This city makes its home in the space between extremes: ancient pubs stand next to gleaming skyscrapers, royal pageantry mixes with street art, and over eighty million tourists arrive annually. Yet your selection of accommodations will fundamentally alter your perception of the city. Further insights on intimate seating in London hotel bars can be found on our website.

Covering the spectrum between imposing Victorian-era establishments and odd, intimate designer lodgings, the hotels themselves contribute meaningfully to the London experience; they are not neutral backdrops. If your taste runs toward classic refinement, you will struggle to find an address that tops The Ritz on Piccadilly. Offering sightlines across the peaceful parkland of Green Park, this celebrated address has been synonymous with luxury since 1906.

Walk through its lobby of marble columns and crystal chandeliers, and you'll understand why it remains a favourite for royalty and movie stars. Afternoon tea in the Palm Court, with live piano music and silver trays of finger sandwiches, is an experience you will never forget.

Around the bend, the Mayfair establishment known as The Connaught gives you a quieter atmosphere surrounded by significant artworks, home to a three-Michelin-star restaurant and a cocktail bar regularly voted the best in the world. If you find pleasure in accommodations where the past arrives accompanied by a sense of performance, arrange to stay at The Savoy, which has overlooked the Strand since the Victorian era. Having launched in 1889, it broke ground as the country's premier luxury establishment to offer both electric lighting and elevators.

With the Thames just outside, The Savoy offers some of the best river views in central London, with the illuminated Ferris wheel called the London Eye and the famous St. Paul's dome both appearing from numerous guest rooms. Enter the American Bar, a space that once hosted Frank Sinatra's vocals, or experience live theater at the Savoy Theatre, the hotel's attached performance space.

Add Claridge's to your list of historic London accommodations, frequently described as something akin to a secondary royal residence. This stunning example of Art Deco architecture located in Mayfair has welcomed an astonishing range of famous guests, starting with Winston Churchill and including Audrey Hepburn, and the monochrome reception area still qualifies as one of the most glamorous single spaces in all of London. For travellers who love modern design and skyline views, the capital presents a range of impressive modern accommodations.

Renzo Piano's famous skyscraper, The Shard, which holds the title of Western Europe's loftiest building, houses the Shangri-La Hotel from floors 34 to 52. Visualize yourself in a deep soaking tub, the steam rising around you, as you look out over the London sprawl: Tower Bridge directly visible, Canary Wharf in the middle distance. Do not overlook the Mondrian London (today known as a Sea Containers property) on the South Bank, where the combination of Thames-facing rooms and a rooftop bar results in an ambiance that feels current, hip, and aesthetically conscious.

If you want something easier on the wallet but not on the eyes, the if you book citizenM near the Tower of London or in Shoreditch, expect a small, well-designed room with plenty of technology, a surprisingly large bed, and atmospheric lighting you can control, ideal for a demographic that prioritizes Instagram-worthy design, reliable connectivity, and a good night's sleep over traditional hotel services.