There’s something about a romantic hotel stay. No rush to get home. No dishes to wash. No housemate wandering into the kitchen at the wrong moment. Just you, someone you like, and a room designed for exactly this purpose.
For Valentine’s Day, the right hotel can turn a normal weekend into something memorable. Here are the places worth blowing your budget on, plus some options for those of us who don’t have unlimited funds.
THE BLOW-THE-BUDGET TIER
The Connaught, Mayfair
The kind of hotel where you feel more sophisticated just by walking through the door. The Connaught is old-money elegance without stuffiness. Expect mahogany panelling, marble bathrooms and beds you’ll never want to leave. The bar (with its martini trolley) is legendary. The spa is exceptional. The service makes you feel important without being obsequious.
Price: From £700/night (suites significantly more). Best for: When money is genuinely no object and you want to feel like royalty.
The romantic bit: Request a room overlooking the courtyard garden. In-room dining is excellent if you want to hide away entirely. The Carlos Place entrance at night feels like a film.
Contact: www.the-connaught.co.uk | +44 (0)20 7499 7070 | info@the-connaught.co.uk
Claridge’s, Mayfair
The grande dame of London hotels. Art deco interiors, a legendary afternoon tea, and the sense that you’re somewhere genuinely historic. The rooms are immaculate, the service is precise, and there’s a formality that feels special rather than stiff. Claridge’s is for people who want classic romance, not trendy romance.
Price: From £600/night. Best for: Old-school glamour and special occasions.
The romantic bit: The suites have fireplaces. The Fumoir bar is intimate. Walking through that lobby in evening wear is a main character moment.
Contact: www.claridges.co.uk | +44 (0)20 7629 8860 | info@claridges.co.uk
The Ned, City of London
A former bank transformed into a hotel with a rooftop pool, multiple restaurants, and interiors that manage to be grand and cool simultaneously. The basement houses the original vault (now a bar) and there’s a members’ club vibe without requiring membership (if you’re staying). The rooms are Art Deco gorgeous with modern amenities.
Price: From £350/night. Best for: Couples who want the full ‘experience’ – pool, spa, bars, breakfast, everything in one building.
The romantic bit: The rooftop pool and terrace at night. Cocktails in the vault. Breakfast in the grand banking hall is absurdly cinematic.
Contact: www.thened.com/london | +44 20 3828 2000
The Savoy, Strand
Iconic, historic, and recently refurbished to stunning effect. The Thames-facing rooms have views that make you remember why London is beautiful. The American Bar is where the Champagne cocktail was invented. The pool is gorgeous. It’s expensive, but it feels like it.
Price: From £500/night. Best for: History lovers, cocktail enthusiasts, and anyone who’s ever dreamed of staying somewhere that actually matters.
The romantic bit: River view rooms at sunset.
Contact: www.thesavoylondon.com | +44 (0)20 7836 4343 | savoy@fairmont.com
THE BOUTIQUE TIER
The Zetter Townhouse, Clerkenwell/Marylebone
A Georgian townhouse designed like an eccentric aunt’s home (if that aunt had impeccable taste and a collection of Victorian taxidermy). Every room is different, filled with antiques, curiosities, and personality. The Clerkenwell location has a legendary cocktail bar. Marylebone is newer but equally charming. It’s quirky romance for couples who find normal hotels boring.
Price: From £200/night. Best for: Couples who want character over corporate consistency.
The romantic bit: The bathtubs. The cocktail menu (they’ll make you something based on your mood). The sense that you’re staying somewhere unique.
Contact: www.thezetter.com | Clerkenwell: +44 (0)20 7324 4444 | Marylebone: +44 (0)20 7324 4544
Hazlitt’s, Soho
Three Georgian townhouses knocked together to create a hotel that feels like time travel. No reception desk – you ring a doorbell. Rooms are named after former residents and decorated with antiques and original art. There’s no restaurant or spa, but you’re in Soho so everything is on your doorstep. It’s privacy and atmosphere above all else.
Price: From £250/night. Best for: Couples who value atmosphere over amenities and want to feel like they’ve discovered somewhere.
The romantic bit: The four-poster beds. The roll-top baths. The sense of secrecy and that nobody knows where you are.
Contact: www.hazlittshotel.com | +44 (0)20 7434 1771 | reservations@hazlitts.co.uk
Artist Residence, Pimlico
A converted pub with ten individually designed rooms, each one different and all of them interesting. The décor is eclectic vintage furniture, statement wallpaper, art everywhere and there’s a restaurant downstairs that’s good enough to visit even if you’re not staying. It feels creative without being try-hard.
Price: From £180/night. Best for: Couples who appreciate design and don’t want a cookie-cutter room.
The romantic bit: Some rooms have copper bathtubs. The Cambridge Street restaurant is excellent for dinner. The whole thing feels like you’ve found something special.
Contact: www.artistresidence.co.uk/london | +44 (0)20 3019 8610 | london@artistresidence.co.uk
The Pilgrm, Paddington
Scandi-inspired design in a Victorian building with clean lines, natural materials, extremely comfortable beds. It’s calm in a way that London rarely allows. The restaurant does excellent brunches, there’s a secret garden, and it’s near Hyde Park for morning walks. Less ‘sexy’ romance, more ‘grown-up weekend’ romance.
Price: From £200/night. Best for: Couples who find clutter stressful and appreciate good coffee.
The romantic bit: The beds are cloud-like. The morning light is beautiful. The garden is a perfect place to decompress.
Contact: www.thepilgrm.com | +44 (0)20 7723 3386
THE COOL-BUT-ACCESSIBLE TIER
The Hoxton, Shoreditch/Holborn/Southwark
The hotels that made ‘affordable cool’ possible in London. The rooms are small (called ‘Shoebox’, ‘Snug’, etc.) but beautifully designed, the lobbies are excellent places to work or drink, and the locations are prime. You’re paying for neighbourhood and vibe rather than square footage.
Price: From £100/night if you book early. Best for: Couples who want a location-based staycation without the luxury price tag.
The romantic bit: The Southwark rooftop bar. The ‘bag of breakfast’ delivered to your door. The sense that you’re staying somewhere that gets it.
Contact: www.thehoxton.com/london | +44 (0)20 7550 1000
Mama Shelter, Shoreditch
Playful, affordable, and deliberately un-stuffy. The rooms have iMacs, foosball tables, and bold design choices. The rooftop has a restaurant and bar with views. It’s romance for couples who find traditional romance a bit cringe! It’s fun, lighthearted, and unpretentious.
Price: From £120/night. Best for: Couples who want to have fun more than feel fancy.
The romantic bit: The rooftop. The photo booth in the lobby. The general sense of playfulness.
Contact: www.mamashelter.com/london-shoreditch | +44 (0)20 7613 6500
The Standard, King’s Cross
The iconic LA hotel brand’s London outpost, in a brutalist council building that’s been transformed into something genuinely exciting. The design is 70s-inspired (in a good way), there’s a rooftop restaurant, and the rooms have incredible views over King’s Cross. It’s a statement hotel and you’ll either love it or find it too much.
Price: From £200/night. Best for: Design lovers, Instagram enthusiasts, couples who want their hotel to be a talking point.
The romantic bit: The terraces on higher floors. The Isla rooftop. The red colour scheme in some rooms is very… moody.
Contact: www.standardhotels.com/london | +44 (0)20 3981 8888
THE ACTUALLY-AFFORDABLE TIER
citizenM, Tower of London/Bankside/Shoreditch
The budget option that doesn’t feel budget. Rooms are compact but designed with obsessive attention to detail with huge beds, rain showers, blackout blinds, and tablets controlling everything. No frills like room service, but excellent common spaces and locations. For Valentine’s on a budget, this is the move.
Price: From £100/night. Best for: Couples who want great design and location without the expense.
The romantic bit: The beds are bigger than they should be for the price. The mood lighting controlled by iPad. Tower of London location has incredible views.
Contact: www.citizenm.com | Tower of London: +44 (0)20 3519 4830 | Bankside: +44 (0)20 3519 1680 | Shoreditch: +44 (0)20 3519 4840
Point A Hotels, various locations
Basic but decent rooms in central locations for surprisingly little money. The rooms are small but have everything you need like good beds, good showers, USB charging everywhere. It’s a no-frills option that lets you spend your money on experiences rather than the room.
Price: From £70/night. Best for: Couples who plan to be out all day and just need a base.
The romantic bit: The locations (Westminster, Shoreditch, Liverpool Street). The fact that you have £200 extra to spend on dinner.
Contact: www.pointahotels.com | +44 (0)20 7633 9317
THE ‘DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT’ OPTIONS
Sunborn Yacht Hotel, Royal Victoria Dock
Stay on a permanently moored yacht in the Docklands. Yes, it’s a bit out of the way. Yes, the interior is more ‘cruise ship’ than ’boutique.’ But you’re sleeping on a boat in London, which is genuinely different, and the views across the dock at night are unexpectedly beautiful.
Price: From £150/night. Best for: Couples who want to do something they can talk about.
Contact: www.sunbornlondon.com | +44 (0)20 3714 8111 | reservations@sunbornlondon.com
Good Hotel, Royal Victoria Dock
A floating hotel made from shipping containers, where profits go to training and employing locals facing barriers to work. The rooms are simple but stylish, there’s a rooftop with hot tub and sauna, and you’re doing some good while enjoying yourself. The location is a bit isolated but that adds to the getaway feeling.
Price: From £100/night. Best for: Ethically-minded couples who want something unusual.
Contact: www.goodhotel.co/london | +44 (0)20 3637 7401
Batty Langley’s, Spitalfields
A Georgian townhouse decorated in full 18th-century style with four-poster beds, dark wood panelling, heavy drapes, candlelit rooms. It’s like stepping back in time, in a good way. Not for minimalists, but for couples who want their Valentine’s to feel like a period drama.
Price: From £250/night. Best for: History lovers and anyone who’s ever wanted to live in a BBC costume drama.
Contact: www.battylangleys.com | +44 (0)20 7377 4390 | reservations@battylangleys.co.uk
THE VALENTINE’S HOTEL TIPS
- Book NOW! Valentine’s weekend sells out fast at the good places.
- Call the hotel directly to see if they have any Valentine’s Day deals (Champagne, late checkout, upgrades).
- Request a specific room type if it matters (corner room, high floor, courtyard-facing).
- Check if breakfast is included as London hotel breakfasts are often £30+ per person.
- Consider Sunday night instead of Saturday it’s often cheaper, equally romantic, and Monday morning commute is future-you’s problem.
- Don’t underestimate a ‘staycation’ even if you live nearby, a hotel transforms a normal weekend.
