centre of the building), and in some of the suites towards the top of the building, an al fresco bathtub and private bars (as well as complimentary raincoats. Not quite as glamorous, granted, but very, very useful in London).

The luxurious suites would be a worthy location for a cocktail party, but there are already plenty of places to do that within the hotel: walk past the DJ-booth in the lounge and you’ll find the swanky Double Standard and Isla bar/restaurants (the former sells delicious dive bar staples, the latter seafood and small plates). Then there’s Decimo on the 10th floor, where Michelin-starred chef Peter Sanchez-Iglesias merges the Spanish food of his upbringing with the Mexican food he’s grown to love. And last but certainly not least, you can shoot up to the rooftop bar, which provides panoramic views across the capital (and a top tier cocktail menu, of course.) There are plenty of specials on, too.

As swimming pools in London go, there are very few that can compete with the art’otel’s rooftop offering. Take the lift up to the 16th floor of the newly opened hotel and you’ll be greeted with spectacular views overlooking the redeveloped Battersea Power Station standing just across the street from the heated pool, jacuzzi and bar space. It’s not quite in the splash zone, but it’s close enough. Before you jump into the pool – which at 10 metres long isn’t just for lounging – you should take in the 360° views of London’s skyline. It’s striking to say the least, particularly around sunset. One floor below you’ll find JOIA, the first London restaurant from two Michelin-starred Portuguese chef Henrique Sá Pessoa, serving up stunning food from his homeland; make sure to order the catch of the day, carved up at your table. Boasting 164 rooms, the design of the hotel is plush, modern and curvaceous, packed with velvet furniture, golden fixtures and giant wall art with a welcome focus on work from local artists (not to mention the tranquil spa and well-equipped gym).

Very few people pick places to stay because of their carbon accounting. And yet.

Claridge House, a beautifully retrofitted 1924 neo-Georgian townhouse-turned-serviced apartments, is something of an anomaly in Mayfair. Billing itself as London’s most sustainable serviced accommodation, this is 'quiet luxury' in the truest sense: eight ultra-luxe residences, walls packed with cork and aerogel insulation. The outside world ceases to exist the moment the door closes. It feels like being sealed into the very expensive, airtight coffee tin found in the tricked-out kitchen, next to the Japanese knife set (this is a good thing).

It's notoriously difficult to make sustainability sexy. SLO have managed it by refusing to make it the point. The retrofit cut energy use by 80% and CO₂ emissions by 93%, but you experience none of this as data. Instead, you might notice bespoke joinery throughout, bedside tables cut from a single tree. Botanical greens and rich terracotta are softened by natural textiles, lifted by cool marble. You feel good about trying the wooden board games, products by Anatomé and Nuditea, and Hypnos mattresses, certified sustainable. Vibes are painstakingly curated - someone has agonised over a bespoke SLO playlist, while Claire Mander (founder and curator of theCOLAB) took care of the art collection. A full-time concierge handles the rest, anything from private chefs and after-hours gallery visits to Wimbledon tickets, should you miss London's clatter.

Zeitgeist-y books like Matthew Walker's Why We Sleep and Wuthering Heights stack on the shelves and near inviting reading nooks. Take the sleep hygiene tips, perhaps leave Brontë's relationship inspiration where you found it.

Then there's the view. Through certain windows, clock Richard Hart's brand-new bakery within the iconic Claridge's hotel just over the road. Hart (of San Francisco's Tartine, Copenhagen's Hart Bageri, and The Bear sourdough shoutout fame) has come home, in a sense. "I felt like all the bakeries in the world are starting to make the same stuff," he told Esquire. Planning from his latest venture, Green Rhino in Mexico City, nostalgia did its work. "I wanted to make the absolute best version of British classics, iced fingers and loaves. Something of place, from our home. Sometimes you have to go away to appreciate where you come from."

And so he's making Bloomers, Scotch eggs, and lardy cakes. Saunter over for a sausage roll the size of your head and the poshest Jammy Dodger of your life. Rumour has it, soon you won't need to leave the building (it doesn’t get more locally-sourced than that).

You'll arrive to a welcome hamper of chocolate and cake from a nearby deli, and leave with a neat carbon summary of your stay. A second SLO residence arrives on South Molton Street in autumn 2026. New standards are being set, albeit quietly.

Rates from £550 per night. stayatslo.com

It’s strange to think that Bethnal Green Town Hall, the grand neoclassical building that looms over Cambridge Heath Road in East London, laid vacant for quite so long. The council moved out in 1993 but, bar some starring roles in Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels and Atonement, it wasn’t until 2010 that the sprawling space was opened to the public again in the form of a five-star hotel.

The art deco interior has been largely maintained – a green and white marble staircase greets you as you enter the reception and, like so many British civic buildings that cropped up in the early century and ultimately aged out of use, there’s an interesting balance of the majestic and the everyday in its design. The rooms – there are 97, though only 12 are double rooms and the rest are suites, studios and apartments – are bathed in natural light thanks to the high windows, with innovative layouts that set the hotel apart from competition and serve as a constant reminder of the building’s former life – the most striking room, by far, is the grand triple-height De Montfort Suite, with its arched windows, stained-glass panelling and abundance of space. Then there’s the heated indoor pool, a rarity for luxury London hotels, and an in-house restaurant, too.

Unless you're an M&M's super fan or want to keep the film industry alive via £20 cinema tickets, it's hard to have a good time in Leicester Square. But! After devouring the lobster linguine at Whitcomb's restaurant, enjoying a cocktail in the rooftop bar that looms eight floors above it and retiring to a comfy bed in the glassy, 350-room hotel that separates them, we're here to tell you: it's possible. The Londoner opened in October 2021 – a few months after the end of lockdown – labelling itself as the “world's first super boutique hotel”, with six eateries/bars, one subterranean spa, a private ‘Residence’ for guests as well as a ballroom and astounding views of the city/the Esquire office (hello! Close your curtains!).

In the suite that we visited – with its bright, stylish furnishings, frequent nods to Theatreland (opera glasses, anyone?) and yes, okay, sorry-to-go-there-but-it-truly-is-phenomenal, heated toilet seat – the London Eye acts as your night light. Still, the view is best enjoyed with a Japanese-inspired cocktail in hand at 8, the aforementioned rooftop bar, and the subsequent hangover is best treated at The Retreat wellness space, with its poolside cabanas and tranquil hydropool. But back to the lobster linguine. To say that hotel restaurants are hit-and-miss would be an understatement, but the Mediterranean seafood dishes at Whitcomb’s are a triumph, and worth the trip alone.

The historic (and aptly named) St Pancras London hotel has undergone a rebrand. The Grade 1-listed building in Kings Cross, famous for its Victorian Gothic architecture, first opened its doors in 1873 as the Midland Grand Hotel – and now, an ambitious refurbishment of its 245 rooms and suites pays tribute to that storied past. When you walk into your high-ceilinged room, you’ll be met with 19th-century porter-style scripts and in-room poetry, while the hotel puts on activities throughout the day that correspond with important dates in its history (including readings and a G&Tea service) and QR codes point visitors towards digital tours of the iconic building. (If that all sounds like too much old news, here’s a slightly more recent factoid: The Spice Girls filmed the 'Wannabe' music video in the hotel’s grand staircase). In terms of food and drink, Booking Office 1869 – which long ago acted as Kings Cross St Pancras train station’s ticket hall – is a decadent experience, with its glass canopy and regular live music. The Hansom lounge next door is a much calmer affair, altogether. Then there’s the spa with six treatment rooms, as well as a gym, sauna, pool and steam room.

A mere stone’s throw from Liverpool Street Station, amidst all the swinging briefcases and beer-swilling commuters, sits an unexpected oasis of calm. You’ll get the vibe as soon as you look up to see swimmers perched up at the Pan Pacific’s 18.5m infinity pool: this is a hotel to relax in.

The neutral tones and soft interiors, aided by an abundance of natural light, immediately make you feel at ease, but that’s the least of it. Beyond the aforementioned swimming spot, loungers and accompanying spa sessions, you’ll have the chance to take part in the hotel’s new innovative Rest, Recharge and Rejuvenate sleep program.

The big attraction is the revolutionary Ooler Sleep System, which you can use to heat up each side of the bed to different temperatures (underneath a Mela weight blanket, for good measure.) Then there’s the Pañpuri aromatherapy oils, to ensure you’re properly loosened up. If you want the meditative calm of a spa getaway but still want to be surrounded by the buzz of the capital, then this is a top choice.

If you like to shop, this is by far the best (and nearest) place you can drop. Situated just around the corner from the UK’s biggest shopping centre Westfield Stratford City, The Gantry’s sleek, dark, and lightly industrial interiors make it the ideal place to unwind. The thoroughly modern hotel is kitted out with smart TVs and waterfall showers, while floor-to-ceiling windows allow incredible views of the surrounding skyscrapers.

The jewel in the hotel’s (mid-century modern) crown, however, is the Union Social terrace, complete with comfy armchairs and fire pits that allow you to eat and drink while watching the sun sink behind the skyline. A Sicilian chef heads up the hotel’s Union Social restaurant, which serves an abundance of pasta and fish dishes, as well as salads and small plates. The hotel even has a set menu for fans attending the nearby ABBA Voyage concert in the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park (yes, Swedish meatballs are on the menu).

In a city not exactly short on impressive dining spaces, the restaurant at The Landmark London still manages to be breathtaking. Positioned beneath an eight-storey glass roof and lined with palm trees and balconies, the effect is feeling like you're in an exotic outdoor plaza in sunny climes rather than a 5 star hotel a stone's throw from Baker Street.

Luckily, the food matches the setting, with sumptuous modern-European cuisine served by night and one of the best breakfasts in the city come morning. The rooms, too, are delightful: tasteful and spacious.

The Landmark London is charmingly old-fashioned (afternoon tea is still a cornerstone of its appeal, as is the slightly chintzy decor), a quality that extends to a quietly luxurious atmosphere and impeccably attentive staff.

Walk out of Stratford International Station, look up, up and up again, and you’ll be met with one of London’s most unique skyscrapers: the Manhattan Loft Gardens. Opened in the summer of 2019 and dreamed up by the architects behind the Burj Khalifa and One World Trade Centre, this double-cantilevered tower is sliced open by gravity-defying sky gardens and features both apartments and a hotel, which is all part of an ambitious plan to create a ‘vertical community’ in the skyline of the rejuvenated postcode.

The hotel is called The Stratford, and it occupies the first seven floors of the building. And while you’d expect the glass-panelled drama to follow you inside, things become far more calming as soon as you enter. Danish design studio Space Copenhagen, who were responsible for the first Noma restaurant, have given the interior an airy Scandinavian feel, with high ceilings, mid-century furnishings and earthy tones throughout. The impressive rooms are just as understatedly luxurious and soothing, with stone bathrooms, soft bedrooms and floor-to-ceiling windows – which means plenty of great natural lighting for all those braggy Instagram photos you’re bound to take.

It’s always a good idea to have a rooftop bar in your back pocket, and there are few better in London’s Theatreland than the one perched atop Amano, a former office block on the corner of Covent Garden’s Russell Street that has been transformed into a 141-room hotel. Take the elevator up to the seventh floor, walk past a long, dimly lit lounge full of velvet booths and expertly crafted cocktails, and you’ll find an outdoor terrace overlooking South Bank and beyond. As scenic nightcap spots go, it’s pretty spectacular.

There are plenty of grand old hotels nearby; plenty of pricey boltholes that offer spa facilities and the like, but Amano keeps things affordable by trimming the fat. This is a refreshingly understated offering, designed to be the perfect London launchpad for a trip where you send your step-counter into overdrive. The rooms are split into four types – cosy, comfy, roomy and "goldy" (including a golden bathtub) – all design-led but unfussy, with welcome flourishes. The ground-floor restaurant, Penelope’s, is a different kettle of fish altogether – a party spot serving Israeli-Spanish fusion, with DJ sets throughout the weekend.

It's hard to know where to begin describing this boutique hotel in Shoreditch, so let us start by listing some things it is not: modern, sleek, minimalist, boring. Instead, it's a slightly bonkers, absolutely beautifully designed and fantastically original Downton Abbey-esque bolthole situated (somewhat incongruously) on the cusp of East London's trendiest quarters. Full of books, fireplaces and ornate touches, it bucks every contemporary trend for hotels and is all the better for it.

There is no restaurant at Batty Langley's (although a wonderfully cosy and well-stocked honesty bar is free to use and they will deliver an A+ bacon sandwich to your room for breakfast), meaning most of the focus has been put onto the rooms. They are uniformly stunning - lavishing appointed with cheeky and surprising design details (one has a toilet accessible via hidden door in the book case). It really is like stepping into another era, and yet the feel is fun, not stuffy. For an imaginative choice in a great part of town, look no further.

This five-star boutique hotel might sit minutes from Oxford Street, but The Mandrake mercifully feels like a world away from that long drag of American candy stores and closing down sales. It sits inconspicuously on Newman Street, easily missed if not for the waiting doorman and the feathered eye that looms above the entrance. A quiet locale gives way to a dark, club-like lobby that continues into the slim bar and around to Yopo, the Latin-American fusion restaurant. The food is very good, particularly the crudo, and the music isn’t as conversation-crushing as you might fear. There’s a open-air courtyard too, boasting palm trees and nice tiles and a bunch of other stuff that will help you forget that you’re within axe-throwing distance of an axe-throwing bar; walk out and look up, and you’ll find it's surrounded by a beautiful three-story hanging garden, divided by wooden terraces that host most of the hotel’s 33 diminutive but distinctively designed rooms, as well as a greenhouse. From the library to the bar, it’s a social hotel at heart.

From the entrance onwards, it is clear that a visit to 11 Cadogan is a visit to one of London's most aesthetically pleasing boutique hotels. Inside the sumptuous drawing room, library and terrace only enhance this impression, as do the glorious staircases. Classically British in design, you'll fall for the place right away - and that's before you've even reached the stunning bedrooms - feeling for all the world like the head of an important Victorian townhouse. If you're looking to explore Chelsea and Knightsbridge, you won't find a more relaxing and satisfying base than this.

This family-run 5-star hotel in Mayfair is as charming and perfectly located a spot as you could wish for, with one significant upper hand over most its rivals. 270 bottles decorate their specially appointed whisky bar, manned by an expert Sommerlier. Walk in an amateur, leave an expert in the greatest drink of them all, and what foods to pair it with.

The name alone conjures the height of British glamour, as it has more or less since the doors first opened in 1889 when it was London's first luxury hotel. Today, the rich history of The Savoy sits comfortably alongside first class modern service and facilities – the art deco of the famous American Bar is joined by the contemporary luxury of the Beaufort Bar, and a traditional roast – still one of the best in town – is available, besides the best in modern seafood at Kaspars. Decades on, The Savoy is still among the very best places to stay in town, and no where else can match it for basking in the sense of historic splendour, and thinking of the innumerable famous faces who have passed through it before you.

The name of this hotel is so tied up in our idea of luxury and British history, it can be hard to believe it actually exists. That sense of unreality is only heightened by actually walking through the doors, where you enter another, far more refined world in which every corner of the building is lavishly appointed and the staff - understandably - ooze with pleasure at where they work. Not for nothing is the Ritz where the royal family prefer to stay: within seconds you feel like royalty, too.

The stunning dining areas - topped by the main restaurant which ranks among the grandest in London - serve peerless British fare, while our favourite spot is definitely The Rivoli, a small bar made up of conspiratorial hubs and corners where the cocktails hit the sweet spot (so often missed in London) between classic and inventive. The rooms are as you'd expect: huge and traditionally glamorous. The Ritz is in one of the best posts in London. Plus there's plenty of shopping options nearby – and if the stay has already put a big dent in your bank account, then you can bypass Mayfair for the relative affordability of Soho, which hosts many of our favourite menswear brands (Sunspel, Oliver Spencer, Universal Works) as well as brilliant restaurants and historic pubs (The Coach & Horses on Greek Street is a particular highlight, ditto The French House on Dean Street).

This story originally appeared on Esquire.com/uk.

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