London Hotels Hotels

The 11 Best Hotels in London for Every Budget (2026)

Updated October 2026 · 11 picks

The best hotels in London in 2026 are Claridge's and The Goring for classic luxury, Rosewood London, The Ned and Ham Yard Hotel for style in the centre, and The Standard and The Hoxton for a younger crowd. For value, citizenM Tower of London and Premier Inn County Hall put you beside the big sights for far less.

For a first visit, stay inside Zone 1 and near a Tube station on the Piccadilly, Jubilee or Elizabeth line: the West End, Covent Garden, the South Bank and the City put most sights within a walk or a short ride. Rates jump in June, during big events and in the run-up to Christmas, and January and February are the cheapest months. London rooms run small, so check the square metres before you book a "standard" room anywhere.

1. Claridge's — Mayfair, Soho & the West End

The most London of the grand hotels: Art Deco glamour, flawless service and a Mayfair address.

$$$$ SplurgeBest for Couples · Luxury · First-timers

Claridge's has been Mayfair's society hotel for well over a century, and the Art Deco lobby, black-and-white floors and gleaming staff still set the standard. Rooms range from Victorian-styled to Deco, with some of the city's most generous suites.

Afternoon tea in the Foyer and drinks in Claridge's Bar or the Fumoir are events in themselves, even if you sleep elsewhere. It suits couples and anyone who wants one classic London splurge within walking distance of Bond Street and Hyde Park.

Good to know: Book afternoon tea in the Foyer well ahead; weekend slots go weeks in advance.

Brook Street, Mayfair, London W1K 4HR

Google Maps Website

2. The Goring — Belgravia, Westminster & South Kensington

A family-owned five-star a few minutes' walk from Buckingham Palace, with a private garden.

$$$$ SplurgeBest for Couples · Luxury · Families

The Goring is London's only family-owned five-star hotel, and it shows in the personal service and the sense that nothing has been designed by committee. It sits behind Buckingham Palace, and many rooms overlook its large private garden, a rare thing in central London.

The dining room is a temple to British classics, and the bar and lounge are among the most comfortable places in the city for a quiet drink. Best for couples and anyone who wants traditional English luxury without Mayfair's bustle.

Good to know: Ask for a garden-view room; the street side looks onto a quiet mews, but the garden is the point.

15 Beeston Place, London SW1W 0JW

Google Maps Website

3. Rosewood London — Holborn, Soho & the West End

A grand Edwardian courtyard hotel ten minutes' walk from Covent Garden.

$$$$ SplurgeBest for Couples · Business · First-timers

Rosewood occupies a former insurance headquarters on High Holborn, entered through a carriageway into a cobbled courtyard. Inside it is one of London's best-run luxury hotels, with large, calm rooms and a central location between the West End and the City.

Scarfes Bar, with its caricatures, open fire and live music, is one of the best hotel bars in town, and the Holborn Dining Room is known for its pies. It suits couples, business travellers and theatre-goers who want to walk home after a show.

Good to know: Holborn station (Central and Piccadilly lines) is two minutes away, so Heathrow is a single Piccadilly line ride.

252 High Holborn, London WC1V 7EN

Google Maps Website

4. The Ned — Bank, The City

A Lutyens-designed former bank turned hotel with restaurants under one vast banking hall.

$$$ UpmarketBest for Couples · Business · Groups

The Ned fills the former Midland Bank headquarters, designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens, next to the Bank of England. The ground floor is a huge banking hall of green marble columns turned into a run of restaurants and bars, which makes it a lively base rather than a quiet one.

Rooms are styled in 1920s and 1930s fashion and range from small to large, and hotel guests can use some of the members' facilities, including the rooftop. It is a strong choice for weekends, when City hotels are cheaper and the streets around are quiet.

Good to know: Book a weekend stay; City hotels are cheaper on Friday and Saturday nights and the area is calm.

27 Poultry, London EC2R 8AJ

Google Maps Website

5. Ham Yard Hotel — Soho

Kit Kemp's colourful design hotel, steps from Piccadilly Circus, with its own bowling alley.

$$$$ SplurgeBest for Couples · Families · First-timers

Ham Yard is a Firmdale hotel, which means Kit Kemp's bold fabrics and art in every room, a tree-filled courtyard off a Soho side street, and a calm that feels unlikely two minutes from Piccadilly Circus.

It also has a 1950s bowling alley, a private theatre and a roof garden, which makes it good with older children. A natural base for theatre trips and Soho dinners.

Good to know: The bowling alley can be booked by non-guests too, which makes it a good rainy-day plan with kids.

1 Ham Yard, London W1D 7DT

Google Maps Website

6. Kimpton Fitzroy London — Russell Square, Bloomsbury, Camden & King's Cross

A restored Victorian landmark on Russell Square, near the British Museum and King's Cross.

$$$ UpmarketBest for Couples · First-timers · Business

The Kimpton Fitzroy occupies the terracotta palace that was long the Hotel Russell, overlooking Russell Square. The restoration brought back its marble lobby and Palm Court, and rooms are bright and well designed, if not huge.

Bloomsbury is quieter than the West End but well connected: the British Museum is five minutes' walk, and Russell Square station is on the Piccadilly line straight to Heathrow. Good value for a four-star with this much character.

Good to know: The Piccadilly line from Russell Square runs direct to Heathrow; no changes with luggage.

1–8 Russell Square, London WC1B 5BE

Google Maps Website

7. The Standard, London — King's Cross

A playful design hotel in a 1970s brutalist building opposite St Pancras.

$$$ UpmarketBest for Couples · Solo · Nightlife

The Standard turned the former Camden Town Hall annexe into a hotel with a sense of humour: a ground-floor library lounge, retro-modern rooms and a bright red pill-shaped lift up the outside of the building to the rooftop restaurant, Decimo.

It is directly opposite St Pancras International, so it suits anyone arriving on the Eurostar or catching trains north, and King's Cross's canal-side restaurants are a short walk. Expect a younger, social crowd and music in the public spaces.

Good to know: Some rooms have outdoor terraces with baths; worth asking for in summer.

10 Argyle Street, London WC1H 8EG

Google Maps Website

8. Hazlitt's — Soho

Three Georgian townhouses on Frith Street, full of antiques, creaking floors and literary history.

$$$ UpmarketBest for Couples · Solo

Hazlitt's is a small hotel in early 18th-century houses on Soho's Frith Street, where the essayist William Hazlitt spent his last years. Rooms are named after people connected with the houses and filled with antique beds, panelling and clawfoot baths.

There is no restaurant, just an honesty bar in a wood-panelled library, but Soho's restaurants are on the doorstep. Ideal for couples and anyone who wants old London character rather than a big-hotel experience.

Good to know: It's an old building — ask about stairs and room sizes if you're travelling with heavy bags.

6 Frith Street, London W1D 3JA

Google Maps Website

9. The Hoxton, Shoreditch — Shoreditch

Affordable, well-designed rooms and a buzzing lobby in the middle of Shoreditch's nightlife.

$$ Mid-rangeBest for Budget · Solo · Couples

The Hoxton's original London hotel is the template for the brand: compact, thoughtfully designed rooms at fair prices, and a ground floor that works as a café, co-working space and bar from breakfast to late.

Shoreditch's cocktail bars, Brick Lane, Spitalfields and Columbia Road are all within a short walk, and Old Street and Shoreditch High Street stations connect you to the centre. Best for couples and solo travellers who want to be where London goes out.

Good to know: Room sizes are labelled Shoebox, Cosy and Roomy — the names are honest, so size up if you're staying more than two nights.

81 Great Eastern Street, London EC2A 3HU

Google Maps Website

10. citizenM Tower of London — Tower Hill, The City

Smart, compact rooms beside the Tower of London, with a rooftop bar overlooking it.

$$ Mid-rangeBest for Budget · Solo · Couples

citizenM keeps prices down with small rooms built around a huge bed, a rain shower and a tablet that controls the lights, blinds and TV. Check-in is self-service, and the lounge downstairs works as a living room, bar and canteen.

This branch faces the Tower of London, with Tower Bridge a few minutes away, and its rooftop bar has one of the best views in the area. A reliable choice for budget-minded couples and solo travellers.

Good to know: Rooms fit two adults only; families need a second room.

40 Trinity Square, London EC3N 4DJ

Google Maps Website

11. Premier Inn London County Hall — South Bank

A dependable budget hotel right next to the London Eye and across the river from Big Ben.

$$ Mid-rangeBest for Families · Budget · First-timers

This Premier Inn sits inside the County Hall building beside the London Eye, which gives a budget hotel one of the best addresses in the city: Westminster Bridge, Big Ben and the South Bank walk are all on the doorstep.

Rooms are standard Premier Inn — clean, quiet, good beds, no frills — and family rooms fit two adults and two children. It's the go-to for families and budget travellers who want to walk to the sights.

Good to know: Book direct and early; flexible rates here climb fast in school holidays.

County Hall, Belvedere Road, London SE1 7PB

Google Maps Website

Frequently asked questions

What is the best area to stay in London for first-time visitors?

Covent Garden, Soho and the South Bank are the most convenient: central, walkable to the West End theatres, Trafalgar Square and the river, and well served by the Tube. South Kensington suits families (museums, Hyde Park), King's Cross suits anyone arriving by Eurostar or heading north by train, and the City is good value at weekends when the office crowds leave.

How much does a good hotel in London cost per night?

Budget chains such as Premier Inn and citizenM usually start from around £120–£200 a night in central London; good four-star and design hotels run roughly £250–£500; and the grand five-stars in Mayfair and Knightsbridge typically start from around £800 and climb steeply for suites. Prices swing a lot with dates, so compare across a few nights.

Is VAT included in London hotel prices?

Rates shown in the UK almost always include VAT at 20%. Some booking sites show prices before tax for international audiences, so check the final total at checkout.

When is the cheapest time to book a London hotel?

January and February, outside half-term school holidays, are usually cheapest. Expect the highest prices in June and July, around Wimbledon and big concerts, and from late November through New Year. Sunday nights are often the cheapest night of the week in the City and Canary Wharf, where hotels rely on business travel.

Where are the best luxury hotels in London?

Mayfair, Knightsbridge and Belgravia hold most of them — Claridge's, The Connaught, The Dorchester, The Lanesborough and The Peninsula — with The Savoy and Rosewood near Covent Garden. See our full guide to the best luxury hotels in London.

1. Claridge's — Mayfair, Soho & the West End

2. The Goring — Belgravia, Westminster & South Kensington

3. Rosewood London — Holborn, Soho & the West End

4. The Ned — Bank, The City

5. Ham Yard Hotel — Soho

6. Kimpton Fitzroy London — Russell Square, Bloomsbury, Camden & King's Cross

7. The Standard, London — King's Cross

8. Hazlitt's — Soho

9. The Hoxton, Shoreditch — Shoreditch

10. citizenM Tower of London — Tower Hill, The City

11. Premier Inn London County Hall — South Bank

Frequently asked questions

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