The Most Sublime London Hotels For A Stylish Stay In The City

One of London’s most thrilling new destinations, The Chancery Rosewood boasts the striking setting of the former US Embassy on Grosvenor Square. Restored meticulously by British architect Sir David Chipperfield, with elegant interiors from French architect Joseph Dirand, it is now a grand all-suite hotel (totaling 144 keys), holding no fewer than eight restaurants and bars – plus the glorious Asaya Spa. Service is paramount here: guests can enjoy use of the hotel’s Bentley during their stay – and generously flexible check-in and check-out times.

Illustrious grand dame Claridge’s is a legend of the London hotel scene, right in the heart of Mayfair. While steeped in Art Deco opulence and almost two centuries of history, it is masterful at keeping things exciting. The opening of the André Fu-designed spa several years ago added a serene oasis, and last year it unveiled The Penthouse – a 12,000-square-foot apartment across the entire rooftop, with a vast terrace, heated pool, the world’s largest private collection of Damien Hirst artworks and a sky-skimming piano pavilion. All the rooms and suites are indulgently luxurious, and the hotel has several bars beloved by those in the know – including the intimate, atmospheric Fumoir, New York aperitivo hotspot Dante, and the exquisitely rose-hued Painter’s Room – as well as the timeless Claridge’s Restaurant.

The Connaught offers an enveloping sanctuary for guests to escape the thrum of Mayfair’s Mount Street, staying in the collection of cocooning, singularly designed rooms and suites. The dining opportunities are similarly impressive – from the three-Michelin-starred Hélène Darroze restaurant to the lively and eclectic Jean-Georges at The Connaught. The hotel’s tranquil credentials are most apparent down in the Aman Spa (the first Aman Spa to be built outside of the brand’s own hotels), where a swim in the sleek black granite swimming pool is the epitome of rejuvenating.

As a sister to London stalwarts Claridge’s, The Connaught and The Berkeley, The Emory – the most recent opening from Maybourne Hotels – was always destined for greatness. Set in the heart of Belgravia, with views over Hyde Park, it is an all-suite hotel where leading interior designers André Fu, Pierre-Yves Rochon, Alexandra Champalimaud, Rigby & Rigby and Patricia Urquiola have bestowed their creative visions to imagine cool, contemporary spaces. The food is helmed by chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten, and there is also a private members’ club, Surrenne, sprawled across four floors, offering health, fitness and beauty services.

London’s second Mandarin Oriental is a Mayfair outpost situated in Hanover Square – a bustling part of the city between Regent’s Street, Bond Street and Oxford Street, where the worlds of fashion, media, art and business collide. Mandarin Oriental Mayfair has added the brand’s sleek elegance and world-renowned service to this iconic locale, delivering an idyllic sanctuary spa space, and dining opportunities under the direction of Michelin-starred chef Akira Back – found beneath a statement centerpiece green-marble staircase.

West London landmark The Whiteley will become home to the city’s first ever Six Senses when it opens its doors soon, delivering 109 guest rooms and suites, 14 residences, plus serene communal spaces – including a lobby bar and lounge, an all-day restaurant and courtyard garden. This is a hotel brand known for its sublime wellness offering, and the Six Senses spa will, naturally, be a highlight. Designed to evoke an old-fashioned London underground station (with the most tranquil of reimaginations), it features a swimming pool beneath arched ceilings, the Alchemy Bar, Biohacking Recovery Lounge, and a vaulted relaxation room. The building also introduces the concept of a social and wellness club for residents and members alike, offering lounges, co-working spaces, a restaurant and treatment rooms. Opening soon

Raffles London at The OWO is a magnificent outpost now occupying the storied, historic site of Whitehall Palace and the Old War Office. As distinguished as its address, the hotel’s design pays homage to its Edwardian aesthetic, with the grand building transformed into a thrilling destination for dining that boasts no fewer than nine restaurants and three bars. The Guerlain Spa is also a talking point, taking its place as one of the largest luxury hotel spas in the capital. Expect a 20-meter swimming pool under a double-height ceiling, a thermal spa suite, plus an expansive gym and yoga studio.

With a spirit that pays homage to perhaps the most storied part of town, Broadwick Soho is joyfully flamboyant. Designed by Martin Brudnizki, along with creative director Andrea Gelardin, it is, unsurprisingly, a feast for the eyes, with a maximalist infusion that nods to disco glamour, Jazz Age opulence, English eccentricity and more. The rooftop Flute bar is particularly enticing, adorned with mirrored ceilings, cork walls and an onyx central bar, while a wraparound terrace takes in the buzz of the Soho streets below. Downstairs, the Italian-inspired Dear Jackie restaurant and Bar Jackie all-day bar are perfect for aperitivos, antipasti and a spot of people-watching.

The Twenty Two transformed a grand Edwardian manor on Mayfair’s Grosvenor Square into a lavish creative hub, comprising a hotel, restaurant and private members’ club where lingering is very much encouraged. Accommodation is spread across 31 opulently adorned bedrooms and suites (Natalia Miyar’s design takes influence from 18th-century French interiors), including a charming, secluded mews house. Its round-the-clock restaurant has already become a neighborhood hotspot, with a modern British menu elevated with Mediterranean influences. And there are some resplendent private spaces, too, which now play host to stylish soirées.

An urban oasis nestled among the Royal Parks, 1 Hotel Mayfair offers a refreshing sanctuary in the heart of the capital. Built with the brand’s certified sustainability pillars at the forefront of construction, it was developed from two existing buildings and designed to reduce CO2 emissions. Lush, live green walls are now its signature: the property boasts 1,300 plants, shrubs and trees throughout its grounds, while the tranquil, minimal interiors let nature take center stage.

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