Best Luxury Hotels in Central London

Central London is where the city's theatres, restaurants and landmarks crowd together: the West End and Soho, the piazza at Covent Garden, the Strand and the Thames, and Whitehall running down to Westminster. It is busy, but it puts everything within walking distance, and the hotels here range from century-old legends to some of the most ambitious openings of recent years. These are the six we would choose. If you are planning around this part of town, our Central London and Covent Garden area pages are the natural next step.

The Savoy

Opened on the Strand in 1889, with César Ritz as its first general manager, The Savoy is one of the most famous hotels in the world, and it still lives up to the name. It holds three Michelin Keys and a Forbes Travel Guide Five-Star rating, and its 263 rooms and suites are decorated in either Edwardian or Art Deco style, many with views over the Thames. The American Bar is one of the most celebrated cocktail bars anywhere, the Beaufort Bar is all black and gold Art Deco glamour, and the Savoy Grill, run by Gordon Ramsay, has been feeding theatre-goers for well over a century. There is a swimming pool under a glass atrium, and Covent Garden and the theatres of the Strand are on the doorstep. For a special occasion in London, it is very hard to beat.

Strand, London WC2R 0EU
Tel: +44 (0)20 7836 4343

Raffles London at The OWO

The Old War Office on Whitehall, completed in 1906 and once home to Winston Churchill's office, reopened in 2023 as Raffles London at The OWO, the most talked-about hotel opening in London for years. It already holds three Michelin Keys and a Forbes Five-Star rating. Its 120 rooms, including 39 suites, have interiors by Thierry Despont, and the building's grand marble staircases and Edwardian detailing have been carefully restored. The restaurants include one from the three-Michelin-star chef Mauro Colagreco, Kioku by Endo on the roof, and Paper Moon and Langosteria from Italy, while the Guards Bar is a clubby spot for a drink. The Guerlain Spa has an indoor pool, and Horse Guards Parade, Trafalgar Square and St James's Park are all a few minutes' walk away.

57 Whitehall, Westminster, London SW1A 2BX
Tel: +44 (0)20 3907 7500

Corinthia London

Just off Whitehall, between Trafalgar Square and the river, the Corinthia occupies a grand Victorian building that opened in 1885 as the Hotel Métropole and reopened as the Corinthia in 2011. It holds two Michelin Keys, and the lobby, under a vast Baccarat crystal chandelier, sets the tone for a hotel that does grandeur with a light touch. Kerridge's Bar and Grill, from the chef Tom Kerridge, serves British classics, Mezzogiorno by Francesco Mazzei brings Italian food, and Velvet is an intimate cocktail bar. The Biome spa spreads across four floors and includes a swimming pool. Embankment and the Thames are moments away, and the theatres of the West End are a short walk north.

Whitehall Place, Westminster, London SW1A 2BD
Tel: +44 (0)20 7930 8181

NoMad London

Directly opposite the Royal Opera House in Covent Garden, NoMad London occupies the former Bow Street Magistrates' Court and Police Station, where Oscar Wilde was among those brought before the court. Its 91 rooms and 16 suites have interiors by the New York designers Roman and Williams, warm, layered and full of antiques. The old courtroom is now the Magistrates' Ballroom, and the main restaurant is set under a glass-roofed atrium in the building's former courtyard. It holds a Michelin Key. With the piazza, the Opera House and the theatres of Drury Lane all within a few minutes' walk, it is the obvious base for a night at the ballet or the opera.

28 Bow Street, Covent Garden, London WC2E 7AW
Tel: +44 (0)20 3906 1600

Ham Yard Hotel

Tucked into a quiet courtyard three minutes' walk from Piccadilly Circus, Ham Yard is Firmdale's Soho hideaway and one of the most enjoyable hotels in London. It holds two Michelin Keys, and its 91 rooms and suites have the bright, witty interiors that Kit Kemp is known for. There is a 190-seat theatre, a 1950s bowling alley in the basement, a roof terrace and the Soholistic spa and gym. The restaurant and bar spill out into the tree-lined courtyard in summer, and the Orangery is a calm spot for afternoon tea. It is perfectly placed for the theatres of Shaftesbury Avenue and the restaurants of Soho.

One Ham Yard, Soho, London W1D 7DT
Tel: +44 (0)20 3642 2000

The Londoner

Opened in 2021 on the south side of Leicester Square, The Londoner bills itself as the world's first super boutique hotel, combining the scale of a big hotel with the intimacy of a smaller one. It has 350 rooms and suites, designed by the Canadian studio Yabu Pushelberg, and stands 16 storeys high, with several floors below ground. Whitcomb's is the main restaurant, Joshua's Tavern a relaxed British pub, and The Stage and 8 at The Londoner add bars for every mood. There is a spa and gym called The Retreat, and two private screening rooms, which suits its location at the heart of London's cinema premieres. Covent Garden, Soho and Trafalgar Square are all a few minutes' walk away.

38 Leicester Square, London WC2H 7DX
Tel: +44 (0)20 7451 0101

Dinner dates and agencies in central London

Nowhere in the city has a better choice of restaurants, bars and pre-theatre dining than the West End, and our high class London escorts are always good company for a dinner date or a night at the theatre. If you would rather book through a London escort agency, our directory of every London escort agency listed on LEG shows which agencies cover central London, Covent Garden and Soho, with the escorts each one represents.

For more places to stay nearby, see our guides to the best hotels in Mayfair and Marylebone, or head back to the London Hotel Guide. London Escort Guide also lists independent London escorts and the latest new London escorts across the West End.

Things to do nearby

For where to eat, drink and go out once you have checked in, see our guide to things to do in central London, from Rules and J Sheekey to Soho's cocktail bars and Cabaret at the Kit Kat Club. Mayfair is a few minutes' walk west: see our guide to things to do in Mayfair.