New hotels in London

New Hotels tracks eleven verified hotel openings in London since 2020, from The Peninsula London and Raffles London at The OWO to 2026 arrivals Six Senses London in Bayswater and The Newman in Fitzrovia. Mayfair and Belgravia suit travelers chasing five-star polish, Shoreditch and Hoxton suit design-led stays, Nine Elms suits river views and events space, and the City of London suits business trips near St Paul's. This year's headline openings are Six Senses London, inside the former Whiteleys department store, and Fitzrovia's independent newcomer The Newman.

What to do

A weekend in London

Two or three days is enough to cover the West End's core: the British Museum or the National Gallery in the morning, a walk through Covent Garden's market stalls, and a West End show in the evening. Add Hyde Park or Kensington Gardens for daylight hours, Borough Market for lunch, and a river walk along the South Bank between Tate Modern and the London Eye. Book restaurants and theatre tickets ahead — London's weekend crowds fill both fast, especially around Soho and Covent Garden.

A full week

A week opens up day trips and the quieter neighborhoods: Greenwich for the Royal Observatory and the Thames, Notting Hill's Portobello Road on a Saturday, and the museums clustered around South Kensington — the V&A, the Natural History Museum, the Science Museum — which easily take a full day between them. Stretch further to Hampton Court Palace or a Cotswolds day trip by train, and use the extra time to move base between neighborhoods, pairing a few central nights with a stay somewhere like Shoreditch or Nine Elms for contrast.

Neighborhoods

Mayfair

London's established luxury district, built around Bond Street shopping, private members' clubs and some of the city's most expensive real estate. Two of the tracked openings sit here: The Chancery Rosewood, an all-suite hotel inside the former US Embassy at Grosvenor Square, and Mandarin Oriental Mayfair, a 50-room property in a purpose-built tower on Hanover Square. Prices run at the top of the market; this is the area for guests prioritizing address and service over budget.

Belgravia & Knightsbridge

Quiet Georgian garden squares bordering Hyde Park, with Harrods and Harvey Nichols a short walk away in Knightsbridge. The Peninsula London opened here at Hyde Park Corner in 2023, the group's first purpose-built hotel worldwide, facing Wellington Arch. The area stays largely residential and calm after dark, which suits couples and travelers who want a five-star base without Mayfair's density of tourist traffic.

Westminster & Whitehall

Home to the Houses of Parliament, Downing Street and Trafalgar Square, this is government London rather than a conventional hotel district. Raffles London at The OWO opened in 2023 inside the former Old War Office on Whitehall, putting guests inside a building with a genuine wartime history. The location suits sightseeing over nightlife — the Thames, Westminster Abbey and St James's Park are all within walking distance.

Covent Garden & the Strand

The Royal Opera House, West End theatres and a dense restaurant and market scene make this one of London's busiest central areas, popular with first-time visitors who want everything within walking distance. It runs an established, deep hotel market across most price points, though none of the eleven hotels tracked here has opened in Covent Garden itself — Mayfair and Westminster are the nearest of the new arrivals.

Soho & Chinatown

Nightlife, independent restaurants and Theatreland overlap in Soho, a compact, walkable district that stays lively well past midnight and is generally considered LGBT-friendly. It works best for travelers prioritizing bars, late dinners and proximity to West End shows over quiet evenings — families with young children are usually better placed in Marylebone or Kensington instead.

Fitzrovia

A quieter pocket just north of Oxford Street, with a literary history — Orwell and Virginia Woolf both lived here — and a mix of independent cafés and Georgian townhouses rather than chain retail. The Newman opened here in February 2026, an 81-room boutique hotel from new group Kinsfolk & Co., a five-minute walk from Goodge Street station. It's a strong pick for guests who want West End access without West End crowds.

Marylebone

A village-like high street, mews houses and Regent's Park on the doorstep give Marylebone a more low-key, boutique feel than neighboring Mayfair, at a somewhat gentler price point. Baker Street and Oxford Street are both within walking distance. None of the eleven tracked hotels has opened here yet, but the area remains a reliable, family-friendly base for repeat visitors to London.

Kensington & Chelsea

Museum country — the V&A, the Natural History Museum and the Science Museum cluster around South Kensington — plus Chelsea's King's Road for shopping and Royal Albert Hall for concerts. The area is residential, quieter than the West End, and suits families and culture-focused travelers who don't need to be within stumbling distance of nightlife.

Notting Hill & Bayswater

Notting Hill's colorful terraces and Portobello Road market give way to Bayswater's more mixed, better-value hotel stock just to the east, both bordering Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens. Six Senses London opened in Bayswater on 1 March 2026, inside the restored Whiteley building on Queensway, bringing a large wellness-led spa and magnesium pool to a district that had lacked a hotel at that level.

Shoreditch, Hoxton & East London

East London's creative and nightlife hub, built on converted warehouses, street art and independent galleries, with a younger, design-focused crowd than the West End. Two of the tracked openings landed here within a year of each other: Virgin Hotels London Shoreditch, the brand's first UK property, opened on Curtain Road in August 2024, and art'otel London Hoxton, a 357-room tower with a public art gallery, opened nearby in April 2024.

South Bank, Nine Elms & Battersea

The stretch of riverside south of the Thames has been reshaped over the past decade by the Battersea Power Station redevelopment and the relocated US Embassy in Nine Elms. Park Hyatt London River Thames opened in Nine Elms in October 2024 with river views and one of the larger hotel ballrooms built in central London in decades, while art'otel London Battersea Power Station opened in February 2023 inside the power station complex itself, with interiors designed entirely by artist Jaime Hayon.

City of London

The Square Mile is a financial and legal district by day that empties out in the evenings, with St Paul's Cathedral and the Barbican nearby. The Hyde London City opened here in September 2024, inside a Grade II-listed Victorian building on Old Bailey, giving Ennismore's Hyde brand its UK debut in a neighborhood better known for courts and offices than hotels — a practical base for business travelers working in the City.

Which hotel for your trip

Couples and anniversary trips

Mayfair and Belgravia carry London's biggest concentration of romantic, spa-equipped luxury: The Peninsula London and its 25-metre pool at Hyde Park Corner, The Chancery Rosewood's Asaya Spa in a former embassy, Mandarin Oriental Mayfair's subterranean pool on Hanover Square, and Six Senses London's magnesium pool and wellness floor in Bayswater. All four suit a quiet, adults-oriented stay over a family one.

History and architecture fans

Several of the newest London hotels are conversions of landmark buildings rather than new construction: Raffles London at The OWO occupies the former Old War Office on Whitehall, The Chancery Rosewood is set inside the ex-US Embassy in Mayfair, The Hyde London City fills a Victorian catering hall on Old Bailey, and Six Senses London restored the 1911 Whiteleys department store in Bayswater.

Design-led and creative stays

Shoreditch and its immediate neighbors hold the newest design-forward openings: Virgin Hotels London Shoreditch and art'otel London Hoxton, the latter built around street artist D*Face and two original Banksy pieces on public display. Across the river, art'otel London Battersea Power Station hands its interiors entirely to artist Jaime Hayon, and Fitzrovia's boutique newcomer The Newman rounds out the list with Art Deco interiors from an independent group.

Business and events travelers

Park Hyatt London River Thames in Nine Elms was built with events in mind, with a ballroom for up to 830 guests among the largest added to central London in decades. The Hyde London City sits inside the Square Mile itself, a short walk from the financial district, while Mandarin Oriental Mayfair and The Chancery Rosewood both put guests within reach of Mayfair's private members' clubs for meetings.

Frequently asked questions

What is the newest hotel to open in London?

Six Senses London is the most recent of the eleven tracked openings, arriving 1 March 2026 inside the restored Whiteley building in Bayswater. Fitzrovia's The Newman opened just a month earlier, in February 2026, so the first quarter of 2026 alone brought two new London hotels to the guide.

Which new London hotel has a spa and pool?

Six Senses London has a 2,300-square-metre spa with London's first hotel magnesium pool in Bayswater. The Peninsula London runs a 25-metre indoor pool at Hyde Park Corner, and The Chancery Rosewood's Asaya Spa in Mayfair also includes a 25-metre pool, sauna and steam room.

Do any of the new London hotels accept dogs?

Pet policies vary by property and aren't standardized across the guide's eleven London hotels. Some of the international groups represented here, including Peninsula, Rosewood and Mandarin Oriental, are generally pet-friendly at other locations worldwide, but always confirm directly with the specific London hotel before booking with a dog.

Which area is best for a first-time visitor to London?

Covent Garden, Soho and Westminster put the West End's theatres, Trafalgar Square and the Thames within walking distance, which is why most first-time visitors base themselves there. Mayfair and Marylebone are quieter, still-central alternatives with easier access to Hyde Park and Regent's Park.

Which new hotel suits a business trip near the City of London?

The Hyde London City sits on Old Bailey inside the Square Mile itself, a short walk from St Paul's and Liverpool Street station. For larger meetings, Park Hyatt London River Thames in Nine Elms has one of the largest hotel ballrooms built in central London since 1929.

What is the most historic building among London's new hotels?

Raffles London at The OWO and The Chancery Rosewood both convert government landmarks — the former Old War Office and the former US Embassy — into hotels, while The Hyde London City occupies a Grade II-listed 1874 Victorian building. All three trade on real institutional history rather than a themed decor.