True luxury in the capital is no longer bound by formal dress codes. A sophisticated collection of five-star properties proves it is possible to cultivate a high-energy, design-forward atmosphere. These are the hotels that attract the fashion vanguard and creative directors, spaces where the lobby bar is as curated as the art on the walls.
01The London EDITION
Fitzrovia
Ian Schrager’s collaboration with the brand reaches its peak here. The triple-height lobby juxtaposes ornate historic ceilings with a polished silver sphere by Ingo Maurer. With faux-fur throws on the beds and the perpetually buzzing Berners Tavern, it remains a playground for the global creative elite.
02NoMad London
Covent Garden
Housed within a nineteenth-century magistrate's court, NoMad trades British pastels for moody, bohemian romanticism. The hotel occupies the site where the Bow Street Runners, London's first police force, operated. Its heart is the soaring, glass-ceilinged atrium restaurant, a definitive lunch spot for the West End's cultural vanguard.
03The Berkeley
Knightsbridge
The high-fashion younger sister to Claridge’s and The Connaught. The Berkeley is intensely contemporary, known for its celebrity-packed Blue Bar and the Prêt-à-Portea, where pastries mirror the latest runway collections. A striking rooftop pool and a pastry laboratory by Cédric Grolet keep it at the centre of London's style conversation.
04Hotel Café Royal
Regent Street
Behind a sweeping Regent Street facade lies a brilliant architectural pivot. Interiors are minimalist, crafted from massive slabs of Carrara marble. The hotel's crown jewel is the glittering Oscar Wilde Lounge, where the author met Lord Alfred Douglas and David Bowie retired his Ziggy Stardust persona in 1973.
The experience begins in a grand Edwardian carriageway that shuts out the roar of High Holborn. The property features an exclusive Pie Room, dedicated to the classic British pie. Evening energy is anchored by Scarfes Bar, a cocktail lounge lined with caricatures by the political cartoonist Gerald Scarfe.
London’s first all-suite luxury hotel was built for total privacy. Designed under the direction of Richard Rogers' practice, it is accessible only via a discreet courtyard entrance. A spectacular, wrap-around rooftop bar is reserved exclusively for hotel residents and members.
07Bvlgari Hotel London
Knightsbridge
This hotel brought Italian craftsmanship and cinematic glamour to Knightsbridge. The design relies on silver, slate, and geometric precision. It features a twenty-five-metre swimming pool lined with green Vicenza stone and a private, forty-seven-seat screening room.
08Shangri-La The Shard, London
London Bridge
Occupying the thirty-fourth to fifty-second floors of Renzo Piano’s glass spire, this hotel is untethered from street life. The infinity skypool on Level 52 offers one of the great travel experiences in Europe. At the top, Gŏng is the highest hotel bar in Western Europe, letting the skyline provide the drama.
Eco-luxury at its zenith. This property brings a biophilic, Zen-like energy to London’s most expensive postcode, using reclaimed materials and living green walls. The flagship restaurant, Dovetale, is overseen by two-Michelin-starred chef Tom Sellers, who champions British foraging.
10Corinthia London
Westminster
A magnificent powerhouse bridging historical proportions and modern culture. The central lobby lounge is illuminated by a Baccarat chandelier of 1,001 crystal spheres. It offers some of the most lavish penthouses in the city and a massive spa that feels like a private wellness retreat.
For members
For members: Your concierge can secure preferred suites and arrange priority reservations at each hotel’s most sought-after restaurants and bars.
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Written by Marta Diaz · CEO & Editor-in-Chief
Avid tennis player, photographer and traveller. She curates every hotel in the collection and writes The Edit.
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