The Best Luxury Hotels in Soho, London

Once the home of 18th-century essayist William Hazlitt, this Georgian town house is evocative of a bygone era. A cosy library pays homage to the literary heritage of the building – also doubling as a haunt for Sir Godfrey, the incumbent rescue cat – and there’s a charming honesty bar hidden in the lounge. The bedrooms in the boutique hotel showcase fine period features including roll-top tubs, toilets in Jacobite love seats and brocade-draped four-poster beds.

Part of the Firmdale Group, this retreat was individually styled by British interior designer Kit Kemp, but is more akin to an urban village than a traditional hotel. It has an original 1950s bowling alley, a dance floor, a 190-seat theatre and an independent shopping arcade, as well as eateries, a salon, a spa and a kitchen garden. The roof terrace has skyline views, along with two beehives and a resident beekeeper.

The Fernando Botero black cat in the entrance lobby is your first hint that this design-forward hotel rejects stuffy luxury for something a little more playful. That jovial atmosphere runs throughout, with statement prints and vibrant colours often eschewed by more staid hotels. Saying that, there’s still a host of luxe amenities including two cinema-style screening rooms, a fine-dining restaurant and (perhaps the pick of the bunch) a vibrant drawing room with an Aphrodite sculpture by Breon O’Casey, paintings by Peter Collins and a collection of sumptuous sitting areas.

Owned by the brother of music industry mogul Simon Fuller, Karma Sanctum Soho was relaunched as a cool rock’n’roll boutique hotel in 2009, after an injection of cash to the tune of £10m. There’s a rock star-friendly rooftop area with a hot tub, 24-hour private bar, covered lounge and oversized fireplace. The art deco cinema room with theatre-style sofas and in-room Onkyo sound systems makes it a popular choice for those wanting a discreet party pad.

Intrinsic to the luxury hotel scene in London, the Savoy has been setting the standard in the capital for more than 130 years. The guestbook is a who’s who of the last 13 decades, with former guests including music hall of famers, Hollywood legends and practically every branch of the royal family tree. The rooms and suites proffer an elegant British style with hanging chandeliers, fireplaces and views over the Thames. The Gordon Ramsey-led Savoy Grill serves a Franco-Anglo menu – opt for the six-course tasting menu – while the American Bar is often ranked among the best cocktail bars on the planet. It’s a 20-minute walk to Soho, or a seven-minute taxi ride.

The Café Royal has been a culinary hub for 150 years. Oscar Wilde adored the enormous wine selection, while Winston Churchill came for steak and champagne. Now you’ll find Cakes & Bubbles, the Albert Adrià-led sweet restaurant, plus the gilded Oscar Wilde Lounge, in which you can take afternoon tea. Modern guest rooms and suites balance modernity and classic design, while once-in-a-lifetime stays are found in signature suites and exclusive wings. Despite the genteel appeal, this Regent Street hotel is also the spiritual home of boxing. It was here in 1867 that the Queensberry Rules were thrashed out; whether or not that inspires you to pick up the sport, there’s an on-site gym here with pro-led classes including TRX, yoga and, yes, boxing.

Airy and debonair, the 173 Scandi-styled rooms at the London Edition boast rich tongue and groove wood panelling, oak flooring and a gold-framed photograph by the esteemed Dutch visual artist Hendrik Kerstens. The entrance lies through a grand, neoclassical frontage set at the Fitzrovia end of Soho. Once inside, guests encounter imposing, high-ceilinged public rooms blending the architecture of the 1800s with dynamic modern design.