Best designer hotels in London

If you’re commissioning one of the art world’s leading lights to design you a hotel room, Sir Antony Gormley (famed for the Angel of the North) wouldn’t be top of your list. Not that the Turner Prize winner is anything short of brilliant but his stunning steel sculptures are rarely… hospitable. Yet, at the front of the Beaumont Hotel, crouches a cubist metal man wherein lies Gormley’s first foray into hotel design. Simply entitled ‘Room’, the unique space is divided into two sections: a plush sitting room and marble bathroom, and a dark (very dark) bedroom, to austere effect. The latter is a wood-panelled “cave”, in Gormley’s own words, which offers daylight through a single window in the roof – close this over for serene detachment from the world outside or to drive you completely insane, depending on your mood. thebeaumont.com

If you’re commissioning one of the art world’s leading lights to design you a hotel room, Sir Antony Gormley (famed for the Angel of the North) wouldn’t be top of your list. Not that the Turner Prize winner is anything short of brilliant but his stunning steel sculptures are rarely… hospitable. Yet, at the front of the Beaumont Hotel, crouches a cubist metal man wherein lies Gormley’s first foray into hotel design. Simply entitled ‘Room’, the unique space is divided into two sections: a plush sitting room and marble bathroom, and a dark (very dark) bedroom, to austere effect. The latter is a wood-panelled “cave”, in Gormley’s own words, which offers daylight through a single window in the roof – close this over for serene detachment from the world outside or to drive you completely insane, depending on your mood. thebeaumont.com

Few hotels in London boast a more impressive location than The Trafalgar St James – or more delightful amenities. Indeed you can enjoy a memorable evening without ever leaving the building. The view from The Rooftop bar is spectacular: play a game of ‘Spot The Landmark’ while sipping a cocktail above the most famous square in London. There is also a glass-enclosed dining room for private hire... 

Feeling peckish? Then pop downstairs to the newly launched Trafalgar Dining Rooms, a beautifully furnished restaurant serving fresh and elegant dishes from an all-day dining menu. The Dedham Vale Rib Eye is predictably delicious, although we should also direct your attention to the grilled calamari and chorizo – and don’t skimp on the sides (especially not the roasted sweet potato)...

Each of the 131 bedrooms have been renovated by interior designers SHH, which counts Ascot and Wimbledon among its many clients. “Staying true to the independent ethos, as well as creating a distinctly London aesthetic, was key,” SHH creative director Neil Hogan said of the design. The result is a range of sophisticated bedrooms and suites with a touch of the art deco – tasteful yet bold. Book yourself in as soon as possible. Trafalgar St James 

Of all the names on this list, acclaimed Indian designer Sabyasachi Mukherjee is likely to be the least familiar – unless, that is, you know your Bollywood films, in which case you may have come across his flamboyant costumes. We’ll put it this way, though: he’s one of the biggest influencers on Asian fashion in the last decade, and his London hotel suite shows you why. In celebration of 100 years of Indian cinema, Taj 51 Buckingham Gate tasked Mukherjee to lend his unique style to its new Cinema Suite. The two-bedroom space is as eccentric as a Bollywood film set: each room is rich in opulent details, from the 18th-century lampshades to the antique crockery in the kitchen, but you can’t ignore (literally) the giant 85-inch 3D TV – currently the largest available in any London hotel. taj51buckinghamgate.co.uk

Of all the names on this list, acclaimed Indian designer Sabyasachi Mukherjee is likely to be the least familiar – unless, that is, you know your Bollywood films, in which case you may have come across his flamboyant costumes. We’ll put it this way, though: he’s one of the biggest influencers on Asian fashion in the last decade, and his London hotel suite shows you why. In celebration of 100 years of Indian cinema, Taj 51 Buckingham Gate tasked Mukherjee to lend his unique style to its new Cinema Suite. The two-bedroom space is as eccentric as a Bollywood film set: each room is rich in opulent details, from the 18th-century lampshades to the antique crockery in the kitchen, but you can’t ignore (literally) the giant 85-inch 3D TV – currently the largest available in any London hotel. taj51buckinghamgate.co.uk

Of all the names on this list, acclaimed Indian designer Sabyasachi Mukherjee is likely to be the least familiar – unless, that is, you know your Bollywood films, in which case you may have come across his flamboyant costumes. We’ll put it this way, though: he’s one of the biggest influencers on Asian fashion in the last decade, and his London hotel suite shows you why. In celebration of 100 years of Indian cinema, Taj 51 Buckingham Gate tasked Mukherjee to lend his unique style to its new Cinema Suite. The two-bedroom space is as eccentric as a Bollywood film set: each room is rich in opulent details, from the 18th-century lampshades to the antique crockery in the kitchen, but you can’t ignore (literally) the giant 85-inch 3D TV – currently the largest available in any London hotel. taj51buckinghamgate.co.uk

Luxury lifestyle Andaz London Liverpool Street has unveiled a multi-million pound refurbishment of its rooms and suites, designed to immerse every guest in the authentic story of East London. The result is a triumph, full of small details which demonstrate the level of dedication that has gone into the project. The rooms have pinstriped carpets, a nod to the uniforms of the nearby bankers, with accentuated stitched ‘jeans’ fabric around the base of the bed in recognition of the area’s sartorial past. Meanwhile the tattoo art of the bed headboards, which represents the silk weavers that used to dominate Shoreditch’s textile industry. There is also a Masonic temple for private hire should you wish to entertain guests / undermine the current world order. Next to the City, and with the many delights of East London within walking distance from the door, it's a perfect option for both work and play. londonliverpoolstreet.andaz.hyatt.com 

Luxury lifestyle Andaz London Liverpool Street has unveiled a multi-million pound refurbishment of its rooms and suites, designed to immerse every guest in the authentic story of East London. The result is a triumph, full of small details which demonstrate the level of dedication that has gone into the project. The rooms have pinstriped carpets, a nod to the uniforms of the nearby bankers, with accentuated stitched ‘jeans’ fabric around the base of the bed in recognition of the area’s sartorial past. Meanwhile the tattoo art of the bed headboards, which represents the silk weavers that used to dominate Shoreditch’s textile industry. There is also a Masonic temple for private hire should you wish to entertain guests / undermine the current world order. Next to the City, and with the many delights of East London within walking distance from the door, it's a perfect option for both work and play. londonliverpoolstreet.andaz.hyatt.com 

Luxury lifestyle Andaz London Liverpool Street has unveiled a multi-million pound refurbishment of its rooms and suites, designed to immerse every guest in the authentic story of East London. The result is a triumph, full of small details which demonstrate the level of dedication that has gone into the project. The rooms have pinstriped carpets, a nod to the uniforms of the nearby bankers, with accentuated stitched ‘jeans’ fabric around the base of the bed in recognition of the area’s sartorial past. Meanwhile the tattoo art of the bed headboards, which represents the silk weavers that used to dominate Shoreditch’s textile industry. There is also a Masonic temple for private hire should you wish to entertain guests / undermine the current world order. Next to the City, and with the many delights of East London within walking distance from the door, it's a perfect option for both work and play. londonliverpoolstreet.andaz.hyatt.com 

Renowned womenswear designer Diane von Furstenberg had the unenviable task of updating the classic Art Deco style of Claridge’s two-bedroom Grand Piano Suite, but it’s safe to say she carried it out with aplomb. Splashes of vibrant colour add to the cool monochrome stylings of this classy get-up, while the piano and leather-topped drinks cabinet take pride of place in the glamorous main living space. Entertaining guests? A personal butler service will keep your fingers on the ivories – and a marble fireplace provides the perfect leaning post for a suave singer to offer accompaniment. From the canopied four-poster bed in the master bedroom to the huge bathroom, this suite, unsurprisingly, lives up to its grand billing. claridges.co.uk

Renowned womenswear designer Diane von Furstenberg had the unenviable task of updating the classic Art Deco style of Claridge’s two-bedroom Grand Piano Suite, but it’s safe to say she carried it out with aplomb. Splashes of vibrant colour add to the cool monochrome stylings of this classy get-up, while the piano and leather-topped drinks cabinet take pride of place in the glamorous main living space. Entertaining guests? A personal butler service will keep your fingers on the ivories – and a marble fireplace provides the perfect leaning post for a suave singer to offer accompaniment. From the canopied four-poster bed in the master bedroom to the huge bathroom, this suite, unsurprisingly, lives up to its grand billing. claridges.co.uk

Renowned womenswear designer Diane von Furstenberg had the unenviable task of updating the classic Art Deco style of Claridge’s two-bedroom Grand Piano Suite, but it’s safe to say she carried it out with aplomb. Splashes of vibrant colour add to the cool monochrome stylings of this classy get-up, while the piano and leather-topped drinks cabinet take pride of place in the glamorous main living space. Entertaining guests? A personal butler service will keep your fingers on the ivories – and a marble fireplace provides the perfect leaning post for a suave singer to offer accompaniment. From the canopied four-poster bed in the master bedroom to the huge bathroom, this suite, unsurprisingly, lives up to its grand billing. claridges.co.uk

Unsurprisingly from the Italian makers of all things luxury, each of the seven Bulgari suites are as polished and modern as a piece of its jewellery. The gleam of mahogany, silver and onyx greet you as you step into spaces that ooze luxury from its every pore. There’s bespoke furniture at each turn, open fireplaces, a spacious dining room for ten, and Hyde Park views when the interiors no longer please you. If you’re expecting flamboyant, these two-bedroom suites will leave you cold - they’re a slick Ermenegildo Zegna suit to a Versace bathrobe - but for those who can appreciate its understated elegance, they are some of the most sophisticated rooms you are likely to encounter anywhere. bulgarihotels.com

Unsurprisingly from the Italian makers of all things luxury, each of the seven Bulgari suites are as polished and modern as a piece of its jewellery. The gleam of mahogany, silver and onyx greet you as you step into spaces that ooze luxury from its every pore. There’s bespoke furniture at each turn, open fireplaces, a spacious dining room for ten, and Hyde Park views when the interiors no longer please you. If you’re expecting flamboyant, these two-bedroom suites will leave you cold - they’re a slick Ermenegildo Zegna suit to a Versace bathrobe - but for those who can appreciate its understated elegance, they are some of the most sophisticated rooms you are likely to encounter anywhere. bulgarihotels.com

Unsurprisingly from the Italian makers of all things luxury, each of the seven Bulgari suites are as polished and modern as a piece of its jewellery. The gleam of mahogany, silver and onyx greet you as you step into spaces that ooze luxury from its every pore. There’s bespoke furniture at each turn, open fireplaces, a spacious dining room for ten, and Hyde Park views when the interiors no longer please you. If you’re expecting flamboyant, these two-bedroom suites will leave you cold - they’re a slick Ermenegildo Zegna suit to a Versace bathrobe - but for those who can appreciate its understated elegance, they are some of the most sophisticated rooms you are likely to encounter anywhere. bulgarihotels.com

Fashion designer Christian Lacroix is known worldwide for drawing inspiration from diverse places when it comes to his collections, but his love of the Mediterranean’s hot colours is an overarching theme. With Lacroix’s help, The Mandeville in Marylebone has transformed its fifth floor into an ode to the French Riviera. Each room boasts its own unique personality and story – whether it’s Jardin Exotique’s tropical green accents, inspired by Monaco’s Botanical Garden, or Jewel Box’s whimsical colours imagining Grace Kelly’s stolen Cartier jewels. They’re far from the grand size of the Bulgari suites or the opulence of Claridge’s but each offers a comfortably chic home to Lacroix’s genius mind – and, for that, we’re more than happy to pay the room rate. mandeville.co.uk

Fashion designer Christian Lacroix is known worldwide for drawing inspiration from diverse places when it comes to his collections, but his love of the Mediterranean’s hot colours is an overarching theme. With Lacroix’s help, The Mandeville in Marylebone has transformed its fifth floor into an ode to the French Riviera. Each room boasts its own unique personality and story – whether it’s Jardin Exotique’s tropical green accents, inspired by Monaco’s Botanical Garden, or Jewel Box’s whimsical colours imagining Grace Kelly’s stolen Cartier jewels. They’re far from the grand size of the Bulgari suites or the opulence of Claridge’s but each offers a comfortably chic home to Lacroix’s genius mind – and, for that, we’re more than happy to pay the room rate. mandeville.co.uk

Fashion designer Christian Lacroix is known worldwide for drawing inspiration from diverse places when it comes to his collections, but his love of the Mediterranean’s hot colours is an overarching theme. With Lacroix’s help, The Mandeville in Marylebone has transformed its fifth floor into an ode to the French Riviera. Each room boasts its own unique personality and story – whether it’s Jardin Exotique’s tropical green accents, inspired by Monaco’s Botanical Garden, or Jewel Box’s whimsical colours imagining Grace Kelly’s stolen Cartier jewels. They’re far from the grand size of the Bulgari suites or the opulence of Claridge’s but each offers a comfortably chic home to Lacroix’s genius mind – and, for that, we’re more than happy to pay the room rate. mandeville.co.uk