7 Best Hotels in The City, London

Bursting with eye-catching Art Deco design and achingly hip interiors, The Ned is as close to the glamour of the 1920s Jazz Age as you'll find in contemporary London. Guests should catch their breath before walking into the vast impressive lobby, where a cavalcade of lively restaurants and bars await. The multitude of dining options here manage to comfortably share a space not unlike the size of Grand Central Terminal. Replete with 92 emerald-green columns, 10-meter-high ceilings, and gorgeous tiled floors, The Ned is every inch the modern grand dame hotel. Rooms range in size from the smallest "crash pad" to the largest family suite, and the same level of design and attention to detail can be found in each. Luxurious, opulent, and aware of its own style, The Ned is also a surprising bargain.

At this sleek modern branch of the small Apex chain near the Tower of London, bedrooms are reasonably spacious, with contemporary color schemes, 40-inch flat-screen TVs, and little sofas. The Lampery restaurant serves good, varied modern British cuisine, although you're hardly lacking for dining options around this neighborhood. It's worth checking out the website for good package deals and special offers, especially in the off-season.

While the vibe once skewed toward the financial crowd of the City, now tourists and weekend trippers are a valued clientele at the Leonardo Royal Hotel; guests likely appreciate the novelty of the great location a stone's throw from Tower Bridge. Drinking and dining options include Leo's, a restaurant and bar with a Mediterranean-inspired menu. The real highlight of the hotel (aside from the location) is its spa, a subterranean sanctuary where an opulent, columned swimming pool is the star.

Somewhere between hotel and serviced apartment, Locke at Broken Wharf offers the freedom of a personal home from which you can explore The City. Like all Locke properties, Broken Wharf places the emphasis on a combination of comfort and design, providing visitors with beautiful mint green–hued studios and suites that mimic the types of looks you might find on your favorite Instagram interior design account. Even the smallest rooms come with kitchenettes and the views of the Thames are a huge bonus. 

A hotel that caters to guests who are here for sightseeing rather than the daily grind of the financial district, Sun Street Hotel makes its case with a quiet luxury. Opting to embrace the history of the building it inhabits (it resides within six combined Georgian town houses), the hotel is awash with heritage colors, William Morris-esque prints, and plush velvet and buttoned leather at every turn, creating an atmosphere of grown-up, elegant luxury. Close to the buzz of Shoreditch in one direction and the likes of the Tower of London in the other, all while enjoying its place among the peace (particularly on weekends) of the City, Sun Street is well placed for exploratory wanderings.

The elaborate building housing this grand hotel in the financial district is a former bank, and the vast old banking hall—beautifully adapted as the lobby, with luxurious marble and mahogany panels—really sets the scene. Guest rooms are stylish and spacious, with modern bathrooms, big comfortable beds, and sage green and taupe decor along with more mahogany. Given the location, it's no surprise that this place looks as if it were custom-designed to please business travelers although its decor will appeal to anyone with a penchant for classic glamour. 

Located close to the London Stock Exchange, merchant banks, hedge funds, and The City's oldest guilds, the luxury boutique hotel Vintry & Mercer offers a nod to tradition, then proceeds to deliver a chic, colorful, and contemporary experience that stands out in this neighborhood. A handsome basement cocktail bar, a ground-floor restaurant, and the refined rooftop terrace offer great accompanying public spaces to the bright, luxuriously appointed rooms.