“Refuel” at the Soho Hotel comfortably makes it into our London top 10, both for its uplifting surroundings and exceptionally friendly staff
Purely in the name of research of course, London Hotels Insight has been secretly checking out some of the UK capital’s very best hotel bars.
We reviewed all bars anonymously and paid our own way. Visits were recent so opinions are up-to-date though you may not always agree with them. Any list of this kind is subjective. So instead of an artificial ranking, we’ve named two London hotel bars “best in class” in five categories:
- Most glamorous
- Most traditional
- Best for views
- Most comfy
- Best for cocktails
The end result is a “top 10″ London hotel bars in no special order – just choose one that suits your needs. First a warning: all the bars listed below are ridiculously expensive so save your pennies wisely before you go!
Most glamorous: the May Fair and the Soho Hotel
Our picks in this category are the celebrity-packed bar at the trendy May Fair Hotel and the excellent “Refuel” Bar at the Soho Hotel.
Both offer stylish surroundings though in different ways: the Soho Hotel’s bar is more comfy and chilled-out whereas the Mayfair has a definite party vibe (particularly on weekends). Each is funky in its own unique way.
Check rates at The May Fair Hotel
The May Fair Bar is one of London’s trendiest
In terms of service, I’ve found the May Fair’s staff to be friendly but a bit slow (understandable when it’s busy but annoying all the same).
At the Soho Hotel they always go the extra mile to take care of you. And they have some funky and creative cocktails as well (on a recent visit my companion had a chilli caipirinha – definitely more hot than sweet!).
So I’d recommend the May Fair if you’re people watching while the Soho Hotel is perhaps better suited to a date or drinks with friends.
A caipirinha and a mojito at the Soho Hotel’s Refuel Bar where the service is consistently friendly and attentive
Most traditional: the Stafford and the Egerton House
The winners in this category are the Stafford and the Egerton House Hotel.
The Stafford is the wine lover’s favourite hotel and renowned for traditional English hospitality. I experienced this at first hand at its recent Pub Talk, after which we sneaked off to check out its famous American Bar.
The American Bar at the Stafford is full of interesting memorabilia that has crossed the Atlantic – but hasn’t brought over our Stateside cousins’ informal dress code!
Again, the wine list and service were exemplary. I was a bit piqued though to be told to put my suit jacket back on (I had placed the jacket neatly on the spare chair next to me – it was mid-summer after all!) but soon got over this little glitch. It was an exceptionally enjoyable evening in a hotel which takes pride in delivering a warm and personal style of service.
You’ll find equally good service at the Egerton House – one of London’s top-rated townhouse hotels – where Antonio the martini wizard does his magic. This is a bar where you feel you’re a guest in someone’s private home and the talented staff have even been known to break into song!
Check rates at the Egerton House Hotel
Charismatic Head Barman Antonio – and his superb (and strong!) martinis – are the main attractions at the cosy and friendly Egerton House Hotel bar
The Egerton House is certainly very cosy. It’s ideal for winding down with an after-work or post-shopping drink (Harrods is literally round the corner).
Best for views: Hilton on Park Lane and Trafalgar Hotel
We’ve already complimented Galvin at Windows for amazing London views, perched as it is on the 28th floor of the Hilton on Park Lane.
Though the 360 degree vista is spectacular, I’ve found it almost impossible to get a seat. They also put a cheap glace cherry in my pricey “English Mojito” which was definitely naff! But you go there primarily for the fabulous views and the adjoining restaurant also has a Michelin star.
Check rates at Hilton on Park Lane
Galvin at Windows is on the 28th floor of the Hilton on Park Lane and the views from its restaurant and bar have to be seen to be believed
Vista at the Trafalgar Hotel (one of the best Hiltons in London which aims to keep a distance from its parent brand) also has great views and a relaxed Mediterranean vibe. The bar is open throughout summer, though given the eccentric London weather you should check the forecast before you go.
Vista is open intermittently this autumn (do check with the hotel before you go) depending on the weather. It will close in late October but reopen in December with a roof and heating to protect you from the elements.
Check rates at Trafalgar Hotel
The panoramic view from the Vista bar at the Trafalgar Hotel is unbelievable – and from December 2010 will probably come with heating and shelter too!
There is a £5 cover charge after 4pm and while the cocktails are quite creative, the main draw is the amazing view over Trafalgar Square.
I definitely prefer the service at Vista to that at Galvin at Windows – and at the latter it’s also almost impossible to get a good seat to enjoy the view.
Most comfy: Chesterfield Mayfair and the Lanesborough
The Chesterfield Mayfair is a permanent fixture among the top dozen TripAdvisor London hotels. It is renowned for its lofty service standards and effortless discretion in common with all Red Carnation Hotels.
There is a cosy bar just past the reception which I love for its homely and unpretentious atmosphere. This was where the Red Carnation management held one of their focus group dinners last year to cement the group’s domination of the top 10 London hotels on TripAdvisor.
Check rates at the Chesterfield Mayfair Hotel
The bar at the Chesterfield Hotel is perhaps the most welcoming and homely in London – a real undiscovered gem in the heart of Mayfair
The staff at this free WiFi hotel are friendly and attentive in a down-to-earth way. There’s none of the nonsense of other hotel bars where you get the impression they want to maximise your seat revenue. It’s a relaxed little bar and relatively undiscovered.
The Garden Room at the Lanesborough was initially set up as a smokers’ haven but has since become one of the hotel’s most desirable enclaves.
It’s not easy to find as it’s hidden away near the back of the hotel, but it’s super-cosy and intimate once you arrive. Cigar aficionados will love its outstanding collection including Cohiba Behike cigars at £1500 a pop!
Check the best rate for The Lanesborough from 30+ hotel booking sites
The Garden Room bar at The Lanesborough is a sanctuary hidden away within the depths of the hotel
You’ll get the impeccable service you’d expect at the Lanesborough – though it will probably also cost you an arm and a leg!
Best for cocktails: the Connaught and the Langham
In July 2010, Erik Lorincz of the Connaught Bar at the Connaught won the much-coveted Diageo Reserve Bartender of the Year Award – fending off some 9000 competitors. Like all the best barmen he is a bit of a showman. Think Tom Cruise in Cocktail and you won’t be a million miles away!
I tasted an original “Green Feeling” cocktail on a recent visit – a bit of a treat. They also gave us a freebie to tingle the tastebuds on arrival.
Check rates at the Connaught Hotel
The Connaught Bar is one of London’s most spectacular bars in visual terms with its shimmering platinum walls and stylish yet comfy furnishings
Another bartender in the Connaught Bar’s team – Agostino Perrone – received an International Bartender of the Year Award in 2010. So it’s definitely a place where the staff are at the very top of their game.
The Artesian bar at the stylish Langham is eye-poppingly expensive but has a particularly creative cocktail menu. I especially like their Cocktail Grazing menu which offers some highly-creative combinations – a really fun idea!
Check rates at the Langham Hotel
Cocktails served with a flourish are the order of the day at the Langham’s ultra-chic Artesian Bar
And it’s round the corner from the room serving London’s best afternoon tea – in fact the tea which helped define the history of afternoon tea.
The ones that didn’t make the cut
The Sanderson Hotel’s Long Bar has painfully slow service, while the Metropolitan is a bit snooty (my personal view). The Baglioni has nice décor and friendly staff but the cocktails weren’t to my taste (again subjective).
“Mybar” at Myhotel Bloomsbury deserves an honourable mention and only just missed the cut. As did the excellent bar just nestled behind the lobby at the highly-regarded Sofitel St James – with its superb spicy mojito.
Check rates at the Sofitel St James
The great cocktails and service at the Sofitel St James Bar (they even greeted us in French!) make it an honourable 11th member of our top 10 London hotel bars!
If you can think of other good London hotel bars we may have missed then do feel free to mention them in the comments below this blog post.
For example, the London hotels experts over at LondonTown.com identify a few we missed in their own shorlist of the best London hotel bars.
And readers looking for a good time in London hotels may also appreciate a leisurely, day-long luxury London hotel crawl. Or alternatively may need to check in to one of London’s best hotel spas to get rid of their hangover!
Search for a London hotel – Book Now, Pay When you Stay
Photo credits: Sofitel St James, Trafalgar Hotel, Soho Hotel, The Lanesborough, Stafford Hotel (Kempinski), May Fair Hotel, Langham London Hotel, Hilton on Park Lane, Egerton House Hotel, Connaught Hotel, Chesterfield Mayfair Hotel.
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