It’s no secret that London boasts some pretty swanky places to have a snooze. From legendary landmarks to more modern spots; the capital’s luxury hotel offering is impressive, to say the least. And it seems as though we’re not the only ones who think so.
Each and every year, the travel-aficionados over at Forbes Travel Guide send their ‘incognito investigators’ on a mission to scope out the very best of the world’s luxury hotels. The covert connoisseurs check in to thousands of lavish hotels across the globe; rating them based on their service, their facilities, and their added personal touches to curate a rather hefty list of ‘Star Award Winners’. And when I say hefty, I mean hefty. This year’s list of award-winners features a whopping 2187 hotels.
Now even I won’t go as far as to rummage through a list of 2187 hotels just to have the chance to boast about London. What I will do, however, is have a browse through the 20 hotels that were freshly added to the list of award-winners this year. And of those 20 worldwide hotels; two of them are in our beloved capital city. And those are the two that I’ll be waxing lyrical about for the next few minutes.
The Cadogan, Chelsea
Credit: @belmondcadogan via Instagram
Perched proudly in the heart of Chelsea, The Cadogan is a Belmont hotel that oozes old-school charm and glamour. A former haunt of Oscar Wildethe opulent hotel seamlessly blends its timeless 19th century roots with its contemporary atmosphere, and is – in our opinion – an unsurprising addition to Forbes’ luxury list.
The Cadogan boasts 54 gorgeous rooms and suites, a café and restaurant (that serves up a delicious afternoon tea), a fitness and spa suite, private gardens (complete with a tennis court), and an incredible collection of over 400 pieces of British art. Rooms at The Cadogan start at £600 per night – but if it’s a night’s stay in one of their suites with a park view that you’re interested in? Well, that will set you back up to £2,975.
Raffles London at The OWO, Whitehall
Credit: @robertolietti via Instagram
Since opening its doors to the public 2023 (following a six-year and £1.5 million mega makeover), Raffles London at The OWO has received its fair share of praise. Last year, it was crowned one of the world’s greatest places. And now it has yet another shiny item to add to its ever-growing trophy cabinet.
The OWO is the first Raffles Hotel in the UK, and boasts 85 gorgeous private residences, nine restaurants, three bars and a dreamy spa and health club (complete with a 65-foot swimming pool). It’s built on the historic royal site of Whitehall Palace which also used to house Britain’s Old War Office. And rooms start at a rather eye-watering £1000 per night. Blimey.
You can read Forbes’ full list of 2025 Star Award Winners here.
