Best Luxury Hotels in England

Just a short drive from the racing town of Newbury lies The Vineyard Hotel. There’s a spa with hot tub, pool, steam room and sauna and innovative (part alfresco) dining at InsideOut. Wine is a big deal here with frequent tasting events – head sommelier Roland Bourger is a UK Sommelier of the Year winner and the cellar holds over 30,000 bottles. The rooms are classic and elegant, with four-poster beds and either balconies or patios in the suites.

This five-star country lodge makes for a wonderful state-of-the-art spa break. The hotel is housed in a 19th century mansion, but the spa area is in a separate, modern and eco-friendly wood-clad building with large windows taking full advantage of the views. Outside it has a jetted tub surrounded by loungers, plus there’s an infinity edge pool and a natural wild pool. Rooms come with four-poster beds and claw-foot freestanding tubs and some have private gardens. The award-winning venue also boasts three restaurants, a Billiard Bar, lounges and a terrace for alfresco dining.

There can be no more regal outlook than Buckingham Palace. And that’s exactly what this full-service five-star hotel opposite the Royal Mews offers. Guests are met by liveried doormen, before being checked into bedrooms with four-posters, fabric-covered walls, velvet tapestries and Murano chandeliers. Many of the rooms are royal-themed, paying homage to Britain’s monarchs and singles are available for solo travellers. The English Grill is the main restaurant; The Curry Room has a menu of Indian food; The Palace Lounge offers classic afternoon teas; and The New York Bar is a cool cocktail hangout.

Located close to Buckingham Palace, the Goring was first opened in 1910 and is now the only hotel in London that is still owned and run by the family that built it. At the time of its construction, it was the first hotel in the world in which each of the 69 rooms had a private bathroom and central heating. The Goring, featuring classic English design, is very popular with the Royal Family (recent royal guests include HM The Queen). It was also the hotel of choice for the Duchess of Cambridge, then Kate Middleton, and her family the night before her nuptials with Prince William. Understandably, this placed the hotel firmly on the Royalist tourist trail. The recent opening of Siren was the first new restaurant addition to the hotel for over 100 years. There’s also an elegant main dining room, bar and refined Bollinger afternoon tea service. Live like a monarch by booking the two-bedroom, two-bathroom Royal Suite, with your own dedicated footman, decanter bar and walls lined with silk from the First Class Dining Room of RMS Titanic 1912.

Hotel 41 is a hidden gem located near Buckingham Palace, exuding the intimate ambience of a private members’ club with a prestigious Forbes Five Star rating. This intimate hideaway of a hotel features 30 exquisite rooms and suites, relaxed social spaces and a chic ambience made for discerning travellers. At the heart of the hotel is the sophisticated lounge and historic dining room which offers around-the-clock refreshments along with the unique ‘plunder the pantry’ – a delightful daily treat of sweet and savoury snacks for guests to enjoy at their leisure. Each room is individually styled in black and white, adorned with mahogany panelling, sumptuous bedding, marble bathrooms, accented with playful prints by René Gruau and drawings by French caricaturist Sem. Scented candles and many other fine and indulgent details make for a relaxed and luxurious stay. For a truly special sleep-over, book the Master Conservatory Suite which is set over a split level with a glass ceiling so guests can sleep under the stars in the utmost of comfort. Known for its personalised service, attentive team and sophisticated style, Hotel 41 is an elegant and discrete escape set in a royal location.

The Clermont London, Victoria, originally opened in 1862 as The Grosvenor Hotel is a historic Grade II listed railway hotel designed by James Thomas Knowles. Conveniently located next to Victoria Station, it provides easy access to London’s major landmarks including Buckingham Palace, Hyde Park, Big Ben, Houses of Parliament and Westminster Abbey and Gatwick Airport is easily reached via the Express. The hotel offers a range of accommodation options, from classic rooms to deluxe suites, all featuring contemporary design with a touch of period charm. Guests can enjoy a variety of dining experiences, including The Soak an elegant setting with sumptuous seating, floor-to-ceiling windows and an eclectic menu, open for casual drinks, light bites to formal dinners. The Réunion Bar was once the first-class lounge for the Brighton Belle and overlooks Victoria Station – ideal for people watching whilst sipping on Champagne and cocktails, and The Tea Lounge is the perfect spot for a quintessentially British Afternoon Tea. The hotel caters to both leisure and corporate guests, offering a best-in-class breakfast buffet, corporate dining, and space for meetings and events.

Established by celebrity designer Anouska Hempel, Blakes was the capital’s first five-star boutique residence. Its exclusivity and privacy make it popular with celebrities evading the limelight (Princess Margaret, Sarah Ferguson, Gwyneth Paltrow, Lindsay Lohan and Kate Moss are all said to have stayed here). The decor is inspired by exotic lands – each bedroom reflecting a different pocket of the globe. Its urban garden was created by Matthew Williamson, is open for daytime meals, early evening drinks and boasts a glass birdcage like dining pod. While by night, dining takes place in the venue’s organic Mediterranean eatery. Guests at Blakes Hotel have access to the South Kensington Club, with its traditional Russian bathhouse, or can request in-room spa treatments. 

Privately owned, this hotel themes its rooms on high-brow local attractions: the Natural History Museum, the Science Museum, the Victoria & Albert and the Royal Albert Hall. So does its quirky and interactive Science Afternoon Tea, an award-winning experience – including jams served in petri dishes, chocolate spacemen and dinosaur biscuits – served in the Drawing Room. It’s understandably popular with children, but there’s also a grown-up version, featuring a cocktail flight. Venture beneath the building’s Victorian arches for a more substantial meal, in the Mediterranean eatery Apero. The 111 bedroom South Kensington hotel welcomes small pets in deluxe category rooms and above and won’t charge for their stay. Cots and extra beds can be added on request, for travelling families. 

Like The Gore, this hotel is part of the Starhotels Collezione group, an identity reflected in the otherwise quintessentially British hotel’s Italian basement restaurant. The Pelham’s vintage interiors have been refreshed by designer Kit Kemp, yet retain the original features, stuccoed ceilings and oil painted artworks that nod to its past. Housed in a Victorian townhouse across from the tube station, it’s super convenient for exploring the city. Children love the brand’s VIK (Very Important Kid) programme, with games, activities, menus and amenities. Pets are allowed to stay with you here, too. 

Kids and pets are welcome at this 150 room townhouse hotel. Enter from the bustling Old Brompton Road, into a haven of calm. In-suite Aromatherapy Associates toiletries, Nespresso machines and a minibar help guests to unwind in their own private space. Or there’s the softly lit classic club-style K-Bar, where you can relax with a cocktail on one of its divinely cosy sofas (look out for the bar’s brass doors, which used to belong to Dublin’s General Post Office, the backdrop for the Easter Rising in 1916). Be sure to make a booking at its restaurant, Town House, too. The Kensington is super stylish, sporting statement lighting and plenty of sumptuously tactile textiles. 

In recreating the rooms at the Connaught, Guy Oliver and Guy Collins have fused modern styling with retro touches which help keep the overall impression in harmony with this hotel’s architectural roots. Every room is generously apportioned, particularly the suites; the Sutherland Suite has its own Baby Grand Piano. Restaurant Helen Darroze at the Connaught offers a package that won her two Michelin stars. Relax in the restaurant’s magnificent interior, designed by India Mahdavi. Alternatively, dine at Jean-George’s where British classics blend with Southeast Asian flavours. The hotel also has a spa that offers a range of treatments and alternative therapies.

Fleming’s is situated on Half Moon Street. Here, modern luxury blends with a historical legacy that offers a range of accommodation packages to the modern traveller. From deluxe singles to double suites, there is something for everyone. Each room is colour-coordinated and incorporates key features of a previous artistic style. The hotel has a gym which boasts the latest cardiovascular and weight-resistance equipment. Dine at Ormer Mayfair, take afternoon tea in the Drawing Room or have cocktails in the Manetta’s Bar. It is all there to enjoy.