Luxury

Sofitel hotels

Sofitel brings a French accent to London, in two hotels made for very different nights. At Sofitel London St James, our pick in the city, a Turkish hammam and a MICHELIN-starred table sit 300 m from Piccadilly Circus. At Sofitel London Heathrow, the spa stays open until 21:00 and a covered walkway takes you to Terminal 5 in five minutes.

By The EditorsUpdated 12 November 2026

Key takeaways

Accor classes Sofitel in its Luxury segment, and its London city page lists two Sofitel hotels, checked on 12 November 2026: Sofitel London St James on Waterloo Place and Sofitel London Heathrow at Terminal 5.
Sofitel London St James holds one MICHELIN Key in Michelin's London list of 18 September 2026, and its restaurant Wild Honey St James holds one MICHELIN star in the 2026 selection.
Sofitel London Heathrow has 605 rooms and is the only hotel with direct access to Terminal 5, by a covered walkway of about 160 m, a five-minute walk.

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What does Accor say Sofitel is?

On its brands page, Accor lists Sofitel in the Luxury segment, the top of its range, alongside brands such as Raffles and Fairmont, whose London hotels also appear in our ranking. Both London Sofitels are bookable on Accor's own site, and the Sofitel page of St James sends its bookings there.

The brand shows itself most clearly in what the two hotels have in common. Both spas carry the Sofitel name and use Sothys, which the Heathrow spa page describes as luxury French skincare. Both offer Le Petit Prince family escape, which gives a family 50% off an adjoining room for the children. The French accent runs through the food and drink: Wild Honey St James cooks with classic French technique and British produce, while Heathrow has La Belle Époque, serving British and French cooking, and Le Bar Parisien, a French-style bar for Champagne, fine wine and gin. The St James gym carries the Sofitel FIT name, and at Heathrow the suites and Luxury Club rooms open the Club Millésime lounge. Neither hotel publishes a brand promise in words, so judge the brand by these details.

How do the two London Sofitels differ?

Sofitel London St James is the smaller and older of the two. Its 183 rooms, 21 of them suites, fill a Grade II listed neo-classical building completed in 1923 for the bank Cox & Co., redesigned by Pierre-Yves Rochon, who also led the 2020 renovation. It holds one MICHELIN Key in 2026, a Forbes Travel Guide Four-Star rating for 2026, and Wild Honey St James, from chef Anthony Demetre, holds one MICHELIN star. The spa spreads over three floors with four treatment rooms, among them a couples' suite, a Turkish hammam and a jacuzzi for two.

Sofitel London Heathrow is more than three times larger, with 605 rooms, and was built for the airport. Its spa has five treatment rooms, a sauna, a steam room and a thermal vitality pool, open daily from 09:00 to 21:00. Two restaurants, La Belle Époque and Vivre, hold AA Rosettes, and the 45 meeting rooms include a ballroom of 1,309 m² for up to 1,300 guests. The hotel is owned and run by The Arora Group under a franchise agreement with Accor. In a straight line, Heathrow sits 28.3 km from Bank, against 3.1 km for St James.

Which Sofitel should you book for your trip?

For a stay in London itself, book Sofitel London St James. Piccadilly Circus station is 300 m away, a five-minute walk, Charing Cross eight minutes on foot, and the theatres and St James's Park are within reach without a taxi. A first visit, a weekend with a starred dinner or a few days of walking the West End all fit this address. Remember that Wild Honey St James serves dinner only from Tuesday to Saturday.

For a flight, book Sofitel London Heathrow. The covered walkway to Terminal 5 takes about five minutes, so you can check in for an early departure without a transfer, and the spa is open until 21:00 for a treatment before you fly. The hotel also works for one day in town between flights: the Heathrow Express reaches Paddington in 21 minutes, the Elizabeth line Bond Street in 40 and Canary Wharf within an hour. If your flight leaves from another terminal, or you plan several days of sightseeing, the journeys add up and St James becomes the better choice.

What do the London Sofitels not offer?

Neither hotel has a swimming pool for lengths. Sofitel London St James has no pool at all and no sauna on its official pages. Sofitel London Heathrow has a thermal vitality pool inside its spa, a hydro pool with hydropath features where no lap pool is mentioned, and guests aged 16 and under may not use it, nor the sauna or the steam room. The Heathrow spa page also states that use of the facilities is for adults and charged per person.

Neither hotel has a kids' club. Gyms come with conditions: Sofitel FIT at St James is for hotel guests only, and the Heathrow gym does not admit under-16s. Kitchens are absent, apart from the Opera Suite at St James, and neither hotel publishes a long-stay offer. Sofitel London Heathrow holds no MICHELIN Key and no starred restaurant, and it publishes neither its chefs nor its dinner hours. Pet rules are unclear at both: sources disagree for St James and say nothing for Heathrow.

If a pool decides your booking, The Savoy and Raffles London at The OWO, second and third in our ranking, both have indoor pools.

The Sofitel hotels in our lists

Sofitel London St James

St James's · Checked 12 November 2026

Segment: Luxury
Rooms: 183
Spa: Sofitel Spa: hammam, steam room, 4 treatment rooms, a room for two
Station: Piccadilly Circus, 300 m, 5 min walk

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.

Yes, if you want a starred dinner and a hammam within walking distance of the West End

Current offerFamily Escapade by Le Petit Prince: an adjoining room for the children at half priceChecked 12 November 2026 · See the offer (opens in a new tab)

Check rates (opens in a new tab)Our review Book on all.accor.com (opens in a new tab)

Friends arriving on a lively street with their suitcases, in Heathrow Airport, London

Sofitel London Heathrow

Heathrow Airport · Checked 12 November 2026

Segment: Luxury
Rooms: 605
Spa: The Spa: sauna, steam room, 5 treatment rooms
Station: Heathrow Terminal 5, about 5 minutes via covered walkway

A five-minute covered walkway of about 160 m to Terminal 5 makes this the only hotel in the ranking with direct access to a Heathrow terminal. The Spa has five treatment rooms, a sauna, a steam room and a thermal vitality pool, open daily 09:00 to 21:00, and 45 meeting rooms run up to the 1,309 m² Arora Suite for 1,300 guests. The Heathrow Express reaches Paddington in 21 minutes and the Elizabeth line Bond Street in 40. Spa facilities are adults only and charged per person, guests of 16 and under cannot use the hydro bath, steam room or sauna, and the hotel holds no MICHELIN Key.

Yes, if your flight leaves from Terminal 5 and you want a treatment before it

Good to know Airport location: central London is a train ride away; Canary Wharf within an hour

Current offerFamily Escapade by Le Petit Prince: a half-price adjoining room and late check-outChecked 12 November 2026 · See the offer (opens in a new tab)

Check rates (opens in a new tab)Our review Book on all.accor.com (opens in a new tab)

Frequently asked questions

How many Sofitel hotels are there in London?

Accor's London city page lists two Sofitel hotels: Sofitel London St James, on Waterloo Place in the West End, and Sofitel London Heathrow, at Terminal 5. Sofitel London Gatwick does not appear on that page.

Which London Sofitel has a MICHELIN Key?

Sofitel London St James holds one MICHELIN Key in Michelin's London list of 18 September 2026, and its restaurant Wild Honey St James holds one MICHELIN star. Sofitel London Heathrow has neither a Key nor a starred restaurant, though its restaurants La Belle Époque and Vivre hold AA Rosettes.

Do the Sofitel hotels in London have a swimming pool?

No lap pool at either. Sofitel London St James has no pool, and Sofitel London Heathrow has only a thermal vitality pool inside its spa, closed to guests aged 16 and under. For a swimming pool, The Savoy and Raffles London at The OWO are the luxury hotels with a pool in our ranking.

Can you walk from Sofitel London Heathrow to the terminal?

Yes, to Terminal 5. A covered walkway of about 160 m links Sofitel London Heathrow to the terminal, a five-minute walk, and the hotel is the only one with this direct access.

Are the London Sofitel hotels suited to families?

Both welcome children and offer Le Petit Prince family escape, with 50% off an adjoining room for the children. Sofitel London St James gives free breakfast to children under 12 and has 32 family rooms, while Sofitel London Heathrow has 35 m² family rooms for four with breakfast included. Neither has a kids' club or a children's pool.