London is one of the best cities in the world for visitors. If the plethora of activities and landmarks wasn’t enough to whet your appetite and encourage you to visit, London is also home to a wide range of hotels for all budgets and tastes. But the hotels and things to do in the city aren’t just for visitors, they’re also fantastic for locals who are looking to explore their home city and enjoy a staycation. We recently visited four of London’s latest luxury hotels to launch in the capital, and each one has a unique personality that will make you want to hop on a plane or get in an Uber to experience them.
The Curtain, Shoreditch
The Curtain in Shoreditch has to be one of the most talked-about openings in recent times. The five star hotel is a private members club as well as a hotel, and access to the rooftop bar and swimming pool is only open to hotel guests and members, making it ultra exclusive. The stunningly trendy hotel oozes East London crossed with New York vibes, and reminds you very much that it’s possible to have a luxury hotel with personality.
Each room has a steam room shower, a Marshall radio, and a bar with cocktail making kit, recipe card, and large bottles of plonk. If you’re not exactly a cocktail maker extraordinaire, on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights a bar trolley goes round every room offering guests in-room cocktails made on the spot by one of their expert barmen. If however, you’d prefer a cocktail in the bar, there is the very sexy Green Bar on the ground floor, or the pretty Lido bar and restaurant on the top floor overlooking the heated rooftop pool.
The Curtain Hotel, Shoreditch
Royal Lancaster, Hyde Park
Although considerably more sizeable than the other hotels on this list, it very much feels like a boutique due to the personal nature of the service. The hotel was renovated and reopened in early 2018 as Royal Lancaster London, after an extensive refurbishment that saw it transform from a tired four-star hotel, to a swanky five-star with far more to offer than most luxury hotels in London.
Located right across from Hyde Park, many of the rooms have an incredible view over the park and beyond and it’s in a great position to explore West London, nearby Notting Hill, and Oxford Street. The hotel is an Instagram dream with gold and marble throughout the public areas, the excellent Hyde Bar, and a sumptuous breakfast spread.
Royal Lancaster London’s Park Suite
Courthouse Hotel, Shoreditch
As the location of the magistrates where the Kray twins were kept imprisoned, you would expect nothing less of the Courthouse than for it to be filled with nods towards it’s criminal past. From the bar where you can hire out the cells that the Kray twins were kept in, to the court itself with the original wood paneling, everywhere you turn in this hotel you’ll be reminded of where you’re staying and the history behind it.
Adding to the fun factor is the hotel’s own cinema and bowling alley, which are both available to hire for private events (or an extra special date). The rooftop bar is well worth a visit, and we loved the little design touches in the contemporary rooms, such as the globe with a map of London instead of a map of the world. The breakfast at Courthouse is decent, but it is the room breakfast is located in that makes it really something to write home about. Where else in London can you enjoy breakfast in a grand old court?
Courthouse Hotel, Shoreditch
L’Oscar, Holborn
Designed by French interior designer, Jacque Garcia, who is known for his work in Hotel Costes in Paris and La Mamounia in Marrakech, the five star L’Oscar recently opened in London’s Bloomsbury neighbourhood. Oscar Wilde and the Victorian era were the major inspiration for the style of the hotel, and the owners managed to find an abandoned church to house the hotel, to ensure some historical significance played a part in the architecture and design.
There are 39 rooms, with each of the rooms on the first floor having their own private fireplace – perfect for cosying up during the upcoming cooler months. L’Oscar has to be one of the sexiest hotels in London right now, and is one you need to visit before the masses descend onto it.
L’Oscar Hotel, Holborn
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Louise Walker is AGLAIA’s Editor in charge of all content creation and management. She splits her time between London and Miami, and can always be found at a swanky hotel bar sipping on a Negroni. Contact her for any questions or if you would like to become an AGLAIA Contributor: hello@aglaiamagazine.com
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