20 Best Romantic Hotels in London - Times Travel (2023)

London has everything you need for a romantic getaway, whether it's an anniversary, honeymoon or long weekend. Days can be spent learning something new at one of the world's most famous museums and art galleries, or spending money at one of the many shopping malls. When night falls, a posh cocktail bar is often within walking distance and excellent restaurants can be found in almost every zip code. The hard part is deciding where to crouch. From tall ladies near Buckingham Palace to boutique hotels with rooftop bars and stunning viewsLondonPillows offer breakfast in bed, colossal soaking tubs and Michelin-starred meals that are sure to make you swoon.

Main photo: the goring

1. Shangri-La The Shard, Southwark

Better fora room with a view
Occupying floors 34 to 52 of Western Europe's tallest building, Shangri-La The Shard boasts some of the capital's most exciting views. Floor-to-ceiling windows wrap around the rooms, providing a city backdrop from virtually anywhere during your stay; from sightseeing in marble bathrooms to waking up to views of the River Thames and beyond. Are you planning something special? The events team is well-versed in creating customized proposals ranging from rose-filled dinner parties to neon signs that say "Marry Me." Isn't that big? There are several restaurants and cocktail lounges that will further amaze you with this breathtaking view.

2. Ach Hoxton, Southwark

Better fora rooftop restaurant
The Hoxton started out as a Shoreditch parking lot before morphing into one of the hippest spots in the neighborhood, with freelancers in the lobby during the day and after-work drinkers at the concrete bar after dark. The third iteration of London is slightly less city than its big sister and the first opening south of the river. Close to Borough Market, the Tate Modern, and the Southbank, the Hoxton Southwark offers rooms inspired by tanneries and factories, meaning there's plenty of exposed brick and concrete combined with jade green-tiled bathrooms. Maison Premiere, New York's acclaimed seafood bar, is located behind the Seabird rooftop restaurant. While you're likely to come here for the view and Miami-style interior, there's a Mediterranean and oyster menu if you're hungry or in the mood for an aphrodisiac; Oyster Happy Hour offers £2 oysters and £6 martinis.

3. Artist Residency, Pimlico

Better fora secret cocktail bar
When Justin Salisbury took over the family-run B&B in Brighton, little did he know it was the beginning of one of Britain's most extravagant boutique chains. The unique, artful theme is echoed in this old-fashioned Pimlico pub, with each of the ten uniquely designed rooms filled with limited-edition prints and antique furniture. For a little more romance, The Loft has a 1930s bathtub in the open plan bathroom. A neon-lit dining room is located on the ground floor, where breakfast and brunch are served. Head down into the basement to find the Cocktail Cellar, a speakeasy-style room with exposed brick, hardwood floors, and black leather sofas.

4. Frontera, Shoreditch

Better forcool east london
Surrounded by the artistic and independent shops of Redchurch Street and within walking distance of several excellent restaurants, Boundary is the brainchild of Sir Terence and Vicky Conran. As you would expect from two of Britain's most influential designers, every trace of the warehouse's former life has been destroyed to create a designer hotel. Each of the 17 rooms is inspired by a different designer or movement, from Bacchus to a suite by Sir David Tang. Fondue and champagne are served on the garland-lit rooftop, and there's a bakery and cocktail bar at street level. Columbia Road Flower Market is a short walk away and Brick Lane Sunday Market is across the street.

5. Hazlitts, Soho

Better forexplore soho
This luxurious hotel in the heart of Soho is named after essayist William Hazlitt, who lived here in the 19th century. There are numerous bars and nightclubs on the doorstep, while inside, the labyrinthine corridors and historical elements give the impression that not much has changed here in the 152 years since Hazlitt's days. The rooms, named after the writer's notable guests, offer a trip back in time with rich red tones, Victorian bathrooms, and carved wooden headboards. Breakfast is served in your room, on silver trays for dinner in bed, while the downstairs library is stocked with autographed first editions and there's an honesty bar for late-night sips.

6. Hotel Brown

Better forhistory buffs
Brown's Hotel in Mayfair, London's oldest hotel and the site of Alexander Graham Bell's first telephone conversation in the capital, has hosted royalty, writers and celebrities for many years. Now part of Rocco Forte Hotels, it underwent a multi-million dollar renovation in 2004 and has been updated in recent years. wrote Rudyard Kiplingthe jungle Bookhere and is honored by the Kipling Suite, a space designed by Olga Polizzi with a marble bathroom, his-and-hers showers, and a framed letter from the author. Queen Victoria also chose Brown's for her afternoon tea, which is still served in the drawing room. Pack a collared shirt and leave your sneakers at home. there is a strict dress code.

7. Mandrake, Fitzrovia

Better fora 5 star stay with a difference
More Amazon jungle than nearby Oxford Street, the Mandrake is as beautiful as it is crazy. Hotelier Rami Fustok has transformed an office building into a riot of modern art, including works by Salvador Dali and an ostrich-like creature resembling a Frankenstein monster at South American restaurant Yopo. Rooms have a dusk-dawn or light-dark theme, though it's worth paying a bit more for the Terrace Rooms, which overlook the hanging garden of jasmine and passion fruit. For a little extra cheek, several rooms have a red button on the shower. Press it at the same time as your neighbor and the screen between you will become clear.

8. O Culpeper, Spitalfields

Better forcelebrates seasonal dishes
Named after Nicholas Culpeper, the 17th-century herbalist and astrologer, Culpeper is an old East End pub that has been given a glamor worthy of modern East London audiences. Second-floor rooms evoke Scandinavian style with soft walls, wooden end tables, and curated fireplaces. For dinner, the first-floor restaurant offers seasonal, locally sourced produce, including the ever-changing menu featuring rooftop-grown herbs. Guests can choose between the ground-floor bar with sash windows serving beers from smaller breweries, or the plant-filled rooftop with views of Spitalfields and the city.

9. El Ritz, Piccadilly

Better fora very special occasion
Nowhere does the opulence and old-school glamor compare to The Ritz, which has entertained Queen Elizabeth II, Charlie Chaplin, and Jackie Onassis throughout its 115-year history. Rooms and suites are mostly decorated in Louis XVI style, with lemon yellow furniture, gold leaf, and marble fireplaces. The rest of the building is equally impressive. No stay is complete without afternoon tea at the Palm Court, where you can choose from 18 varieties of loose leaf teas selected by Giandomenico Scanu, the certified tea master. The Michelin-starred restaurant occupies a Versailles-inspired dining room with marble columns and a beautifully painted ceiling. Recent additions to the hotel include an Art Deco-style cigar shop, casino, and summer open-air restaurant aptly named Secret Garden.

10. Ratshotel, Bethnal Green

Better forlonger stay in the capital
A big part of history in one of London's busiest boroughs, the Town Hall Hotel has evolved from a town hall building to a film set to an award winning hotel. The public areas retain much of the original 1910 design, including grand marble staircases, stained glass windows, and an imposing courthouse that now doubles as a wedding venue. Couples can take refuge in the hotel's suites and studios, which have separate kitchens and a grand piano for singing love songs in the largest room. Foodies are spoiled for choice, too: local restaurant Da Terra has earned two Michelin stars for its blind tasting menus, while the brunch-style Corner Room, with its hanging lamps and potted plants, is an Instagram favorite.

11. Der Goring, Belgravia

Better forfeel like a king
As the only hotel with a royal warrant opposite Buckingham Palace, the Goring has long attracted visitors from across the monarchy, including the Duchess of Cambridge, who stayed here the night before her wedding. Opened in 1910 and still run by the Goring family, the hotel is perfect for special occasions. Service is impeccable, complimentary cocktails are prepared on the way to your room, and for guests staying in the Royal or Belgravia suites, there is a staff on hand to cater to your every need. The Michelin-starred restaurant focuses on British fare, but for a little more indulgence, afternoon tea is served on the terrace (except Sundays) overlooking a garden with more than 100 species of herbs.

12. Hotel 41, Viktoria

Better forsleeping under the stars
The site at 41 Buckingham Palace Road was once the home of a ham and tongue dealer and has a colorful history. Its latest incarnation is a luxurious five-star hotel on the fifth floor of the Edwardian house. The rooms are all monochromatic; The most beautiful is the Conservatory Suite, with a carved wooden bed under a vaulted glass ceiling, perfect for sleeping under the stars. Pampering is taken seriously at Hotel 41, from the glass of champagne upon arrival, to the evening hors d'oeuvres served in the wood-paneled lounge, to the self-service kitchen with cheese and snacks. Get active with a private rooftop yoga class or stroll through the nearby parks in St James and Hyde.

13. NoMad London, Covent Garden

Better fora visit to the theatre
Oscar Wilde, the Kray twins and Emmeline Pankhurst had no idea during their trials in Bow Street Magistrates Court that the ground beneath their feet would become one of London's most praised hotels. The Covent Garden Hotel is the first NoMad location outside of the US and has 91 rooms, the largest of which, the Royal Opera Suite, has a freestanding clawfoot tub. Social spaces include the glass-roofed NoMad restaurant, a guests-only library, and Side Hustle, a kitschy take on the British pub that serves Mexican and Los Angeles-influenced fare. London's most famous theaters and shopping streets are within easy walking distance, but for those wanting to learn more about the hotel's history, the police station next door has been converted into a museum of works of art.

14. Ham Yard Hotel, Soho

Better fordate nights
The work of hotelier and interior designer Kit Kemp, the Ham Yard Hotel has 91 individually designed rooms, all in his signature style of light patterns and color blocking. Soho's nightclubs and bars are nearby, but Croc, a 1950s bowling alley imported from Texas, is just as fun. For something a little more understated, keep an eye out for screenings at the Electric Blue Cinema. Part urban garden, part lounge with wicker sofas, the rooftop terrace is open to hotel guests only and is perfect for an intimate cocktail party. Look out for the sweetest concoctions - the honey comes from the two beehives on the terrace, tended by the in-house beekeeper.

15. Rosewood, Holborn

Better fora spa experience for couples
Formerly the headquarters of an insurance company, the Grade II Listed Rosewood looks much older than its 100 years. The entrance to the hotel on busy High Holborn Street is a grand event, leading through iron gates and into an Edwardian courtyard. The hotel's Sense Spa has seven treatment rooms, one of which seats two, and offers couples massages as well as a list of customized treatments. Refresh yourself upstairs at the Art Deco Gin Bar, which has one of London's largest collections with over 500 gins.

16. Bingham River House, Richmond

Better fora rural feel without leaving the city
With just 15 rooms and a long garden stretching to the River Thames, the Bingham Riverhouse is a slice of tranquility in Richmond. The Georgian house was once owned by Katherine Bradley and Edith Cooper, who wrote under the pen name Michael Field. Rooms are named after Field's poems, some with water views and others with hand-forged copper tubs big enough for two. Downstairs, there seems to be a bookshelf full of Penguin classics in almost every room, including this oneMasterChef: The prosWinner Steven Edwards' eponymous restaurant serves seasonal tasting menus. For something more casual, the garden transforms from beautiful pop-up igloos in winter to a cocktail terrace in summer, depending on the season.

17. Der Oscar London, Holborn

Better fora bit of extravagance
L'Oscar in Holborn, once the site of a Baptist church, has been extensively redesigned by Parisian designer Jacques Garcia. The result is grown-up decadence, as mirrored ceilings and purple-tasseled sofas are paired with original stained-glass windows and marble floors. The 29 rooms are equally luxurious, from red walls and black velvet headboards in the smaller Deluxe Rooms to freestanding bathtubs and chaise lounges in the Oscar Suite. L'Oscar may not be in the busiest areas, but it's a 10-minute walk from Covent Garden, or stick to the Baptist Bar. Located in the octagonal chapel, the bar mixes cocktails from an Old and New Testament menu and hosts regular DJ nights and live jazz bands.

18. Tree House Hotel, London

Better forCouples who like to party
Don't be put off by the unattractive exterior of the 1960's office building. The Treehouse Hotel is one of the most entertaining hotels in town. Taking its name literally, the hotel is inspired by childhood fun and tree climbing, and the views from the long windows make you feel like you're above the clouds. Rooms can be a little kitschy with teddy bears and vinyl record players, but the concrete ceilings and black steel windows let it grow up. Mexican restaurant Madera is the UK's first location for Toca Madre, the famous LA favourite, and the same cool LA vibe can be found here, while brunch is served with strong margaritas and a DJ spins the tunes in the evenings. For drinks, The Nest is a little quieter and has two outdoor terraces for al fresco cocktails during the warmer months.

19. Beaverbrook's former home, Knightsbridge

Better fora surprise for Valentine's Day
This sister hotel to Beaverbrook Country House in Surrey, the former wartime home of MP and newspaper magnate Lord Beaverbrook, is inspired by his life in the city. Two Georgian houses have been linked to form 14 rooms, each named after a different London theatre. In keeping with the theme, the four-poster beds are draped with a 'stage curtain' canopy and a complimentary bar cart is stocked with drinks from the UK. The Japanese Fuji Grill serves sushi, sashimi and grilled fish with robata, but for a special treat book the omakase experience. Guests sit at the sushi bar with a front row seat in the kitchen while a chef creates 20 different dishes. do you still have room The cocktail menu at Sir Frank's Bar is an inventive list, named after famous faces from the war and famous plays.

20. Zetter's Terraced House, Clerkenwell

Better fora special weekend
An ode to British eccentricity, Zetter Townhouse is based on the fictional character of Aunt Wilhelmina, heiress to a fortune made in the spice trade. The Georgian house is filled with memorabilia (note the stuffed kangaroo) and mismatched antique furniture, giving it a homey feel. The Union Jack seems to have inspired most bedroom interiors, be it a blue or red color scheme or a giant flag hanging from the four poster bed. A cooked breakfast menu is served in the ruby ​​lounge, but for something a little more challenging, check out the cocktail menu; Many of the drinks are mixed with liqueurs and house tinctures.

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