DUKES is an institution, a discrete and charming hotel that, for all its fame, still feels like something of an “address book secret”. Tucked just off the main drag – with close neighbours including the likes of Green Park, Berry Bros. & Rudd, and Lock & Co. Hatters – it’s hiding in plain sight.
You’re unlikely to stumble past DUKES by accident and, even if you did, it’s unlikely you’d recognise it as one of London’s finest somewhat boutique hotels. And if you’re stumbling out, having experienced the thing DUKES is most famous for – the martinis – there’s a very good chance you won’t remember anyway.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
It has been a hotel since 1908 and remains proudly independent, low key and, by London standards, quite compact, with some 90 rooms and suites. There is a hint of private club to it, and there’s a very good chance the team will greet many of your fellow guests with obvious familiarity. Whether you’re a regular or a first timer, however, the welcome is warm.
The Shangri-La occupies 19 floors of The Shard skyscraper and starts on level 34 – 125 metres high – where the reception is located. The hotel itself has 202 rooms and suites, all of which have spectacular views of the city. There are plenty of dining options here too, which are popular not just with hotel guests but also locals.
Many visitors to the capital may choose to stay in a more historic hotel which offers British traditions and pomp, but if you want to experience “new” London then the Shangri-La The Shard is the place to go. From the rooms to the restaurants, everything about the hotel is sensational.
Located in London’s Mayfair at, you’ve guessed it, No. 45 Park Lane, this luxury hotel features just 45 rooms and suites which all overlook Hyde Park. If you really want panoramic views of the capital there’s also the spectacular Penthouse Suite – a 1,830 sq ft two-bed, two-bath Art Deco top-floor apartment with a wrap-around terrace. Part of the Dorchester Collection portfolio, 45 Park Lane is literally across the street from the group’s flagship. One big difference though is that 45 Park Lane does not have an imposing façade like The Dorchester – if you walk past you may not even notice the discrete, yet arty, entrance.
This sets the tone for the hotel as a whole. Once checked in guests are left in private to enjoy their stay, but should you need anything, the hotel’s attentive staff will happily assist. In a previous life the hotel was formerly The Playboy Club, which was nicknamed “the hutch on the park” and a hangout for the rich and famous in London’s Swinging Sixties. Those days may be gone, but guests will still feel like a rock star thanks to the hotel’s top-notch facilities.
The Westminster is part of Hilton’s Curio Collection and it is, indeed, a curio. While many visitors to London are no doubt lured by the joys of Mayfair and the West End, The Westminster’s ’hood puts up a pretty persuasive case as well. It’s a minute’s walk from the River Thames – some rooms have spectacular views of the water – and less than half a mile from Tate Britain. Buckingham Palace, Big Ben, and Westminster Abbey are all within a mile.
Aside from the splendid location The Westminster is a rather enjoyable modern hotel. The beds are comfortable, the bathrooms simple and efficient. Facilities are excellent and the design makes subtle nods to the more secretive side of government life, and close neighbours MI5 and 6.
The term “family-friendly” doesn’t always amount to much when you are looking for a London hotel. Rarely does it refer to a place of character with plenty of thoughtful extras for parents and children, but as somewhere that can simply offer an adjoining room or the option of having an extra bed included in your booking. Treehouse Hotel in Marylebone has thankfully put the fun back into a family stay thanks to rooms that convey a sense of playfulness and exploration, decorated like secret hideaways and perched, as the name suggests, high above the clouds.
The hotel occupies the top floors of an unassuming purpose-built building located next to BBC Broadcasting House, with each room offering panoramic views across the capital. In fact, in north-facing rooms, you’d be hard pressed to find a better view of the BT Tower’s upper levels, including its one-time revolving restaurant on floor 34 of the 189m-high landmark.
If you’re looking for an affordable bolthole in central London, a home from home, then we’ve found just the place. Lime Tree Hotel in Belgravia has been in the Goodsall family for 12 years, and reopened after a full refurbishment during lockdown, complete with a new cafe – The Buttery – and a charming secret garden. With cosy doubles from £170 and singles from £135, you’ll be hard pressed to find better value in the centre of town.
This boutique hotel is less than a mile from Buckingham Palace, with Westminster, Victoria and Piccadilly all within striking distance. A cosy oasis with a stunning garden, great food and impeccable service, it is like like we have unearthed a real hidden gem in the heart of London. Oh and it’s affordable too, what more could you ask for?
You would be forgiven for thinking you’ve entered a nightclub when you set foot inside The Mandrake hotel, round the corner from Tottenham Court Road station. The clubby atmosphere continues in the lobby, which is decked out with opulent crystalline furniture and animal print, with leather-clad (and exceptionally attractive) staff on hand. This place is decidedly cool, but the service is remarkably warm, demonstrating that while The Mandrake is all about fun, it’s still a five-star hotel through and through.
It’s important to point out that The Mandrake isn’t just party, party, party – it’s also focused on health and recovery, with a dedicated wellness concierge and a full programme of workshops and activities centred on nourishing the body and soul.
Great Cumberland Place, Marylebone, London, W1H 7DL
With music, food, rooms and sport on the menu at the Hard Rock Hotel London, this hotel really is an entertainment destination in itself. If you are heading to the capital and fancy a bit of a party, then the Hard Rock is an ideal place to base yourself. It’s slap, bang in the centre of town with Marble Arch, Hyde Park and Oxford Street just steps away.
On arrival and walking into the hotel’s entrance, you are welcomed by a huge open-plan space which is “peak-Hard Rock”. There’s the reception area and lobby, Hard Rock Cafe and live music stage, the Rock Shop, GMT Bar, 3rd Half sports bar and the 24-hour Constant Grind coffee outlet, as well as countless items of legendary musical memorabilia. Other amenities at the hotel include the Rock Royalty lounge and Body Rock gym.
Once the party has finished, there’s plenty of options for you to get your head down. The hotel has 900 rooms and suites across various categories including classic (single, double, twin); superior (king, twin, family); deluxe king park view; and Rock Royalty (double, twin and king rooms, junior suites, junior suites gold).
Playful fun is the aesthetic of Mama Shelter Shoreditch, the London outpost of a chain with branches in 13 cities from Los Angeles to Luxembourg. This is made evident as soon as you enter – the lobby sports bright clashing colours, a retro arcade game and a cabinet with various child- and adult-friendly toys for sale. This is clearly a spot for young professionals looking for a good time in one of the capital’s most prominent party locations.
Rooms here start from around £200 per night, which is surprisingly accessible for a hotel of this standard in such a trendy London location. If what you’re looking for is a weekend of frivolous fun without breaking the bank, then this definitely meets the mark.
London powerhouse the Strand Palace has established itself as one of the largest independent hotels in the capital, yet still manages to ooze old-world charm. Traditional, personalised touches such as the doormen who greet you on arrival, make you feel welcome and cared for.
The bedrooms are classy, compact and clean, and you'll find everything you need for a comfortable stay, including a bed you won’t want to get out of, blackout blinds and beautifully scented shower products from The White Company. Plus, there’s high-speed internet and a HD TV. You’ll also find a great little guide called “The 500 Hidden Secrets of London”. This book is the ideal companion for exploring the city, and the Strand Palace’s prime location means you’re practically on the doorstep of many of the interesting places that feature.
The Standard hotel in London is located opposite the imposing St Pancras Station and minutes from King’s Cross. The company’s first hotel outside of America has found its home in a hulk of classic Brutalist architecture; built in 1974, the grey concrete and abstract shapes are juxtaposed with an eye-catching bright red lift shaped like a giant pill that sits outside the building.
Following a painstaking refurbishment, the whole place feels like a 1970s imagining of what the year 2022 might have looked like, fusing mid-century styles with modern chic and sensibility. The lounge features lots of wood, funky fireplaces and a library based around concepts rather than subjects (Chaos, Science or Adult Relationships, for example) – a nod to the building’s former life as Camden Council Library. The Standard hotels have a unique, achingly hip style that whisks you off to a much cooler world as soon as you step inside.
The South Place Hotel is a slick city launchpad just a stone’s throw from Liverpool Street Station. Created by D&D London, the group best known for destination restaurants such as Skylon in the Royal Festival Hall and German Gymnasium at Kings Cross, this is their assured first step into five-star accommodation.
In more normal times, many of the guests would be those business travellers looking for a comfortable perch in the heart of the financial district – and able to stretch their travel budget beyond the usual chains. Now, though, the hotel is drawing in more post-lockdown leisure travellers who’ve earned a smart city break – or a celebratory night out and a Conran-designed room in which to sleep it off.
109-113 Queen's Gate, South Kensington, London SW7 5LP
If hotels were people, The Kensington would be a Jane Austen hero, with a traditional Victorian exterior concealing a warm and vibrant core. Located in a quiet street in London’s museum-packed South Kensington district, the hotel is part of The Doyle Collection group, which also includes the capital’s more widely known The Bloomsbury and The Marylebone properties.
Made up of four 19th-century stucco-fronted townhouses, The Kensington combines Victorian grandeur with contemporary decor in individually styled spaces that are high on luxury but low on formality. The overall effect is a bit like visiting a very rich friend’s London mansion.
Located in the heart of London’s Belgravia district is The Hari, a boutique hotel with 85 rooms and 14 luxury suites – and an emphasis on art and creativity. The first hotel to launch from the Harilela Group, owned by one of Hong Kong’s wealthiest families, The Hari’s sleek, modern design makes it instantly stand out among the grand terraces of white stucco houses so ubiquitous with that part of west London.
The Hari describes itself as being a “sanctuary for modern travellers and connoisseurs of luxury” and when you consider its location – on the border of Chelsea, Kensington and Knightsbridge, and in walking distance of Harrods, Buckingham Palace and the Royal Albert Hall – it’s clear why.
Beaverbrook Town House is setting the scene for today’s history-makers and social shakers. Punters who have experienced the sibling Surrey estate will have a sense of what they’re in for. The life and character of its most famous resident, Lord Beaverbrook, is evidenced in the attention to detail, lavish decoration, and characterful hints to his wartime contribution. The eponymous Town House is taking this legacy and running with it, by reimagining the life that the newspaper tycoon once led in the capital.
Guests can choose from one of the 14 stunningly refurbished rooms, each a jubilant ode to a London playhouse. Opt for The Royal Court or Shakespeare’s Globe, if the Classic rooms take your fancy, or treat yourself to The Adelphi, Old Vic or Savoy, if a suite is more your style. Plush king size beds are standard, as are minibars stocked with only the finest British-sourced treats, ample wardrobe space and seating areas that will certainly impress. Stylish ensuites feature both baths and walk-in showers, as well as underfloor heating for the ultimate serenity.
Everything about The Mayfair Townhouse feels special, from the marbled floors in reception to the plush carpet of the hallways to the fox-shaped door knockers for every room. The elegant, surreal artwork that graces the reception, rooms and hallways, the recurring fox motif (it’s the hotel’s mascot), the way staff know your name when they greet you at the door... it’s the little details, in everything from the attention paid to customers to the décor, that make the hotel come alive.
I can’t recommend The Mayfair Townhouse enough, and can’t sing its wonderful staff’s praises highly enough. It’s a collection of 15 Georgian town houses – smack dab in the middle of London, with the West End and Piccadilly close by – that manages to feel like an upscale home away from home.
The location sells itself for a city break in the capital, being just a stone’s throw from Shoreditch and with Angel and Soho only a little further afield. Our agenda was simple: relax, refuel and refresh ourselves for the remainder of our weekend.
The hotel offers 288 bedrooms, from “Anything-But-Standard” doubles to Sky-High Junior Suites and interconnecting family rooms too. And if it was delightful by day, our view by night is quite exquisite. Rarely can one feel so in the middle of London’s hustle and bustle while also lying back and taking it in from the comfort of a bed. The Sky-High Double is more than comfortable for two, and the bathroom is almost outrageously generous. Sunlight spills through the similarly room-height window, and the thoughtful touches continue even down to the selected beauty products, sourced from London apothecary anatomē.
(Image credit: The Churchill Residential Suite, Marylebone)
30 Portman Square, London W1H 7BH
Winston Churchill never got to stay at the hotel – it opened in 1970, five years after he died. But the Churchillian theme runs throughout, from the artwork curated by Thompson’s Gallery to the names on the doors, a pair of which lead to the grandest set of rooms.
This is not the presidential suite (although I am told the Obamas stayed here during the 2012 London Olympics), but the Churchill Residential Suite – a four-bedroom, self-contained, newly renovated apartment in the centre of London, with kitchen, study (with ginormous desk), terrace, lounge (with grand piano), dining room (with a table long enough to seat the Cabinet), and let’s just say several bathrooms, with Molton Brown products.
Nestled between Hyde Park and Sloane Square, the discrete yet impressive Chelsea townhouse – The Cadogan, A Belmond Hotel – is the perfect harbour for a romantic getaway. With just 54 rooms over its five floors, the five-star hotel has an intimate scale – at times almost feeling like a private residence – so the staff will get to know you, delivering a very personal and top class stay.
The rooms and suites are exemplary with comfortable beds, pillows and high-end finishes throughout. Marble, parquet flooring, considered lighting and sumptuous carpets, and modern tech such as Bang & Olufsen Bluetooth speakers also feature. Occupying a corner plot, many rooms have views onto Cadogan Place Gardens, including the Penthouse suite which enjoys balconies on both of the building’s facades and a swath of rooms that make it a favourite for anyone looking for indulgence of the highest order.
Part of the Cheval Collection, which has nine luxury all-apartment residences in London and three in Edinburgh, Cheval Gloucester Park reopened in February 2020 following a two-year multi-million pound refurbishment.
Available to book for any length of stay, it has has 98 fully-equipped apartments spread across ten floors. Guests can choose from a one-, two- or three-bedroom apartment or one of the three five-bedroom penthouses – Gloucester, Cromwell and Kensington – which can be found on the upper floors. Located two minutes’ walk from Gloucester Road Tube station, and just ten minutes from South Kensington, Cheval Gloucester Park is a perfect home-from-home for families, couples and single travellers to explore west and central London.
Officially launched in January 2022, this is the debut UK property for the luxury Westin Hotels & Resorts brand and also the 1,000th hotel within the Marriott Bonvoy portfolio in Europe, Middle East, and Africa. With its proximity to London’s financial district – and just a few minutes’ walk from Mansion House, Cannon Street and Bank Tube stations – you’d be forgiven for thinking that it is just another business hotel. However, there’s no stuffiness here.
Designed by British architects Dexter Moren Associates, the Westin is nothing short of stunning. The look is sleek, the atmosphere is relaxed and the facilities are top class. There are 222 rooms plus the Heavenly Spa by Westin, where there are six treatment rooms and an indoor pool.
Sitting at the top of Richmond Hill, with wild deer on the doorstep (or just across the road in the park, at least), the Richmond Harbour Hotel & Spa is a white-fronted Georgian mansion with bags of character. The hotel reopened with a new look after a fire destroyed the third floor in 2019, two years after the former country house was acquired by the Harbour hospitality group. The expert makeover team retained the original winding staircases and other period features, while adding luxury amenities and vibrant decor to suit modern tastes.
The Richmond Harbour doesn’t do unnecessary frills and flounces, just the stuff that guests might actually need to feel at home. The furnishings are simple and streamlined but comfy. And the colour palette is neutral with pops of patriotic red, white and blue, plus textured Mulberry Home wallpaper behind the bed.
The Nutcracker: English National Ballet's reboot restores 'festive sparkle'
Congress reaches spending deal to avert shutdown
Today's political cartoons - December 18, 2024
La Zambra Hotel: reviving the glamour of a Spanish icon
Best UK hotels for Christmas stays in 2024
Jumeirah Burj Al Arab: Dubai's outrageous peak of luxury
Raise your glass at these 7 hotel bars where the vibe is as important as the drinking
Love design? These hotels are ready to startle your eyes and drop your jaw.
The Biltmore Mayfair review: a quintessential slice of luxury London
Langdale Chase Hotel: a cosy nook in the Lake District
How London fell back in love with the brasserie
