This historic yet modern metropolis captivates visitors with its seamless blend of centuries-old landmarks, diverse cultural experiences, and world-class entertainment. We’ve handpicked the best hotels in London based on expert recommendations and thousands of genuine guest reviews. All of our recommended hotels have a review rating of at least 4 out of 5 stars.
Best cheap hotel in London: The East London Hotel
Best boutique hotel in London: Artist Residence Hotel
Best luxury hotel in London: The Savoy Hotel
The Pilgrm, located in London’s Paddington district, is a masterclass in sustainable restoration. Housed within a cluster of quintessential Victorian buildings, the hotel was reimagined to celebrate its heritage rather than hide it. The team painstakingly restored 200-year-old mahogany staircases and incorporated reclaimed treasures, such as parquet flooring from an old army gym and radiators salvaged from a psychiatric hospital, giving every corner a unique backstory.
The Guardian + 2 more“Space may be at a premium in The Pilgrm hotel, but beautiful reclaimed fixtures and tempting food more than make up for the lack of elbow room. Cocktails, comfort, great cuisine… not things a true pilgrim would expect, but I can imagine food, style and bargain lovers everywhere being happy to make a pilgrmage.”
Wombat’s City Hostel is a fascinating blend of history and modern hospitality. Located in the Tower Hamlets district, the building originally served as a mission for seamen in the 1860s, offering a safe haven for merchant sailors docked in London. Today, it has been beautifully restored into a top-rated hostel, preserving its historic Victorian brickwork while adding stylish, contemporary comforts.
Telegraph“Stylish décor and spacious rooms in London’s East End make this a great option for those looking to capture the capital via their Instagram feed, while still keeping to an affordable budget.”
Park Villa Boutique Hostel offers a unique twist on the typical London stay. Housed in a beautifully restored Georgian Regency villa with an attached coach house, it blends historic architectural charm with modern, boutique-style comfort. Located in the heart of the old East End, it feels like a peaceful, character-filled retreat rather than a standard hostel.
Telegraph“Having survived being bombed in the Second World War, this 300-year-old restored Georgian Regency villa and coach house is now an award-winning modern boutique hostel in East London. With comfortable beds and an abundance of thoughtful extras, it’s considered among the best of its kind in the country.”
The citizenM Tower of London is a marvel of modern construction, standing out as one of the UK’s largest modular buildings. Designed by Concrete Architectural Associates and built on a steel podium directly above the Tower Hill Underground station, the hotel was completed in record time using prefabricated room modules. This innovative approach allowed the hotel to sit harmoniously within its historic surroundings, including the nearby Roman city wall and the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Tower of London.
Lonely Planet“Downstairs it looks like a rich hipster’s living room, with well-stocked bookshelves, kooky art, Beefeater knick-knacks and lots of work space. Rooms are compact but well-designed.”
Recommended by:
The Guardian, CN Traveler, Telegraph
Recommended by:
Telegraph
Recommended by:
Telegraph
Recommended by:
Lonely Planet
London is a 21st-century city with history stretching back to Roman times. It is the capital city of England and the United Kingdom and the city housing Buckingham Palace, Westminster Abbey, Houses of Parliament, ‘Big Ben’ clock tower, and the London Eye.
Some of the major neighborhoods in London are:
Mayfair
London's West End is the most affluent and richest area in Central London, full of five-star hotels, desinger shops and the posh restaurants.
Shoreditch
London's East End is the hipster part of Central London, full of coffee shops, cool bars, markets and vintage shops. It's also home to the start-up scene, most of them are around Old Street.
Southwark
Sat on the south bank of the river Thames, this area is home to the famous Tate Modern and Shakespeare's Globe Theatre. You can also find The Shard, the tallest building in the city, and Borough Market here.
Dalston
Dalston is a neighborhood that is home to pop-up supper clubs, community gardens, literary cafés, and many more establishments.
Peckham
Peckham is among the coolest neighborhoods in South London that has numerous stylish cafes, indie-stores, a rooftop bar, and gives the feeling of a community.
Stoke Newington
Stoke Newington is a neighborhood that is known for underground cocktails bars, posh pizza parlors, indie boozers, charity-shops, among others. The neighborhood does not have any overground or tube links and is a greater version of Dalston.
King’s Cross
King’s Cross was a neighborhood infamous for its all-night raves, now it is the center of cafés and galleries as well as multinational headquarters of Google and The Guardian.
Kensal Rise
Kensal Rise is a neighborhood that is located between Queen’s Park and Ladbroke Grove. The neighborhood has many bars such as Paradise by Kensal Green.
Hackney Wick
Hackney Wick is one of the coolest neighborhoods in London and is the home to many restaurants, club spaces, art galleries, and craft breweries. The area has a growing collection of warehouses.
Walthamstow
Walthamstow is a stylish and creative neighborhood with an artsy and bohemian feel that hosts several arts festivals and has a thriving community for new artists.
Read also our guide about the best areas to stay in London.
If you're looking for a cheap hotel in London, then book The East London Hotel. It's an excellent budget hotel offering great value for money. It's in a good location, it's been recommended by travel experts and the hotel has excellent customer reviews. Also check out our list of the best cheap hotels in London.
Not a fan of big chain hotels? No problem. If you want to stay in a boutique hotel in London, then you should book Artist Residence Hotel. The hotel has been rated highly by previous guests for its boutique style. It has also been recommended by influential travel journalists.
Also check out our list of the best boutique hotels in London, it's a manually curated list of the most unique and romantic hotels in the city.
If money isn't a problem and you're looking for a luxury hotel in London, then go for The Savoy Hotel. The hotel offers excellent service, it's in a top location, it has been rated very highly by previous guests and renowned travel critics have recommended it.
Also check out our list of the best luxury hotels in London, it's a manually curated list of the most exclusive 5-star hotels in the city.
If you're looking for a great hostel in London, then you should check out Wombat's CITY Hostel. The hostel has magnificent reviews by backpackers, it has been recommended by well-known travel experts and it's in a good location. Also check out our guide about the best hostels in London.
Looking for a cozy place to stay in London that serves you handmade and fresh breakfast in the morning? Go and check out Hotel Number Sixteen. The B&B has been recommended by well-known travel experts and recent guests have given it top ratings.
For a 3-star hotel you have to pay around $140 per night and for a 4-star hotel you would be looking at $210 per night. If you're after a luxury 5-star London hotel then you can expect to pay around $370 per night.
Try Charlotte Street Hotel, The Arosfa Hotel or The Laslett Hotel if you're looking for a delicious breakfast at a hotel in London. They all have excellent customer review ratings for breakfast.
If you're looking for a room with a view, then try the Hotel Intercontinental The O2 or citizenM Hotel Tower of London. Both offer amazing views of London according to recent customer reviews.
Looking for a great view while having your dinner or drinking a beer? The Ned Hotel has one of the best rooftop bar in London.
Try Hotel Intercontinental The O2, it has some excellent recent customer reviews by couples.
If you're looking to stay in London with your family, then try Charlotte Street Hotel. The hotel has excellent review ratings by families.
Stonehenge, Windsor Castle, and Bath from London. Visit some of the top attractions outside of London on this day trip to Stonehenge, Windsor Castle and the historic town of Bath. Price: $107.
Magical London: Harry Potter Guided Walking Tour. Embark on an interactive Harry Potter tour around central London with an expert guide. Choose from either a boat or London Underground trip for the experience. Price: $27.
London: Westminster to Greenwich River Thames Cruise. Take a 1-way or return cruise from Westminster to Greenwich (or vice versa) and see the sights of London from a different perspective. Listen to an informative audio commentary as you admire monuments such as the Tower of London from the River Thames. Price: $18.
More things to do in London
London is a sprawling tapestry woven from two millennia of turbulent history, standing today as a global epicenter of culture, finance, and innovation. Founded by the Romans as Londinium around 43 AD, the city has endured fires, plagues, and blitzes, emerging each time with renewed vigor. Its architectural skyline serves as a chronological record of these transformations, where the ancient stone walls of the Romans sit comfortably alongside the soaring steel of modern skyscrapers like the Shard. Through centuries of imperial ambition and social upheaval, London has constantly reinvented itself while preserving the royal pageantry and historic landmarks, such as the Tower of London and Westminster Abbey, that define its traditional identity.
In the modern era, London represents the ultimate melting pot, standing for diversity, creative energy, and international connectivity. It is a city where more than three hundred languages are spoken, fostering a unique environment where global influences collide to produce world-class art, culinary innovation, and cutting-edge fashion. As a premier financial hub, it dictates global market trends, yet it maintains a distinct intellectual heart, powered by prestigious universities and legendary museums that remain largely accessible to the public.
Beyond the famous icons, the city is defined by curious, little-known secrets. For instance, the legendary Big Ben does not actually refer to the iconic clock tower, but rather the massive thirteen-ton bell housed deep within it. Few realize that London is technically a forest; according to a United Nations definition based on its massive density of trees, the city boasts enough greenery to qualify for the classification. Furthermore, hidden beneath the bustling streets lies a secret network of “ghost stations”—abandoned Underground platforms that whisper stories of a subterranean past. London remains a place where the ordinary daily commute is layered over a profound, centuries-old narrative that continues to evolve with every passing day.
Want to get to know the city a bit better? Check out our guide about where to stay in London, it includes recommendations about the best areas, museums, attractions and other things to do.
If you like our list of hotels, hostels and B&Bs in London, then you should also check out our selection of recommended hotels in Glasgow or the best hotels in Dublin.