Corinthia London

"As delicious as the huge slice of cake that it resembles when seen from the right spot by the Thames. No fewer than 1,001 Baccarat crystals illuminate the double-height, Victorian-pillared lobby, whose parquet floors and elegant palette of creams, caramels, and charcoals with splashes of lime-green hint at the splendors beyond. Guests with a list of London landmarks to be checked off will find this a convenient base, within striking distance of Downing Street, Trafalgar Square, the Houses of Parliament, Buckingham Palace, Theatreland, and the South Bank (if you take one of the top-floor suites with a terrace, you can save yourself some time and see all of them at once). The ESPA Life spa occupies four levels, with 15 treatment 'pods', a marble-and-leather spa lounge, glass-encased sauna and steel-lined pool. Price: Rooms from around $960 per night.Address: Whitehall Pl, London SW1A 2BDClosest tube station: Embankment" - Condé Nast Traveller, Steve King

"How did it strike you on arrival?This is not a shy sort of hotel. It’s a place of gold leaf and chandeliers. And this is certainly not the sort of outfit that does anything by halves—the four-floor spa is one of the city’s finest. In a suitably grand building that used to house the Ministry of Defense, the location is impressive, just minutes from the Thames, Trafalgar Square, the South Bank, and the Houses of Parliament. Nice. What’s the crowd like?Uncompromising lovers of luxury. The good stuff: Tell us about your room.Rooms are in muted tones of grey, green, and dusky blue, and even the smallest have plenty of space with king-size beds and a table and chairs—the city views are more interesting, but the ones overlooking the courtyard have dinky Juliette balconies as a consolation. Things gradually get more and more extravagant until you reach the Royal Penthouse, which has its own spa, wine cellar, and terrace that eyeballs the London Eye. Please tell us the bathroom won’t let us down.All the sleek marble bathrooms have underfloor heating, a bathtub with a TV, and a separate rain shower. Espa products have fresh bergamot notes. Maybe the most important topic of all: Wi-Fi. What’s the word?Free. Anything stand out about other services and features? Whether it’s childcare, gyms, spas, even parking—whatever stuck with you.Choose between two fine dining restaurants—Italian at Massimo and local, seasonal British fare under a gold ceiling at Northall. You could easily lose a day in Espa’s flagship spa, which sprawls over four floors with a large pool and thermal suite including an ice fountain, sauna, steam room, and heated marble loungers, as well as 17 treatment rooms, nutritionists, acupuncturists, physiotherapists, and massage therapists. Bottom line: worth it, and why?You’re paying for unbeatable service, lavish surrounds, and some of the best facilities in the city." - Laura Goulden

"The Corinthia offers 283 rooms and suites, including presidential suites designed by David Collins Studio. Amenities include Nespresso machines, marble bathrooms, and ESPA products. Some suites have private outdoor spaces and butler service. The ESPA Life by Corinthia Spa includes a gym, nail studio, and thermal floor." - Laura Dannen Redman, Charu Suri, Sandra Ramani, Katherine LaGrave, Jennifer Flowers, Laura Holt

"“There’s a lot to be said for a decent cup of tea,” my cab driver told me on the way to Corinthia London, the hotel where I’d be staying for my first couple of nights. “Our country was built on tea.”" - Maria Geyman

"Opened in 2011, this luxury hotel from the Malta-based Corinthia brand occupies a Victorian building (once home to the Ministry of Defense) in the heart of the city, not far from Trafalgar Square, The National Gallery, the London Eye, and the theater district. The overall vibe is one of a 21st-century grand hotel, with a series of elegant public spaces—some vast and high-ceilinged, others warm and cozy—unfolding along the ground floor. Find modern, British-accented fare and a decadent breakfast spread at The Northall restaurant; all-day dining and a recently reimagined afternoon tea service (complete with Champagne trolley) at The Crystal Moon Lounge; and, in good weather, al fresco drinks, bites, and cigars at the leafy Garden Lounge. In summer 2018, the Bassoon Bar re-launched as a 1920s-era, New Orleans-inspired hangout, complete with a creative cocktail and bubbly menu developed by award-winning bartender Marcis Dzelzainis and wine expert Michael Sager. Shortly after, the hotel also opened Kerridge’s Bar and Grill, the first London restaurant from Michelin-starred chef Tom Kerridge. Beyond its common spaces, the Corinthia is home to 283 residential-style rooms and suites, which include chic London and Garden suites (launched in 2018) and seven themed presidential suites, all crafted by David Collins Studio. Amenities include free Wi-Fi, Nespresso machines, high-tech media hubs, and marble bathrooms with rain showers, bathtubs with built-in TVs, heated floors, and ESPA products. Some of the higher-level suites even come with private outdoor spaces, butler service, and expansive views. Further relaxation can be found at the flagship ESPA Life by Corinthia Spa, one of the largest in the city with 17 treatment “pods,” a 24/7 gym, a nail studio, and a vast thermal floor with multiple pools, sauna and stream rooms, ice fountains, and sleep pods for extra serenity. To engage both visitors and locals, the hotel regularly offers unique programming and partnerships, including hosting in-residence experts—from neuroscientists to “futurist” trend forecasters—who lead talks and events throughout their stays."