Boutique hotels in London are the opposite of just 'somewhere to unwind'. They offer an extra layer of charm that many of the larger chain properties lack. Often independent or part of a smaller hotel group, they have intimate spaces with great attention to detail. Or at least the best. We're talking artful interiors, classic cocktail bars, vibrant restaurants and inventive breakfasts.
When it comes to small hotels in London, you're spoiled for choice (and there's something to suit every budget). Whether it's an oyster happy hour with a rooftop view, art installations that reflect a building's past, or hip chef residencies that will float your boat, we've got recommendations from Central London (and the popular West End ) to Notting Hill and Hackney. Here's our pick of the best boutique hotels in London. All you have to do is choose and book.
How we assess
Each hotel on this curated list has been visited by one of our expert reviewers, usually hosted free of charge. They stay at least one night, test at least one meal and try other experiences the hotel may have to offer.
For a boutique hotel in central London, the design-to-price ratio is wonderfully favorable at Lime Tree Hotel, with off-season rooms from £125 per night and an interior that looks as cool and fresh as any Firmdale property. With funky wallpaper, cool grays and pastel pinks, they're brilliantly inviting, although all 25 are quite small considering the layout of Georgian townhouses (which can be forgiven if you're shelling out £150 for this location). Dinner is a recent addition to The Buttery, the on-site restaurant, but the breakfast offering is the real highlight with everything from a simple bacon slab to grilled mushrooms and creamy stracciatella on toasted sourdough.
On elegant Sloane Street, opposite the leafy, Grade II listed Cadogan Place Gardens, the Beaverbrook Town House makes its London debut (it's a sibling of the Beaverbrook country house hotel in Surrey) with lavishly decorated interiors reminiscent of Art Deco aesthetics of the twenties and thirties. It offers 14 theater-themed suites and a contemporary Japanese restaurant and bar. The beds are four-poster or semi-tester and draped in rich velvet with colorful cushions. Oak floors are covered with seagrass carpets and custom rugs courtesy of Nicola Harding. Velvet is the textile par excellence, which gives sofas a luxurious softness and neatly finishes the heavy curtains.
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When it comes to boutique hotels, East London is full of characterful options that put style, design and personality at the heart of everything they do. This particular place is a paradise for interior design enthusiasts (or Instagram snappers), where every detail has been carefully considered. The 17 rooms are all individually decorated after a different designer or design movement from the 20th century (from Bauhaus to Young British Designers, via Scandinavian, Le Corbusier, Eames and more). But when it comes down to it, it really is a 'wow' roof terrace of rooms. The outdoor space is so popular that people huddle under the covers even in winter, while in summer it is of course prime rooftop real estate, with stunning city views. Guests' ability to bypass roadside queues is a huge bonus.
One of the most beautiful boutique hotels in Soho London, this crazy historic enclave was formerly home to author William Hazlitt and it's like stepping into the upper-class Victorian era - all cuddly red velvet and rich, polished mahogany with ornate tea sets. The rooms are named after people who visited the houses in Hazlitt's time and are (as you would expect in a boutique hotel such as this) all individually furnished, with freestanding bathtubs and decorated with antiques, busts and prints. Everything considered 'modern' is nicely hidden (like the television hidden in a gilt-framed mirror) or even the toilet, hidden in a Jacobean chair.
The reinvention of boutique hotels in London some 18 years ago can probably be attributed to this forward-thinking hotel group. Stylistic details (such as not having a reception desk, you just enter a weird and wonderful 'front room') were then copied around the city and the slightly wacky interiors (a complete Victoriana theme) were loved by the industry. There's also a great - if fictional - backstory, that the Georgian mansion was owned by a 19th century party-crazy great-aunt named Wilhelmina, hence the whimsical decor and emphasis on the cocktail bar where the drinks look as if they've been drunk. made from ingredients from a pharmacy. The nettle breast is really tasty: mirabeau gin, nettle syrup and lemon.
The historically inspired Georgian style of Batty Langley's (along with sister hotels The Rookery in Clerkenwell, below, and Hazlitt's in Soho, above), feels almost radical at a time when many hotels converge in a center of muted colors and low- hanging furniture. That makes it one of the best boutique hotels in London; it's a little wacky, unapologetically eccentric (just like its namesake, Bartholomew 'Batty' Langley, an 18th-century architect) and a ton of fun (the Kitty Fisher suite is named after a famous courtesan). Although the over-the-top furniture and dramatic colors are certainly not subdued, the hotel exudes a serene atmosphere and you will hardly notice other guests.
Tucked away in a small alley near St James's Park you'll find Dukes standing proudly, with the distinctive British flag hanging softly above the doorway and sash windows framed by pruned trees. Reassuringly old-fashioned, the hotel dates back to 1908 and heritage is key to its success; oil paintings adorn the walls of the lobby and bar and the original wood-paneled elevator (with bench for the weary) is very nice. However, the hotel is constantly adapting its offering, cleverly moving the hotel into a new era with each update, of which the GBR restaurant is a good example. Once perhaps a bit stuffy, but now an accessible brasserie that is open all day, with monkfish scampi, chestnut mushroom risotto and a choice of different steaks.
Although the name 'Rookery' in this case is taken from Smithfield's legacy as a down-at-heel slum, it also refers to a group of nests high in a tree, and this warren of cozy rooms (particularly the two-storey penthouse suite hidden in the rafters) is very similar; a welcoming retreat far from the busy city streets. There is no restaurant, only room service, which adds to the 'hidden' atmosphere. You'll find fireplaces and four-poster beds of carved oak that rub against the dark wood walls, thick red silk curtains and gold-leaf gilded oil paintings. It doesn't try to be too 'cool' or 'trendy', it's a refreshingly authentic retreat and good value to boot.
Small boutique hotels in London often have little or no outdoor space, but this family-run hotel (it's been in the same family for over a century) has a beautiful private garden, surrounded by flower borders and shrubs, with a bright green color. striped lawn where croquet is played in the summer months. But it's not just this that makes it so special; it may be bijou, but the sense of occasion is undeniably grand - perhaps it has something to do with its location opposite Buckingham Palace. It means that whatever the event, a negroni in the Cocktail Bar and a dinner in the Michelin-starred restaurant will always provide plenty of atmosphere.
London was the original destination for this small group of independent hotels. There are only 10 bedrooms here, each with its own charm. Vintage furniture, distressed leather and exposed brickwork are the ingredients for a shabby-chic interior - but keep in mind that the 'shabby' here has been carefully curated for a wonderfully stylish retro atmosphere. Step into your room and there's a Roberts Radio playing - one of the signature 'Artist Residence' hallmarks. Savvy locals pop into the café for a quick morning coffee, while Pimlico office workers drop by in the late afternoon for ice-cold glasses of Whispering Angel under the red and white striped awnings. The breakfast is sensational, with the stack of buttermilk pancakes being the hero dish.
Named after the founder of the Notting Hill Carnival, Rhaune Laslett, who was (of course) known for his fun, creativity and community spirit, this is one of the best boutique hotels London has to offer. While it's modern and extremely fresh (the art, for example, is by Londoners, from BIBA's Barbara Hulanicki to artist-novelist Harland Miller), it's also made purposeful decisions like keeping normal light switches on the wall (no swish iPad controls ) and allowing guests to actually open their windows... Simple choices that cleverly give it a down-to-earth vibe. The bathrooms are particularly cheerful, with subway tiles, Belgravia accessories, large REN toiletries and black and white tiled floors.
Small hotels in London don't come much more stylish than the Cadogan Hotel, which has long been a fixture on Sloane Street and home to many generations of London's upper class. Perhaps because it carried on its solid reputation for so many years, it was certainly in need of an update - so it was fortunate that a sensitive brand like Belmond came along to revive the grande dame (with a reported £28 million renovation) . 2019). However, the restaurant still remains the beating heart of the operation; lively LaLee is a bustling, busy throwback to Chelsea's glory days with a wine list the size of a small novel.
A stunning example of a boutique hotel sensitively updating a building, but also restoring and celebrating its history. Housed in an 1887 firehouse, the original facade was restored, the former ladder shed is now the guest lobby and engine house housing the restaurant, with bedrooms above. In between is the horseshoe-shaped bar and a courtyard where you can sit outside. It's compact, but it works. And because it is quite small and intimate, it is of course also quite exclusive. The institute continues to attract celebrities, years after its hyped launch (Lily Allen was spotted on our most recent visit).
Frequently Asked Questions
What makes a hotel a boutique hotel?
Essentially, a boutique hotel is classified as an accommodation with fewer than 100 rooms (at Telegraph Travel we like to think of a boutique hotel in the UK as an accommodation with fewer than 70 rooms). However, it is not only the number of rooms that must be taken into account; these hotels usually have a strong, unique design and a big personality. They are often independently owned, or, if owned by a group, they operate just a handful of properties, meaning great attention to detail and a high level of guest experience.
Which boutique hotels in London are good for families?
Generally, most boutique hotels in London welcome families, but in our list we would recommend Belmond Cadogan and The Goring.
Which of the best boutique hotels in London have roofs?
Boundary London has a fantastic roof terrace, perfect for summer cocktails with al fresco views.
Contributions from Emma Beaumont, Sophie Campbell, Fiona Duncan, Lizzie Frainier, Simon Horsford, Charlotte Johnstone, Hugh Morris & Penny Walker
