There are approximately 123,000 hotel rooms in London. Nobody knows for sure exactly how many. You would think that, as with schools or hospitals or public swimming pools, there would exist a definitive and up-to-date list of the city’s hotels. Apparently not. In any case, 123,000 was the figure that some diligent scholar of the hospitality sector came up with back in 2010. A decade later, that number has no doubt increased considerably.
Still, a shortlist of 36 hotels in London is plenty to be getting on with, especially 36 that are as diverse, exciting, innovative, sumptuous, original, and surprising as these. While it is true that certain other great cities of the world are, in hotel terms, similarly blessed—Paris and New York, undoubtedly; Hong Kong and Rome, possibly—none is more so than London.
As for the word ‘best’ in our headline, with its hint of know-it-all certainty, well, provoking a bit of civilized debate is part of the point of lists like these. We hope you will agree that our idea of what is best is generally on the money. If you do not, you may take comfort in the fact that there are at least 123,000 alternatives available to you during your time in London.
What area in London is best to stay in?
If it’s your first time to the capital or you’re looking to stay among the action, most of the best hotels in London tend to surround the West End in areas such as Soho, Piccadilly, Mayfair, and Covent Garden. For a stay that sits alongside greenery, some of London’s smartest high-end hotels neighbor Hyde Park or Green Park, with grand landmarks like Buckingham Palace and Harrods located nearby. To be closer to London’s creative, music and nightlife hub, head to East London, where there are a number of smart hotels in Shoreditch.
Read our complete London travel guide here.
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