Best Luxury 5 Star Hotels in England

A striking, almost Brutalist exterior welcomes those arriving at the Japanese hotel group’s East London home. The Asian influence is strong in the minimal and at times futuristic, Tokyo-like decor, that’s mixed with contemporary European style. Below ground is the restaurant, club, access to a garden, sushi and whisky bars, where the DJs play cool beats – this is certainly a place to be seen. And while rocking a grown-up feel, Nobu is welcoming to kids, providing them with a gift pack on arrival. Guests can also spend time in the hotel’s Pilates studio, relaxing in the treatment rooms and breaking a sweat in the Technogym.

Another historical landmark hotel, the Great Northern sits adjacent to Kings Cross station and juxtaposed against the Renaissance Hotel. This Grande II listed building opened in 1854 during the golden age of steam. The property has been skillfully renovated and is one of London’s finest boutique luxury hotels. Rooms feature beautifully handcrafted furniture and original decor set against Farrow & Ball shades with beautiful Lefroy-Brooks bathroom and free wifi, ideal for anyone arriving and departing from Kings Cross Station.

One of Britain’s most important and finest Neo-Gothic buildings is home to the incredible St Pancreas Renaissance Hotel. Originally designed in 1873 at the Midland Grand, the hotel is now a 5-star powerhouse combining modern conveniences with the elegance of yesterday’s grand accommodation offerings. Relax in spacious luxury guest rooms, unwind in the spa and pool and dine and drink in the hotel’s excellent restaurants and bar options. This is one of our favourite hotels in London!

This hotel first opened in 1997, bringing the brand’s Nobu Japanese-Peruvian dining experience, popular with the A-list, to London. Rooms here are all about space and light. The Como Metropolitan is clutter-free and deeply calming, contrasting the bustle of the streets below. Everything is activated via the touch of the button – from climate control to the smart media system, lit rainfall showers and the thick silk blackout drapes. This serene ambience extends into The Como Shambhala spa, renowned the world over for its acupuncture and shiatsu. Alongside more traditional treatments, top visiting therapists also offer osteopathy and energy healing. 

Slick service, glittering chandeliers and the tinkle of a coral red grand piano await, at the Four Seasons Park Lane. Many of the rooms have their own balconies, reached via glamorous warming corridors lined with photo portraits of Golden Age Hollywood stars. Lauded interior designer Pierre-Yves Rochon is responsible for much of the art deco meets modern styling. Climb to the 10th floor where glass-walled treatment rooms offering curated wellness journeys and a vitality pool are located. Its rooftop relaxation pods are divine and a trip to the sauna affords views over Hyde Park.

A member of the Dorchester Collection, 45 Park Lane has somewhat of a more boutique feel than some of its neighbours. It may have just 45 rooms but doesn’t skimp on size or style; the stunning penthouse suite, accessed by private lift, presents breathtaking panoramic views from its wrap-around balcony, whilst all other rooms and suites are as equally as glamorous with their own unique features. The recently launched Spa offers guests a haven of tranquility where they can indulge in some quiet time by the pool, sauna or steam room or enjoy a well-deserved spa treatment. The building is art deco in design, a theme that continues on within the interiors of the hotel.  Dinner here is an event. Think juicy Wagyu steaks savoured while surrounded by Damien Hirst artworks; this is Wolfgang Puck’s esteemed CUT restaurant – his first venture in Europe. 

The first JW Marriott branded hotel in the UK, this elegant townhouse overlooking Hyde Park, was once home to the Grosvenor family/Dukes of Westminster. While its heritage stems back to the Roaring Twenties, the interiors display a classic contemporary panache. Bedrooms boast king-sized beds, fully stocked minibars, marble bathrooms and Aromatherapy Associates toiletries. It has an American-style steakhouse on the ground floor and a fine dining restaurant by chef Richard Corrigan, as well as two additional eateries and bars. Do stop by The Great Room – now a meeting hall, it was once an ice rink, where none other than our monarch, Queen Elizabeth, learned to skate.

A hotel that needs little introduction. Since opening in 1931, it’s had its own TV docu-series, hosted the Foyles Literary Luncheons as well as the inaugural Pride of Britain Awards and was declared to be one of the safest buildings in the city, during the WWII bombings. Stars such as Barbra Streisand, Edith Sitwell and Alfred Hitchcock have dined here. The Dorchester has five restaurants in total, The Grill, The Spatisserie, The Promenade, China Tang and Alain Ducasse – the latter being one of the few eateries to hold three Michelin stars. And its famed two-course silver-service afternoon tea is unmissable (the hotel went as far as creating its own Dorchester Blend cuppa). Its opulent spa is another highlight, as are the amazing displays by florist-in-residence Philip Hammond. 

Originally built in 1889 as an exclusive gentleman’s club, the building was opened as a grand hotel in 1902 and extensively refurbished in 2000. The Mandarin Group has hotel across the globe and their London residence is situated in fashionable Knightsbridge, overlooking Hyde Park. The hotel has 141 rooms, 40 suites and 3 restaurants and over the years has played host to a number of events involving royalty and celebrity guests. Many stay here to enjoy the oasis of calm at the spa. Chinese medicine treatments, Bastien Gonzalez manis and pedis, the Rasul Water Temple and anti-ageing Nescens facials are all popular items from the wellness menu, while the 17-metre stainless steel pool provides a truly urban luxury style dip. Heston Blumenthal’s restaurant is also a big draw and meals can be taken in the dining room, at the chef’s table or in a private room.

The Landmark London in Marylebone is a magnificent five-star Grande Dame hotel and has, since its debut over 125 years ago, remained an icon of quintessential and elegant London charm. The space offers guests an oasis of luxury and serenity in the heart of the capital. One of the oldest railway hotels in London, The Landmark London was born in the romantic era of train travel, combining the opulence, grandeur and timeless service and design of those times with contemporary flair and five-star amenities. This is best represented in its iconic and soaring eight-storey-high glass atrium that has been at the centre of the hotel since its opening. Centrally located in Marylebone, there are a plethora of shops, restaurants and London landmarks to explore, and the helpful concierge is always happy to guide guests and make recommendations. There really is no need to leave the hotel with the fantastic amenities on offer, the hotel is home to a sensuous spa featuring a health club, four treatment rooms and a sublime 15-metre chlorine-free indoor swimming pool, one of the only five-star hotels in the capital to have one.

Housed in a 19th-century building on Holbein Place, this Victorian mansion now exudes French sensibilities along with an eternal British charm. Hotelier Costes and designer François-Joseph Graf have created a discreet home-from-home with just 30 period bedrooms and suites, ranging from a “Mini” to a two-bedroom apartment. Enter via the Neo-Greek lobby and descend to the lower-ground floor speakeasy bar. Or climb to the top, where you can dine in the candlelit restaurant, surrounded by stained-glass windows, a mosaic floor and an antique collection of Anglo-Chinese vases. Vintage albums and a signature scene throughout create an immersive feel at One Sloane.

Stay in an elegant heritage hotel opposite Hyde Park and Kensington Palace. The Milestone offers 43 deluxe rooms, 13 individually designed suites and six two and three-bedroom residences, your home-from-home in the city. Go to Cheneston’s restaurant for fine English cuisine by Executive Chef Daniel Putz, the Stable’s Bar for hand-made cocktails and the Park Lounge, for a refined daily British afternoon tea service. Additionally, The Milestone has its own chapel, The Oratory, catering for small private events. Below ground, you’ll find a fitness centre, treatment rooms and a resistance pool.