Now that the pound is weak and the weather is warm, here are the four must-stays in England’s capital city.
The Langham, London
Celebrating its 150th anniversary this June, the 380-key Regent Street property hasn’t lost any of its luster, thanks to a lavish multi-year makeover that brought a fresh, modern look to the venerable property.
Renovations are still ongoing: The Club wing will become the 46-room residential-style Regent Wing, with a private entrance, and there will be a new Langham Club Lounge, opening in May. Also coming online next month is the Sterling Suite, a massive, 4,843-square-foot, six-bedroom spread that, naturally, comes with butler service.
And where most London hotel fitness centers are an afterthought, here it takes center stage, with a 52-foot-long indoor pool and top-notch equipment.
On the flip side, you’ll want to indulge at the Artesian bar, a three-time winner of Best Bar in the World presided over by Alex Kratena, who nabbed International Bartender of the Year in 2012. (From $469)
The Arch London
Years before Chiltern Firehouse made its splashy debut, The Arch was already on the newly emerging Marylebone scene — the 82-room boutique property, tucked inside seven combined Georgian townhouses and two mews homes, opened its doors in 2010.
The scene here is far more restrained than the André Balazs playground just a eight-minute walk away, but no less chic — it’s a favorite of fashion buyers and others in the industry.
No wonder, since nothing is cookie-cutter in the family-owned hotel: each room is individually designed with bespoke Italian wallpaper, sumptuous fabrics and innovative artwork by emerging British artists.
The roomy suites offer additional sitting areas; some have kitchenettes or private courtyard space.
Relax with a cocktail at Le Salon de Champagne, replete with bright purple Tom Dixon-designed chairs, or settle in front of the fireplace at the classically-styled Martini Library. (From $340)
The Stafford London
It’s not “The Three Faces of Eve” exactly, but this 105-key property in St. James is split among trio of buildings — each with a very distinct personality.
The Main House, once a private residence, has 67 rooms and suites with classic British interiors; the 26 Mews suites, set behind the main building and overlooking a private courtyard, are done in a contemporary style (and offer butler service); while the Carriage House, a former stable, features a dozen English country house-inspired rooms with original details, like wood beams and woodburning fireplaces.
History abounds on the walls of the hotel’s cozy American Bar, where one can settle in for a pricey martini and decent fish & chips among all the photos and knickknacks, but more interesting is what’s in the cellar below, which was used as an air raid shelter for Canadian and American infantry during WWII.
Today it loosely displays artifacts — gas masks, sandbags, helmets, posters and more — from the era; ask the front desk for a peek. (From $562)
Rosewood London
It’s hard to imagine a grander entrance to a hotel than this one: Through a long stone archway off High Holborn street, past wrought-iron gates and into an imposing cobblestone courtyard, where the palatial Edwardian-era insurance building — remodeled and reopened as a five-star property in 2013 — looms all around.
Enter via a gleaming rose-bronze hall that opens onto a Tony Chi-designed lobby swirling with rich detail: black-and-white marble floors, plush furniture, glass shelves housing carefully curated objets — and, just before you step on the elevator, pairs of real lovebirds flitting about in tall cages.
It’s a taste of what to expect in the 306 guest rooms (44 of which are suites), which are modeled on a British manor house and have a distinctly residential feel.
Splurge on the top-floor Garden House Suite ($11,848/night), which boasts a huge terrace with skyline views and two outdoor woodburning fireplaces — it’s perhaps the finest hotel room in the city.
And don’t skip cocktailing at Scarfes Bar, which was honored with best hotel bar design by the 2014 European Hotel Design Awards. (From $562)