The 24 best romantic hotels in London

When it comes to finding a reliable hotel, Hilton knows what it’s doing. The international brand has brought its dependable reputation and warm service to Bankside in the form of this comfortable, sizable and well-designed place to stay, and the first thing you’ll notice is just how convenient the location is. Just three-minutes away from the Tate Modern, the Hilton London Bankside lies within walking distance from Waterloo, Blackfriars and London Bridge Station. The decor in our King One Bedroom Suite was simple, with unembellished furniture and very little artwork, but its fuss-free design made it feel organised and roomy. While the hotel doesn’t scream ridiculous grandeur like lots of London’s five-star hotels, the luxury here is in the detail. A lush bed, an HD and an LCD TV, a bright, sleek en suite with a powerful walk-in shower, tonnes of storage, a decent, comfortable living area and floor-to-ceiling windows made a spacious and bright room. But the hotel’s facilities don’t stop there. In the basement, there’s a swish, boldly lit 17-metre long pool alongside a line of loungers, a hot tub and gym facilities. It’s a super-peaceful spot that feels buried deep underground, and though we visited in the evening and morning, the pool was nice and quiet on both visits.   

Time Out tip: The Hilton London Bankside is a stone’s throw from the Globe. This recreation of the Bard’s famous wooden ‘o’ is one of London’s most famous, and sometimes controversial, theatres, and standing tickets start from just £10. 

Wherever you go in The Churchill – in the bar, by the fireplace, even next to your bedside table – you get a strange sense that there’s someone watching you. Because there is. Winston Churchill’s likeness is a signature across the hotel. Paintings of him and copies of his artwork are dotted across the lobby, restaurant, bar and bedrooms, with themed mugs and cocktail books for sale in the on-site shop. There’s even a life-size statue of the ol’ chap at The Churchill Bar so you’ll never drink an Old Fashioned alone. Here comes the spoiler: the hotel doesn’t have any historical connection to WC. Its architect was a Churchill fanboy, making it more of a Disneyland for WW2 geeks and American tourists (including Barack Obama who stayed at the hotel during his pre-election campaign in 2008). Though, Churchill's family have donated a few original photographs and love letters he sent to his wife, Clementine. Staff are accommodating without being overbearing. While the rooms are simple and elegant, decorated with grey walls, white bedding, a sturdy wooden writing desk and a royal purple armchair. The jerk to the 21st century comes in the bathroom which has been fitted with a Millenium Falcon-esque smart-toilet – which makes a loo stop a lot more exciting than it should be. The food also stands on its own, with executive chef Carlo Martino serving up a British ingredient-driven menu at The Montagu Kitchen, featuring dishes like English asparagus with a spinach sauce, pea and shallots ravioli, as well as the quintessential Sunday roast. We think the British Bulldog would approve.

Time Out tip: Order the Maestra Bertha tequila cocktail at The Churchill Bar, one of its 12 ‘make do and mend’ drinks made from rainwater harvested from the roof and leftovers from breakfast. If you’re in the immersive mood, there’s also, inevitably, a cigar menu featuring hand-picked sticks from the Dominican Republic to Nicaragua.

It might be best-known for bringing Singaporean cuisine and hospitality to the City, but being able to watch the rat race from Pan Pacific London's infinity pool is the highlight of a stay here. Food and drink options are equally extra, with the hotel being home to two restaurants and three bars. Straits Kitchen, a Singaporean-inspired kitchen, offers authentic lobster laksa for £45 a pop; the Shiitake Sayuran Rosette - a mix of mushrooms, pak choi, beancurd, enoki and soy - being one of the best veggie meals I’ve eaten during my 17-year run as a vegetarian. The wine list and cocktail menus also have an Asian influence, with red, white and sparkling Chinese wines competing for attention alongside Sussex, Argentina and California vines. Ground-floor bar Ginger Lily is the spot for a nightcap, serving up a Highball, made with green tea, lemon juice, whisky and honey. 

Best for: An East London stay with lots of dining and drinking options – and swims with a view. 
Time Out tip: Order breakfast to your room. The food trolley and white-cloth experience lets you live out your ‘Home Alone 2’ fantasies. Checkout isn’t until 12, so a post-Royale nap is compulsory. 

In many ways, Nobu's Portman Square outpost is surprisingly refreshing – because although you’d not be too shocked to bump into Khloé Kardashian in the ladies’ loos, you swiftly learn that none of this is for show. Nobu’s not riding a wave of reputation at the expense of quality. There’s no unnecessary extravagance and the staff seem genuienly happy to help. Of course, the brand’s globally-renowned lustre all harks back to its culinary history via the namesake chef Nobu Matsuhisa, so you’d be a fool to skip eating here. The menu boasts classics like black cod miso, Matsuhisa sashimi salad and A5 wagyu beef. There’s also a bar and a heated concrete terrace if you just fancy a tipple. After eating your bodyweight in sashimi, you could do a lot worse than rolling into one of Nobu’s bedrooms. There’s an electronic TOTO washlet toilet, a big bath and a waterfall shower, couple’s sinks, a large TV and an ever larger bed with super soft bedding. 

Best for: A stay featuring sushi, seductive interiors, and maybe even some celebs. Making this place part of your travel plans will do wonders for your rep, and the central location is a huge perk. 
Time Out tip: Book into one of Nobu’s world-leading pilates classes led by Marsha Lindsay. If you’re feeling like treating yourself, they even offer a ‘stretch and sushi’ package, where you can tuck into a fresh bento box to re-fuel right after your workout.

Walking through the lime green doors to St Martin’s Lane feels a bit like entering a quirky modern art gallery. The decor isn’t for everyone, but it is unique. Everything smells really good too, with the hotel’s expensive-feeling signature lemongrass scent pumping through all the corridors. When St Martin’s Lane opened in 1999, Philippe Starck’s ‘surrealist wonderland’ interiors made it the coolest hotel in town. In the lobby, a row of giant gold teeth double up as stools. They’re lined up next to a trio of giant chess pieces and a seven-foot vase of flowers. In the rooms, you'll find white walls, crisp white bedding and plush beige leopard-print carpets. My suite was bright with an incredible vista of the London Eye, and panoramic windows covering two walls of the room. The best thing about staying in any hotel is taking a bath, and this had a tub big enough for a swim (or a candle-lit soak with your other half).  

Best for: Being slap bang in the middle of ‘theatreland’. It’s a five minute walk from the West End, Covent Garden and Soho, making this a perfect spot for a long weekend in the Big Smoke.
Time Out tip: The hand sticking out of the wall in the foyer isn’t just another one of Starck’s decorative quirks. Shake it, and you’ll go through the door into the Blind Spot, a grown-up speakeasy serving up delicious, inventive cocktails. I’d recommend the Lille, France. 

Run by mammoth hotel chain Radisson, who also run the Park Inn and art 'otel brands, Park Plaza Westminster is a slick operation that also caters to the masses. With 1,023 rooms and suites, it's closer to a cruise ship than to its neighbour and rival, Premier Inn. Rooms are stripped back, with white walls and a dark wooden table making up the skeleton of the space. The minimalism is deliberate; the majority of rooms have a screensaver view of the Houses of Parliament, Big Ben and The London Eye. So close are you to the Elizabeth Tower, you might as well be reading the ten o' clock news. The hotel has a gym, pool, steam room, sauna and spa. Brasserie Joel is also a dining experience worth slowing down for. The French restaurant serves up classics like beef bourguignon, guinea fowl and French onion soup alongside an extensive wine menu.  

Best for: An efficient departure lounge, a base from which to hop onto the Jubilee line to get to Abba Voyage or the Eras Tour, or somewhere to enjoy a sample of the capital's finest Malbec. Whichever adventure you choose, rest assured the view will be great. 
Time Out tip: Make the most of the free left luggage service. There’s nothing worse than trundling across Westminster Bridge with a suitcase. Trust us.

For a well-situated stopover on a weekend trip to the capital, you can’t really fault NYX Holborn. This huge, confidently decorated hotel sits just three minutes from Holborn station, and it’s covered in bold, ‘urban’-style artwork inside and out. The 213 rooms are comparatively toned-down in design, and our Deluxe Space King was wonderfully comfortable. Despite being spread over nine floors, we didn’t have to wait to speak to a team member, grab some pancakes, plonk ourselves in the steam room (in the basement’s Rena Spa facilities) or get seated at dinner. And then there’s the food. Everyone loves a breakfast buffet, and this one featured smoked mackerel, feta cheese and an on-hand egg chef, alongside the typical offering of yoghurts, waffles and fry-up components. Dinner at the Midtown restaurant was also pretty darn good - the menu is made up of classic pub dishes which are done justice, and there’s an extensive cocktail menu to accompany whatever hearty plate you opt for. 

Best for: Sultry swims with your lover in the brooding basement spa, and the benefits of being is such a central London location – right by Covent Garden. 
Time Out tip: Leave plenty of time to make the most of the basement’s facilities. While your weekend is probably jam-packed with activities already, the sizable, remarkably tranquil Rena Spa facilities and pool are a welcoming oasis in the city. There’s a steam room, a sauna, and the option to book in for a treatment, too. 

One of Battersea Power Station's newest additions is Art'Otel, designed by Spanish artist Jaime Hayon and opened in late 2022 with a spa, rooftop bar and infinity pool up top. Art’Otel’s 164 rooms are grand, artsy and full of colour, with lots of fun touches; a record player, a Roberts radio, more hanging art by Hayon. It’s all very Wes Anderson but it doesn’t take itself too seriously. For the full experience, simply get the lift to the rooftop, which is spectacular by day or by night, decked out with a hot tub, deck chairs and the almighty pool. Or book ahead for Joia, a very special Portuguese and Iberian restaurant with its very own views and a premium menu to match. If you want a more chilled-out dinner, head to Tozi Grand Café, a buzzy, cheerful Italian where the cacio e pepe is served at your table in a giant cheese wheel.

Best for: Pretty pink rooms and pretty epic views from the pretty iconic rooftop pool, in the heart of one of London's coolest areas. You can even spend your stay convincing your other half to finally get that rescue dog, since Battersea Dogs & Cats Home is right next door. 
Time Out tip: For a weekend activity, book a cooking masterclass at Joia with its two-Michelin-starred head chef Jose Jara. Classes cover seafood cataplana (a Portuguese fish stew), Iberian tapas and more for £120 per person. Yes, wine is included. 

The Kray twins, Oscar Wilde, Emmeline Pankhurst – many a big name has walked through the doors of the notorious Bow Street Magistrates’ Court in Covent Garden, but none will have had such a comfy time as those who check in to the NoMad hotel, which took over the Grade II-listed building in 2021. The inside has been totally transformed, enveloping you with dramatic, dark, wood-panelled walls, 1920s New York-style flourishes, theatre-inspired artworks and a plant-filled atrium that must be one of the most photographed restaurants in London. Side Hustle, the atmospheric bar in the former police station, has low lights, leather booths, a Californian-inspired menu (try the build-your-own beef short rib tacos) and enough tequila and mezcal cocktails to guarantee a good night’s sleep.

Best for: An uber-trendy trip to London that also immerses you to its history. NoMad is also just around the corner from the shops of Neal Street and Seven Dials and the theatres on Aldwych and the Strand, and a short-and-scenic walk from the excellent restaurants of Soho and the South Bank.
Time Out tip: If you’ve got time to visit the hotel spa, splash out on the restorative Signature Ricari body treatment – it takes place in the converted prison cell where punk icon Vivienne Westwood was once held.

You can't get more romantic than a boutique hotel in Notting Hill (and we're sure Hugh Grant would agree). Down one of the area's residential streets, you’ll notice it by its outdoor terrace, which is lovely in summer but equally as lovely in winter, with little heaters and cubby holes. You’ll find the Recharge Rooms downstairs, where there's an intergalactic-looking Ozone machine (one of only two in London, I’m told) which is supposed to promote ‘strategic wellness’. As for the rooms, the minibar is stocked with Torres truffle crisps and mini bottles of prosecco and the bath has little hand-labelled bath salts that look like they’re out of Alice and Wonderland. And sure, it’s got ridiculously high ceilings, a fluffy bed and a Nespresso machine, but the special part is the shelves lined with vintage penguin books and the little cubby corner with cosy armchairs looking out onto the street. Thoughtful details. That's its thing.

Best for: Living out your 'Notting Hill' fantasy, and being within walking distance of a number of attractions like Kensington Palace, the Natural History Museum and the Royal Albert Hall.
Time Out tip: Go for a proper Guinness at Notting Hill's classic gastropub The Cow, which also happens to do great food; think oysters, crab tarts, goats cheese salad and handmade pasta. 

What can you say about Claridge’s, really? That it’s historic, grandiose and imposing? That it’s grounded in tradition, baked into London culture and unremittingly uncompromising with regards to standards? Yes, to all of this. But you already know all that. How about this: Claridge’s is also good value for money. Unlike a lot of expensive hotels, Claridge’s pulls off high-end luxury with an alarmingly easy-going, joyful expression. Inarguably one of Europe’s finest hotels, Claridge’s has a top-to-bottom vibe that exudes art deco glamour, historical significance and smoky old-world naughtiness. Claridge’s also now has a mahoosive basement (that was dug out by hand, no less) featuring a subterranean spa, wine shop and extremely swanky gym. Meanwhile, both principal eateries, the Claridge’s Restaurant and the Foyer, manage to justify their price tags with high-quality cooking, exceptional service and the ever-present, aforementioned levity. 

Best for: Luxury seekers that want to soak up the Goergian history of Mayfair in style. 
Time Out tip: The Claridge’s Bar is famous, but you’d be a mug to miss out on the Fumoir, the hotel’s 1930s cocktail room. A dark and moody bar that’s several leagues more credible than all of the city’s immersive “speakeasies” combined.

A wander through pretty Clerkenwell and you’ll become transported back to a lost London: one of winding streets, hidden churchyards and old-world pubs. The Rookery is a hard-to-find boutique hotel housed in a Georgian townhouse where you’ll discover roaring fires, four-poster beds and roll-top baths. Pick the Rook’s Nest suite with its views of St Paul’s and the Old Bailey for the ultimate romantic experience.

Best for: experiencing time-warp London

Pure British eclecticism and eccentricity characterise The Mandrake, one of London’s barmiest hotels. Don’t let that put you off booking it for a special couple’s occasion, though. This superbly located hotel is filled with plush furnishings to recline on, roll-top baths to submerge in and elegant screens to coyly peak out from. We love the hanging gardens of jasmine and passion flowers best, but the strange collection of modern art is worth a look too. Oh, and something a bit extra happens if you push the red button in the shower…

Best for: botanical love fiends

This elegant hotel not far from Sloane Square is housed in a towering redbrick Edwardian mansion. Step inside and it’s all period antiques and tasselled soft furnishings. There’s a charming garden too – a rare find in central London. As well as a helpful 24-hour concierge service, the hotel offers a unique scattering of complimentary refreshments: tea and homemade biscuits in the afternoon, a glass of champagne at 6pm and hot chocolate before bed (from 9.30pm). 

Best for: those after a classic London experience

Fifty floors above London’s bustling streets is this seriously smart hotel in Europe’s tallest – and arguably most alluring – building. Book the 'Romance in the Clouds' package and you’ll be treated to a bouquet of flowers upon arrival, dinner in your room with a complimentary bottle of bubbly, and breakfast in bed the next morning. But the real reason you’re here is for the incredible views – from the skyscrapers of the City to historic Tower Bridge, from here you can see it all… and it’s breathtaking.

Best for: those who want to see all of London without leaving their room

It might be in historic Fitzrovia but The Sanderson is decidedly modern. Housed in a ’50s building with bedrooms designed by Philippe Starck, the look here is all clean lines and statement furniture – and you won’t be able to miss the giant red-lips sofa in the reception. Bespoke offers at the hotel include 'Living The Suite Life', where you'll receive complimentary breakfast and £75 to spend in any of The Sanderson's food and beverage outlets. What can we say? We love a deal. Either way, make time for a drink in the hotel's glorious courtyard garden.

Best for: design lovers

In 2013, the Sexiest Bedroom Award (yes, that really was a thing) was given to the Corfu Suite at Blakes, a stunning white room featuring mother-of-pearl furniture. But the wow factor isn’t confined to that suite alone; each of the rooms at Blakes is decorated in a different style and furnished with remarkable finds sourced from all over the world by hotelier Anouska Hempel, who was famously namechecked by Jennifer Saunders in Ab Fab. If you can’t get into the Corfu Suite pick one of the plush Director's Double rooms for sumptuously unique decor and Bang & Olufsen electronics throughout. 

Best for: admirers of lavish interior design

This Mayfair institution has been here a fair old while. In fact, it’s London’s oldest hotel and a former hang-out of Queen Victoria. Romance points come courtesy of those pretty-pretty wallpapers, marble bathrooms and decadent bar areas. But if you want to really impress your partner, book in for a beautiful Afternoon tea in the English Tea Room AND a massage in the hotel’s spa. Wellness with clotted cream on top: what could be more romantic than that?

Best for: people who like to dress up

This 15-room hotel in picturesque Richmond has one of the most romantic locations of any in the capital. It borders the Thames with a terrace and riverside garden that are beautifully lit up at night. There is romance in the hotel’s history too: it was once the home of early 20th-century love poets Katherine Bradley and Edith Cooper. Each of the bedrooms is named after one of their works. For the ultimate indulgence, book the Lazy Sunday package which includes Sunday lunch in the riverside restaurant, a couple of cocktails in the stylish bar, a night in a boutique room, and then breakfast the next morning.

Best for: true romantics

Behind the unassuming facade of this Georgian townhouse is the eccentric ‘home’ of Wicked Uncle Seymour. Spoiler: he’s not actually real. Regardless, at Marylebone’s Zetter Townhouse you’ll feel like you’re staying in the home of an eccentric aristocrat. Book the Lear's Loft Room for the ultimate decadence – an outdoor bath. Hit the tub with one of the Townhouse’s bottled cocktails from the minibar. And if it gets a little too nippy, you can always order hot water bottles to take to bed.

Best for: cocktail fans with bohemian souls

Fans of the Antiques Roadshow will be in heaven in this gem of a Soho hotel: it’s overflowing with period items. There are seventeenth-century beds carved out of oak; a marble-topped bath with taps shaped like birds; a mahogany compactum (we had to Google that) and even something called a ‘throne loo’ (we had to Google that one too). It’s a treasure trove of artefacts and the attention to detail is divine.

Best for: history fans

Where better to fan the flames of desire than at this exclusive small hotel, which was once a Victorian fire station? With just 26 rooms and suites – each with at least one working fireplace – the vibe here is more large house than hotel, which makes for an intimate and personal stay. Don’t forget to book ahead for a table at the famous restaurant downstairs, which in recent years has become a popular celeb hangout. Kate Moss, Cara Delevingne and Princess Eugenie are all regulars. Just mind the paps when you stagger to your room after a cocktail or two.

Best for: gourmands and celeb-spotters

Dating back to the 1800s, this former row of Georgian homes is now a luxurious hideaway where guests can enjoy all the delights of Shoreditch's culinary scene, culture and nightlife - minus the soggy kebab and the uber pool at the end of the night. Look forward to elegant rooms with cosy sheets and room service followed by champagne brunch at The Orangery. 

Best for: classic elegance.

Situated in one of London's trendiest neighbourhoods South Kensington, this beautiful townhouse is fitting for just about any rendezvous. All of its 52 rooms and suites are well endowed withe comfiest linens, and luxuriously furnished using a combination of vibrant prints and vintage textiles for a modern-classic twist. After perousing the shops on the high street and enjoying the V&A, you can tuck into the A la carte menu dinner menu at the cosy on-site restaurant La trattoria. Expect and elevated take on traditional Italian fare. 

Best for: English charm.