In a city filled with thousands of hotels and overwhelming choices, it takes a special kind of property to stand out. Forget run-of-the-mill luxury here – we’re talking truly unusual hotels, drenched in character, that offer an experience beyond the norm and make for some of the most unique places to stay in London.
From incredibly designed Instagrammable hotels and boutique boltholes with tonnes of unique features, to luxury hotels filled with English eccentricity and some incredible hotel baths, these are the weirdest, most wonderful places to stay in London.
The Mandrake
Promising a unique, immersive, and unforgettable experience, luxurious hotels in London don’t come much more weirdly wonderful than the stunning Mandrake. Creativity runs through the hotel’s walls, with surrealist sculptures, striking art, and gothic chandeliers being just some of the unique touches you can expect.
The centrally located property features 33 rooms, suites, and a Penthouse. Recognised for its exquisite and striking art, the hotel presents as a welcoming hub to artists, performers, exhibitions, and events, where you can experience music, creative cuisine, experimental cocktails, and spirituality.
Where: 20-21 Newman St, London W1T 1PG
Website:www.themandrake.com
Mama Shelter
Shoreditch’s Mama Shelter has done what no other hotel in the area has achieved and created a space that feels more like one big, chic, eccentric house – perfect for both work and play. With dazzling interiors, the property is home to a garden bar, a restaurant full of homemade dishes to share, and plenty of co-working space and high-speed WiFi. Whether you’re staying at the hotel or not, it’s an ideal option for working in the city in the coolest of surroundings.
But the quirkiest thing about this trendy hotel is the fact that it has two private karaoke rooms, perfect for belting out some tunes and making it one of the most fun hotels in London.
Where: 437 Hackney Rd, London E2 8PP
Website:www.mamashelter.com
Art’otel London Battersea Power Station
The clue is in the name with this one – Art’otel is all about the art, with imaginative interiors and sculptures designed by Jaime Hayon, whose work will be displayed on rotation. Henrique Sa Pessoa is the chef at the helm of restaurant Joia (also behind Lisbon’s two-Michelin-star Alma), with pink and sage interiors, and pink velvet banquettes and bucket chairs.
The one hotel highlight that makes this stay even more unique? Hotel guests also have access to the rooftop infinity pool, with sweeping views of the Power Station.
Where: 1 Electric Boulevard, Nine Elms, London SW11 8BJ
Website:www.artotellondonbattersea.com
Chateau Denmark
Channeling the rock ‘n’ roll spirit of Denmark Street into a creative, indulgent hotel haven, Chateau Denmark celebrates music, design, art, and fashion with some of the coolest rooms and apartments in Central London. The hotel is spread across 16 characterful buildings, and the décor is a nod to rock music’s rebellious spirit: think velvet headboards, anaconda-themed furnishings, a maxi bar (complete with fully stocked wine fridge), roll-top bathtubs, and a Void and Artcoustic sound system in every room.
Your own personal butler (or BTLR) is also on hand to make sure you’ll want for nothing, and the hotel bar Thirteen is a Soho hidden gem. With soundproofed rooms and an atmosphere where back-to-mine partying is actively encouraged, this is the ultimate city staycation for music lovers.
Where: Denmark St, London WC2H 0LA
Website:www.chateaudenmark.com
Kimpton Fitzroy
Fancy trying a new kind of stay? Bloomsbury landmark hotel Kimpton Fitzroy London might be worth trying out after its latest venture into sleep tourism with the announcement of Room to Dream, a first-of-its-kind, brand-new experience that aims to empower guests to access lucid dreaming.
For those who don’t know, lucid dreaming is the art of becoming conscious in your dreams. The first-of-its-kind experience has been created for the hotel by renowned dream expert, Charlie Morley and AI futurist artist Sam Potter. Each guest will be provided with an ‘Open Your Dreams Kit’, which includes a headset programmed with Sam’s VR lullaby, a dream journal to record their dreams, a lucid dreaming guide from Charlie and LabTonica’s Unplugged range to aid a peaceful slumber.
WHERE: 1-8 Russell Sq, London WC1B 5BE
WEBSITE: kimptonfitzroylondon.com
Treehouse Hotel London
One of the most unique hotels in London, The Treehouse Hotel London in Marylebone not only has super stylish décor, but stunning views of the London Eye, The Shard, Regent’s Park, and Canary Wharf. When you’re not looking out the window, you’ll be taking notes on how to make your interiors just as Insta-worthy as its hip rooftop oasis, from retro-inspired wicker furniture to hanging botanicals.
Located near the iconic BBC Broadcasting House and a short walk from Regent Street and Bond Street, it’s in a brilliant location in the heart of London – but with interiors like that you’ll never want to leave.
Where: 14-15 Langham Pl, London W1B 2QS
Website:www.treehousehotels.com
The Ned
One of London’s most wow-inducing hotels set in a former bank HQ in the City, The Ned was designed by Sir Edwin ‘Ned’ Lutyens in 1924 and comes complete with original features like the bank vault on the lower ground level. Drenched in grandeur, the décor is original and bold, with eclectic touches and nods to the 20s and 30s.
It’s also a private members club, so you’ll feel that ‘exclusive stay’ vibe from the get-go, and foodies will rejoice with an incredible number of restaurants under one roof. You’ll find the likes of Asian-Pacific Kaia, Lutyens Grill, Malibu Kitchen, Electric Diner, as well as classic Italian cuisine at Cecconi’s. Afterwards, take a seat by the Nickel Bar – one of the most glamorous places in the city to enjoy some live music. As a hotel guest, you’ll also get access to The Ned’s incredible spa.
Where: 27 Poultry, London EC2R 8AJ
Website:www.thened.com
nhow London
nhow London is one of London’s most original hotels when it comes to décor. Expect a giant Big Ben rocket, a London Underground-themed gym, a striking LED fireplace, and pop art – just a few of the hotel’s attention-grabbing design details.
The space is bright and creative, the perfect spot for snaps with an eye-catching background, or a day of inspirational coworking from their colourful lobby.
Where: 2 Macclesfield Rd, London EC1V 8DG
Website:www.nhow-hotels.com
Batty Langley’s
Live like royalty at Batty Langley’s, a unique hotel (with an even more unique name) that’s armed with interiors to transport you to another time.
Book in for a night in the Earl Of Bolingbroke Suite, relax on the huge, sunny terrace with views to the Olympic Park, and soak in the antique marble bath, before getting cosy in the enormous canopy bed built for a bishop.
Where: 12 Folgate St, London E1 6BX
Website:www.battylangleys.com
Artist Residence
Artist Residence London is the kind of unique hotel you’ll bed down in and never want to leave, with stunning interiors and a homely vibe. Rooms feature pop art, old wooden crates, exposed brick walls, and Alpine-esque wood-paneled bathrooms. Downstairs, there’s a neon-lit bar that opens from breakfast till late.
Perfect for longer stays, it’ll feel like your very own apartment in the city.
Where: 52 Cambridge St, Pimlico, London SW1V 4JD
Website:www.artistresidence.co.uk
Andaz London Liverpool Street
With what’s quite possibly London’s most Instagrammable lobby, step inside Andaz London and take in the graffiti-style artwork adorning the walls, cosy up in the cushioned corners for a photoshoot, and enjoy a sip or two at the lobby bar. It’s the perfect spot for guests who have just arrived at Liverpool Street Station and want to be immediately wowed.
The hotel is full of history with perhaps one of London’s best – and most quirky – kept secrets within, the Masonic Temple. Housed in the depths of the hotel and available for private hire, the temple is concealed by heavy, studded doors and accessed via a winding staircase and a spacious mahogany-panelled anteroom. It is the City’s only original Freemason’s meeting lodge built in 1912.
Where: 40 Liverpool St, London EC2M 7QN
Website:www.hyatt.com
Sanderson London
In the heart of London’s West End, Sanderson London offers a retreat from the bustle of the city into a world of fantasy and well-being and certainly doesn’t do interiors in half measures. Rooms are whimsical while offering state-of-the-art details and luxurious touches at every turn – the hotel even has its own distinct fragrance that perfumes the lobby and room floors.
The Long Bar (the place for celeb-spotting back in the day) is known for its iconic bar stools, and is perfect for sipping cocktails or indulging in the hotel’s brilliant Tipsy Tea, while the Billiard Room sports antique silver-leafed billiard table and original 1950s stained glass.
Where: 50 Berners St, London W1T 3NG
Website:www.book.ennismore.com
The Standard
A favourite hotel amongst Londoners, The Standard’s vibrant, playful interiors and unique design make the perfect bold colour scheme for an unusual city stay. Bathrooms feature stripy black-and-pink tiled walls, hip guest rooms boast Bang & Olufsen Bluetooth speakers, and some suites even have their own terraces, complete with outdoor bathtubs that overlook St Pancras train station.
The exterior alone is as quirky as can be, with a red, bubble-like elevator scaling up and down the building, designed as a nod to London buses, and throughout the hotel, you’ll find a host of unique drinking and dining experiences, including a library bar, a beautiful Spanish and Mexican restaurant, and a studio that hosts regular live music and podcasts.
Where: 10 Argyle St, London WC1H 8EG
Website:www.standardhotels.com
The Portobello Hotel
This Notting Hill boutique hotel celebrates the bohemian spirit of the area. No two rooms of the same, and eccentric and eclectic wallpaper, design, and furnishings adorn its halls and rooms. It’s a favourite of those in the creative industry, from Johnny Depp and Kate Moss to Alice Cooper.
Notting Hill has changed a lot since the hotel first opened in 1971, and a lot like the city itself, it’s become significantly pricier. This staycation destination, however, still keeps the spirit of the Portobello of the past alive.
WHERE: 22 Stanley Gardens, London W11 2NG
WEBSITE: PORTOBELLOHOTEL.COM
The Gore Hotel
There’s no place like home, or The Gore it seems, who has gone all the way to Oz with this room (no, they haven’t opened a new Australian hotel, actual Oz).
The Judy Garland Suite, named after the celebrated actress who stayed in the hotel during her stint performing at the nearby Royal Albert Hall, is all about paying homage to the icon. The room even hosts a pair of ruby red slippers from the show and the four-poster bed that Judy Garland had shipped from her own home in Hollywood. Guests staying a minimum of two nights will receive a bottle of Judy fragrance as well as a complimentary Judy Garland-inspired cocktail in the hotel’s iconic Bar 190
WHERE: 190 Queen’s Gate, South Kensington, SW7 5EX
WEBSITE: collezione.starhotels.com
The Zetter Townhouse Clerkenwell
Of all the Zetter London outposts, Clerkenwell is the most raucous, known for parties and cocktails.
From a lavish cocktail lounge where no surface has been left undecorated with trinkets, to drinks inspired by herbal remedies, made behind an apothecary-style bar, a stay at Aunt Wilhelmina’s townhouse is a unique affair, full of English eccentricities.
Where: 49-50 St John’s Sq, London EC1V 4JJ
Website:www.thezetter.com
