1. Shangri-La at the Shard
For a room with a view it is hard to beat the Shangri-La hotel at the Shard.
The 185 guest rooms and 17 suites are designed with floor to ceiling windows to maximise your view of the spectacular London skyline. These luxuriously appointed hotel rooms occupy floors 34 to 52 of the iconic Shard building.
The rooms are contemporary in design, using a combination of light wood, marble and silks for a luxurious and elegant feel. The body contouring bed and automatic climate control are welcome high tech features which help to make for an even more comfortable stay.
Staying at the Shangri-La gives you access to a host of facilities. If you fancy a swim after a day exploring London you can head up to the infinity Sky pool on level 52, the highest hotel swimming pool in Western Europe. Level 52 also houses a gym and the Gong Bar.
More restaurants can be found between levels 31 and 33 including Aqua Shard, Oblix and Hutong. Ting is the restaurant on the 35th floor, combining traditional Asian and classic British cuisine to offer a fine dining experience. This is the highest located restaurant in The Shard, providing stunning views over London.
The Shangri-La is a luxury hotel, with prices for a Shard staycation by Shangri-La averaging at around £575 per night. This includes a buffet breakfast at Ting restaurant, access to the pool and sauna, 20% discount in the bars and restaurants, plus a private shopping experience at Harvey Nicholls in Knightsbridge.
2. Rosewood
The Rosewood is a luxury 5-star hotel located near Covent Garden. From the grand exterior to the spacious interior, the Rosewood offers stylish accommodation for both the business and the leisure traveller.
The rooms are some of the most spacious in the capital.
There is a good choice of rooms and suites, with the contemporary family rooms including all the essentials for a comfortable stay. The Deluxe rooms measure in at over 300 square foot, and include a king size bed, Italian bed linens, twice daily housekeeping and a Nespresso coffee machine.
All guests can expect a top level of service including a concierge service, valet parking, free high speed wireless internet access, 24 hour in room dining and ATM.
Elegant British cuisine is to the fore in the hotel restaurants. The Holborn dining room serves classic British food with a contemporary twist. A visit to the Pie Room allows you to sample a modern take on the quintessential British pie.
You could also indulge in the Rosewood’s take on the classic afternoon tea, combining Japanese flavours with traditional French pastries.
Amenities at the Rosewood also include a fitness suite and sense spa. The staycation rate for a Deluxe King room can cost from £642 per night, which includes a £75 daily credit, breakfast, a bottle of champagne on arrival, plus gym, sauna and steam room access, as well as complimentary wireless internet access.
3. The Langham
The Langham is located on Regents street in the heart of one of London’s major shopping districts.
The Langham has been hosting visitors to London since 1865 and this iconic 5-star hotel continues to be popular with guests from across the world.
The hotel offers 380 stylish rooms and suites, all lavishly furnished. Ranging from Superior rooms through to the penthouse Sterling suite, guests can expect contemporary design combined with classic Victorian style features, including marble bathrooms. Guests have access to the 16 meter swimming pool, a gym and the ChuanBody + Soul spa.
Visitors to the Langham are well served for restaurants and bars. The award winning Artesian is the place to enjoy creative and innovative cocktails, while the Palm Court has pride of place as being the birthplace of the afternoon tea, a tradition that is still going strong.
Roux at the Landau offers fine dining, while the Wigmore is a British gastropub with the food overseen by renowned chef, Michel Roux Jr.
Offers include a flexible rate Superior room from £400 per night, while a dinner, bed and breakfast rate for a similar room starts from £520. Booking in advance can see guests receive 20% off flexible rates, while still having access to complimentary WiFi, as well as access to ChuanBody + Soul spa.
4. Boundary London
This small boutique hotel is located in the heart of Shoreditch in the east end of London. A former Victorian warehouse, the building been transformed in to a modern hotel complete with a rooftop bar and grill.
Each of the 17 rooms are individually designed, inspired by 20th century designers and design movements.
Boundary London bedrooms are spacious and have either a shower, bath and shower, or a wet room. There are also large corner rooms which are just as luxurious as the standard bedrooms. Five suites make up the remainder of the available accommodation in a boutique hotel where every element of design has been meticulously considered.
Regardless of the weather the Rooftop bar and grill provides a spectacular setting, with stunning views over London. Thanks to the heated orangery this is an all year round venue, with Mediterranean inspired food during the warmer months, and Alpine dishes to warm you up through the winter.
Wilder is a contemporary cocktail bar, while Albion on the ground floor is an all-day cafe where breakfast is served. Guests will also find an in-house bakery and grocery store as part of the Albion offering.
Booking in advance can see you pay from £220 per night for a Boundary room and £255 for a Corner room. A full English breakfast including the vegetarian option costs £13.50 in the Albion, with English muffins from £9 and breakfast baps £3.
5. Strand Palace Hotel
This large central London hotel places you close to Trafalgar Square and major attractions such as the London Eye and St.Paul’s Cathedral while allowing you to keep an eye on the budget.
The Strand Palace Hotel first opened its doors to guests in 1909, and there are still nods to its art deco past visible both inside and on the exterior of the building.
The Superior, Deluxe and Family rooms are all air-conditioned and equipped with the modern day essentials for a comfortable stay, including free high speed Wi-Fi. The hotel has a gym to help you keep up with your fitness program, with access to free weights, treadmills, cross trainers, rowing machines and more.
Haxwells is the hotel restaurant and bar, offering an all-day menu serving traditional British classics, plus vegan and vegetarian options. Haxwells also serves a modern take on afternoon tea. This also includes vegan and gluten-free menu options, with all afternoon teas priced at £25. There is an extensive wine list, plus a good choice of further alcoholic and soft drinks.
Prices for Superior double rooms can start from £139 and a family room from £201, although these prices will increase for the busier seasons, with a Superior double costing closer to £250.
6. Bingham Riverhouse
Enjoy riverside views when you stay at this boutique hotel by the Thames in Richmond.
Originally two Georgian houses, the Bingham Riverhouse has managed to maintain a home from home feel. Each of the 15 rooms is named after a literary work by Michael Field.
The rooms have a cosy, countrified feel and contain ethically sourced organic mattresses and furniture made from sustainable materials. Hand forged copper baths are a feature of some of the rooms. Choose from the Cosy rooms, Doubles or Large Double rooms. Outside there is a lovely garden which leads down to the river front.
The Riverhouse Terrace bar is open for drinks Monday to Thursday. There is a lunch menu available with the exception of Thursdays, and a dinner menu on Tuesday and Wednesday. From midweek to Sunday you can dine in the Steven Edwards restaurant, with a three course meal from the a la carte menu priced at £50. There is also a seven course tasting menu for £85.
Prices for Cosy rooms can start from £135, or £175 including a cooked breakfast for two adults. Double rooms can start from £170, or £210 with a cooked breakfast included. The hotel also has various offers including the knackered mothers sleepover priced at £206 for one person and £306 for two guests, which includes a Cosy room, breakfast, a massage and a classic cocktail.
7. The Pilgrim
The Pilgrim has been lovingly restored, retaining key features from the building’s Victorian past. Most striking is the wonderful mahogany staircase, the centrepiece of the first floor space.
The detail given to the restoration offers visitors a traditional London hotel experience within the heart of the city.
Although a traditional style hotel, the service and facilities are suitably modern, with check-in and check-out done online. There are 73 rooms, comprising of small, medium and large rooms. There are also bunk room options, the cheapest room within the hotel, which have two stacked single beds but no TV.
The elegant lounge and terrace is the place to head to relax and dine, as well as enjoy one of the Pilgrim’s selection of cocktails. The breakfast and brunch menu includes traditional favourites such as the Pilgrim cooked breakfast for £10.50 or a Vegan breakfast for £8.50. Staying guests are offered a 25% discount after 12pm if they book through the website.
The Pilgrim offers value accommodation just a stones throw from London Paddington station. Small rooms start from £79, with medium rooms from £89 and a large room with king or super-king bed priced from £99. The bunk rooms, which can be ideal for one person or two people on a budget, start from £69.
8. The Dorchester
The Dorchester is a hotel name synonymous with London.
Luxury is the name of the game here and the Dorchester makes its impression from the start. Classic cars whisk you to and from the airport, while the famous green liveried doorman welcome you to this 5-star hotel on Park Lane.
All the rooms offer elegant decadence and are a nod to quintessential English style living. The beds are handmade from natural materials to provide ultimate comfort, and the famous deep bathtubs within the marble bathrooms are a welcome sight after a long day exploring London.
The Dorchester prides itself on its service whether its concierge care or its pampered pet service. The florist at the Dorchester is well worth a visit for the beautiful displays. There are plenty of dining options including The Grill and the three Michelin star Alain Ducasse at The Dorchester. Head up to the rooftop for the Polo Lounge with its spectacular views over London.
As you would expect, The Dorchester is at the pricier end of the market. To enjoy this experience in luxury prices for a Deluxe Queen room start from £695 and from £770 for a Superior King room. Moving up the scale, a stay in a Deluxe King room starts from £845, while the Executive King room costs from £895.
9. The Hoxton Southwark
The Hoxton Southwark is located on Blackfriars road, close to the cultural hub of the South Bank and within easy reach of central London.
Exposed brick work, quirky art and comfy armchairs combine to provide a stylish and warm interior.
There are 192 rooms, whose modern designs are inspired by the factories which once populated this part of London. The starkness of the industrial design is offset by panelled headboards, marble surfaces and artwork to provide a luxurious feel to the rooms. Black out blinds and walk-in showers add to the comfort of the rooms.
The Hoxton Southwark has two restaurants. Albie on the ground floor offers an all day menu, including breakfast served to 2.30pm. If you head up to the rooftop you will find the Seabird restaurant. Here you can dine while enjoying stunning views over London. The menu is Mediterranean inspired, offering fish from the grill, as well as seafood platters and smaller plates for those with smaller appetites.
The rooms vary in size from the Shoebox rooms through to the Biggy rooms. The 160 square foot Shoebox rooms currently cost from around £170 when booked directly from the hotel website, or £190 including breakfast. A larger 280 square foot room with a Super King mattress is currently priced around £240, or £260 with breakfast.
10. CitizenM Tower of London
The CitizenM Tower of London hotel offers value accommodation just a five minute walk away from this historic London landmark.
Perched at the top of Tower Hill and above Tower Hill tube station, the hotel is an ideal base from which to explore London. Set over 8 floors, there are 370 rooms all laid out and furnished in identical fashion.
Each room is 14 square meters in size and contains a XL king-size bed. A power shower, blackout blinds, superfast Wi-Fi and widescreen TV are features of all the rooms.
The fun element is the rooms can be controlled by an app you download for free. As well as using the app to check in or check out, you can control your room temperature, adjust the lighting and change channels on the TV.
The hotel has a cafe on the ground floor serving food and drinks through the day. Head in the other direction and you will find the rooftop bar, where you can enjoy panoramic views of London over a drink while relaxing in the comfy chairs.
Breakfast is buffet style and is available between 6.30am and 11am. Breakfast costs £15.95 per person and can either be added when making your reservation or booked and paid for on the day.
Current room rates start from around £90. The flexible rate provides peace of mind by allowing you to cancel for free up to 2pm on the date of arrival. By becoming a mycitizenM member you can also receive a 10% discount when booking through their website.
