Hotel guide: the best hotels to book

Sofitel London St James, our pick in “Best hotels in London”. One MICHELIN Key in the 2026 selection and a one-star restaurant in the same building put this address first for us. Wild Honey St James, from chef Anthony Demetre, serves dinner Tuesday to Saturday 17:00 to 21:30 and lunch Wednesday to Friday 12:00 to 15:00, closed Sunday and Monday. The Sofitel Spa runs over three floors with four treatment rooms, a couples' suite, a Turkish hammam and a jacuzzi for two, open Monday 10:00 to 17:00 and Tuesday to Sunday 10:00 to 18:30. Piccadilly Circus is 300 m away, a five-minute walk. There is no pool, no sauna on any official page, and the gym is for hotel guests only.

The Savoy, A Fairmont Hotel in London, 3 Keys; Raffles London at The OWO in London, 3 Keys; Sofitel London St James in London, 1 Key (MICHELIN Guide 2026).

Sofitel London Heathrow is the only one with direct access to a terminal: about 160 m and a five-minute covered walk to Terminal 5. Sanderson London publishes about 40 minutes on the Elizabeth line direct from Tottenham Court Road, and St Martins Lane London about 50 minutes on the Piccadilly line from Leicester Square. Novotel London Paddington is 150 m from Paddington, where the Heathrow Express runs in 21 minutes. ibis London Heathrow Airport relies on the Hotel Hoppa bus, 14 minutes to Terminal 3 and 21 to Terminal 5. Checked on 12 November 2026.

Seventeen of the 21 hotels open check-in at 15:00 and ask for the room back by 12:00. The Hoxton Southwark starts an hour earlier, at 14:00, the earliest in this ranking. TRIBE London Canary Wharf, Aparthotel Adagio London City East and Aparthotel Adagio London Stratford all ask you to leave by 11:00. Hyde London City gives free early check-in and late check-out when you book direct. Checked on 12 November 2026.

Aparthotel Adagio London City East holds the largest unit in the ranking, a four-bedroom apartment of 117 m² for eight guests, each bedroom with its own bathroom. The Savoy, A Fairmont Hotel publishes a Two Bedroom Family Room of 51 m² for five, 40 connecting rooms and children's swimming 09:00 to 17:00. Raffles London at The OWO lets children up to 12 stay free in existing beds and runs family swim times 08:00 to 10:00 and 16:00 to 18:00. The Hoxton Southwark is the one to think twice about with young children: baby cots and extra beds are not available, and guests of 13 and over are booked as adults. Checked on 12 November 2026.

Three of them, in the 2026 selection. The Savoy, A Fairmont Hotel and Raffles London at The OWO hold three Keys each and both carry a Forbes Travel Guide Five-Star rating for 2026; Raffles came 28th in The World's 50 Best Hotels 2026. Sofitel London St James holds one Key and a Forbes Four-Star rating. The other 18 hotels in this ranking hold none, Sofitel London Heathrow included. Checked on 12 November 2026.