There are capitals that continually keep you on the lookout for new addresses. London, in particular, always surprising you where you least expect it! A spotlight on a neighborhood on the rise, a fondness for eccentric design behind a restrained facade, a luxe atmosphere housed in a stern building: delightfully disorienting yet audacious pairings, for establishments not necessarily freshly opened but which Karla Miller counts among London’s finest hotels.
Grand Hotel Bellevue
Just a short stroll from Hyde Park, the immaculate Victorian façade of a listed townhouse. A refined residence chosen as the first overseas outpost by the French group Lignée. And here you step into a pared-back universe with a comforting, subtly exotic air signed by designer Fabrizio Casiraghi. From the lobby, the place’s spirit makes itself known: dark lacquered woodwork, Emily Bode tapestries, walls painted a bold orange, and a metal counter that isn’t so incongruous after all. The custom furniture—from wingback chairs to art-deco tables and precious consoles—answers to the gathered objects, leaning toward a warm, intimate atmosphere.
Heading to the 60 rooms—and one grand suite with panoramic views—that fan out across the hotel’s five stories. They present a warm style despite an outward austerity: acajou headboards, heavy brocade curtains, floral-painted carpets, punctuated by teal blue, terracotta, or sage green accents. The public areas keep the enchantment alive, as evidenced by Pondicherry Bar with embroidered frescoes inspired by the colonial Indian era and a marble fireplace: the perfect private-club mood for sipping a signature cocktail, or a glass of fine French wine from Domaine Château Soucherie. Impeccable service, an enticing breakfast buffet, no on-site restaurant but staff who will steer you to the best tables nearby. And in lieu of a spa, the hotel offers a chic gym with NOHRD equipment.
The Chancery Rosewood
Head to Grosvenor Square and its most iconic building: the former American embassy conceived in 1960 by Eero Saarinen, a master of modernism. This property, owned by the royal family of Qatar and just opened, first flaunts an emblematic façade crowned with a golden eagle, a Theodore Roszak sculpture bearing witness to its diplomatic past. The restoration, led by David Chipperfield Architects, now features broad openings to better watch Mayfair from its 144 rooms, all suites. The interior design was entrusted to designer Joseph Dirand.
To soften the building’s severity, the property embraces a broad color palette, dominated by ecru and beige tones, delicate woodwork, and patinated brass that envelop you in a luxuriously hush atmosphere. Not to mention the junior suites’ bathrooms, clad in rare Indian green marble. And then there are the “Houses,” exceptional suites honoring American figures tied to the site’s history, extended with private terraces. History also threads through the public spaces, where precious furniture meets roughly 700 works of contemporary art. Five restaurants and bars tempt discerning diners: the Italian Serra, the Asian-fusion cuisine at Tobi Masa, the pastries of Jacqueline for afternoon tea, and the Eagle Bar perched on the rooftop. Finally, don’t miss the 1,100 square meters of the Asaya spa, designed by Yabu Pushelberg: a sumptuous indoor pool, a sauna and hammam, a hydrozone, and signature rituals from Moods and EviDenS de Beauté for an exclusive sensory immersion.
Broadwick Soho Hotel
It’s the story of Noël Hayden, a boy who’s nostalgic for his childhood spent in a hotel, and four friends; the crew dreams of a one-of-a-kind, eccentric, entirely new address. They land on Broadwick Street, in the heart of Soho, the cult district of the disco era, just a short stroll from London’s West End theatres.
So it’s no surprise to be welcomed by two pink elephants dressed as clowns, to push open a pastel pink door, and to greet a receptionist in a leopard-print jacket. And you let yourself be carried by the extravagances of renowned Swedish interior designer Martin Brudnizki.
Every detail matters, that’s for sure. The lighting and mirrors are handmade in Murano; the marble and terrazzo are sourced from Verona. Wallpapers and Pierre Frey carpets sit alongside Deruta ceramics, Brudnizki and Ben Whistler furniture. And yes, everything is bespoke. And then there are art pieces scattered here and there: a Francis Bacon or an Andy Warhol along a corridor, plus promising London-based artists alike.
The 57 rooms showcase a decor that’s a touch more restrained, yet extraordinarily refined. A visit to Dear Jackie—the proprietor’s mother—lets you dine underground in a space that fuses Italian Renaissance with disco, its walls draped in crimson silk and lava-stone tables. Chef Harry Faddy crafts Italian dishes with ultra-fresh ingredients.
Then slip into Bar Jackie to continue the Trans-Italian journey with a Roma or a Dolce Vita. Move to the exclusive Nook lounge reserved for guests to listen to an underground vinyl set, before climbing to Flute, the rooftop bar with cork walls and mirrored ceilings, animal-print fabrics, and an onyx-topped counter—perfect for themed nights and frequent DJ sets.
The Guardsman Hotel & Residence
Beneath its gray-brick façade with golden glints, The Guardsman—despite its name—presents itself less as a mere annex to its neighbor, Buckingham Palace, and more as a refined urban retreat.
Designed by Studio Moren, with interiors by Tonik Associates, this member of Preferred Hotels & Resorts evokes a reimagined classicism that converses with the splendor of nearby monuments.
Spread over seven floors, there are 53 rooms and 6 private residences, all with generous volumes and large bay windows. Black-and-white marble in the bathrooms, wood panels, smoked mirrors, and a subtle palette of sage green, steel blue, and gold create a soft, hushed luxury.
Art déco flirts in with touches: sculptural chandeliers, grand mirrors, velvets and Persian carpets punctuate the salons and corridors. The subterranean dining room channels private-club vibes, serving guests a seasonally-driven, high-quality brasserie-style menu. Afternoon tea is a ritual here, too, but it’s the Drawing Room—complete with well-stocked libraries, plush sofas, and soft lighting—that invites conversations and quiet indulgence: a hotel that, even in its modernity, remains proudly— and unmistakably—British.
Park Hyatt River Thames
Rising majestically along Nine Elms’ waterfront in a district pulsing with energy, this five-star property imposes a glassy vertical, a slender tower with rhythmically arranged frames imagined by Kohn Pedersen Fox.
Fans of vertiginous river views will not be disappointed from the 203 keys—including 31 suites. Interior design by the Japanese firm Super Potato under Takashi Sugimoto blends discreet luxury with organic inspiration.
The lobby is dressed in white marble set against dark wood; a centerpiece sculpture, “Ebb and Flow” by Charlie Whinney, gold-toned and sculptural, pays homage to the shifting waters of the Thames.
In the rooms, ivory and ebony tones converse with leather inlays, brass, and lacquered textures, while walls occasionally catch a splash of orange or a deep blue. The VIP suites on the 17th and 18th floors read like ablaze apartment retreats, complete with private elevator access. Artworks by Ian Rayer-Smith or Gabriel Leung punctuate the spaces.
Guests savor the breakfast buffet and nibble on shareable plates at Nine Elms Kitchen & Terrace, a nod to London’s market cuisine. The Bar Lounge invites a relaxed prelude to the evening, and at Yú Gé one discovers classic Cantonese dishes. The light-filled spa launches a holistic journey: a 20-meter indoor pool, six treatment rooms devoted to bespoke rituals, Somadome meditation pods, and a high-tech fitness center with views that sweep toward Battersea Power Station.
