How to choose one’s palace in London

The seat of British royalty, one of the most important financial centres in the world, the capital of rock music, London is a cosmopolitan and effervescent city that can be discovered and rediscovered over and over again and that offers incredible places to stay. Discover 8 of our unmissable palaces of London.

The Dorchester

The Dorchester is a grande dame of London’s luxury hotel scene that faces Hyde Park and is a 10-minute walk away from Buckingham Palace, Downing Street and Westminster. After a major refurbishment, the hotel reopened in January 2023, welcoming guests to fully refurbished public spaces. Inspired by English artists throughout the ages, the hotel called upon the talents of interior designer Pierre-Yves Rochon to reimagine the hotel’s interiors with a more contemporary and eccentric look.

The 250 rooms and suites feature a soft color palette, with pastel shades of pink, green, yellow and blue, floral patterns, velvet furniture and classic English decorations. The Promenade, once in shades of orange and green, has been restored to its former glory with black marble colonnades topped with gold capitals, water-green toadstools and pink and floral armchairs, all bathed in warm light.

The 3-star Alain Ducasse at the Dorchester is the headliner of the hotel’s restaurant collection, where Executive Chef Jean-Philippe Blondet offers guests French haute cuisine designed by Chef Alain Ducasse. The Dorchester Rooftop offers Mediterranean flavors on a spectacular terrace overlooking the city, and the Grill at the Dorchester allows guests to savor Chef Tom Booton’s reinterpreted recipes on classic English grills.

In the Art Deco setting of a 1930s Shanghai, the China Thang at the Dorchester offers authentic Cantonese cuisine and the Orchid Room is renowned throughout the city as the place to go for traditional Afternoon Tea.

In an almost monochromatic cream setting with touches of pink, the Dorchester’s Mayfair Spa is an enveloping and soothing space. Guests can choose from beauty treatments and massages using ingredients such as Hebridean seaweed, while the spa works with brands such as Carol Joy London and Valmont. In addition, The Dorchester offers the services of Dr Uliana Gout, award-winning skincare specialist and founder of London Aesthetic Medicine, for an exclusive five-in-one treatment.

Corinthia London

Located in the heart of London, Corinthia London is one of the capital’s institutions and minutes from the Thames, Covent Garden, Downing Street and The Mall.

Beyond its iconic yellow stone Belle Époque façade (which often featured in the James Bond cartoon as MI6 HQ) guests are welcomed into interiors that blend contemporary and classic aesthetics featuring Victorian pillars in the cream and charcoal lobby.

The 283 rooms and suites feature Art Deco and mid-century furnishings. The penthouses on the upper floors have roof terraces, fireplaces and a different style, ranging from mid-century to Edwardian to contemporary.

Guests can head to Northall for breakfast, with a menu designed by chef André Garrett, and enjoy views of the busy streets of Charing Cross.

Kerridge’s, the hotel’s steakhouse, invites guests to savour Michelin-starred chef Tom Kerridge’s recipes in a large colonnaded room with a “gentlemen’s club” feel, complete with red leather sofas and chairs and bottle green walls.

The Velvet, decked out in red velvet as its name suggests, is the hotel’s champagne and cocktail bar and offers a cozy theatre atmosphere, while the Winter Garden offers an alpine-inspired menu in a setting reminiscent of the snowy forest of the Swiss Alps.

The Corinthia’s award-winning ESPA spa is by far one of its finest features. No less than 4 floors are dedicated to this spa which boasts collaborations with Athletic Medical Performance, Dr Barbara Sturm and renowned acupuncturist James Mutkin.

The Connaught

The Connaught combines old world charm with its mahogany staircase and marble pillars, with a contemporary aesthetic, featuring a Tadao Ando fountain and a collection of over 3,000 works of modern art. In the heart of Mayfair, on the corner of Carlos Place, the hotel is surrounded by luxury shops and high-end restaurants. Bond Street Station is just 5 minutes away, as is Oxford Street.

Behind its classic red brick façade and beautiful glass roof on the ground floor, guests are welcomed into a hotel with a manor house feel, with dark woodwork enhanced by pilasters and gilding, the grand staircase mentioned above, and paintings of hunting and seascapes. These classic works sit alongside works by leading contemporary artists such as Damien Hirst and Barbara Hepworth and floral installations by McQueens.

The Connaught’s 121 guest rooms and suites range in style from contemporary with grey walls and dark, polished furniture to baroque with crystal chandeliers, velvet cushions and lamps and gilded picture frames.

The Connaught’s flagship culinary offering is the 3 Michelin starred restaurant Hélène Darroze at the Connaught which offers a menu inspired by the guest’s choice of seasonal produce, a bespoke menu. The interior designed by Pierre Yvanovitch is that of an intimate and cocooning setting with its blush colours, woodwork, curved lines and warm light.

Elsewhere, the Jean-Georges at the Connaught restaurant, run as its name suggests by chef Jean-George Vongerichten, offers a beautiful view of the square and the streets of Mayfair through its glass roof. Guests enjoy their breakfast here. The chef is also responsible for the menu at the Connaught Grill.

The hotel’s bars are iconic with their electric atmosphere. The Connaught Bar and Coburg Bar are now joined by the new Red Room. The bar is accessible from the Champagne Room, hidden behind a velvet curtain, and offers an almost decadent boudoir atmosphere with a red theme. The works on display are all female and the dominant work “I am Rouge” by artist Louise Bourgeois seems to set the tone for the bar which also features works by Jenny Holzer, Ti-a Thuy Nguyen and a single photographic piece by Trina McKillen. The only work by a male artist is Brian Clarke’s bright blue and red glass panels that create luminescent arches in the room.

The Connaught also has a patisserie and a dedicated cigar shop, Connaught Cigar Merchants. The hotel also offers exclusive experiences such as the Chef’s Table, the Sommelier’s Table and the Champagne Room for guests looking for a unique culinary experience.

Finally, the Connaught is home to the first-ever Aman spa outside an Aman resort. Guests can enjoy holistic treatments, body massages and healing therapies. Guests also have access to the indoor black granite pool and a fully equipped fitness centre.

The Berkeley

Located just a stone’s throw from Hyde Park and Harrods, The Berkeley is a design temple where each room is a world in itself.

Behind the hotel’s stately and understated façade, guests are welcomed into an interior featuring the work of renowned designers such as the late David Collins, André Fu and Helen Green, among others. All 190 rooms and suites at the Berkeley have a classic, residential feel, with a muted palette of brown and cream, art-deco inspired furnishings and a splash of color here and there, through the floral arrangements or artwork.

Seven restaurants and bars make up the Berkeley’s culinary offering.

The Collins Room is the heart and soul of the restaurant, where guests can enjoy breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea and dinner. The Bishop at Berkeley offers a cosy pub-style atmosphere and look with a menu of classic British comfort food.

The Marcus showcases the talents of Michelin-starred chef Marcus Wareing. The Berkeley Bar & Terrace and Blue Bar offer a wide range of cocktails, fine wines and spirits in a sumptuous Art Deco setting.

Finally, for foodies, the hotel offers the Berkeley Café, and Cédric Grolet at the Berkeley, with his famous menu of trompe l’oeil treats.

The Bamford Wellness Spa at the Berkeley offers treatments from Bamford brands as well as a collaboration with Oskia London. Guests also have access to the rooftop pool and a fully equipped fitness centre.

The Ritz London

Open since 1906, The Ritz London is the epitome of classic glamour. Nearly 120 years later, the hotel’s unique blend of French opulence and English sophistication continues to earn it a reputation as one of the capital’s most iconic palaces, frequented by high-profile figures from royalty to politicians to Hollywood stars.

Between Buckingham Palace, Piccadilly Circus, Hyde Park and Mayfair, the Ritz is located in the beating heart of the city.

Its neoclassical façade gives way to interiors inspired by the French Baroque style, with references to addresses such as the Château de Versailles. Luxurious fabrics, domed ceilings with gold detailing, frescoes and crystal chandeliers are what guests can expect from the moment they enter the hotel.

Similarly, all 136 rooms and suites feature Louis XVI style interiors with gilding, period furniture in velvet or floral motifs.

The Ritz London’s culinary offering includes three outlets.

The Ritz Restaurant invites guests into a sumptuous baroque setting with gilding, painted frescoes, a gilded statue of Poseidon, a large lattice wall mirror, tassel curtains and chandeliers. The large windows of the room offer a green view of Green Park.

Guests enjoy Michelin-starred cuisine from Executive Chef John Williams. The Rivoli Bar, with its lacquered wood decor and gold Art Deco frieze, is a precious setting.

The Palm Court, with its carved fountains in niches, marble columns and fluted pilasters, as well as its elaborate glass roof, gilding and chandeliers, is a jewel and an institution.

The Hiro Miyoshi at the Ritz salon, located on the 7th floor, offers treatments and massages, hair and make-up, as well as access to a fully equipped fitness centre.

Claridge’s London

A grand dame of London luxury hotels since the 1850s, Claridge’s combines old world charm with a classic English atmosphere.

Located in the heart of Mayfair, Claridge’s is on the corner of Brook Street and Davies Street, just minutes from the high street shops of Oxford Street. Claridge’s is a quintessentially British building with a red brick façade. It was built by Charles William Stephens in 1898, the architect of the iconic Harrods.

Behind its Victorian red-brick façade, the hotel’s 1920s Art Deco interiors house 190 rooms and suites, all of which feature a contemporary take on the Art Deco style. With a palette of white, beige and soft colors, curved furniture and a few floral motifs, the room interiors are elegant, feminine and soothing.

The interiors of the rooms and suites contrast with those of the communal areas, which have something more inherently British about them, with a palette ranging from red, to green and brown.

Claridge’s offers 5 restaurants and bars and a number of unique dining experiences.

The Foyer & Reading Room is located in the heart of the hotel and has the feel of an elegant and understated English living room with its cream-colored walls, glass arches, pilasters and bottle-green leather empire chairs. It welcomes guests for breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea and dinner. Continuing the British ambience is the classic Claridge’s Bar with its red leather stools and the Fumoir with its gentlemen’s club atmosphere of brown wood paneling and dark velvet banquettes.

For photography enthusiasts, the Fumoir is adorned with black and white photographs by William Klein.

Still in the Art Deco style, the third bar of the hotel, the Painter’s Room, has the cocooning and refreshing atmosphere of a boudoir with its pinkish tint, its bar and its small fluted stools. Finally, Claridge’s ArtSpace Café is a new John Pawson-designed venue with its own entrance on Brook’s Mews, open for breakfast and lunch as a takeaway or counter.

Claridge’s Spa is a haven of peace and wellness, designed by André Fu and inspired by the Zen gardens of Kyoto. There, guests can enjoy a long menu of massages and treatments, access to the indoor pool, a Josh Wood hair salon, and a state-of-the-art fitness studio.

The Savoy Hotel

With its prime location along River Thames, with unbeatable views over the London Eye, ageless Art Deco architecture, and ubiquitous sense of elegance , The Savoy continues to be one of the city’s reigning Grande Dame, and is only getting better with age!

Located in close proximity to landmarks such as the Royal Opera House, the West End theatres, and Covent Garden, it is no wonder why The Savoy’s history is so intricately linked to the city’s cultural landscape.

Housed within the extensively renovated building (which still retains much of its Art Deco/ Edwardian charms and aesthetics) are an astounding 267 rooms and suites.

Whether it is the entry level rooms or the signature Personality suites, all boasts either the glamour of either the hotel’s Art Deco or Edwardian style, and sometimes, even a blend of both. Chandeliers, freestanding bathtubs, period furniture, and a beautiful collection of paintings hanging throughout the room are just a few of the elements that guests can expect.

7 restaurants and bars make up the culinary offering of the hotel, with their flagship outlet being their collaboration with celebrity Michelin-starred Chef Gordon Ramsay.

Indeed, the chef boasts 3 restaurants at the hotel: The River Restaurant, the Savoy Grill, and the Restaurant 1890, each offering a different décor and menu. The Thames Foyer is seen as the heart of the hotel, with its glass-domed atrium and gazebo at the centre, where the live pianist performs every day. The place is especially known for its Afternoon Tea experience.

The hotel also features the Simpson’s in the Strand known for its menu of classic British cuisine. The hotel also features two bars: the American Bar, the longest surviving cocktail bar in London and one of the most famous bars in the world, and the stand-out Beaufort Bar with its stunning black and gold décor.

Completing the hotel offering is the Beauty & Fitness centre at the Savoy. The facilities include massages and beauty treatments, access to the swimming pool, a sauna and steam room, and two state-of-the-art gym areas.

The Lanesborough

At the junction of Green Park and Hyde Park, The Lanesborough is the former residence of Viscount James Lane in the 1720’s. Its imposing neo-classical façade and lavish classical interiors offer a journey into 19th century British elegance and refinement.

While The Lanesborough may be at the heart of London, the hotel exhibits the kind of hospitality and atmosphere that one would associate with the old manors of pastoral England.

Every one of the 93 room and suite of the hotel feels like a time capsule to the Victorian era; richly furnished with comfortable settees, with flower-patterned fabrics, gilded mirror frames, thick carpets, polished period desks and chairs, and classical paintings.

The hotel’s touch of whimsy comes in the form of a rather unusual palette of colours with tones of pistachio, powder blue, salmon pink and pastel yellow among others.

5 restaurants and bars make up the culinary offering of The Lanesborough. The Lanesborough Grill is the flagship restaurant of the hotel, with a beautiful interior design reminiscent of an Edwardian living rooms. With plush sofas, a crystal chandelier, and potted plants, guests can enjoy the cuisine of Executive Chef Shay Cooper. The restaurant also serves a stunning themed Afternoon Tea.

The Library Bar is described as a “liquid museum” where guests can sit down to enjoy fine spirits and vintages.

The Withdrawing Room, located just off the lobby, is a richly decorated area, with chandeliers, damask curtains, gilded ceilings, and hand-painted trompe-l’oeil marbling, where guests can sit down at any time of the day to enjoy a light lunch or tea.

The Garden Room offers one of the most unique experiences in the capital, by inviting guests to enjoy fine spirits, light dishes and Cuban cigars in a setting of rich leather and lush greenery.

The Lanesborough concludes its offering with the Lanesborough Club & Spa, which was crowned the Best London Spa at the Good Spa Award of 2022. There, guests can enjoy a list of massages and beauty treatments, with products from Royal Fern and Tata Harper. Guests also have access to a fully equipped fitness center, saunas, steam rooms, and a hydro pool.

Booking Your Next London Stay

Feeling inspired by our London hotel guide? Book your next getaway with Lartisien! We hand-pick our selection of UK and London hotels for guests to indulge in high quality service, facilities and guest experience. Contact our team for further information or if you have any questions about a booking.