The most iconic British hotels in London revealed

Checking into Raffles at The OWO feels less like a hotel stay and more like stepping inside the engine room of 20th-century history. Set within the former Old War Office on Whitehall, this is where Winston Churchill wrestled with wartime strategy, from the darkest days of 1940 to the monumental decision to launch the Normandy landings. It’s also where Britain’s intelligence services once operated, alongside the trailblazing female spies who redefined modern espionage.

The result? A building that hums with intrigue, and now oozes contemporary glamour after an extraordinary restoration. Think grand marble staircases, two-and-a-half miles of corridors and a mood best described as ‘stately home meets spy thriller’. Dining is led by Mauro Colagreco, whose hyper-seasonal menus champion the biodiversity of the British Isles, while the four-floor Guerlain Spa offers a hushed sanctuary beneath the city, complete with a striking 20m pool set under double-height ceilings. Whether sipping a Vesper in the Spy Bar or drifting between steam rooms, this is heritage reimagined with cinematic flair.

High Life says: Make time for the hotel’s history tour. Patting the stone lions on the grand staircase for luck, just as Churchill used to do, is the ultimate Whitehall power move.

Claridge’s has evolved with London for more than a century – ever since Queen Victoria’s 1860 visit cemented its status as ‘the first hotel in London’. By the 1920s, it had stepped fully into the glamour of the Art Deco age, with designers Oswald Milne and Basil Ionides reimagining its interiors in geometric lines and just-so touches of extravagance – details that still stop travellers mid-stride today. Before long, Claridge’s became the natural home of the 1920s Bright Young Things, Hollywood stars and anyone inclined to Charleston their way across a Mayfair ballroom.

Today, Claridge’s remains a byword for indulgence, defined by immaculate, intuitive British hospitality (the sort that feels effortless, but is anything but). And while the hotel is steeped in tradition, it never sits still. The Fumoir cocktail bar draws Fashion Week regulars, and the Claridge’s x Dante takeover restaurant shows it can charm a younger, style-savvy crowd as easily as it once wooed royalty.

High Life says: Good things happen below deck… In addition to the subterranean swimming pool in the spa, there’s also the Claridge’s Wine Cellar, which houses more than 1,000 wines and Champagnes and is open for bespoke guided wine tastings with the hotel’s master sommeliers. 

Walking through the revolving doors of The Ritz feels like being swept up in a gold-leafed embrace by Britannia herself. This isn’t just a hotel – it’s a Piccadilly legend that’s British to the bones. With a Royal Warrant from Charles III for banqueting and a dining room that looks as if it was plucked straight from a fairy tale, it’s the ultimate spot for a London stay, akin to a private coronation.

While the Louis XVI suites and those famous Palm Court teas are pure 1906 glamour, there is a fresh, homegrown reason to visit the two-Michelin-starred Ritz Restaurant. Deepak Mallya has just been named head chef, and his is a proper British success story: he arrived as a teenage apprentice 14 years ago and has worked his way up to lead the 60-strong brigade. Under the wing of the legendary John Williams MBE, Mallya is keeping those classic, buttery foundations we all crave while adding a modern London twist using the best sustainable British ingredients. It is a masterful blend of heritage and heart. As if you needed another excuse to stay…

High Life says: When it comes to iconic London moments, nothing beats a morning coffee at The Ritz, overlooking Green Park, followed by a stroll through St James’s – the most elegant postcode in the world.

Step off Soho Square, away from the bustle, and find an unassuming Georgian terrace tucked discreetly into this West End corner. Hazlitt’s feels like a special secret – a building from 1718 humming with history amid its ever-changing bohemian neighbourhood. From the moment you press the brass buzzer, the welcome feels like that of a charmingly eccentric relative. Named after the essayist William Hazlitt, the hotel channels his mantra to “look up, laugh loud, talk big”.

The bespoke rooms replicate the 18th-century lodgings of William’s own inner circle. The décor is exactly as you’d hope: wood panelling, rich damasks and softly lit antiques, where old portraits watch over the spaces like social guardians. Downstairs feels like a literary pilgrimage of first editions and honesty-bar nightcaps. Bathrooms with roll-top tubs are gloriously Victorian, while breakfast is an indulgent affair served to your antique four-poster bed with fresh Brick Lane bagels or Marmite mushrooms on the finest china.

High Life says: Sink into the drawing room with a rare first edition. Within these historic walls, the modern frenzy of Soho feels deliciously distant

A stay here is much like critiquing a novel: does its storytelling transport you beyond the mundanity of real life? Is it entertaining? And, as the end nears, do you feel a flicker of dread that it might soon be over? At Great Scotland Yard Hotel, the narrative begins at the door, marked by a dangling Alice in Wonderland clock fixed at teatime – 4pm. The building’s layered past — once a residence for the Scottish royal family, later the headquarters of the Metropolitan Police – lingers in the design. The lobby reads like a visual archive: nickel-plated whistles, Rexine bellows cameras and Nicola Green’s Service: 30 portraits – mugshot style – of everyone from monarchs to literary figures and judges.

At The 40 Elephants lounge, stories of the infamous all-female crime syndicate unfold. Glass-topped tables conceal ten-shilling notes, Victorian pamphlets, pearls and binoculars, while dinner at Ekstedt at The Yard shifts the plot to Scandinavian fire. Michelin-starred chef Niklas Ekstedt cooks solely over wood, embers and charcoal: oysters seared in beef tallow, sourdough from the wood oven, hay-smoked pork with quince and burnt honey custard. A nightcap at whisky bar Sibin, accessed through a secret door, transports you to the rugged Scottish landscapes.

High Life says: Book the Sherlock Suite for an extra touch of whimsy. You’ll find a four-poster bed, a living room with a marble fireplace, moustache-shaped bottle openers, key hooks and book-panelled walls.

A night at The Goring is probably the closest you’ll come to experiencing a stay in one of London’s most prestigious private homes. Located so close to Buckingham Palace that you could practically lob a scone over the garden wall, it’s famously the only hotel in London to hold a Royal Warrant for hospitality, giving it a unique status separate from other warrant holders. It’s also the last grand hotel in the capital still owned and run by the family who built it, giving the whole place a warm ‘house party’ vibe that’s impossible to replicate.

While it’s steeped in history – the Princess of Wales famously spent her final night as a commoner here – The Goring never feels like a museum. The rooms are a masterclass in English elegance, featuring exquisite silk embroidered wallpaper and luxurious Jo Loves products in the bathrooms. For a bit of light reading, you’ll find The Trumpeter, the hotel’s own newspaper, which offers a fun take on hotel happenings and London news. The Michelin-starred Dining Room has recently had a high-glamour makeover, though thankfully it’s kept the legendary Eggs Drumkilbo (the late Queen Mother’s favourite) on the menu. Expect Swarovski chandeliers, silver trolleys for carving beef Wellington tableside and staff who treat you like a long-lost cousin who has just come into an inheritance. Outside, you’ll find one of the largest private gardens in London, where you can sip a G&T on the terrace and forget that the crowds at Victoria station are just a few minutes away.

High Life says: Keep an eye out for Bar-baa-ra, the hotel’s sheep mascot. Originally introduced by the late George Goring to bring a touch of the British countryside to the city, these plush companions are waiting in your room, often arranged in cute ways holding the TV remote or the ‘Do Not Disturb’ sign.

Pulling up to the Strand’s most famous forecourt (the only ‘road’ in the UK where you drive on the right – how’s that for a rebellious streak?) is the ultimate ‘I’ve arrived’ moment. The Savoy isn’t just a hotel, it’s the high-gloss heartbeat of British hospitality, a place where Edwardian elegance and Art Deco drama have lived in happy, Champagne-soaked matrimony since 1889. It has hosted everyone from Churchill to Taylor Swift, and yet it still manages to feel like the most exciting ticket in town.

The rooms have recently had a £45m refurb, and the decor is super cool – trading dusty corners for a fresh, high-glamour aesthetic. In-room perks are just as modern, with a refillable snack tray and complimentary soft drinks to keep you fuelled. For those who can’t make it down to the bar, there are even bottled versions of famous Savoy cocktails (hello, Hanky Panky) ready to shake up in your room. While the Savoy Grill by Gordon Ramsay remains a staple for beef Wellington – complemented by his other nearby outposts, Restaurant Gordon Ramsay and Pétrus – the newly reimagined Gallery offers a ritual beneath a magnificent, big stained glass ceiling. Here, you can sample mini lobster rolls and the divine, famous Savoy scone cocktail (yes, it's actually made using real scones!).

High Life says: Snag a River View Suite for jaw-dropping views of the twinkling London skyline; the panorama stretches from the London Eye and the Southbank all the way to Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament. It’s the most cinematic wake-up call in the capital.

The creative heart of London is still well and truly in the east. Shoreditch and Hoxton might have boomed some time ago, but an authentic artistic pulse remains. At the art’otel, just a few minutes’ walk from Old Street station, you’re right at the heart of the action. The tone is set before you even cross the threshold, with two original Banksys flanking the exterior – a clear signal that art is the protagonist here. The property serves as a curated canvas for prolific urban artist D*Face, whose work, ranging from bold murals to intricate sculptures, fills every bedroom and public space. Beyond the décor, there is an immersive in-house gallery, a dynamic cultural programme spanning music, fashion and wellness and a subterranean swimming pool.

For the ultimate perspective, book a Skyline View Suite on the 23rd floor for a rare, sweeping vantage point over the ever-evolving London skyline. Rooms are modern with quirky touches – think bold prints on the bedroom walls, turntables with a selection of vinyl from pioneering British creatives such as Fleetwood Mac and Amy Winehouse in the living room and bright Illy coffee machines in the kitchenette. Even higher up, there’s Solaya restaurant from Michelin-starred chef Kenny Atkinson, offering diners a taste of the Mediterranean. And above that is a spectacular gym offering panoramic views of the city – how's that for an incentive to working out?

High Life says: Pair a street-art safari through Hoxton’s backstreets with a skyline spicy margarita at Solaya —the hotel's chic cocktail bar that opens to the elements in the summer. It’s a masterclass in modern British cool.