Luxury Hotels in London
London's luxury hotels cluster in a handful of central districts.
- Best overall
- Pan Pacific London
- Spa & wellness
- Milestone Hotel Kensington
- Design
- The Dorchester
- Romance
- Corinthia London
Tripplo’s selection · Founder: Axel Hernborg · Updated 28 September 2026
Ranking updated 28 September 2026
12 hotels compared · How we choose hotels · No paid placements
12 Recommended Hotels
Why this position: Among the three highest guest scores of the 12 hotels we rank here — 9.5 from 1,639 reviews. Leads the ranking: the same guest score as #2, on a larger body of reviews (1,639 to 1,402).
Pan Pacific London is a modern tower in the City, a short walk from Liverpool Street Station, and it pairs that practical address with rooms that feel generous by London standards. Floor-to-ceiling windows, marble bathrooms and a careful turndown come up again and again in reviews, and the SENSORY wellness floor, with its indoor infinity pool, gym and spa, gives the hotel a resort-like side. Guests speak most warmly about the staff, and families with small children find the team especially welcoming. The trade-offs are mostly about location and bustle. The City is not the West End, so theatres and shopping streets mean a Tube ride. The entrance can feel crowded, check-in is sometimes slow, and a few guests wanted more choice at breakfast and better bar food. For travellers who want space, a pool and attentive service near Liverpool Street, it is a strong base.
Why this position: Among the three highest guest scores of the 12 hotels we rank here — 9.5 from 1,402 reviews. Level with #1 on the guest score (9.5) and on the reviews behind it.
Milestone Hotel Kensington is a hotel for travellers who value character and personal service over size. It is a small Red Carnation property facing Kensington Palace and Kensington Gardens, with Hyde Park and the Royal Albert Hall about 10 minutes away on foot. Rooms are individually designed with antiques, fine fabrics and fresh flowers, and guests keep coming back to the original features, the afternoon tea and, above all, staff they describe as genuinely kind. The trade-offs follow from the building. Some rooms are small and a few feel in need of updating, and split-level rooms have stairs inside, sometimes up to the bathroom. The gym is spotless but compact, and the pool is a resistance pool rather than a place to lounge. Sights beyond the park need a taxi or public transport. For a quiet, traditional base by the park with attentive service, it is an easy choice; for a large room or a leisure-focused stay, look elsewhere.
Why this position: Among the three highest guest scores of the 12 hotels we rank here — 9.6 from 291 reviews. Scores higher than #2 (9.6 to 9.5), on a smaller body of reviews (291 to 1,402).
The Peninsula London is for travellers who expect five-star service to be noticed. It stands on Grosvenor Place, less than 1 km from Buckingham Palace, and guests praise the staff above everything else, from the door and the concierge to room service. The rooms are large, quiet and carefully equipped, and the indoor pool, spa and gym give a city stay something extra. Guests also enjoy the 8th-floor bar with its view over London and a breakfast that rarely disappoints. The price is the main trade-off. Guests rate value lower than anything else, even when they say the stay was worth it. The lobby lounge divides opinion, and a few smaller details, such as a slow wait for bags at check-out or a limited pillow choice, fall short of the rest. Travellers who put comfort and service first will find a calm, polished base; those counting every pound may look elsewhere.
Why this position: Among the three highest guest scores of the 12 hotels we rank here — 9.5 from 539 reviews. Rests on more guest reviews than #3 (539 to 291), at a slightly lower score (9.5 to 9.6).
The Dorchester is for travellers who want classic London luxury with service that feels personal. It stands on Park Lane in Mayfair, overlooking Hyde Park, with Knightsbridge a 10-minute walk away and Mayfair and Soho easy to explore on foot. Guests speak most warmly about the staff, from the doorman to the team who check you in at your room, and about very comfortable beds, the renovated rooms and a breakfast that many single out. Alain Ducasse's Michelin-starred restaurant, The Grill by Tom Booton, afternoon tea in The Promenade and the Vesper Bar give plenty of reasons to stay in for the evening. The trade-offs are modest but worth knowing. The spa pool and sauna are at 45 Park Lane next door, the smallest rooms can be tight for two with luggage, and service in the restaurants is occasionally slower than the rest of the stay. For a polished stay by the park, it lives up to its reputation.
Why this position: Highest guest score of the 12 hotels we rank here — 9.7 from 185 reviews. Scores higher than #4 (9.7 to 9.5), on a smaller body of reviews (185 to 539).
The Connaught is a hotel for travellers who judge a stay by its service. From its address on Carlos Place in Mayfair, it offers butler and concierge care, Hélène Darroze's three-Michelin-starred restaurant, three bars known for their cocktails and a spa with an indoor pool. Guests speak most warmly about the staff, whom they describe as capable, kind and personal, and about a breakfast they remember long after checking out. Many come back again and again, and some choose the hotel for engagements and anniversaries. The trade-offs are space and cost. Rooms in the historic building are compact, and guests are frank that the stay is very expensive. The fine dining also divides opinion, with a few finding it overrated. For couples and anyone else who wants a central base and attentive staff, it is a polished choice; anyone after a large room for the money will find better value elsewhere in London.
Why this position: Rests on more guest reviews than #5 (1,439 to 185), at a slightly lower score (9.4 to 9.7).
The Savoy is for travellers who want a stay in London to feel like an occasion. Since 1889 it has stood on the Strand beside the Thames, and its Edwardian and Art Deco rooms, marble bathrooms and famous bars still carry that sense of history. Guests speak most warmly about the staff, starting with the welcome at the door, and about the food and drink, from breakfast to the American Bar and the Beaufort Bar. Covent Garden and the Royal Opera House are five minutes away on foot, and an indoor pool with a swim machine and a spa are there for quieter hours. The main trade-off is cost. Even delighted guests call it expensive, and the à la carte breakfast adds to the bill. Some rooms are compact, and at least one looked onto a noisy service yard, so it pays to ask for a river-facing room. Couples celebrating and first-time visitors after classic grandeur will be well looked after; budget-minded travellers will find better value elsewhere.
Why this position: Among the three highest guest scores of the 12 hotels we rank here — 9.5 from 232 reviews. Scores higher than #6 (9.5 to 9.4), on a smaller body of reviews (232 to 1,439).
Raffles London at The OWO suits travellers for whom the building is part of the trip. The hotel fills the restored Old War Office on Whitehall, and guests talk as much about the restoration, the decor and the tour of the building's history as about their rooms. Those rooms are described as elegant and spacious, with very comfortable beds, and the service is praised as friendly and first class. A spa with an indoor pool, four restaurants and a secret Spy Bar give plenty of reasons to stay in, while Trafalgar Square, the National Gallery and Big Ben are a short walk away. The weak spots lie in the details. Breakfast draws the most complaints, from slow service to a buffet that fell short of expectations, and housekeeping sometimes falls behind. Guests also rate value for money lower than anything else. For history, comfort and a central base, the hotel delivers; if the price weighs heaviest, look elsewhere.
Why this position: Among the three highest guest scores of the 12 hotels we rank here — 9.5 from 209 reviews. Level with #7 on the guest score (9.5) and on the reviews behind it.
The Lanesborough is built around service. Every room comes with a personal butler, and guests return again and again to the staff, who remember small details and arrange surprises without being asked. The Regency interiors feel grand and very British, yet guests describe the atmosphere as warm rather than stiff. Breakfast, afternoon tea and the cocktails in the Library Bar are all praised, and free access to the club and spa adds a pool and treatment rooms to a stay in the heart of Knightsbridge. The trade-offs are space and price. Some rooms are smaller than guests expected, the cooking at dinner does not win everyone over, and value is the area guests rate least generously. For travellers who want a classic London hotel beside Hyde Park and are happy to pay for attentive, personal service, it is an easy choice; anyone who needs a large room or a modern look may be happier elsewhere.
Why this position: Rests on more guest reviews than #8 (398 to 209), at a slightly lower score (9.4 to 9.5).
Corinthia London suits travellers who want a full spa hotel in the middle of Westminster. It sits on Whitehall Place, a few minutes' walk from Trafalgar Square and within easy reach of the National Gallery and Big Ben, yet guests repeatedly describe it as quiet once inside. The ESPA Life spa, with its indoor pool, sauna, steam room and hot tub, is the part many single out, along with the breakfast and staff they call friendly and thoughtful. Rooms are described as well proportioned and very comfortable, with a homely kind of luxury. The main trade-off is price: guests who loved the stay still call it expensive. A few noticed small service slips, such as a forgotten wake-up call, and street-side rooms are less peaceful. For couples marking an occasion and families who want interconnecting rooms and a pool, it is a strong central base; if value comes first, you will find better elsewhere.
Why this position: The same guest score as #9 (9.4), on a smaller body of reviews (179 to 398).
The Goring suits travellers who want a traditional London hotel with a personal touch. It is family-owned, sits on a quiet street in Belgravia a few minutes from Victoria Station, and many of its rooms look out over a large private garden with a croquet lawn. Guests speak most warmly about the staff, who come across as attentive without hovering, and about the breakfast, the bar with its pianist and the classic British interiors. The trade-offs lie mainly in the rooms. Several guests found theirs small for the price, and there is no minibar or tea and coffee in the room, since the hotel relies on room service instead. At busy times service at breakfast and in the conservatory can slow down. For guests who value calm, tradition and a garden in the heart of the city, it is an easy place to settle in; those who want space and modern in-room extras may be happier elsewhere.
Why this position: Rests on more guest reviews than #10 (914 to 179), at a slightly lower score (9.3 to 9.4).
The Beaumont Mayfair suits travellers who want a polished, quietly glamorous base in central London. The hotel fills a 1926 building overlooking Brown Hart Gardens, with Art Deco rooms, original artwork, marble bathrooms with heated floors and a three-storey sculpture by Sir Antony Gormley. Guests talk most about the service, which they describe as personal and attentive, and about quiet rooms, comfortable beds, cocktails at Le Magritte Bar and a carefully cooked breakfast. The hammam and spa, with a gym, sauna, steam room and plunge pool, are free for guests. The trade-off is space. The classic rooms are compact for what they cost, and guests who want room to spread out do better in a junior suite. There is no swimming pool, only a plunge pool. For shopping on Bond Street and Oxford Street, dinner in Mayfair and a calm night's sleep, it is a well-run choice; travellers after large rooms at a lower rate will find better value elsewhere.
Why this position: The same guest score as #11 (9.3), on a smaller body of reviews (507 to 914).
Hotel Café Royal is made for travellers who want London's West End on the doorstep. It sits on Regent Street beside Piccadilly Circus, so theatres, Mayfair's shops and Savile Row are a short walk away, and guests who come for a show single out the location. Inside, the Akasha spa with its lap pool and hammam gives a calm counterpoint to the streets outside, and guests praise the breakfast, the Grill Room, the bar and the staff, who make the stay feel personal. The trade-off is space and price. Value is the point guests rate lowest, and some find the rooms small for what they cost. Service at the bar and the concierge desk is not always as sharp as elsewhere in the hotel, and a few rooms have fiddly lighting or run warm. Couples, theatre-goers and shoppers who want a polished, central base will be well looked after; anyone who wants a large room for the money may do better elsewhere.
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Compare the hotels
| # | Hotel | Stars | Guest rating | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pan Pacific London | 5★ | Booking9.5· 1,639 reviews | Best overall |
| 2 | Milestone Hotel Kensington | 5★ | Booking9.5· 1,402 reviews | Spa & wellness |
| 3 | The Peninsula London | 5★ | Booking9.6· 291 reviews | — |
| 4 | The Dorchester | 5★ | Booking9.5· 539 reviews | Design |
| 5 | The Connaught | 5★ | Booking9.7· 185 reviews | — |
| 6 | The Savoy | 5★ | Booking9.4· 1,439 reviews | — |
| 7 | Raffles London at The OWO | 5★ | Booking9.5· 232 reviews | — |
| 8 | The Lanesborough | 5★ | Booking9.5· 209 reviews | — |
| 9 | Corinthia London | 5★ | Booking9.4· 398 reviews | Romance |
| 10 | The Goring | 5★ | Booking9.4· 179 reviews | — |
| 11 | The Beaumont Mayfair | 5★ | Booking9.3· 914 reviews | — |
| 12 | Hotel Café Royal | 5★ | Booking9.3· 507 reviews | — |
How we ranked these hotels
19 hotels looked at for this destination: 12 ranked above, 7 more we recommend.
The Google and Booking ratings for these hotels are based on a combined 13,422 reviews reported by the sources. This is not the number of review texts Tripplo has analysed.
How guest ratings, hotel class and facts inform our selections.
Read our methodologyMore hotels we recommend in London
These pass the same checks as the ranked list, but sit outside our top selection for this destination. Several of them lead our all-inclusive and adults-only guides.
Four Seasons Hotel London at Tower Bridge
9.3(208 reviews)Couples who want a spa-focused break in a historic London building
Bvlgari Hotel London
9.2(310 reviews)Couples marking a special occasion in London
Claridge's
9.2(504 reviews)Couples marking a special occasion in classic style
Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park
9.2(275 reviews)Travellers who want Hyde Park and Harrods on the doorstep
The Stafford London
9.2(933 reviews)Travellers who want a quiet base within walking distance of the West End
Rosewood London
9.0(1,623 reviews)Travellers who want understated luxury within walking distance of Covent Garden
Shangri-La The Shard
9.0(1,635 reviews)Couples celebrating an anniversary or another special occasion
Weather & sea temperature — London
Right now: 18°
Tripplo's luxury hotel selection in London — in numbers
Most common facilities
- Free WiFi (19 of 19)
- Bar (19 of 19)
- Restaurant (19 of 19)
- Parking (18 of 19)
- Gym (18 of 19)
- Spa & wellness (17 of 19)
What these hotels do best
- Service (19 of 19)
- Dining (15 of 19)
- Location (11 of 19)
- Spa & wellness (10 of 19)
