When it comes to Christmas, London’s hotels are the place to go. From Christmas afternoon teas and lunch with all the trimmings to spa treatments and overnight stays here are 13 hotels to head to to get into the festive spirit.
Covent Garden Hotel
A Nutcracker-Themed Stay
What’s Christmas without The Nutcracker? Covent Garden Hotel is adding the finishing touch to your festivities with special tickets to The Nutcracker at the Royal Opera House. Stroll home from Covent Garden and spend the night at the hotel and wake up refreshed ready for a full English breakfast and Nutcracker themed afternoon tea for two once you’ve worked up an appetite again. Oh, and you get late checkout so you have time for some Christmas shopping.
Available 6th, 8th, 27th and 28th December
Where: 10 Monmouth Street, London, WC2H 9HB, United Kingdom
Nearest station: Covent Garden (0.2 miles)
Website: www.firmdalehotels.com
St Pancras Renaissance Hotel
Festive Pampering
St Pancras Renaissance Hotel has really got Christmas all wrapped up. Offering everything from a festive afternoon tea to a rejuvenating winter facial, the hotel itself has a festive package complete with mulled wine, a three course Christmas dinner and mini mince pies as well as festive dinner and party menus in the Booking Office. Dine on Christmas Day and you’ll be treated to a 5-course meal and no washing up.
Where: Euston Road, London, NW1 2QR, United Kingdom
Nearest station: London St Pancras International (0 miles)
Website: www.stpancrasrenaissance.com
Corinthia London
A Real Swan Lake
Inspired by the classic fairy tale Swan Lake, Corinthia Hotel is rolling the theme out across the hotel, immersing guests in their very own journey, from afternoon tea to overnight stay. The tea will be served under the ‘full moon’ chandelier in The Lobby Lounge whilst Massimo Restaurant and Bar is transformed into The Great Hall, serving up a festive feast. Retire for the night in Bassoon bar with sophisticated cocktails named after Swan Lake’s prince and princess before you wake up and let the experts at ESPA Life give you the royal treatment. Spa packages are available, including everything you need to get you ready for the festive season, from massage to manicure.
Where: Whitehall Place, Westminster, SW1A 2BD
Nearest station: London Charing Cross (0.1 miles)
Website: www.corinthia.com
Hyatt Regency London - The Churchill
For Big Christmas Parties
Close enough to Oxford Street to walk home with your bags yet far enough away to say goodbye to the crowds of shoppers, Hyatt Regency London has views over the leafy Portman Square garden. Offering festive dining experiences and drinks receptions in the hotel’s Chartwell or Cabinet Suites, guests can enjoy two glasses of Kir Royale, Buck’s Fizz or sparking wine before a set 3-course menu with mince pies, festive petit fours and festive table decorations. A dance floor means the party can continue until the small hours.
Where: 30 Portman Square, London, W1H 7BH, United Kingdom
Nearest station: Marble Arch (0.2 miles)
Website: www.londonchurchill.regency.hyatt.com
Jumeirah Carlton Tower
A Glamorous Christmas and Your Own Shopping Butler
Tucked away just off Sloane Street, amongst Chanel, Prada and Valentino, Jumeirah Carlton Tower has created a ‘Glamour Package’ to get guests suitably preened for their surroundings. The glamorous offerings include sparkling wine on arrival, 3-course themed meal, three hours of unlimited house wine and a DJ and disco, with extra upgrades optional. For large events, The Rib Room Bar is available for late night hire and special group accommodation rates are available if the Uber ride home seems just a little too far… Guests who are staying in the hotel can shop till they drop… their Christmas shopping off in the car, with complimentary collection of you and your shopping from stores in Knightsbridge and on Sloane Street – Harrods, Harvey Nics, you name it. The Shopping in Style package also includes a full English breakfast, use of The Peak Health Club & Spa and a choice of the festive afternoon tea, cocktail and bar snacks or Deborah Lippmann Steppin’ Out Pedicure (one per room).
Where: 1 Cadogan Place, Knightsbridge, London, SW1X 9PY, United Kingdom
Nearest station: Knightsbridge (0.4 miles)
Website: www.jumeirah.com
The Ritz London
Pudding on The Ritz
No that isn’t a spelling mistake, it’s a pun – because The Ritz will be putting on the Ritz with their limited edition Christmas puddings that are available to order from the end of November. Other Christmas activities include the traditional Christmas afternoon tea accompanied by The Ritz choir singing carols, a Christmas Eve gala dinner and dance and lunch served on both Christmas Day and Boxing Day. With the hotel beautifully decorated as ever and it’s specially grown 25ft Nordic pine decorated in red and gold, The Ritz is a must for a truly traditional Christmas.
Where: 150 Piccadilly, London, W1J 9BR, United Kingdom
Nearest station: Green Park (0.1 miles)
Website: www.theritzlondon.com
Strand Palace Hotel
An Alternative to Turkey
In between the shops of Covent Garden and Trafalgar Square’s famous tree, Strand Palace Hotel is the perfect location for a Christmas break in the city. Food is a big part of everyone’s Christmas and the hotel has you covered with a Christmas carvery in the award-winning Carvery & Grill restaurant and an alternative to the classic roast in the form of curry. No, not Bridget Jones’s Mum’s turkey curry, but Daawat restaurant’s Tanoor guinea fowl and spiced rice pudding. The restaurant is also available to hire for private parties for 80 or more, with canapés including gazpacho shots and blinis.
Where: 372 Strand, London WC2R 0JJ, United Kingdom
Nearest station: London Charing Cross (0.3 miles)
Website: www.strandpalacehotel.co.uk
The Stafford London
100 Christmas Trees
If you don’t feel Christmassy after going to The Stafford then you are either actually the Grinch or you don’t like Christmas trees, because they will have 100 of them decorating the hotel. Their festive package includes mulled wine or hot chocolate on arrival, a Christmas afternoon tea and a full English breakfast to set you up for a full day of Christmas shopping or you know to line your stomach before you hit the mulled wine and mince pies. You can also hire one of their four private dining rooms for a Christmas party or choose their 380 year old wine cellar, where you can feast on the likes of smoked salmon, scallops, turkey and Christmas pudding with brandy sauce.
Where: 16-18 St James's Place, Mayfair, London, SW1A 1NJ, United Kingdom
Nearest station: Green Park (0.2 miles)
Website: www.thestaffordlondon.com
Rosewood London
One for the Family
If you have family coming to stay with you over Christmas and you don’t have the space to fit them into your house, or you simply want to leave the cooking and washing up to someone else then the Rosewood London have a festive package for families. The stay includes a suite as well as a second bedroom, festive treats, access to the Sense Spa’s sauna and steam room, a range of game consoles to keep little ones/you entertained and a chance to meet the hotel dog, Pearl. And no washing up. They’ll also be hosting festive afternoon teas and have are serving Christmas lunch, complete with visit from Father Christmas.
Where: Rosewood London, High Holborn, London, United Kingdom
Nearest station: Holborn (0.2 miles)
Website: www.rosewoodhotels.com
Sofitel London St James
Christmas Banqueting
If there was ever a time to host a banquet it would be Christmas, so you’re in luck then that Sofitel London St James has twelve banqueting suites and three different festive packages. Choose from a full three course menu where dishes include roasted beef fillet, buttered porcini , savoy cabbage and winter vegetable gratin or t he buffet which features truffle rabbit pâté en croûte and Cumberland chutney and Essex seafood pie. Or if you’re hosting a cocktail party then canapes include ginger marinated tuna loin on crunchy toast, Mas cured ham and Spanish cheese fritters and mini New York cheesecakes. There’ll be plenty of feasting and that’s what a banquet is all about.
Where: Sofitel London St James, Waterloo Place, London, United Kingdom
Nearest station: Piccadilly Circus (0.3 miles)
Website: www.sofitelstjames.com
108 Brasserie
Leave Christmas to the Pros
Every year we think that this will be the year that we ace the Christmas lunch – we won’t forget the bread sauce; we won’t be sitting down to eat three hours later than expected and we will find enough chairs for everyone to sit down. If you’d rather not leave things up to chance, then you could always head to 108 Brasserie in Marylebone. They are serving up Christmas lunch, choose from traditional options like turkey and plum pudding or venture out and try wild game consommé, chestnut and shallot tart tatin and ginger ice cream with gingerbread crumbs, honeycomb and hazelnuts. All there will definitely be enough chairs.
Where: 108 Brasserie, Marylebone Lane, London, United Kingdom
Nearest station: Bond Street (0.4 miles)
Website: www.108brasserie.com
The Kensington Hotel
Townhouse at The Kensington is serving Christmas afternoon tea which includes the likes of smoked chicken and cranberry sandwiches, spiced fruit loaf with port jelly and Shropshire blue, smoked salmon palmier with ginger, currants and dill and chocolate and blood orange article roll. They’ll also be serving Christmas lunch with venison carpaccio, Devonshire beef and Scandinavian iced berries and hot white chocolate sauce on the menu.
Where: 109-113 Queens Gate London, SW7 5LR
Nearest station: South Kensington (0.3 miles)
Website: www.doylecollection.com
Feeling festive? Check out our Christmas page for everything you need to get in the spirit.
