Luxury London Hotels

Background

The first thing to note is that this section of our website deals only with 5 star hotels. While many websites will group 4 star hotels under the heading of luxury hotels this, we believe, is misleading. The main bodies that rate hotels, the London Tourist Board and the AA, specify criteria that is required for 5 star hotels which means true luxury accommodation is strictly 5 star only. The 4 star bracket is so diverse in its remit and many hotels with that rating will really be hardly better than a 3 star. Again in an attempt to distinguish themselves from the crowd many 4 star hotels will call themselves a 4 star deluxe or 4 star plus but this is always a self classification, the rating bodies do not use such terms. We would also point out that many hotels, including some in this section, are actually self rated as their is no requirement by law for a hotel to receive an independent or otherwise third party rating. Indeed officially rated hotels have to pay for that service.
London is richly endowed with world class luxury hotels which is no surprise as it is not only one of the most visited cities in the world, but also one of the oldest, with a long and illustrious history. The current era of top class accommodation has grown from the days of the coaching inns when many of today's London pubs were once stopping off points for travellers and their horses. Central London now boasts one the most densely populated areas for 5 star (and now 6 star too) hotels anywhere in the world. Mainly taking in the postcodes of W1, SW1, W8, SW8, WC2 and SW3 which are the areas of Mayfair, Kensington, Knightsbridge, the West End, Chelsea and Belgravia. However London 5 star hotels can be found just about anywhere in and around the M25 which marks Greater London today.

Top Rated:

Our current top ranking 5 star hotels are:
1: 41 Hotel milesfaster score: 109
2: Cheval Three Quays Tower of London milesfaster score: 108
3: Corinthia Hotel London milesfaster score: 108
4: Egerton House Hotel milesfaster score: 107
5: Milestone Hotel and Apartments milesfaster score: 107
6: Goring Hotel milesfaster score: 107
7: 51 Buckingham Gate Taj Suites milesfaster score: 107
8: Rosewood London Hotel milesfaster score: 107
9: Soho Hotel (The) milesfaster score: 107

6 Star Hotels

In 2012 London announced there was to be the first six star rated hotel in London with the opening of the Wellesley Hotel. It should be noted that this would be a self rating and the current rating bodies do not have a 6 star category, five stars being the highest they will award. In the end when the hotel opened in December 2012 it was rated at 5 stars. Seems the 6 stars was market hype.

Central London:

We regard central London as the postcodes:
W1 W2 W8 W9 SE1 SW1 SW3 SW5 SW6 SW7 SW10 SW11 WC1 WC2.
This takes in the vast majority of London's luxury 5 star hotels. The most central areas for the tourist districts and London's west end where most of the night life is based are the postcodes of SW1, W1, WC1 and WC2. The West end is actually the W1 and WC2 districts.
The most expensive hotels will be found in and around Mayfair (W1), down to Victoria (SW1) and across towards Knightsbridge (SW7). Some of London's best known hotels are to be found here, hotels with an international reputation and iconic status such as the Dorchester Hotel, Hilton Park Lane and the Ritz Hotel. These two offer a full on traditional English luxury experience. Other hotels here that will be familiar names to most include the Grosvenor House Hotel, The Langham London, The Lanesborough, The Marriott Grosvenor Square, the hip and trendy Metropolitan Hotel, The Sheraton Park Lane, The May Fair Hotel (yes they really spell Mayfair that way i.e not as one single word) and the Waldorf Hilton Hotel (and not, this is not the one the salad is named after). The Berkeley in Knightsbridge is notable as the only 5 star hotel to have a rooftop swimming pool with a retractable roof.

East London and the City of London (includes Canary Wharf and the Docklands)

The main financial district for London is somewhat confusingly called the City of London and also known as 'The Square Mile'. Just to the east of central London and between central London and the Docklands. Luxury hotels serving the area are dominated by Grange Hotels Chain and the full list includes Andaz Liverpool Street, Grange City Hotel, Grange St Pauls, Grange Tower Bridge and Threadneedles City Boutique Hotel. A couple east of the City of London is the Canary Wharf/Docklands area and 5 star hotels here include Four Seasons Hotel Canary Wharf and Marriott West India Quay. The other top rated hotel in east London is located in Hackney, one of the lesser fashionable areas but close to Stratford and the Olympic Village and that hotel is the Town Hall Hotel Apartments.

South London

London is affectively split in two by the River Thames which runs through its heart. A couple of postcodes in south London are affectively also suitable for being regarded as central London and these are SW11 (just south of Chelsea and Fulham) and SE1 which covers Waterloo and areas along the southbank and Westminster Bridge. Hotels that are on the south side of the River but within the above mentioned postcodes are the Hilton Southbank, Marriott County Hall Hotel, Plaza on the River Club and Residence and the Shangri-la Hotel at London Bridge Tower.

West London

Heathrow Airport would come under this area and those hotels are listed above under the airport section. The other 5 star hotel to the west of central London is the London Syon Park, a Waldorf Astoria Hotel. Close to the airport but located in wide open parkland.

Airports

Heathrow Airport

The major London airports are not that well served by five star hotels. Only Heathrow Airport is truly served by hotels in that class. Offering a choice of three five star hotels which are the Radisson Blu Hotel Heathrow, Riva Hotel Heathrow and the Sofitel London Heathrow T5. The Radisson is popular with plane spotters thanks to its great runway views. The Sofitel is actually attached to terminal 5 but away from the other 4 terminals. The Riva Heathrow is a totally new build and closest to the main central areas (terminals 1,2 3).
>>>View all Heathrow Hotels

Luton Airport

The nearest 5 star hotel to Luton airport is the Luton Hoo Hotel at just over 2 miles. Quite a contrast from the busy international airport as the hotel is an English country mansion located in its own expansive grounds.

Stansted

There are a couple of hotels rated 5 star close to Stansted Airport and they are offer very different experiences. The closest hotel (3 miles) is the Linden House which only opened in 2011. A small boutique hotel with just 9 rooms, but most notably the whole hotel is centred around a high class five star restaurant. Much further away at 13 miles is the Marriott Hanbury Manor Hotel Country Club which is an English country mansion which sits in 200 acres of open parkland and includes an 18 hole golf course.

Gatwick

Apartments:

Surprisingly hard to find are 5 star rated apartments in London.
Some apartments such as The Ascott Mayfair Apartments are listed in various places as both a 5 star and a 4 star so we do not include these establishments in the luxury section. For luxury apartments the 5 star list includes the 51 Buckingham Gate, Athenaeum Hotel and Apartments, Falcon Wharf Apartments, Marriott West India Quay, Marriott Grand Residence 47 Park Street, Plaza on the River Club and Residence, Town Hall Apartments and the NO. 5 Maddox Street Apartments.

Current top rated London hotel on Tripadvisor (largest user generated rating system) is the 41 Hotel which also makes it Londons top boutique hotel.
In the Tripadvisor 2015 awards the The Haymarket Hotel came 1st for top hotels in the UK (20th in world and 7th in Europe), 2nd for best luxury hotel in the UK (which seems an anomaly given its number 1 ranking for best overall in UK) and 10th in Europe.  Hotel 41 was the top hotel for service in London (11th in UK) and also for best small hotel in London (11th in UK). Best for romance in London was The Halkin by COMO (14th in UK).

Recent Top Hotel Awards: