The Best Affordable Luxury Boutique Hotels in London

Amazing – you’ve just booked a trip to London! Now comes the hard part. What area of London is best to stay in? How is it possible to weed through the 130,000+ hotels in London? And, as London is one of the most expensive cities in the world – just like Paris, New York, Hong Kong, and Geneva – how will you ever find that perfect hotel without blowing your budget? Rest assured, if you don’t have the time to research nor want to break the bank on accommodation costs this Guide is for you! I’ve curated a list of London’s best luxury boutique hotels or affordable luxury as I like to call it. 

Travel Planning: Check out my ultimate guide featuring the top things to do in London and unmissable London landmarks.

London Boutique Hotel Information

This curated list of the best boutique London hotels have all received 9+ star ratings from guests and are 5-star properties. I prefer to stay in boutique hotels over large chain hotels. Therefore, all of the recommended places to stay are smaller, stylish hotels with amazing designs and décor. If you’d rather stay in large chain hotels or even want to do your own search, click here. 

The second criteria for my search were to include what I call affordable luxury hotels. Being an expensive city, budget hotels by my definition are anything under £600 per night (that’s $1,000CDN or $750US). The price per night cost is represented by £. If you see a hotel you like, simply click on the link, check for available dates, and book directly for the best-guaranteed price. 

Travel Planning | If you prefer to stay in a vacation rental in London, check out these dreamy apartment stays in London. 

Best Areas in London to Stay

I’ve been busy planning my first trip to London and have sought advice from some of my fellow bloggers. Based on their expert advice, the best areas in central London to stay are in The West End – neighbourhoods like Soho, Piccadilly, Mayfair, and Covent Garden. Especially for first-timers like me, as it’s near all of the top attractions. Another area that always appeals to me is being close to green spaces, like Hyde Park and that is Kensington and South Kensington with neighbourhoods like Westminster, Belgravia, and Victoria. I also love to stay in trendy areas where you can find cool bars, restaurants, shops, and art galleries. For that, go to Shoreditch. Based on these three areas of central London I began my search for the best affordable lux boutique hotels. 

Best Boutique Hotels in The West End London

MAYFAIR

Mayfair is one of the poshest neighbourhoods in London. Enjoy the upscale hub of high-end shops, galleries, and restaurants. Stroll through some of the streets in Mayfair – Regent Street, Bond Street, and the stylish Mount Street.

1. The Mayfair Townhouse – is a highly-stylized modern, chic hotel. A bonus to this boutique hotel is the sought-after Dandy Bar known for its cocktails £££
2. COMO Metropolitan – is steps from Hyde Park and offers a simple style emphasizing clean lines and light colours ££££
3. Dukes London – is a nod to the traditional English style, even in its popular onsite pub, Dukes Bar is a must visit £££££
4. 11 Cadogan Gardens – is a chic hotel with hints of the English countryside, it also happens to be located in a quiet area of Mayfair £££££
5. Flemings Mayfair – is a posh larger-sized hotel that features the top restaurant, Ormer Mayfair. This hotel is close to Green Park for those who love having a green space close by  £££££

SOHO

Soho is one of London’s livelier districts known for its nightlife and dining. It offers pedestrian shopping on the famous Carnaby Street and Liberty London, a local’s favourite department store. And, theatre-goers head to Shaftesbury Avenue.

1. Treehouse Hotel – is a playful hotel full of different colours and patterns. The best part is every room comes with a great city view ££ 
2. The Mandrake – is a very stylish 30-room hotel with a private art collection. This lifestyle hotel features a gorgeous terrace with an outdoor dining restaurant serving up botanical-based cocktails and a Latin American menu £££
3. Nobu Hotel London Portman Square – situated at the tip of Hyde Park near Soho and Mayfair, this boutique hotel is known for its food – even local foodies dine here ££££

COVENT GARDEN

Covent Garden is well known for its shopping, especially Covent Garden Piazza. A theatre, museums, and the Royal Opera House are just some of the top attractions in this district. 

1. Sea Containers London – situated near Covent Garden, this boutique hotel resembles a transatlantic liner and its rooms have the best Thames River views £££
2. Henrietta Hotel – is a small feminine 40-room hotel with touches of pretty pink and curvy Art Deco, and it feels very French ££££
3. NoMad London – is a nod to Art Deco style and the hotel bar and restaurant are sought after by locals and guests £££££

Best London Boutique Hotels in Kensington

The neighbourhoods of Belgravia, Victoria, and Westminster are home to many of London’s most iconic attractions – the Houses of Parliament, Westminster Abbey, Buckingham Palace, and Big Ben.

1. Astors Belgravia – situated in the lively Victoria,  close to Westminster Abbey and the House of Parliament, this is considered one of the best hotels in London for under 200 pounds. Plus, it includes a scrumptious breakfast £
2. Eccleston Square Hotel – is a grand Georgian townhouse in a chic neighbourhood. It’s the perfect hotel for tech enthusiasts as it offers guests unlimited data, iPad, and 3D TVs ££
3. Artist Residence London – is an artsy 10-room hotel that looks like a private townhome just outside of the Victoria area. It features an all-day restaurant and the Clarendon Cocktail Cellar which is a gorgeous speakeasy bar £££
4. 41 – is an elegant hotel with a stylish black and white theme. This hotel rates high on service, offering a free supply of snacks all day long £££
5. The Hari – situated in the Belgravia area is reminiscent of what you might find in Italy, so you’ll definitely want to dine at il Pampero, the hotel’s Italian restaurant £££££

Best London Boutique Hotels in Shoreditch

Shoreditch is a trendy part of the city with an influx of art, music, food, and drink. This cool neighbourhood in itself holds the top spot on London’s must-see lists. 

1. The Zetter Townhouse  – situated in the Clerkenwell borough is vintage chic and feels like a home rather than a hotel ££
2. Boundary London – situated in a converted warehouse in Shoreditch offers some amazing art gallery vibes £££
3. Batty Langley’s Hotel – is in an 18th-century building that looks like a warehouse. Each of its 29 rooms is individually designed in a slightly eccentric “batty” way ££££
4. The Hoxton, Shoreditch – is a cool contemporary hotel with lots of exposed brick and soaring ceilings. Also, its hotel spaces – restaurant, bar, and big lobby area – act as a casual hang-out spot £££
5. Mondrian London Shoreditch – situated in the heart of Shoreditch offers large exposed brick rooms with balconies with great city views. The members-only rooftop pool and restaurant is one of the most instagrammable places to be seen ££££

As a holidaymaker…

Hopefully, you found your next affordable luxury hotel from this curated list of the best boutique hotels in London. Follow me and find out which one I choose to stay at in October 2022.