Checking In: Some of My Favourite Hotels in London

London may be expensive, chaotic and permanently caffeinated — but by god, she knows how to seduce you with a hotel room. I tell myself that I go to London for work, but let’s be honest: I’m really there for the hotel beds, monopoly board locations and martinis.

There are cities you simply visit, and then there are cities you check-in to. London has always been the latter for many - a place where the hotel becomes part of the story you tell about your trip. A glass of something cold at the bar before slipping into the night; a bathtub that resets your nervous system; a breakfast tray or a note on the nightstand that feels like a little love letter. These rituals matter just as much as the museums, marvels and markets.

In the flurry of recent shoots, weekend escapes, late-night arrivals and dawn train departures, I’ve collected a handful of London hotels that make a work trip feel suspiciously like a holiday. They’re the places I recommend to friends and the stays that remind me that great hospitality isn’t merely service — it’s seduction.

This Part One Dispatch is a little ode to those hotels — some are classics, others are the sort of gems you’d miss if you blinked. All have offered me moments of rest, glamour, delight and grounding in a city that rarely pauses.

So, check in. Pour something. Settle down.
Here are the London hotels worth planning an entire trip around.

1. NoMad London — For Operatic Grandeur and Contemporary Cool

Where to begin with this heavenly Covent Garden landmark? Set within the former Bow Street Magistrates’ Court and Police Station, NoMad London blends New York edge with European theatricality.

I stayed in the Opera Suite, a two-storey dream overlooking the Royal Opera House. A curving staircase, a bed that feels like air and a bathtub framed by an antique divider — if I won the lottery and lived alone, this is precisely what my home would look like. Their in-room Wild Source bath salts and skincare are divine: feminine, ritualistic luxuries that have since become staples in my own routine and home.

Downstairs, the lobby spills into a glowing restaurant beneath cascading chandeliers — excellent for people-watching, business lunches or listening to London hum outside. My favourite corner is the library, a space that feels like a film set where you might fall a little bit in love between the shelves.

Before dinner, pop into Side Hustle, the hotel’s Mexican-inspired bar. It’s buzzy, playful, and full of the sort of energy that makes you write messages you absolutely shouldn’t.

2. The Lost Poet — A Notting Hill Hideaway for Romantics

Staying at The Lost Poet feels like being handed the keys to your own secret townhouse in the heart of Notting Hill. Boutique, discreet, and brimming with personality, it’s Julia-Roberts-adjacent in the best possible way.

Here, every detail warrants a photograph: sculptural lamps, spirited wallpaper, perfectly plush beds. Breakfast arrives quietly each morning — hung on the back of your door — with fresh pastries from Ottolenghi, yoghurt, fruit and juice. Breakfast in bed is more than permitted; it’s encouraged.

I still think about a rainy Saturday spent here on my first visit. Notting Hill on the laptop, coffee in hand, pastries within reach and the humming echo of last night’s martinis at Duke’s still hovering. Step outside and you’re in the thick of the iconic weekend markets within minutes.

During my second stay, I’m in the Muse Room, spread across two levels. A beautifully shaped bathtub sits proudly on the lower floor, practically begging for a long soak, while upstairs a sun-catching mezzanine warms even the bleakest winter afternoon.

3. The Cadogan, A Belmond Hotel — Old-School Elegance Done Perfectly

The Cadogan is everything a Belmond promises to be: refined, storied, luxurious without ever slipping into being (excuse my Aussie) wanky. Poised between Chelsea and Knightsbridge, it’s moments from Sloane Street boutiques and the quiet green of Kensington.

Expect tartan-clad doormen in top hats, a bar menu with nods to Belmond’s global icons and rooms that feel like the most beautifully lit English townhouse you’ve ever fantasised about. I love the floral arrangements near the sweet stand by the fireplace, the exquisitely photogenic Belmond wooden train timetable at the staircase and the warm faces at check-in.

My suite greeted me with champagne, Spanish peaches and gluten-free treats — gestures that weren’t necessarily tailored for me, yet somehow felt distinctly personal.

Downstairs, fries and a Negroni at the bar make for the perfect aperitivo. You will thank me later.

4. Four Seasons Hotel London, Tower Bridge — The Best Central Views in the City

Anyone who knows my work knows I have deep, unwavering affection for a great Four Seasons hotel and Ten Trinity Square only reaffirms that. Positioned opposite Tower Bridge, this hotel pairs historic grandeur with the brand’s signature warmth.

I arrived to a crown made of cake waiting on the bed, which was almost too deliciously made to eat. Rooms are serene and elegantly understated, anchored by the FS bed — forever at the top of my Christmas wishlist.

Dinner at Mei Ume, the hotel’s Asian fusion restaurant, was a revelation. Sushi and wagyu were prepared directly in front of me with such precision and grace that I would happily have stayed for every meal thereafter for the rest of time! Also, their high tea is second to none!

Book it in! (don’t ask questions)

5. Four Seasons Hotel London at Park Lane — Bright, Modern, and Perfectly Polished

A different expression of the Four Seasons aesthetic — sleek and international.. Many rooms look across Hyde Park, and the tenth-floor spa is one of London’s most tranquil urban sanctuaries.

The jewel here is Pavyllon London, Yannick Alléno’s Michelin-starred dining room. A Sunday night at the open kitchen — martinis in hand, immaculate courses arriving straight from the fire, chefs moving like dancers — felt like watching a painting being created. Rolling upstairs to bath and bed afterwards was bliss.

This property leans a touch more “corporate luxury” than the Tower Bridge Four Seasons, so choose your fighter according to mood.

6. The Mayfair Townhouse — For Quiet Romance and Moody Whimsy

A short walk from Hyde Park and tucked just enough off the main streets, The Mayfair Townhouse offers low-lit charm and an undercurrent of romance. The garden room is especially lovely — a place for slow mornings or evening drinks, or, in summer, for claiming a sun-drenched outdoor nook all to yourself.

Rooms feature thoughtful touches: Dyson tools, dedicated vanities, and plush green sofas beneath skylights that beg you to curl up with a book.

7. The Adria — An Intimate South Kensington Gem

A Victorian townhouse hotel with a distinctly personal touch, The Adria names each suite individually — a detail I adore. I stayed in the Wimbledon Room, which naturally led me to begin planning next year’s tournament visit. The interiors balance classic British elegance with playful contemporary art, particularly pieces by Gabriella Anouk (I was obsessed). 

I arrived feeling particularly under the weather on this trip, and can confirm there are few better places to recover than these quiet rooms with their deep baths and cloud-soft beds.

8. Number Sixteen — Firmdale Whimsy at its Best

Number Sixteen is Firmdale at its most charming: vibrant textiles, joyful prints, tactile surfaces, and rooms that feel curated down to the last detail.

I’ve always loved hotels with multiple communal lounges, and this one does it beautifully — spaces that invite conversation without pretence. There’s no formal bar, but the honesty bar is totally endearing and well stocked. The restaurant is fantastic, and the high tea is essential: bubbles, crustless sandwiches (of course), jewel-like cakes, and warm, attentive service. A beautifully lush little townhouse-style garden sits outside double doors, fit with a fishpond and all, and the peace it provided on my stay was really something special. 

9. Grand Hotel Bellevue — French-English Elegance With Leafy Views

Across from a private garden and tucked just beyond Paddington’s bustle, Grand Hotel Bellevue feels like the love child of an English country manor and a chic Parisian residence.

Rooms are pared-back yet cosy, with just enough edge to feel modern. Waking to views of autumn leaves outside the window felt like slipping momentarily into a quieter, cinematic version of the city. This spot is easily somewhere you could return to again and again. 

Closing Thoughts

Look…London is a city of endless corners, endless characters, and, mercifully, endless hotels worth falling a little in love with. This is Part One of the places that have stayed with me lately: rooms I still think about, breakfasts I still crave, bars where I’ve scribbled notes and overheard conversations destined for novels (that maybe one day I’ll write). 

There are more London stays I adore — some grand, some tiny, some delightfully odd — that deserve their own spotlight. Those will appear in Part Two, arriving in a later edition of The Epicurean Dispatch in the coming months, once I’ve had time to return, revisit and re-swoon properly.

Until then, consider this your starter guide, your check-in card, your excuse to plan a London weekend where the hotel is as essential as the itinerary.

I’ll meet you in the lobby.

Which One Should You Stay In?

• Want full cinematic drama? NoMad.

• Want a secret romantic bolthole? The Lost Poet.

• Want classic English luxury? The Cadogan (Belmond).

• Want Michelin-level dining? FS Park Lane.

• Want iconic views? FS Tower Bridge.

• Want boutique charm? Number Sixteen or The Adria.

• Want understated chic with Parisian flair? Grand Hotel Bellevue

Words & Photography by Lex Duff