The 15 Best Hotels in London, Where Fresh Openings Are Challenging the Old Guard

Next to New York, no city in the world can claim to have produced better hotels than London.

Stalwarts like the Savoy, the Ritz, the Lanesborough and the Connaught are all synonyms for London itself. But today, a new guard of magnificent 5-star hotels is aiming to create their own traditions. Last year alone, seven luxury hotels cut the red ribbon.

But competition is the true mother of invention, and in response to this latest crop of world-renowned, brand-named inns, the old guard is raising standards to new heights. It’s a matter of major renovations and services upgrades or off with their heads.

“London’s hotel scene is hitting an all-time high, and the buzz is certainly palpable,” says Henrietta Loyd, co-owner and founder of London-based luxury travel agency cazenove+loyd. “It’s wonderful to see brands that haven’t had any significant presence here open. And although London’s scene is without doubt one of the best in the world, it’s only getting better with more competition.”

So where should you stay on your next trip to the metro? Are the new openings worth the hype? Are the gilded-icons still shimmering? Robb Report weighed them up and narrowed them down to find the 15 best in London.

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