Best Cool & Unique Luxury Hotels In London

Hilton London Bankside is at the forefront of Hilton Hotels’ innovative, design-focused evolution. Every element of the hotel has been meticulously thought out to echo the rich history and vibrant atmosphere of the area, merging raw urban elements with sleek, modern aesthetics. A stone’s throw from iconic London attractions like the Tate Modern, Borough Market, and Shakespeare’s Globe, The property boasts 292 guest rooms, including 25 suites that offer stunning cityscape views, along with a rooftop penthouse, peloton guest rooms, a vegan suite, and a heated indoor pool and gym. Two dining experiences are onsite too OXBO Bankside and The Distillery.

Architect George Dance the Younger conceived this property back in the 1800s. These days it enjoys a spot in one of the capital’s trendiest corners. Rooms and suites hark back to its origin story, with rich jewel tones, patterned wallpapers and Persian-style rugs. Many come here just for the restaurant; Quercus is a destination in itself, with chef Stephen Englefield serving South East Asian inspired dishes prepared using ingredients from our own shores. And it’s well worth stopping for a tipple at the bar, whose cocktail menu uses V.R. Vickers Google Book as its muse.

The first art’otel in the capital officially entered London’s hospitality landscape in February 2023. Spanish artist and designer Jaime Hayon is behind the interiors, which take inspiration from the Power Station, while Foster + Partners and Electric Boulevard were responsible for the architecture. The hotel is in Battersea Roof Gardens, part of a whole new district, served by a recently opened tube station. It includes the TOZI Grand Cafe, JOIA, the 15th-floor restaurant by Michelin-starred chef Henrique Sá Pessoa, a spa, a rooftop bar with an infinity pool and 164 arty bedrooms.

Ruby Zoe is located in Notting Hill Gate, the hotel features 173 rooms spread across six floors in a new building. Inspired by Notting Hill’s history and Caribbean heritage, the hotel’s design reflects the vibrant culture of the neighbourhood, incorporating elements from the 1970s, Portobello Road’s colours, and the Caribbean islands. The ground floor offers an open and expansive space with glass fronts, housing a bar, a retail area with a vinyl store curated by resident artists, and a public area for guests and locals to relax or work. The hotel follows Ruby’s Lean Luxury philosophy, providing top design and high-end amenities at an affordable price. The rooms feature open washstands, glass rain showers, fresh white decor, and cherry wood wall panelling. Artwork above the beds depicts colourful houses in Notting Hill. In fall 2023, a glass mosaic artwork by Zak Ové, celebrating the area’s heritage and carnival traditions, will be installed on the hotel’s facade. The hotel’s prime location allows easy access to Kensington Palace, Hyde Park, Portobello Market, and Notting Hill Gate Underground Station.

Just two minutes walk from St Pancras and anything but standard, this hotel offers terraced suites with outdoor bathtubs overlooking the 19th-century station. Housed in a brutalist building, the property plays host to a variety of events including bottomless brunches, chess tournaments, live jazz and panel discussions. 266 dog-friendly bedrooms come with Bang & Olufsen Bluetooth Speakers, Craig Green robes and packed minibars. On the 10th floor is Decimo with Michelin-starred Chef Peter Sanchez-Iglesias at the helm. Plus you can eat and drink in Isla, Double Standard and The Library Lounge and dance to the DJ’s beats at Sweeties disco/late-night bar.

A few minutes walk from Trafalgar Square is this relatively unassuming, Edwardian fronted 153-bedroom hotel. But this was in fact, the original HQ for Scotland Yard, now a five-star refurbished property, that’s part of the Hyatt’s Unbound Collection. The interiors are modern, yet effectively pay homage to the building’s past, with copious memorabilia and artworks. The Yard is the hotel’s aptly named restaurant, plus there’s a cosy colonial style Parlour and a whisky bar evocative of the art deco era. It’s also pet friendly, offers valet parking and has an onsite fitness centre.

This hotel is located on Henrietta Street, and this street is known for its fine architecture. The hotel is owned by a Paris-based business group, but it does not feature French designs. In fact, the rooms have a traditional English and highly unusual design and feel. The general mood in the place is calm, professional and friendly. In total, the hotel has 18 rooms, and one of them is specially designed for visitors with disabilities. There is also an exquisite cocktail bar and a remarkable restaurant.

This was the first ever Hoxton hotel to be launched, landing in Shoreditch in 2006, at a point when the district was beginning to emerge as one of the hippest haunts in the capital. Beyond the brick and glass exterior is the kind of decor that typifies modern East London; a blend of urban, industrial and retro chic. There are 210 bedrooms with design features like parquet floors, accent headboards, distressed-effect rugs, leather Chesterfield wingback armchairs and backlit mirrors. Guests can hang out in the rooftop restaurant and bar, on a lounging sofa by the fire in the lobby, or at the Hoxton Grill.

Complete with panoramic views over the City of London, Canopy by Hilton London City echoes the spirit of one of the capital’s most vibrant neighbourhoods. The UK’s first Canopy by Hilton hotel is set within the multi-million-pound Minories development close to Aldgate station and offers the perfect base for design-conscious visitors looking to immerse themselves in London’s East End.  The hotel’s interior design reflects the rich culture of the area’s historic textile industry inspired by the Huguenot silk weavers who settled in Spitalfields in the 17th century with guest quarters and dining spaces featuring floral patterns and woven fabrics reminiscent of the techniques used by the Huguenots. Artworks created by local artists adorn the public spaces throughout the hotel while inspiration from the area continues throughout the hotel, East End-inspired dishes made with local, sustainable ingredients are served at the hotel’s restaurant Penny Squares, which takes its design inspiration from the quilting technique popular in the textile industry. Meanwhile, Freedom Café, named after Freedom Press Publishing House in Whitechapel High Street, provides the perfect place to relax, work or socialise over a craft coffee or East End-inspired cocktail in the hotel’s ground floor. A must-visit is the hotel’s stunning rooftop terrace Florattica which offers uninterrupted views of the City of London and serves delicious small plates with a great selection of drinks against a vibrant backdrop inspired by the floral patterns of the Huguenots.

Another international chain, the W London is located on Wardour Street, right in the heart of the city’s west end. Giving guests the opportunity to RETOX, or DETOX, there’s The Perception Bar, an epic Frosé Royale brunch menu with Veuve Clicquot, a screening room for movie nights and the AWAY spa offering healing therapies using exclusive NEOM products. 192 bedrooms have a Cool Britannia theme and are the first in the capital to have been equipped with Digivalet technology, allowing guests to personalise their stay with an advanced tablet-based system. Service operates on W’s Whatever/Whenever® ethos, ensuring your every whim is met while staying here.

If you prefer to have your own cooking and dining facilities while staying in London, Leman Locke in Aldgate is a great choice. The self-contained studios and apartments are well placed in the super-cool east, with good transport links into the rest of the city. Each has good views, its own bespoke furnishings, a kitchenette, washing machine, minibar, Apple TV Box and Samsung smart TV. Neutral palettes with pale pastels provide a soothing ambience in the airy, light-filled rooms. For guests wanting to make use of the aparthotel’s shared facilities, there’s also a fitness centre, cafe and bar onsite. 

Found on the city side of London’s trendy Shoreditch, this diamond-shaped hotel makes for a dazzling landmark. The 288 rooms are a minimum of 25 square metres with Sky TV, mood-lighting and electronic curtains, while bathrooms have underfloor heating, rainfall showers and products by Soap Co. The hotel’s restaurant, Moor + Mead, serves seasonal British food in a casual environment and the bar is found on the mezzanine. A spa incorporates an indoor pool with a hydromassage feature, a sauna, a jacuzzi and treatment rooms. Montcalm East is part of Marriott’s Autograph Collection. 

Need some ME time? Mosey on down to The Strand, where you can check into this slick 173-bedroom hotel, designed by Foster + Partners. It was erected on the site formerly home to the Gaiety Theatre and beside the former BBC (Marconi) headquarters. On its 10th floor, the Radio Rooftop bar and restaurant offers far-reaching views of the city’s skyline from Tower Bridge to the Houses of Parliament. STK is the hotel’s refined steakhouse, serving cuts of USDA prime beef, while Luciano is the Italian all day dining destination restaurant headed up by TV chef Gino D’Acampo. And the Marconi Lounge (named after its neighbour) offers a relaxed and chic place to unwind.

So named as it was once a Magistrates’ and police court, this Grade II listed hotel is found just off Regent Street. Many of the original features have been preserved in the privately-owned property. But now it includes 116 bedrooms, a huge pool, the Sanook spa and a 100 seater cinema. Upgrade to stay in Magistrate’s Suites (previously judge’s chambers) or the two-bedroom Lalique suite. The court’s cell block has been transformed into a bar, with artwork depicting its famous real-life defendants Mick Jagger and John Lennon. An alfresco shisha bar strewn with rugs and kept cosy with heaters, is located on the rooftop. 

Conveniently located just a five-minute walk from Stratford train station with easy connections to central London, Westfield Shops, Hackney Wick and Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park all on its doorstep – this hotel is a great base for those who want to explore East London. Guest rooms and suites are modern and minimalistic in design and offer all the in-room amenities a modern-day traveller would expect from the Hilton name.  A relaxed vibe flows through the hotel which offers guests the choice of three restaurants; the All-Day Lounge Bar and Terrace serves breakfast through to dinner, whilst light bites and creative concoctions can be enjoyed at the Cocktail Bar and the Rooftop Bar, located on the 18th floor really is a premier vantage point. Secured and self-parking is also available for guests choosing to travel by car.