We visit London about 3 times a year. What we love about London lies in the amazing restaurants, proper hotels, and great bars. Nothing beats a rainy day in a pub with a pint of Guinness, right? We generally stay in or near Mayfair. And despite all of our visits, we have yet to find our favorite hotel (we review 10+ top London luxury hotels below). Key takeaway: No trip to London is complete without a martini cart at The Connaught Bar, a counter seat at Cubé sushi, and some great Indian food (our favorite is Kanishka).
Traveling to Europe? Check out our Paris Guide.
Don’t know what to pack? Here’s Jess’s Packing List.
Top Restaurants
Overall: Highly Recommend
Service: 9/10 Atmosphere: 8/10 Food: 8/10 Wine: 7.5/10
Area: Bordering Piccadilly/Mayfair
If you have one lunch in London, Bentley’s is the place to go. Make a reservation and request seats at the oyster bar, and sit with some of our favorite servers in London (when our favorite left after 12 years, we were happy to meet Federico, who is also very good). They have beautiful oysters (skip the natives), plus the best grilled lobster with almond butter in the world. The Catalan fried oysters are a must. Skip the pastas, and get the fish & chips instead. Their wine list has several good options from around the world, including quite a few white Burgundies (our favorite pairing for seafood).
Overall: Highly Recommend
Service: 8.5/10 Atmosphere: 7/10 Food: 9/10 Beverage Program: 6.5/10
Area: Mayfair
For some of the best Indian food in Mayfair (from Benares’ original 2-star chef), we love a good Kanishka lunch. We like to request to eat at the far side of the bar- which they don’t usually do, but they will make an exception if you ask. Dheeraj is our favorite bartender. Everything we have eaten there we have enjoyed. Must orders include the Chicken Tikka Pie, the broccoli starter, the shrimp curry, and a side of raita. We also love whichever dish includes quail (it used to be the quail tart and now it is something else, but we hope the chef brings back the tart!) We have never been for dinner, but we do try to go for lunch at least once every trip to London- this is our favorite Indian restaurant in the UK, by far.
Overall: Highly Recommend
Service: 8/10 Atmosphere: 7.5/10 Food: 8.5/10 Beverage Program: 6/10
Area: Borough Market (close to The Shard)
Akara was the greatest surprise on our most recent London visit. It was also our first time trying Michelin-level West African cuisine (Akara is the little sister of 3 star restaurant Akoko). We booked the chef’s counter (heads up: it does get hot from the open fire cooking), and really enjoyed watching the chefs grill everything from sea bream to Lagos chicken. Must order: Akara, which is a traditional west-African black bean fritter. Plus, we loved the baby gem side salad (and everything else for that matter). The wine list is small but there was a Moldovan chardonnay/riesling blend that we enjoyed. This is a really cool, trendy restaurant located just on the edge of the famous foodie Borough Market, which is a great place to walk through before your reservation. We will absolutely return.
Overall: Highly Recommend
Service: 8/10 Atmosphere: 7/10 Food: 9/10 Beverage Program: 6/10
Area: Mayfair
This tiny little neighborhood sushi spot serves not only our favorite sushi in London, but our favorite salads. Using the freshest, crispiest seaweed available shipped in from Japan, Cubé is certainly worth the visit. Reservations definitely required. The sake selection is good. Make a reservation at the sushi bar (and if there are 2 of you, request the end seats closest to the door)- but do not sit outside because the tables are very slanted due to the curb of the street. The two head sushi chefs are named Masa and Yama and they work alternating nights- both are fantastic (Masa makes our favorite handrolls and Yama makes our favorite nigiri).
We do not recommend the omakase, instead, we recommend ordering a la carte. We go so often (usually twice per trip) that we have written down what to order, just for you (this is our exact order for the 2 of us):
First off: Order some sake, they can give you recommendations but we usually get the Fukucho
Round 1: Seaweed salad + Cubé salad no bonito + Tako Kimuchi (a must-get)
Round 2: Spicy tuna roll (no shiso) + 2 piece tuna akami + 2-4 piece chef’s choice nigiri (obviously not makarel)
Round 3: Handrolls with no shiso- usually either Spicy Scallop or Foie and Eel
Overall: Highly Recommend
Service: 9/10 Atmosphere: 8/10 Food: 9/10 Beverage Program: 9/10
Area: Belgravia
This much anticipated restaurant opened in summer of 2024, and we highly recommend booking a reservation now, because it seems quite likely they’ll get at least one Michelin star. And, yes, it’s Michelin star style food. This isn’t always our thing, but there is something great about trying it when a restaurant gets it right. We went for an a la carte lunch at the bar (everyone else sat at tables) and enjoyed everything. The food is technical, fresh, and seasonal. Think fresh-baked bread, seafood, wild mushrooms, etc. The staff were as professional as possible, and the wine list was solid, especially for London. This is a good one.
Top Bars
Overall: Highly Recommend
Service: 8.5/10 Atmosphere: 8/10 Bar Program: 8/10
Area: Mayfair
Ranked in the world’s Top 50 bars, Kwant is a great stop for a cocktail. We loved their bar seating- which is essentially a giant rectangle with 6 bar seats spread-out and the bartenders work between them- it feels a bit like a modern communal kitchen for cocktails. Go early to snag a seat, and enjoy. The bartenders seem to enjoy chatting with everyone and sharing recommendations in the area. They do not take reservations, and they offer some fine dining snacks. We usually go around 5-7pm, and it has not been busy.
Overall: Recommend
Service: 8/10 Atmosphere: 9/10 Bar Program: 8/10
Area: Hyde Park/Mayfair
The Artist’s Bar at The Dorchester is in a stunning lounge-setting with flowers and chandeliers galore. If you want vintage liquor, you can find it here. You can also find talented bartenders up to make anything.
Overall: Go Once
UPDATED RATING: Service: 6/10 Atmosphere: 9.5/10 Bar Program: 7/10
OLD RATING: Service: 8/10 Atmosphere: 9.5/10 Bar Program: 9.5/10
Area: Mayfair
Usually rated in the top of The World’s 50 Best Bars, The Connaught bar (sometimes) deserves it. They do not take reservations but they do hold seats for guests staying at the hotel. Otherwise, make sure to go exactly at 4:00 PM to get a seat as the place fills up every night (closed Sun). Their famous drink is a simple martini- gin or vodka- prepared in front of you on a martini cart, with essences of your choosing. Most of the staff is Italian, and the hostesses are generally accommodating (if you want to switch tables, just ask). Pretty much all the bartenders know what they’re doing (Marco is a recent favorite). No trip to London is complete without a stop at The Connaught.
Update: Recently we have noticed that they have been holding more and more tables empty for hotel guests, and the service is getting a little annoying (like telling you a time limit as you sit). For the best time, we now only go at 4PM opening on weekdays. Additionally, it is worth noting that the cost of one martini from the martini cart has gone up substantially, and the time they spend at each table/ hospitality has gone down. It is a beautiful bar, and certainly a classic, but we’re getting a little over it.
Overall: Recommend
Service: 8.5/10 Atmosphere: 9/10 Beverage Program: 8/10
Area: Belgravia
There is one reason why we can’t highly recommend this bar, and it is because it requires a key card to get in (even though it does allow non-hotel guests in). And that whole element makes it tricky, and you might need to seek out a manager to get there. That being said, we did go right around the time it opened, so this may have changed since then (Aug 2024). But it is certainly a top bar in London, and worth trying to find someone in the lobby of the hotel who will escort you upstairs. You have a beautiful view of the city, incredibly comfortable bar seats, and top-notch service. When we visited, there was a guest bartender pouring some amazing drinks.
More Restaurants & Bars...
Overall: Highly recommend
Not rating
Area: Mayfair
You will never regret visiting Audley Public House for their elevated filet o’fish sandwich (which they call a fish finger sandwich, ask for an extra side of tartar sauce). It is a 10/10. This comfortable and clean pub is in the heart of Mayfair, and they are credit card only. It is next door to The Connaught, and a great place for an afternoon Guinness before checking out The Connaught Bar.
Overall: Recommend
Service: 7.5/10 Atmosphere: 5/10 Food: 8/10 Beverage Program: 6/10
Area: Trafalgar Square
Barrafina is a Spanish tapas spot (similar to Sabor, but with better food) and Adelaide St. is their only location that takes reservations online (as of 2024). The food is solid and the txistorra (sausage tortilla) is a must, in addition to the iberico secreto which was phenomenal. But the seating is incredibly tight and the atmosphere will be ruined forever if anyone in the restaurant orders the lamb kidneys. So do be prepared for that.
Overall: Recommend
Most Recent: Service: 8/10 Atmosphere: 7/10 Food: 9/10 Beverage Program: 6/10
Previous Visit: Service: 4/10 Atmosphere: 6/10 Food: 7/10 Wine List: 7.5/10
Area: Mayfair
Benares is a tricky one, because both of us have visited at least 3 times and it is pretty inconsistent, especially with service. However, after our last meal, this one Michelin star Indian restaurant deserves a spot on our top restaurant list- every dish was incredible and the service was great. We do recommend a visit, and we will certainly be back.
Overall: Recommend
Service: 6/10 Atmosphere: 8/10 Beverage Program: 6/10
Area: Soho
It’s a little hard to rate this place because its an escape room/axe throwing/beer pong playing/full bar… spot? It has a bit of everything (and we like that you can take your drinks into the escape room with you). It is essential to make reservations online, especially on weekends because it gets packed. But it’s pretty fun, especially with a group.
Overall: Recommend (if you’re in Marylebone)
Service: 7.5/10 Atmosphere: 6.5/10 Food: 7.5/10 Beverage Program: 8/10
Area: Marylebone
This Marylebone restaurant offers very traditional Italian food in a charming half-market/half-restaurant spot. Reservations are a must. If you prefer American-Italian with lots of sauce, then this is probably not for you. But if you value olive oil and fresh mozzarella, definitely check out Briciole. Aside from the mozzarella and olive oil, we also enjoyed the pork ribs with green beans, plus the prosciutto and the wine list. Also, they have a very stunning private room in the back for larger groups.
Overall: Worth A Visit
Service: 8/10 Atmosphere: 7/10 Bar Program: 7.5/10
Area: Mayfair
A lovely bar in Brown’s hotel. Every time we have gone, it has not been busy at all… which is a huge plus (for us, at least). This bar is in a great location and- in addition to it’s creative and everchanging cocktail list- the talented bartenders are happy to make anything. Alessandro is particularly good.
Overall: Recommend
Service: 8/10 Atmosphere: 7/10 Food: 8/10 Beverage Program: 6/10
Area: Soho
This Indo-Chinese restaurant in Soho serves delicious food, much of it spicy. The restaurant itself is narrow, casual and has a bit of a hipster vibe to it. We have only been once for lunch, and it was quiet and mellow (we heard it gets very busy at night). We will definitely be back.
Overall: Recommend
Service: 7.5/10 Atmosphere: 8.5/10 Beverage Program: 7/10
Area: London Bridge/The Shard
This bar is located on the 52nd floor within The Shard hotel (enter through lobby, and you need to make a reservation for checking in at security). The best part of the bar is obviously the view (careful because rainy or foggy days will cover this), but this bar is such a wild tourism hack, because people line up for hours to pay to stand on the observation deck (floor 72)… when they can enjoy a lovely G&T just a little bit down (52 floors still feels very, very high, trust us). Gio mentions the men’s bathroom is a must for the view (the windows are fogged in the woman’s bathroom).
Overall: Recommend
Service: 7.5/10 Atmosphere: 7/10 Food: 8.5/10 Beverage Program: 7/10
Area: Trafalgar Square
Gouqi offers Gio’s favorite second course of peking duck in the world. Peking duck must be ordered 48 hours in advance, upon placing a table reservation. The manager was lovely and he seemed to really care about both the customer’s comfort and the food quality. We sat in their semi-private dining section and it was great (we have learned peking duck can be a little big for bar seating at times!) It wasn’t very busy when we went, but we ate early.
Overall: Used to Recommend
NEW RATING: Service: 5/10 Atmosphere: 6/10 Bar Program: 5/10
OLD RATING: Service: 8/10 Atmosphere: 7/10 Bar Program: 7/10
Area: Picadilly/Mayfair
The Green Bar at Hotel Café Royal is a nice spot for a pre-dinner or afternoon cocktail. They are busy on weekend nights, but quiet most other times. The bartenders used to be the best part, and Roberto is still amazing (seek him out), but there was a new bartender the last time we visited that soured the experience, so it’s hard to recommend this place now… but maybe he won’t be there next time. Who knows? Anyways, if you go, we highly recommend the buttermilk fried chicken bites.
Overall: Consider
Service: 8.5/10 Atmosphere: 6/10 Food: 6.5/10 Beverage Program: 7/10
Area: Mayfair
Bet some of you scrolled straight to this review. This 2-starred Michelin Indian restaurant is probably the top 1 or 2 restaurants people consider when booking a trip to London. And they do have 2-star service. The wine list was surprisingly average, but they did have a neat gin menu. The food is certainly above-average Indian food, and we’d imagine that some people would rate it higher than we did… but we found it heavy on the cilantro, and honestly a little unmemorable aside from that. (They don’t ask about spice levels, and the dishes do lean spicy, which some people might care about.) Ambiance: The decor was nice, but they had incense burning the entire time which did impact the meal, and doesn’t really give off a 2-Michelin feel to us. It is important to request booth seating if you are a 2-top because the 2-top tables are way too small. Anyways! Maybe go. Once was enough for us, but we are still happy we went.
Overall: Recommend
Service: 7.5/10 Atmosphere: 8/10 Food: 6.5/10 Beverage Program: 8.5/10
Area: Mayfair
The food is a bit hipster and not quite our thing, but there is no denying that Hide’s impeccable design makes a great location for lunch or a drink. We sat at Hide Below, which is the bar located downstairs, but it offers the same menu as upstairs. We recommend the cheese plate. Riu at the bar is enjoyable.
Overall: Highly recommend
Not rating
Area: Piccadilly Circus
If only this place were open later to bring beautiful hot dogs into our lives after a long night out, we would have eaten many more our last trip. These are really good hot dogs, standard toasted bun, standard yummy toppings. It is located right in Picadilly circus and is (for some unknown reason) usually not busy. They do sometimes close earlier than it says online, so don’t miss out.
Overall: Skip
Service: 6/10 Atmosphere: 7.5/10 Food: 6/10 Beverage Program: 5/10
Area: Soho
We don’t usually review spots with this low of a rating (they go in ‘visited & not reviewed below), but this is a very popular place, so we think its fair to be honest. This is one of the more disappointing meals that we have had in London, mostly because we had very high expectations for this 1 Michelin star restaurant equipped with counter seating only and promising asian fusion. Honestly, it was just okay. Out of 12 courses, we only really enjoyed 2. Probably the most frustrating part was the sake “master”, who either ignored our requests for dry sake or didn’t really know what he was doing. Lots of warm, sweet sake was chugged down that night to accompany the mostly ‘eh’ food.
Overall: Worth A Visit
Service: 4/10 Atmosphere: 8/10 Food: 8.5/10 Beverage Program: 7/10
Area: St. James
Located near St. James, this Chinese restaurant offers amazing peking duck and a stunning bar (which you sadly cannot eat at), but at the time we visited they were severely understaffed. We are sure this has changed by now, so please do report back if you visit.
Overall: Worth A Visit
Service: 6/10 Atmosphere: 7/10 Food: 7.5/10 Beverage Program: 7/10
Area: Mayfiar
This Mayfair Indian staple is a solid choice for good Indian food in a really beautiful area, but we do recommend Kanishka and Benares over Jamavar, which at times can feel a little cold rather than warm and welcoming.
Overall: Highly recommend
Service: 8/10 Atmosphere: 8/10 Food: 8/10 Beverage Program: 6/10
Area: Soho/Mayfair border
For modern/hipster Thai food of quality… line up at either noon or 5pm for Kiln’s opening service. This restaurant is one big long bar (no backs on seats), some of which in front of the open kitchen (which can get a bit hot). We highly recommend the clay pot, and we plan on returning soon.
Overall: Highly Recommend
Service: 8/10 Atmosphere: 8/10 Food: 8/10 Beverage Program: 7/10
Area: Fitzrovia
Guy Ritchie’s pub. Totally worth booking a table for dinner upstairs, but they take reservations well in advance and do fill up quickly. Their seasonal menu rotates and is shown online, but it pretty much always leans gastropub-y. It’s a solid spot and we will be back, it is just a little out of the way for us sometimes (10-15 min cab north of Mayfair). This is probably our top recommendation for a great British gastropub.
Overall: Worth A Visit
Service: 7.5/10 Atmosphere: 7.5/10 Food: 8/10 Beverage Program: 8/10
Area: Piccadilly
While not as perfect as Milo’s in Las Vegas, this Greek restaurant offers a delicious and healthy lunch in a comfortable setting. We recommend picking out a fish (prepared with olive oil, lemon, and capers), and getting a side of grilled veggies. Skip the dip appetizer. We have enjoyed our meals at the bar, and the sommelier seems to know what he is doing. However, if you are only in London for a short period of time, we would skip Milo’s for something more unique (any of our Top Restaurants listed above).
Overall: Worth A Visit
Service: 7.5/10 Atmosphere: 7.5/10 Food: 7.5/10 Beverage Program: 8/10
Area: Mayfair
This well-designed restaurant offers Chinese food in Mayfair, and the peking duck is pretty good. This seems to be the type of place locals go for celebratory business lunches.
Overall: Worth A Visit
Service: 7.5/10 Atmosphere: 8.5/10 Food: 7.5/10 Bar Program: 7/10
Area: Mayfair
Novikov London is broken into 4 parts- the entry bar (skip), Asian restaurant (go), Italian restaurant (never been), and downstairs lounge (eh…). In order to get past the strict bouncers at the front door, you will need a reservation to one of Novikov’s 2 restaurants (or at least, you need to pretend you do). Novikov is definitely a scene, and if you are looking for a vibey night out in London, this is our top recommendation. We always said Novikov Miami had better food, but our recent visit to Novikov Asia in London changed our mind- everything was excellent and the service was top notch (some favorites were the gyoza, the incredibly fresh nigiri, the beef entree, and the fruit plate for dessert). They present their sake creatively in a way that always keeps it cold. We used to like the lounge but the service there has been incredibly lacking in the past few years, so we would skip that. Dress to impress.
Overall: Recommend
Not rating
Area: Soho
This late night arcade bar is in the center of Soho and it is honestly such a blast to visit. Tons of neon spray paint. Tons of old-school games. The crowd leans 20-40 age wise, and it is open late.
Overall: Skip
Service: 4/10 Atmosphere: 8/10 Food: 4/10 Beverage Program: 6/10
Area: Mayfair
Park Chinois is a modern supper club. They offer dinner and a show (singers, dancers, acrobats, you name it) within the downstairs section of Club Chinois- which provides the full experience. The food is not good (and we assume is the same in the restaurant upstairs), but it can be worth grabbing bar seats and catching glimpses of the show from a distance, if you are looking for an interesting stop.
Overall: Used to Recommend
CURRENT RATING: Service: 5/10 Atmosphere: 7/10 Food: 5/10 Beverage Program: 6/10
OLD RATING: Service: 8.5/10 Atmosphere: 8.5/10 Food: 8.5/10 Beverage Program: 7.5/10
Area: Mayfair
This Spanish tapas restaurant has a Michelin star, and it used to be one of our ‘top restaurants’ to recommend, but after our last 2 visits, we demoted it and likely won’t return (we would suggest Barrafina for tapas instead). The food and service have both fallen off significantly, but it is still a generally fun atmosphere. It gets busy, so going at opening time to get walk-in only counter seats. If you do go, make sure to order the jamon iberico, even if it is not listed on the menu. There is a separate restaurant upstairs that takes reservations, but we’ve only ever sat at the chefs counter downstairs.
Overall: Recommend
Service: 7/10 Atmosphere: 7.5/10 Food: 8/10 Beverage Program: 6.5/10
Area: Knightsbridge
This is a surprisingly solid Italian restaurant, directly next to The Bulgari hotel. We like staying at The Bulgari sometimes, and this is definitely our favorite restaurant in the area. The pomodoro pasta is a 10/10 and it gets packed at night (we enjoyed having lunch there instead).
Overall: Recommend
Service: 8.5/10 Atmosphere: 6.5/10 Beverage Program: 7.5/10
Area: Shoreditch
This was our favorite bar in Shoreditch, which is saying a lot because Shoreditch is definitely a trendier neighborhood with lots of popular bars. The bartender/manager Sam is awesome and they are well known for their modern Irish coffee, which was great.
Overall: Recommend
Not rating
Area: Soho
This is a super fun and chill spot to spend a weekday afternoon (weekends and nights get busy). It’s well kept and clean, indoors with fun decor, and the bar is always running (you can drink while you play mini golf).
Overall: Maybe Worth a Visit
Service: 6.5/10 Atmosphere: 7/10 Food: 7.5/10 Beverage Program: 7/10
Area: Marylebone
This Marylebone Asian spot offers solid dishes in a comfortable, trendy atmosphere. The rolls are saucy, making a good spot for the more US-style saucy sushi lovers.
Overall: Highly Recommend
Service: 7/10 Atmosphere: 7/10 Food: 9/10 Beverage Program: 7/10
Area: Mayfair
While we are not the biggest breakfast experts, it is safe to say that the breakfast at The Connaught is almost reason to stay there (you do not need to be a guest to eat there, though). Gio had the best hashbrowns and eggs benedict of his life. Jess highly recommends all the juices, but would suggest skipping the omelette.
Overall: Skip (surprisingly)
Service: 6/10 Atmosphere: 6/10 Food: 3/10 Beverage Program: 6.5/10
Area: Mayfair
This is the new hot spot in Mayfair, offering Italian food, hard-to-secure reservations, and celebrity sightings (they are also owned by the same group as Park Chinois). Anyways, we had super high expectations for this. But the food is potentially worse than what you would find at an average country club. There are no windows in the restaurant (the decor is a little Cipriani-esque), and they spray a strong perfume scent through the restaurant that kind of mixes with… you know, the food. I think we just expected more. That being said, the bar is pretty.
Overall: Worth A Visit
Service: 8/10 Atmosphere: 7.5/10 Beverage Program: 7/10
Area: Mayfair
Our favorite bar in Claridge’s, the only thing that would make it better is if it had more bar seats (there are 3). The service is lovely, and the cocktails are classic and great. Ask for Marc, he’s one of our favorite bartenders in London.
Overall: Recommend
Not rating
Area: Soho
There are two reasons why we are not rating The Toucan- 1. We had an exceptionally good time and the bias level would be through the roof and 2. We know it would be impossible to have that great of a time again. This locals pub in Soho pours one of the best Guinesses in town (and Jason Mamoa is a regular). We try to visit every trip now. Tip the bartenders double.
Overall: Recommend
Service: 7.5/10 Atmosphere: 8/10 Food: 7.5/10 Beverage Program: 7/10
Area: Fitzrovia
This pub next to The Langham hotel is classy, clean, and organized. Their food menu offers a good variety (the cheese toastie is very large) and they offer several different beers and a good selection of gins. If you are looking for a higher-end pub to spend an afternoon, we do recommend this posh pub. It does get busy when locals get off work.
Overall: Recommend
Service: 8/10 Atmosphere: 7/10 Food: 8.5/10 Beverage Program: NA
Area: Shoreditch
This Mexican restaurant’s food was so good, we returned every day we were in Shoreditch to order the al pastor skewers (yes, we overdid it). Reservations are recommended, but it seems the bar is usually empty, which was great for us (and the bartender very nice). We only drank margaritas, so we can’t offer a Beverage Program rating. Aside from that, we wish the music was a bit louder, and the bathroom less dark. But the point is, Zapote has great food, and definitely the best Mexican cuisine we have had in London.
Hotels
The Bulgari Hotel in London is lovely, but it does not compare to The Bulgari Paris (our #1 hotel in the world). While the pool is almost an exact replica, the gym and other facilities are slightly more outdated. The spa is nice, and the pool gets busy because of this (an issue we haven’t experienced in Paris). We did not enjoy the Italian restaurant, but the breakfast provided the best omelette Gio has ever had in his life. We are repeat guests here, and will stay again.
Claridge’s has been one of the top luxury hotels in London since the 1800s. While they have a few options for bars and restaurants, our favorite spot was The Fumoir, which was intimate and cozy (but it only has 3 bar seats in addition to standard seating- and somehow we still prefer it to Claridge’s Bar). Our first room was nice, but we did not love the layout (Mayfair balcony room). We preferred the Superior Room, and it is important to get a room in the main wing, because the add-on wing is very easy to get lost in and quite far from the main lobby. The indoor pool was relaxing, but only sat 4 couples. The gym has everything you need, and is comfortably sized. They are famous for their afternoon tea, and the lobby gets busy during this time. While this is our top recommended hotel to stay at in London, it is because we haven’t found one we truly loved yet. The Langham and The Bulgari would be our next top choices.
While The Connaught Bar is great- and the breakfast at this hotel is superb- we would not stay here again. For starters, our shower was broken the whole time (cold water only) and rather than switch rooms they kept telling us it was fixed when it wasn’t. The lobby is quite small, and the spa facilities are just okay (the pool is nice but its very hot in the actual room during the winter). The gym is alright- pretty much what you would expect but tiny. However, the concierge team here is efficient. Guests get priority access for all bars- which is very convenient during the busy weekends- and they responded to each of our emails within 5 minutes.
Do not recommend.
Corinthia was definitely the busiest and probably the least hospitable hotel we have stayed at in London. In addition to losing our bags for a short while after check-in (and damaging a well-known music producer’s equipment who was complaining next to us), they gave us a room that was a different layout than the blueprint offered online and at least 1/4 smaller. Trying to upgrade proved an insurmountable task. The pool/spa area was interesting, and the gym was nice. Unfortunately, the lobby was just too busy with people visiting for tea and taking photographs- we had to maneuver our way around groups to enter/exit the hotel (one of our ultimate hotel pet peeves).
We have actually quite enjoyed our stays at Hotel Café Royal, which borders Mayfair and Soho. They Green Bar downstairs is generally good (see review above), and the front desk check-in was charming and easy. We stayed in a Grand Deluxe room overlooking Piccadilly Circus and it was perfectly comfortable. The pool has adult and children hours, and the gym provides additional fitness classes. The spa is also good. The area it is in can get really busy though, and it definitely feels like Soho rather than Mayfair (which is nicer and less crowded).
Hotel Ham Yard is in Soho, very close to Mayfair. It is walkable to a lot of our favorite places, and the rooms are spacious, but it is kind of a shockingly bad hotel once you get there. The design reminded Jess of a preschool and we had to switch rooms as the first one smelled like something had died in it.
Marylebone is a trendy part of London, just north of Mayfair. When we visited, we stayed at The Landmark Marylebone, which does look a bit nicer in pictures than it does online (more outdated now). The service wasn’t great, they lock the back entry at 10pm, and the pool is not nice. However, the rooms can be spacious and the Mirror Bar is comfortable.
The Rosewood London is in Holborn– a 15 min taxi east of Mayfair. While the hotel was very nice, we do prefer to stay in Mayfair. It should be noted that they were very amenable to upgrades upon arrival. We upgraded to a Premiere Suite and it was spacious. The bathrooms are designed well with nice marble. Scarfes Bar attached was really great, but as it was booked out for private events 2/3 nights we were there (with no warning from the concierge), we find it impossible to recommend.
This Hilton hotel has our favorite actual room in London- room 105. If you can get it, then it is worth staying at this St. James hotel, which is only a 15 minute walk from Mayfair. It is a stunning circle room overlooking Trafalgar Square, with large windows and a spacious bathroom. The hotel itself is an average Hilton.
The Langham is a West End hotel that provides five-star hospitality with a clean and modern design. Slightly north of Mayfair, some of our favorite restaurants are still walkable from here (Cubé is a 10 min walk). We really enjoyed the room layout of the Junior Suite, and the Deluxe room in the main wing (main wing- very important!) is also comfortable. Make sure to stay in the main building, as the old wing is a trek and has significantly worse rooms (including some with bathtubs only and no showers). The Artesian Bar here is one of the top 50 in the world (but not our favorite), still this is one of our preferred hotels, and we will stay again in the future.
The Peninsula in Belgravia is one of the newest (and nicest) hotels in London, but we honestly wouldn’t return because there is not a nice enough hotel bar. But, otherwise, the service was 10/10, the bathrooms are huge, and they have a convenient service closet for laundry etc. The complimentary hotel cars were amazing and we used them often in the rain (they will go anywhere under 1.5 miles). Downsides: Pool was closed when we were there, pillows were really bad, lobby fragrance leans stronger than most, and… the bar situation is the real problem. They have a rooftop bar but its not really nice and gets packed.
Brown’s Hotel in Mayfair– we love the bar, we just haven’t stayed yet because the rooms we would want are very small. Friends and family have recommended both The Ritz and The Dorchester, but we have not stayed at either. We took a tour of The Mandarin Oriental, but the lobby was so stuffed with perfume and crowded that we realized it was not for us. We have done room tours at The Beaumont (which has a great lobby bar), but the rooms are also too small for us (it seems priority went to the bathrooms, which were nicely on the larger side). Jess’s dad recommends the St. James in Mayfair as his top London hotel.
Tourism & Travel Notes
London is super walkable (especially in Mayfair, where most of our favorite places are). But… it would be hard to deny that some of the best taxi drivers in the world are in London. Unlike other big cities, London cab drivers must take a topographical test to be allowed to drive there- this means they all memorized every street in London and over 20,000 landmarks. They also usually have a great sense of humor. If you can’t find a cab and aren’t too worried about bicycle safety- hop on one of the lit-up bicycle carts and blast the music after a night on the town. Ubers are also available.
A note on trains: Paddington Station is a great hub for getting around England. There aren’t really “restaurants” to eat at, but there are several cafes where you can grab a baguette or beer before your train ride.
We have found Mayfair to be quite safe. More caution is needed in Soho after the sun goes down, and on our last trip we were told to avoid Chinatown at night due to gang violence, so we thought we would share that with you all.
Notable Places Visited & Not Reviewed
Annabel’s: This doesn’t count as ‘visited’ but by the time we got the invitation to go, we decided we didn’t really want to (woops!). Artesian Bar: A top 50 bar in The Langham hotel that is “just okay”… it is not bad, but we wouldn’t go out of our way to return. Bethnal Green Tavern: If you’re over in Shoreditch area, our friends work at this hipster-bar. Ask for Jake. Borough Market: Highly recommend spending a morning checking out this food market near London Bridge (and then going to Akara after!) Brigadiers (Shoreditch): Wildly spicy Indian food, and they were unable to adjust the spice on any dish. Also lame hostesses. Canton Blue: Located in the Peninsula, it was our least favorite Chinese restaurant in London, purely food and service wise. But we did like the dumplings. Cecconi’s: Average Italian, but not bad, just meh. China Tang: The Dorchester’s high-end Chinese. The peking duck tasted and looked burnt. Cipriani: Definitely not our preferred Cipriani location, there is no sommelier and our waiter was pretty lost in all ways. We won’t be back. Golden Fleece: A solid pub in Shoreditch, good for watching soccer games. Ikeda: They cancelled our reservation only a few hours before. Ixchel (Chelsea): Worth a visit for the margaritas and flour tortilla fish tacos, but don’t go out of your way for it. J Sheekey: We found it to be a little overrated and we greatly prefer Bentleys. Kahani: There were some really good bites, but Jess was terribly jetlagged so we unfortunately could not enjoy this Indian restaurant as much as we wanted to. Kai: Avoid. Do not understand the star. KOBA: Not good Korean BBQ, we’d skip it. Manteca: Skip. Mayfair Chippy: Okay food, okay service. Min Jiang: We went here for peking duck many years ago but we only remember the view. We will need to try again. Nobu Shoreditch: Middle-ground in terms of Nobus, pretty standard. Pachamama East: Great manager, but not worth the vist. Skip. Polpolo Shoreditch: Skip. Worst wine list of all time. Red Room: This champagne bar in The Connaught is not really our style. We do actively try to avoid it. Sachi: Yep, definitely avoid it. Scotts: One of Bentley’s biggest competitors. We went, and it was one of the biggest disappointments during our time in London due to both the food and service. Sette: It was not good the night we went- but it was also very busy with loud children and the server had powder on his mustache, so you can take what you want from that. Sparrow Italia: Disappointing. Could also be improved by allowing space between tables so you don’t feel piled on top of each other. Sumosan Twiga: Definitely avoid. Tayer + Elementary: A top 50 bar with all batched cocktails, which is a little off-putting. Titu: Super cute dumpling spot (very tiny) with delicious dumplings, great for an afternoon snack. Trishna: Sister restaurant to Gymkhana, this Indian spot in Marylebone actually made us not want to try Gymkhana. Sweet and not great food in a tight space. The Ivy Asia: Avoid. UMU: We left early. At best it was average sushi that was warm. Not sure about that 1 Michelin star.
favorite moments
