The Most Famous Hotels to Book in London

Situated in swanky Mayfair, Brown’s Hotel has been entertaining the world’s finest since 1837, thanks to its stunning decor, elegant rooms and world-renowned classy service. Expect lavish Irene Forte toiletries, generous floor space and a Bentley chauffeur service as standard. The list of happenings at this regal building, including Alexander Graham Bell’s first phone call and the writing of The Jungle Book (1894), make Brown’s one of the most famous hotels in London. Peckish? Follow in the footsteps of Queen Victoria by booking afternoon tea in the drawing room.

As the cream of the crop, the Savoy is as much a part of London as Big Ben and Buckingham Palace. Opened in 1889, this historic hotel in London was a groundbreaker at the time, thanks to the installation of electric lights and lifts. Now Grade II-listed, it underwent a complete revamp in 2010, with the designers sticking to the original look but with added comforts.

Sister of the Paris hotel, the Ritz London is probably best known for its afternoon teas, served from 11.30am to 7.30pm daily, comprising a delectable selection of dainty sandwiches, cakes and pastries. It featured heavily in the film Notting Hill (1999), when Hugh Grant’s character pretended to be a writer for Horse & Hound to interview Julia Roberts. Stay on a Friday night for dinner and dancing and you’ll feel as though you’ve travelled back in time.

Johnny Depp and Kate Moss put this hotel on the map in the 1990s after allegedly filling a bathtub with champagne. But honestly, one look at those fabulous Victorian tubs and you’ll see why they were tempted. The tiny hotel, with 21 Belle Époque-style rooms, was the merger of two Neoclassical mansions in a quiet street in trendy Notting Hill. Each room has atmospheric features and round beds, and thanks to guests such as Alice Cooper and Robbie Williams, it has become a favourite among the rock ‘n’ roll crowd.

A hop and a skip from Hyde Park, the Royal Lancaster London came to fame after a cameo appearance in the Michael Caine box-office hit The Italian Job (1969). The decor is a throwback to its dapper heyday, with plenty of classy 1960s touches such as azure crushed-velvet sofas and retro carpeting. Large picture windows are a neat touch – so you can spend your evenings watching the sun sink behind the city skyline from the luxury-linen comfort of your king-size bed. Start your day with breakfast at the Park Restaurant: its traditional full English garners glowing reviews.

The Goring is the famous London hotel where Kate Middleton spent the night before her wedding to Prince William in 2011. A favourite among the royals, it is the only hotel awarded a Royal Warrant for hospitality services to the Queen. The entire Middleton clan stayed here – Kate’s parents, Carole and Michael, as well as siblings Pippa and James. Tucked behind Buckingham Palace, the Westminster location is handy for Westminster Abbey, but it’s the traditionally English interior that lends the hotel real charm. Opened by Otto Richard Goring in 1910, the owners say it was the first hotel to offer all en-suite rooms, and it remains in the Goring family to this day.

Discreetly located at the end of a drive canopied by branches and greenery next to St James’s Park, St Ermin’s Hotel, built in 1899, was the hub of covert operations during World War II. Since then, film-makers have been drawn to its grand Victorian facade, regal surroundings (Buckingham Palace is minutes away) and ornate, Baroque-style interior. The rooftop served as the setting for Sid and Nancy’s riotous toy-pistol gunplay in the 1986 punk biopic, and the glamorous Art Nouveau decor was the backdrop to George and Simone’s hurried meeting in Mona Lisa (1986). Rooms are equally classic with marbled bathrooms, luxury White Company toiletries and 24-hour room service.

Located on Frith Street in Soho, this 18th-century building is the former home of essayist William Hazlitt, who died in poverty in 1830. However, the exclusive London hotel feels incredibly authentic, even to this day. The floorboards still slope, the door frames can be wonky, and the rooms are decorated with traditional paintings. Of course, it comes with a whole heap of charm, including Hazlitt’s cabinet of curiosities and an honesty bar, so you’re guaranteed to feel at home.

Opened in 1873, this hotel next to St Pancras railway station was once known as the Midland Grand. By 1930, it was used as offices after becoming too expensive to heat, and, following a huge refurb, it reopened in 2011. Fans of Bridget Jones’s Diary (2001) or Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (2002) will probably recognise it, but tourists are bound to have noticed the impressive building, too. The interior is almost as showstopping as the facade, with lots of gold leaf and marble and an impressively grand staircase.

Built between 1863 and 1865, at a whopping £300,000 (at the time), the Langham was considered London’s first grand hotel. This posh hotel is London through and through, and today focuses on experience. The Artesian Bar was voted the world’s best bar four years in a row (2011-2015), so head here for a cocktail and watch the world go by.

Claridge’s is an elegant Mayfair institution that’s often referred to as the “annexe to Buckingham Palace” – though it would never be so indiscreet. Founded in 1812, it flourished during the 1920s flapper years, ushered in royalty during the 1940s, and played white-gloved confidante to stars such as Cary Grant, Audrey Hepburn and Bing Crosby during the 1950s. But it’s not one to languish in the past: Diane von Furstenberg, who first stayed here in the 1970s, was drafted in to dress up the rooms, and other designers who have made their mark include David Linley, Thierry Despont and David Collins. Need further proof of pedigree? Supermodel Kate Moss held her 30th birthday here.