Rosewood London

In a city famous for its five star hotels—Blake's and Claridge’s, The Savoy and Dorchester—Rosewood had to create something truly special to stand out from the crowd. And that’s exactly what the Hong Kong-based luxury hotel brand did.

But Rosewood—which opened its doors in late 2013—did not go for the traditional Old World luxury styling of its five-star cousins. Instead, the brand opted for bold, gorgeous and modern, but also restrained, elegant and functional (courtesy of renowned hotel designer Tony Chi). Rosewood London has one of the most jaw-dropping entries of any city hotel in Europe—through a grand Edwardian courtyard where the hotel’s smartly dressed staff (whose uniforms are a cross between Downton Abbey and Sherlock Holmes) greet you across from a fleet of hotel Jaguars and an Aston Martin DB9. Equally spectacular is the hotel’s copper-gilded lobby entrance, which opens up into plenty of stylish seating areas.

Entry-level rooms at this 309-key property start at 31sqm, which is admittedly smaller compared to other top city hotels. But the furnishings here are exquisite—rich woods, plush chairs, Italian marble bathrooms and Rivolta Carmignani Italian linens, and there are plenty of stunning (and much larger) suites in this property.

Rosewood is housed in a listed heritage building with numerous treasures to be found in the hallways and corridors (and even some live caged songbirds!). Look for the Cuban mahogany and seven types of marble, or the seven-story solid marble Renaissance grand staircase. It’s spectacular, just like this hotel, which gets our vote for London’s # 1!

You are actually spoiled for choice with drink and dining options at Rosewood London. Our favorite is the casual and fun Holborn Dining Room, which has arguably the best fish 'n chips north of the Thames. And for High Tea, a delicious curry or a very dry martini (shaken not stirred), you have the decadent and richly furnished Scarfes Bar, named after the renowned British artist and caricaturist, Gerald Scarfe, whose works adorn the bar’s marble walls. And with over 200 single malts and the hotel’s very own house-made sloe gin, this is a bar for serious connoisseurs and cocktail aficionados.

The hotel’s location—in High Holborn—is perhaps the tiniest drawback of the hotel—and part of the reason its rooms can be had for marginally less than hotels of its equal, such as The Connaught and 45 Park Lane, both of which have enviable West London addresses.