The doorman at the Claridge’s, the top hat, the tails, the “Good evening, madam, welcome to the Claridge’s”, is the essential London hotel experience. The 5-star hotel in the London is the most expensive in the world (the £800–5,000/night for the entry-level room, the suites from the £3,000), and the 5-star hotel is the essential London splurge, the one night that costs the same as the week in the Airbnb, the one night that is the memory. The best 5-star hotels in the London are the institutions: the Claridge’s, the Savoy, the Ritz, the Connaught, the Berkeley, the names that are the synonyms of the luxury, the service, and the sense of the London of the Agatha Christie, the Churchill, and the Queen. Here are the best.

Top 5-Star Hotels in London

• The Claridge’s (the Mayfair), the art deco queen: The Claridge’s is the most beautiful hotel in the London: the art deco lobby (the 1929, the mirrored, the marble, the chandelier, the most beautiful hotel lobby in the UK), the rooms (the Fera at the Claridge’s, the restaurant, the Michelin star, the Simon Rogan, the British produce. ~£120 for the tasting menu), the Claridge’s Bar (the martini, the art deco, and the best hotel bar in the London. ~£25 for the martini), and the afternoon tea (the Foyer and the Reading Room, the sandwiches, the scones, the cakes, and the best afternoon tea in the London. ~£85 per person, and the essential booking 3–6 months in advance). The room: the Mayfair suite (the art deco, the view of the Brook Street, and the most beautiful suite in the London. ~£2,000/night). The essential experience: the afternoon tea (the £85 is the best-value way to experience the Claridge’s if the £800 room is the beyond the budget). More UK →
• The Connaught (the Mayfair), the modern classic: The Connaught is the most elegant hotel in the London: the restaurant, the Hélène Darroze at the Connaught (the 3 Michelin stars, the tasting menu, and the best meal in the London. ~£225 for the 7-course tasting menu), the bar, the Connaught Bar (the David Collins design, the silver-leaf ceiling, the martini trolley, and the best cocktail bar in the world according to the World’s 50 Best Bars in the 2020 and the 2021. ~£25 for the martini), and the rooms (the classic, the 2014 redesign, the quiet, and the most comfortable bed in the London. ~£800/night for the entry-level). The essential experience: the martini at the Connaught Bar (the trolley, the ceremony, the gin, the bitters, and the best cocktail in the London). The Ritz (the Piccadilly), the golden: the most famous hotel in the London (the 1906, the Louis XVI interior, the gold leaf on the every surface, and the Palm Court, the most famous afternoon tea in the world. ~£80), and the dress code (the jacket and the tie for the gentlemen in the evening, the most formal of the London hotels). The Savoy (the Strand), the theatre hotel: the 1889, the first luxury hotel in the London, the view of the Thames, the American Bar (the most famous hotel bar in the world, the 1893, the birthplace of the Hanky Panky cocktail. ~£25), and the theatre, the Savoy Theatre, the Noel Coward, the D’Oyly Carte, and the Gilbert and the Sullivan