Luxury Boutique Hotels in London

Luxury boutique hotels in London don’t have to be super expensive. Truly.

In fact, when it comes to staying in style in London, you can find budget friendly lodging. This is true in some of the best boroughs and neighborhoods, near the city’s must-see sights.

Best luxury boutique hotels in London

When visiting London, location is probably a big part of your lodging decisions. For example, are you looking for the best hotels in Covent Garden? I know that people who are in town to take classes at Peloton London Studios want to stay nearby.

Or are you looking for a more touristy area, such as Traflagar or Piccadilly? Luckily, there are stylish hotels to stay in whichever district you choose. This includes luxury and boutique hotels that don’t have to break the bank.

Here is your guide to the best hotels in London.

Hotels in Mayfair London

The Mayfair area of London is in Central London. It’s definitely a luxurious part of the city.

Mayfair borders Soho and Hyde Park, and is quite close to Buckingham Palace.

There are definitely nice chain hotels in Mayfair, such as the JW Marriott Grosvenor House London.

However, there are also other luxury hotels worth booking, including one family-friendly place to stay. Here are a few Mayfair properties to consider

The Ritz London

The Ritz Hotel in London is a true icon. I mean, when you think about the epitome of luxury and style, you probably think about putting on The Ritz. Well, there you go.

You’ll find that each of the hotel’s guest rooms and suites is individually designed, with classic and refined touches. Some rooms have sweeping views of nearby Green Park.

Also, the hotel’s signature afternoon tea served in the opulent Palm Court is a quintessentially British experience.

If you’re a fan of afternoon tea and Wedgwood china specifically, I recommend a day trip to the Wedgwood Museum & Visitors Centre in Barlaston, Stoke-on-Trent. It’s about two hours from London.

The Athenaeum Hotel & Residences

Speaking of afternoon tea, when we took our tween daughters to London, it was at The Athenaeum where we enjoyed a lovely afternoon tea. You don’t have to be a guest of the hotel to do that.

However, if you’re looking for a five-star luxury hotel in Mayfair that will welcome your family, The Athenaeum is it. One of the reasons it’s a family-friendly place to stay is because you stay in luxury serviced apartments versus a regular old hotel room.

They have a kitchenette, bunk beds and ample space. Sounds a lot like the apart-hotel, European vacation rental we stayed in while visiting Paris.

Also, if you’re a Peloton user like I am, you’ll be thrilled to learn that The Athenaeum is a London Peloton hotel.

Claridge’s

Claridge’s is the only hotel in London where you can stay in a glass-wrapped rooftop suite with its own swimming pool, garden and gym. And there’s no need to go out to eat.

When you book this luxury lodging, you can have whatever you desire to eat in your room. This ranges from Michelin star cuisine to your favorite artichoke pizza. You name it; you can have it.

Naturally, this stylish experience does not come cheap. The hotel doesn’t even advertise the cost of The Penthouse at Claridge’s.

However, if you don’t have an endless budget, you can still stay at this Art Deco hotel. Or, you can stop by for afternoon tea or to sip a cocktail and people watch.

Hotel in London’s financial district

One of the benefits of booking a hotel in the City of London’s financial district is what weekends are like. That is, it’s a bustling area during the work week, for obvious reasons.

However, on the weekends, the financial center where the Bank of England is headquartered transforms into a more low-key London neighborhood. Plus, if you want to stroll the waterfront, much of this area is close to the River Thames.

The Ned

The Ned is a stunning boutique hotel in a grand 1920s building. It is in the heart of London’s financial district.

The hotel features 252 rooms, each with a unique style and design. For example, you might find antique furniture and contemporary artwork in the same space.

Also, Ned’s Club Gym is what The Ned hotel gym is called. It has two Peloton bikes in it.

Westminster London hotels

The City of Westminster London is known for many things. This includes Big Ben, the Houses of Parliament and Westminster Abbey, where King Charles was recently crowned.

Not surprisingly, there are a number of hotel options here, especially since touristy areas of London are in Westminster.

The Westminster London Curio Collection by Hilton

A writer friend of mine recommends The Westminster London, part of the Curio Collection by Hilton. Here is why she likes it so much–it’s located next to MI5 headquarters. In case you didn’t know, MI5 is England’s spy agency.

Personally, I love the series “Slow Horses,” which focuses on disgraced MI5 agents that have been exiled to Slough House. You can watch “Slow Horses” on Apple TV+.

Did you know that Target Circle members can get a free three-month Apple TV+ subscription?

Anyway, back to The Westminster London, part of the Curio Collection by Hilton.

“The hotel was as full of elegance and intrigue as promised by the plaques on my floor, which described clandestine meetings between real-life spies,” explains Jennifer Petoff who writes the Sidewalk Safari blog. “I could just imagine James Bond sidling up to the bar to order a martini!”

The Savoy

This isn’t the first time I’ve written about The Savoy hotel. One, it is in the Covent Gardens area, so a hotel close to Peloton London Studios.

Also, The Savoy is a London Peloton hotel in and of itself, since it has a Peloton bike in the fitness center.

From a luxury standpoint, this London hotel is the epitome of style and, not surprisingly, the hotel of choice for the rich and famous. It includes The Royal Suite By Gucci.

Yes, that’s Gucci the designer. When you book it, you’ll get a private butler, Italian cocktails, a Gucci Savoy gift as well as a complimentary Rolls Royce to take you shopping at the Gucci store.

The Savoy is also home to the oldest cocktail bar in London, where you can enjoy a sidecar cocktail, the American Bar and the Savoy Grill by Gordon Ramsey.

Stylish hotel near tourist attractions

When I think about tourist attractions in London, of course I think about the London Eye and Buckingham Palace. However, as someone who writes a lot about shopping, must-sees for me in London were always department stores.

So, the last time I was in London, I made sure to spend a few hours perusing the iconic department store Harrods as well as Marks & Spencer. You’ll also find great shopping at Primark.

In fact, when my daughter spent her junior year abroad at Queen Mary University of London, she got nearly everything she needed for her flat at Primark.

Now, if you want to book a Marriott hotel near these kinds of tourist destinations, you’ll want to look at The Park Tower Knightsbridge.

The Park Tower Knightsbridge

The full and complete name of this hotel is The Park Tower Knightsbridge, a Luxury Collection Hotel, London. As I mentioned, it’s part of the Marriott chain.

The Park Tower Knightsbridge is a five-star luxury near Harrods department store. Harrods is a mere six-minute walk away.

If you really want to go all in for your luxury stay, book the Lowndes Penthouse Suite. It offers breathtaking London skyline and Hyde Park views.

Also, it comes with services of the park tower butler. They can help with anything you need, from arranging theater tickets for a West End show to bringing you home comforts, such as potato casserole or your favorite burger.