The Best Hotels in Clapham, London

Squirrelled away in Clapham’s prettiest quarter, this affordable boarding house has the flexibility of single and family rooms as well as doubles – they’re smart, crisp and clean rather than cosy and luxurious. Set in a traditional Georgian house on a residential street, it’ll feel like your London flat – stroll 15 minutes south for a walk around the Common, or potter to Megan’s to brunch on shakshuka and grilled halloumi.

This four-bedroomed apartment is styled like a boutique hotel, but only you have the keys. With little details that make it feel like an artist’s home – wall-mounted guitars, spiralling light fixtures, plant-trimmed bookcases, an upright piano – it offers space rarely found in London, including a dining room and garden. Stylish touches like Roberts radios, black kitchen tiling and a free-standing tub make this a thoroughly modern hideaway for up to eight guests.

Veeve’s city-wide rental homes are cherry-picked for their luxurious, original looks – and you’ll be met by a representative for check-in. This three-bedroomed number mixes family-sized spaces (kitchen island, comfy TV room) with a unique style represented by patchwork stags’ heads, rainbow mosaic bathroom tiles and a basketball hoop. The big draw here is a large garden, with cushioned seating amid pots of geraniums, a lawn and dining patio – though the huge light-filled dining room is a head-turner, too.

Right in the apple-green heart of the neighbourhood, the Windmill is a local institution. But not everybody knows that you can stay upstairs after sinking those pints – in lovely, country-casual rooms, done up in Farrow & Ball shades of duck egg and moss green. Freestanding bathtubs, ornate decorative screens and stained-glass lamps nudge it a few notches above most pubs-with-rooms, and you’ll breakfast on a hearty eggs benedict or veggie fry-up that beats the nearby competition.

This smooth-edged, minimal hotel is all about its riverside location in trendy Battersea, where glassy apartment blocks and the migration of tech company Apple to its famous Power Station have added some Silicon Valley attitude. Rafayel’s smart, business-like rooms have monochrome decor and, for many, serene views of the Thames – and a free-on-request shuttle to transport hubs Clapham Junction and Sloane Square will jump-start your sightseeing.

Made in Chelsea? Even if you weren’t, you can mingle with its swanky crowd on streets of light-flooded apartments close to the river. Check in to their modern, monochrome rooms with huge windows and kitted-out kitchens, but spend your time traversing leafy Battersea Park and its riverbank pathway. Cross the nearest bridge to dig into fabulous Chelsea, with its antiques stores, designer florists and as-seen-on-TV hangouts – order a glass of fizz at The Phene or The Botanist to blend in.

The rooms at this renovated 18th-century pub are stacked with character – ranging from snug doubles with cabin-style wood panelling to a high-ceilinged Grand Suite with plump sofas and a modernist take on a chandelier. Period details such as fireplaces and whipped-cream moulding dial up the grandeur, but the pub downstairs is a down-to-earth treat, serving hearty roasts or fish and chips. Fun fact: in a past life, this was a music venue where both Sinatra and Bowie performed.

Slightly south of Clapham, in village-y Balham, this converted church is a hostel for the Airbnb generation, with six-bunk dorm rooms that are a steal for group trips. Rooms are black-and-white minimalist, but its holy origins mean flashes of exposed brick and arched windows, and there’s a comfy common room with TV and ping pong table. Independent restaurants and bars abound (try Milk for hipster brunches and Lost & Found for curious cocktails), and you’re a 30-minute train ride from Central London.

What happens when an antiques dealer and interiors expert meets a charming 1820s coach house? The answer is The Glebe House, with three individually designed bedrooms and artfully cluttered communal spaces, topped off by a resident dog, Vincent. From vintage stoves to oversized lightbulb art, there’s a story behind everything – and owner Alix is on hand to chat over your continental breakfast. If it’s good enough for former guest Vivienne Westwood, it’s good enough for us.