The Best Luxury Hotels to Book In Knightsbridge

A pair of red-brick Victorian townhouses were combined into this quintessentially English hotel, a six-minute stroll from major Knightsbridge landmarks including the Victoria and Albert Museum, Harrods and Harvey Nichols. Style-wise, it’s a city hub with a dash of country: sink-into velvet sofas, rugs and fresh flowers. Rooms are classics, with grand beds and antiques. Book the red, Tudor-style V&A Suite, with its Picasso and private terrace, and flick through the V&A exhibition books over a martini from the cocktail trolley.

Celebrities and well-heeled international tourists love this hotel for the rooftop pool and the statement Blue Bar – a suave London institution for late-night cocktails. Top-hatted doormen welcome you to your stay in muted, modern, yet classic-feeling spaces, and from the balcony of your king room, you’ll get amazing London skyline views. The chef is almost as recognisable: try Michelin-starred Marcus Wareing’s restaurant for dishes such as Orkney scallops. Fashionistas also totter in for the seasonal Prêt-à-Portea, a couture take on afternoon tea.

There’s the very posh address on Egerton Gardens, halfway between Knightsbridge and South Kensington Tube stations. Then there are the rooms: slices of theatrical glam with lashings of silvery taffeta and velvet furniture. The Garden Suite, with its metal four-poster, is a must-book, overlooking the well-tended garden square oasis below. Even though there’s no spa, a warming, relaxing hammam awaits jet-lagged guests ahead of a glass of champagne or two in the retro, grey-velvet Franklin Bar.

Welcome to art-break hotel: behind the name is the crafty location opposite the V&A Museum. It’s a great base for fitness fanatics and families, too, being so close to Hyde Park and the Science and Natural History museums. The ornate Edwardian shell contains modernised rooms and public spaces with greeny blue and burgundy shades used to dramatic effect. Book the Brompton Suite for views from two balconies over its namesake shopping road and the V&A. Guests visiting in winter love the cocooning armchairs and cosy fire in the 1606 Lounge Bar, perfect for hot chocolate indulgence after a day’s cultural immersion in the capital.

This discreet corner hotel is a quick stroll from fashionable Sloane Street and a 10-minute walk from upmarket icons Harrods and Harvey Nichols. Art by the likes of Tracey Emin adorns the walls, contributing to a decor focused on chrome and silk. Plush rooms are washed in rich colours from plum to teal, with caramel leather chairs and cowhide rugs. Dressed in twinkling lights and foliage, the all-weather outdoor terrace is a hit – perhaps for a G&T in summer, or a cup of warming tea in winter.

With the Italianate architecture of the Royal Albert Hall a 15-minute walk away, this modernised townhouse naturally draws concertgoers and culture lovers. Family-owned, and tucked in a quiet residential cul-de-sac, it’s home to a large collection of English watercolours. Interiors are as subtle as the setting, with rooms bathed in grey and taupe. If you’re here in summer, book a double room with a terrace. There’s an Italian-infused dining room where complimentary soft drinks, tea and coffee are served. And the daily cream tea with scones is a post-shopping hit.

A 15-minute walk north from Sloane Square, this head-turning high-rise hotel is super convenient for iconic department store Peter Jones and the Royal Court Theatre. Inside, it’s sumptuous, from the marble lobby to the rooms, which reference the glamour of the 1930s. For views across the rooftops, book a balcony room and plot your shopping circuits in a blue armchair beside floor-to-ceiling windows. For a freshen-up, join the wealthy set who frequent the Peak Fitness Club for age-defying facials – and follow them into the Rib Room for delicately cooked steak or game.

Brightly lit and big-windowed, the Cadogan stands on the corner of Sloane Street and Pont Street like a lantern. The Chelsea outpost of Belmond Hotels looks the part, with cream rooms, high ceilings, acres of wood panelling, and classic furnishings that include wingback chairs. The Penthouse Suite not only comes with a fireplace but can be extended into a two-bedroom apartment. Staying here puts you close to Chelsea’s finest cafes, boutiques and galleries. When you return, the bar sparkles with glasses and gin bottles, ready to serve signature tipples.