The twelve best hotels in London

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People from all corners of the planet flock to London to make the most of a city that is like no other. When visiting a city as rich in culture, art, music, nightlife and fine dining, it's only reasonable that you will want a hotel to match. Luckily, London has some of the world's best.

Hotel 41

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It may not be as famous as some of the other hotels on this list, but Hotel 41 has a reputation for excellence amongst those in the know. The Daily Mail says 'The decision to book a stay at Hotel 41 is not to be taken lightly – staying there will taint almost every other hotel experience.'

The rooms are black and white themed and very stylish, while the centrepiece of the hotel is the mahogany clad ex-boardroom of the Rubens hotel. Here you will find a twenty-four hour complimentary buffet to enjoy by the fireplace.

Service is friendly and endlessly accommodating, with two attentive staff for each guest. After booking your stay you receive a guest preference form so you can specify what you want (exercise bike anyone?) in your room so that it is catered to your needs. You can even state your hobbies, interests and favourite colours for an incredibly personal experience. As The Telegraph says, 'the raison d’être of the hotel is, first and foremost, to please the customer.'

If you can force yourself to leave the luxury for long enough, you will start to appreciate how perfect a location Hotel 41 has. The front facing windows overlook Buckingham Palace's Royal Mews, which the Telegraph calls 'heaven for American guests'.

Book here.

Egerton House Hotel

Egerton House is the ultimate home from home. Designed and run to feel like your own personal pied-à-terre, The Telegraph cites its 'proud tradition of warm service and elegant but homely interiors' and says this makes the hotel a 'popular choice with discerning guests returning year-on-year.'

Just off Brompton Road in well-heeled Knightsbridge, it is within walking distance of the V&A Museum, Harrods and Hyde Park. Conde Nast Traveller calls it 'perfectly located'.

The bedrooms are decorated with original artworks by Picasso, Toulouse-Lautrec, and Matisse, completing what the Independent calls a 'decadent but at-home ambience'. Time Out says there is 'genuine warmth at The Egerton – it feels more like a luxurious private home'

Whilst there is no formal dining room, the Telegraph notes 'the option to dine in-room or in the charming lounge bar adds to the homely atmosphere so integral to the hotel… dishes here feel like a home-cooked meal prepared by a doting grandmother.'

Book here.

Chiltern Firehouse

Far from being just a place to rest your head, the Chiltern Firehouse hotel comes attached to what the Guardian describes as 'London's newest and hottest eatery-cum-nightspot.' Bill Clinton, Madonna, David Beckham and a whole host of other global A-listers are regularly seen emerging from the restaurant in the early hours. Naomi Campbell told Vogue, "when I walk around, no one stops me to say, 'Oh my god, you are such and such.' Here I feel safe."

It is unsurprising then, that this is one of the hottest hotels for style and character. The Telegraph says 'the interiors, by Paris-based Studio KO are timeless, homely, stylish, vintage and glamorous. You won't want to leave.' Vogue describes the hotel's Ladder Shed as 'a sumptuous bar resembling a slice of Palm Beach seen through a Hollywood lens.'

For anyone worried that there's no chance to escape from the party, Vogue has reassuring news. 'Above, all it is quiet. With its deep double mattresses, bespoke pillows and Italian-made sheets, this hotel is a surprisingly good place for sleeping… waking up at Chiltern, it's as if the party never happened.'

The Telegraph calls the service 'superb: friendly, polished, relaxed, swift', summed up by the note by the phone in each room saying 'dial 0 for anything'.

Book here.

Claridge's

Claridge's is quite simply a national institution. Its connections to the Royal Family are so strong that it is known as an 'annexe to Buckingham Palace', and over the years it has hosted Audrey Hepburn, Brad Pitt and Mick Jagger. The Telegraph calls it 'a hotel with impeccable pedigree…the best address in town. '

There is a style to Claridge's that is traditional without feeling old-fashioned, modern without feeling fleeting. Time Out says 'the rooms divide evenly between deco and Victorian style, with period touches such as deco toilet flushes in swanky marble bathrooms'. It is, says the magazine, 'sheer class and pure atmosphere, and still simply dazzling.'

There is a 5 per cent discretionary service charge added to room rates, but this is worth it for the exceptional, round-the-clock service (and butlers in the suites). There are numerous options for food and drink. The hotel's flagship restaurant is the Michelin-starred Fera, headed by chef Simon Rogan.

As Tatler puts it, 'really, what could be more of a treat than staying here?'

Book here.

The Goring

You know the hotel must be more than decent when it's chosen over an invitation from the Queen to stay at Buckingham Palace. According to the Sun, that's exactly what Kate Middleton did when she stayed at the Goring in the nights leading up to the Royal Wedding.

The Belgravia hotel has long been popular with royalty, and has hosted guests from Queen Mary to the Queen Mother, who was a regular. Perhaps that is why Conde Nast Traveller calls it 'quintessentially British', a 'traditional English hotel' that is 'over the top, but perfectly so.'

The Telegraph gives it 10/10 for style, noting its 'character and humour', recent 'programme of stylish redecoration' and garden that 'adds a unique sense of space and privacy'. Just across the road from Buckingham Palace, the hotel's large private garden has a central croquet lawn for guests to enjoy in the summer months.

The Telegraph adds that the service is 'warm, always polite' and guests can enjoy complimentary cocktails or call for assistance from 'a fleet of footman, Downton Abbey style.'

Book here.

Shangri-La at the Shard

For a hotel in the tallest building in Western Europe, it's perhaps no surprise that the Shangri-La offers what Tatler describes as 'the most gobsmacking view in London, no question.'

Style wise the hotel lacks imagination when compared to other hotels on the list, but some guests may prefer the neutral environment to one so heavily stylised that it couldn't possibly please everybody. The surroundings are unlikely to thrill guests, but you can't imagine them putting anyone off. The Telegraph says 'Shangri-La have opted for the standardised ‘hotel group’ approach…the result is certainly smart, but no match for the building itself.'

The staff are chosen for their personality rather than experience, and the hotel has a policy of recruiting locally. The Telegraph credit them with creating the atmosphere in the hotel, saying 'there are Cockney porters on the door at ground floor level and Asian beauties behind the desk, and characters amongst the waiting staff, whose personalities are allowed to shine.'

The restaurant, Ting, offers classic British and European fare with an Asian edge in a setting Conde Nast Traveller describes as 'busy but deeply romantic.'

Staying at Shangri-La at the Shard is a unique and impressive experience that must be ticked off by anyone serious about showing off where they've spent the night. CN Traveller sums it up as 'sheer alchemy and a startling treat.'

Book here.

Ham Yard Hotel

More village than hotel, Ham Yard is what the Telegraph calls 'a modern interpretation of a Soho court…with suites, apartments and 13 retail units, slap bang in the midst of all life, from shopping and sleaze to theatres and bars.'

Conde Nast Traveller calls it an 'urban village that has redefined the entire concept of what a hotel is.' The hotel popped up by surprise in a formerly grey and boarded up slice of Piccadilly, and the surprise continues inside. Tatler calls the style 'totally bonkers, in the most perfectly stylish and colourful way.'

The service is spot on – the Telegraph calls the staff 'friendly' and 'intelligent', adding that they 'couldn't be more helpful' – and the facilities go beyond what you would expect to find. As well as the restaurant, bar, spa, gym and all the other de rigueur luxury hotel amenities, there is a neon-lit bowling alley and 190-seat theatre.

The restaurant offers European fare that Time Out describes as 'safe, playfully retro, and slightly cheeky' with a dining area that is 'attractive, spacious and airy, with an appealing and almost secluded alfresco area.' The food is very reasonably priced which means that the surrounding tables are filled with animated locals rather than uninterested, wealthy tourists.

Book here.

Taj 51 Buckingham Gate Suites and Residences

Taj 51 claims that it 'embodies a unique luxury lifestyle found nowhere else in London.' After discovering what is has to offer, you'd be hard pressed to disagree.

The facilities include a library, spa, a sauna, a gym and a business centre – in fact, anything you might need home or away can be found at Taj 51. In the unlikely event you find yourself hankering after something that hasn't been thought of, the staff will produce it for you. If you can bring yourself to leave the hotel, you will be told where to go, how to get there, and what the best thing is to do/eat/see when you get there.

In fitting with the rest of the hotel, service is perfect and compares favourably to any hotel – not just in the city, but in the world. The Telegraph calls it 'confident. [The staff's] manner is exuberantly friendly, without the simulated sycophantry that plagues many five stars.'

The hotel is suites-only and each one is kitted out with a fully stocked kitchen. The fact that the hotel has three restaurants and 24-hour room service might make these the most pointless kitchens in history, as well as the most well-stocked. If you do decide to let someone else take care of the food, you'll find what the Telegraph considers 'the best Indian restaurant in London' and an Afternoon Tea that is 'nakedly, unashamedly OTT.'

Book here.

The Ritz

It's tempting to just write 'of course it's on the list, it's the bloody Ritz', but editorial policy prevents it. Perhaps it would be better to quote Conde Nast Traveller which calls it 'a bastion of glamour and sophistication' or the Telegraph which says a stay there is 'a truly exceptional experience.'

The style is what Tatler calls 'deliciously old-fashioned', giving guests what CN Traveller describes as 'a sense, enhanced by the rich, warm, golden glow, of having found yourself preserved in amber.' They add that the 'rooms are luxuriously furnished with rich fabrics, 24 carat gold leaf and beautifully restored antique furniture in keeping with the original Louis XVI style.'

The service and staff are at a standard that all other hotels are desperate to achieve. The Telegraph calls the uniforms 'faultless' and praises the characters who look after guests. 'The old school showmen-cum-concierges man their desk with a bravado that borders on anarchy but always puts the guest first.'

Tatler sum it up in a few simple words: 'it doesn't get much ritzier than the Ritz.'

Book here.

The Langham

Slap bang in the middle of London is one of the city's oldest grand hotels, built in 1865. The Telegraph describes it as 'self-assured' and says that 'everything feels as if it has been running the way it should for a long time.'

The hotel was recently treated to an £80m refurbishment and while its kept its traditional style, there's nothing tired about it. As well as a host of rooms and suites at a reasonable price, Conde Nast Traveller notes that 'the Langham houses one of the most luxurious and expensive suites in London.'

Staff know the hotel inside out. Visitors from the New York Times were impressed to find 'footmen decked in dove grey from top hats to trousers, waiting to whisk our baggage off to our room'. Top service is expected and achieved throughout the hotel with 24-hour room service that arrives in minutes, thanks to staff that the Telegraph call 'highly trained.'

The Langham isn't a bad place to have a meal. CN Traveller says 'it would be difficult to name a finer hotel restaurant than Roux at the Landau, where father-and-son dream team Albert and Michel Roux Jr have been casting their culinary spells for the past five years.' The Telegraph says it is 'fantastic value'.

A stay at the hotel doesn't come cheap, but relative to other grand hotels in London, you could be paying a lot more.

Book here.

citizenM Tower Hill

While other top hotels have a grand history to bring people through their doors, citizenM's pull is that it is stylish, fresh and new. But what it lacks in years of familiarity it makes up for in cool simplicity.

It is the eighth hotel in the citizenM chain, and the second in London. The bedrooms are similar to the others in the family, although there are a few new flourishes elsewhere in the Tower Hill hotel. There's a coffeeM bar, collection M shop and a cloudM bar on the top floor that offers what the Daily Telegraph call "spectacular views". The hotel also features "lively art, piles of coffee-table books, slouchy sofas and Verner Panton chairs."

Rooms start at £109 with a non-flexible, early bird rate, so if you're planning something in advance then citizenM is great for style on a budget.

Book here.

Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park

After a mammoth two year renovation, the Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park reopened its doors on 15 April, bringing back to life a hotel which boasts 117 years of high-class history in West London.

Based in the heart of Knightsbridge, the Mandarin Oriental has once again become a bastion of indulgence, with all rooms, suites and public areas inspired by the natural beauty of neighbouring Hyde Park and the glamour of the 20th century Golden Age of travel.

A new array of suites, including penthouses designed by Joyce Wang, are spacious and contemporary, with wonderful views over the leafy canopies of Hyde Park.

Elsewhere, the brand new spa, the brainchild of esteemed New York designer Adam D Tihany, offers exclusive brands and treatments and features a gorgeous Rasul Water Temple.