The Wandering Adventurer

London has a hotel for every kind of trip — and every kind of budget. From storied Mayfair institutions to design-forward micro-hotels tucked into converted Victorian buildings, the sheer number of options across Zones 1 and 2 can make choosing where to stay in London more overwhelming than picking which museum to visit first.

This guide breaks down the best hotels in London by category — luxury, mid-range, boutique, budget, and hostel — with real guest ratings, neighborhood context, and booking links, so you can pick your match fast and get back to planning the fun stuff.

📢 Affiliate Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links to Expedia. If you book through our links, The Wandering Adventurer earns a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thank you for supporting independent travel content!

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💎 Best Luxury Hotels in London

London’s grand hotels wrote the book on old-world luxury. These three consistently top guest reviews for service, history, and genuinely five-star amenities — expect rates well north of £600/night.

1. The Savoy

⭐ Rating: 9.8/10 | 💵 From: ~$801/night | 📍 Neighborhood: Strand, London City Centre | ✅ Best for: Classic glamour, first-timers

An Edwardian icon on the Strand overlooking the Thames, The Savoy pairs storied history with genuinely warm service — its American Bar is one of the oldest cocktail bars in the world, and the riverside rooms are some of the most requested in the city.

💡 Insider Tip: Book a Thames-facing room specifically — the price difference is usually modest, but the view over the river and Waterloo Bridge is worth it.

🎟️ Check Prices for The Savoy on Expedia

2. Claridge’s, Maybourne

⭐ Rating: 9.6/10 | 💵 From: ~$975/night | 📍 Neighborhood: Mayfair | ✅ Best for: Art Deco elegance, afternoon tea

One of Mayfair’s four legendary hotels, Claridge’s is famous for its Art Deco lobby, its Christmas tree (a different designer every year), and one of the most sought-after afternoon teas in London.

💡 Insider Tip: Afternoon tea reservations here book out weeks in advance — reserve as soon as your dates are confirmed, even if you’re not staying at the hotel itself.

🎟️ Check Prices for Claridge’s on Expedia

3. The Ritz London

⭐ Rating: 9.4/10 | 💵 From: ~$1,349/night | 📍 Neighborhood: Piccadilly, London City Centre | ✅ Best for: Special occasions

The hotel that gave the word “ritzy” its meaning — Louis XVI-style interiors, a Michelin-starred restaurant, and a formal dress code in the public spaces that keeps the whole experience feeling genuinely special.

💡 Insider Tip: Check the dress code before visiting the restaurant or afternoon tea even as a hotel guest — jackets are required for men in the main dining areas.

🎟️ Check Prices for The Ritz London on Expedia

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🏨 Best Mid-Range Hotels in London

This is the sweet spot for most London trips — central locations, reliable comfort, and rates that leave more budget for West End shows and pub dinners.

4. Strand Palace Hotel

⭐ Rating: 9.0/10 | 💵 From: ~$131/night | 📍 Neighborhood: Strand, London City Centre | ✅ Best for: First-time visitors, theatre-goers

A large, dependable hotel right on the Strand, steps from Covent Garden and the West End theatre district — one of the best-located mid-range options in the whole city.

💡 Insider Tip: Book directly through a rate site rather than walking in — this hotel runs frequent promotional rates well below rack price for advance bookings.

🎟️ Check Prices on Expedia

5. The Tower Hotel, by Thistle

⭐ Rating: 8.4/10 | 💵 From: ~$133/night | 📍 Neighborhood: St Katharine Docks, near Tower Bridge | ✅ Best for: Views of Tower Bridge

A large riverside hotel with genuinely excellent views of Tower Bridge from many rooms — a solid base for exploring the Tower of London, Borough Market, and the South Bank.

💡 Insider Tip: Request a Tower Bridge-facing room specifically at booking or check-in — not all rooms have the view, and it’s the main reason to stay here.

🎟️ Check Prices on Expedia

6. Park Plaza London Westminster Bridge

⭐ Rating: 9.0/10 | 💵 From: ~$180/night | 📍 Neighborhood: South Bank, opposite Big Ben | ✅ Best for: Landmark views, spa access

A large, modern hotel directly across the Thames from the Houses of Parliament, with a genuinely good indoor pool and spa — a rare amenity combination at this price point in central London.

💡 Insider Tip: Rooms on the higher floors facing the river have unobstructed views of Big Ben and the London Eye — worth requesting even if it’s not guaranteed at booking.

🎟️ Check Prices on Expedia

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🎨 Best Boutique Hotels in London

If you want your hotel to feel like part of the London experience rather than a generic room, these boutique picks bring real personality across three very different neighborhoods.

7. citizenM London Bankside

⭐ Rating: 9.2/10 | 💵 From: ~$123/night | 📍 Neighborhood: Bankside, near the Tate Modern | ✅ Best for: Design lovers, solo travelers

Sleek, tech-forward micro-rooms with a genuinely great communal lobby scene, right by the Tate Modern and the Millennium Bridge — one of the highest-rated hotels in London at any price point.

💡 Insider Tip: The lobby bar and lounge are open to non-hotel-guests too, but staying here means you can work or unwind there any time without needing to buy something.

🎟️ Check Prices on Expedia

8. Karma Sanctum Soho

⭐ Rating: 8.8/10 | 💵 From: ~$169/night | 📍 Neighborhood: Soho | ✅ Best for: Nightlife, quirky design

A genuinely eccentric, rock-and-roll-styled hotel in the middle of Soho’s nightlife district, with a rooftop terrace and a personality that’s rare to find at this price in central London.

💡 Insider Tip: Being in the heart of Soho means street noise at night — pack earplugs or request a room facing away from the main street if you’re a light sleeper.

🎟️ Check Prices on Expedia

9. The Rubens at the Palace

⭐ Rating: 9.2/10 | 💵 From: ~$224/night | 📍 Neighborhood: Victoria, opposite Buckingham Palace Mews | ✅ Best for: Royal-adjacent charm

A classic, individually decorated hotel directly across from the Royal Mews at Buckingham Palace — genuinely elegant without the price tag of the Mayfair institutions nearby.

💡 Insider Tip: Ask about the themed Royal Suites when booking — several rooms are decorated around British royal history and are a fun splurge for a special trip.

🎟️ Check Prices on Expedia

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💰 Best Budget Hotels in London

London isn’t a cheap city, but these three keep costs low while staying inside or near Zone 1, so you’re not sacrificing an hour of commute time to save on your room.

10. Tudor Court Hotel

⭐ Rating: 8.6/10 | 💵 From: ~$72/night | 📍 Neighborhood: Paddington | ✅ Best for: Heathrow Express access

A well-reviewed budget hotel near Paddington Station, with direct Heathrow Express access and easy Underground connections to the rest of the city.

💡 Insider Tip: Paddington puts you a short walk from Hyde Park — a nice free add-on if you want green space without paying for a hotel near it directly.

🎟️ Check Prices on Expedia

11. Stylotel

⭐ Rating: 8.6/10 | 💵 From: ~$106/night | 📍 Neighborhood: Paddington | ✅ Best for: Design on a budget

A genuinely stylish, sci-fi-influenced budget hotel with sleek metal-and-white interiors that punch well above their price point — a rare find in this category.

💡 Insider Tip: Rooms are compact — this is a better fit for solo travelers or couples traveling light than families with a lot of luggage.

🎟️ Check Prices on Expedia

12. Point A London Kings Cross – St Pancras

⭐ Rating: 8.4/10 | 💵 From: ~$104/night | 📍 Neighborhood: Kings Cross | ✅ Best for: Eurostar and train travelers

A no-frills, well-designed budget chain hotel steps from Kings Cross and St Pancras stations — ideal if you’re arriving by Eurostar or planning day trips out of London by train.

💡 Insider Tip: Kings Cross has transformed into a genuinely nice area with good restaurants around Coal Drops Yard — don’t write it off as just a transit hub.

🎟️ Check Prices on Expedia

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🎒 Best Hostels in London

London’s hostel scene is well-developed compared to many U.S. cities — these two are consistently the best-reviewed options for solo travelers and backpackers.

13. Wombat’s City Hostel London

⭐ Rating: Excellent (guest reviews consistently rate this 9+/10 across booking sites) | 📍 Neighborhood: Tower Hamlets, near Tower Bridge | ✅ Best for: Solo travelers, first-time hostel-goers

Set in a converted 19th-century sailors’ housing building near Tower Bridge and the Tower of London, Wombat’s is a trusted hostel brand with a genuinely social common area and garden.

💡 Insider Tip: The Tower Gateway Underground stop is a five-minute walk, making this one of the best-connected hostels in the city despite its quiet-feeling location.

🎟️ Check Prices on Expedia

14. St Christopher’s Village, London Bridge

⭐ Rating: 7.6/10 | 📍 Neighborhood: London Bridge | ✅ Best for: Social travelers, party atmosphere

A large, lively hostel near London Bridge with Japanese-style capsule beds, a bar, and views of the Shard from some rooms — a solid pick if you want a social scene built in.

💡 Insider Tip: The on-site bar can get loud into the evening — request a room on a higher floor or away from the bar if you want a quieter night’s sleep.

🎟️ Check Prices on Expedia

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🗺️ Which Part of London Should You Stay In?

• Mayfair / St James’s / Piccadilly — the classic luxury core, home to Claridge’s, The Ritz, and high-end shopping on Bond Street. Best if budget isn’t a constraint.
• Covent Garden / Strand / West End — the most central, walkable base for theatre, shopping, and major sights — busy but hard to beat for convenience.
• South Bank / Bankside / London Bridge — river views, the Tate Modern, Borough Market, and generally better value than the West End for a similar level of centrality.
• Paddington / Kings Cross — excellent transport connections (Heathrow Express, Eurostar), often cheaper, and still a short Underground ride from central attractions.

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🧳 London Hotel Booking Tips

• Book mid-week for savings: Sunday and Monday nights are consistently the cheapest across London hotels — Wednesday is often the most expensive.
• Watch for VAT and service charges: Always check the “total with taxes and fees” price on Expedia — UK VAT (20%) is sometimes shown separately from the headline room rate.
• Book 3+ weeks ahead: Prices climb steadily as dates approach, especially for summer travel and around major events like Wimbledon or the Notting Hill Carnival.
• Consider Zone 2 for savings: Neighborhoods just outside Zone 1 (Shoreditch, Bankside, Kings Cross) are often noticeably cheaper for a short Underground ride into the center.
• Check for free cancellation: Use Expedia’s “fully refundable” filter — London weather and event schedules can shift plans, and flexible rates are usually only a small premium.
• Factor in breakfast costs: Many London hotels charge separately for breakfast (often £15–25/person) — factor this into your comparison between properties.

🎟️ Browse all London hotels on Expedia

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This post contains affiliate links to Expedia. The Wandering Adventurer may earn a small commission if you book through our links, at no extra cost to you.