Luxury London travel guide

10 top attractions and five of the finest hotels for a five-star trip to the UK capital

London has a long association with luxury, welcoming guests with historic hotels, sophisticated service and elevated experiences. 

Visitors can enjoy the vibrant capital city with Michelin-starred dining in Mayfair, an exclusive guided tour of Buckingham Palace or a vintage Mini Cooper adventure. Or, if you prefer to get out of town, you can catch a 1920s train that whisks you to the glorious English countryside.  

Taking inspiration from Starring Great Britain: A Premium Collection 2025, here’s the Connecting Travel guide to luxury London.

Explore a royal palace
Exclusive private tours of Buckingham Palace and Windsor Castle on the edge of the city are available on a seasonal basis, and incredibly popular, meaning they usually sell out in advance. Buckingham Palace, which has been the home of the Royal Family for centuries, does have regular group tours of its State Rooms, Throne Room and Ballroom where guests can discover more about the palace and the masterpieces from the Royal Collection. Windsor Castle, originally built by William the Conqueror, is also used as a royal residence and has a regular programme of tours. www.rct.uk/whatson

Buckingham Palace

Create a bespoke fragrance
The Floris family has been making fine fragrances at its Jermyn Street perfumier for almost 300 years. Their Bespoke Fragrance Customisation allows visitors to enjoy a two-hour consultation with a specialist perfumer, crafting a personalised scent based on their tastes and preferences. Details of the unique fragrance blend are added to the ledger, originally started by founder Juan Famenias Floris in 1730, so as well as a bottle to take home, additional orders are also possible, making it a personal scent for life. Two guests can attend the customisation session.
www.florislondon.com

See the city from a Mini
Here’s a quirky and truly British way to tour London’s streets, driven by a personal tour guide in a classic Mini Cooper by smallcarBIGCITY. Being small but beautiful allows the legendary Mini – a star of The Italian Job and several James Bond films – to nimbly navigate the most narrow of streets and alleyways that are packed with colourful stories and off-the-beaten-track treasures that big bus tours simply can’t reach. www.smallcarbigcity.com  

A blend of sightseeing and storytelling, tailored tours cover everything from film locations for set-jetters to historic sites

Tour London in a Mini / ©VisitBritain/The Noodles

Have a helicopter tour
There are many ways to see London’s famous landmarks, but this exhilarating helicopter tour gives a totally fresh perspective on familiar buildings and neighbourhoods. Not only that but your pilots are also your guides, sharing stories and insights as you swoop from the skies. Tours last around an hour, and bookings with operator Heli Air are available for up to five people, so the whole family can take part. www.heliair.com 

Better still, why not combine the helicopter tour with an introductory flying lesson?

Cheer on Chelsea FC
Fans of football, and especially London’s aristocrats Chelsea, can catch the big match while enjoying the finest hospitality at Stamford Bridge’s Club Boxes. These private suites offer the best view of the action for up to 12 people, with seating on the balcony and a fine-dining menu serving a selection of beverages. The entertainment isn’t just restricted to the 90 minutes of game time, with pre-kickoff, half time and post-match action all to be enjoyed from the comfort of your own private box. Everyone’s a winner. www.chelseafc.com/en/club-chelsea/club-boxes

Put the Eye into VIP
Everyone knows the London Eye observation wheel on the banks of the River Thames offers incredible, 360-degree views of the city day or night, including iconic Big Ben, the Houses of Parliament, Tower Bridge and The Shard.Those views get even better when indulging in one of their VIP experiences. Choose from a Champagne Experience with VIP check-in and priority boarding, or combine your revolution with afternoon tea in the Eye Lounge. Romantics can book an entire Cupid’s Pod just for themselves (and a host who will also serve fizz), or families and groups of up to 25 people can book a Private Pod. www.londoneye.com/tickets-and-prices/vip

Advance booking is essential as London Eye attracts more than 3.5 million visitors each year

London Eye at night / ©VisitBritain/Andy Denial

Reach for the (Michelin) stars at Sketch
Housed in an 18th-century Georgian townhouse in Mayfair, Sketch is a three-storey dining emporium and arts hub, home to multiple high-class restaurants and bars, including The Gallery with its bronze bar and live classical string trio. The pinnacle though is The Lecture Room Library, a three Michelin-starred restaurant, spearheaded by legendary French chef Pierre Gagnaire, who also curated the menu for Fouquet’s, the brasserie at Louvre Abu Dhabi. Whether visiting for lunch or dinner, enjoying a la carte or the tasting menu, guests can expect a palatial dining experience with white-linen tables, bold interiors and theatrical dishes. As the Michelin Guide says, “everything comes with a sense of theatre” and “original combinations are brilliantly conceived”. www.sketch.london

The Lecture Room Library / ©Sketch 

Feel the magic of Harry Potter
Fans of JK Rowling’s wizarding world will be spellbound by a trip to Warner Bros Studio Tour London – The Making of Harry Potter. Here, fans of the books and films can experience actual sets used in the movies, including the Great Hall of Hogwarts and Diagon Alley. There are props, models and costumes too, plus backstage insights into how the stories were brought to life on screen with special effects, and the chance to sample delicious Butter Beer. Located on the edge of London in Leavesden, it can be reached by train from Euston in just half an hour. www.wbstudiotour.co.uk

The Making of Harry Potter tour

Lose yourself in the Mamma Mia! VIP experience
Fans of Swedish pop legends ABBA or the Mamma Mia! musical inspired by their songs can transport themselves to an immersive Greek taverna experience at London’s O2 arena – and Platinum Packages include a ‘meet & greet’ with the celebrated cast. Popular with groups, this themed dinner and dancing extravaganza blends food, music and theatre with guests singing and dancing to a live band and performance. Expect a delicious four-course Greek meal accompanied by ABBA’s greatest hits, plus a new live performance playing out around the restaurant. www.mammamiatheparty.co.uk

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Take a train back in time
Belmond British Pullman whisks passengers back to the Golden Age of 1920s train travel on a series of day trips to historic cities such as Bath or Oxford, quintessentially British experiences, or even Michelin-starred dinners. Departing London Victoria station, the restored train with opulent Art Deco-designed interiors takes guests on a superior sightseeing tour of the English countryside, while enjoying afternoon tea, champagne cocktails or gourmet dishes. Some trips include a steam-powered engine for the ultimate in nostalgia. From April to October 2025, there is a new modern British dinner series featuring no less than four Michelin-starred chefs: Theo Randall, Phil Howard, Andrew Wong and Atul Kochhar. www.belmond.com/trains/europe/uk/belmond-british-pullman

Zena Carriage, Belmond British Pullman

Where to stay 

Go Wilde at The Cadogan
It doesn’t get more exclusive than The Cadogan, a Belmond Hotel in the heart of Chelsea. With just 54 rooms, this sophisticated hotel near Sloane Square is known for its signature suites and the famous faces who have graced them, including the Oscar Suite, once home to the writer Oscar Wilde.

Then there’s the Cadogan Penthouse with views of the city skyline and leafy Cadogan Place Gardens, with guests having exclusive access. Large groups can even take the entire top floor with seven penthouse suites and dedicated lift access.

Dine on inventive dishes at the elegant The LaLee restaurant helmed by Michelin-lauded Adam Handling, indulge in treatments from famed facialist Teresa Tarmey or play tennis in the gardens. www.belmond.com/hotels/europe/uk/london

Guests also have access to a Thames Limo service

The Cadogan, a Belmond Hotel

Live The Londoner life
Part of Preferred Hotels and Resorts Legend Collection, The Londoner on Leicester Square, which describes itself as the world’s “first super boutique hotel”, puts guests in the bustling beating heart of the city. Located a short walk from Covent Garden, Trafalgar Square, Piccadilly Circus, Soho and a host of visitor highlights, the 350-room luxury design hotel has six concept restaurants and bars including a rooftop lounge and The Retreat floor dedicated to wellness.

Incorporating the latest technology and with great sustainability credentials, the hotel offers a signature Live Like The Ultimate Londoner Package that includes three nights in the Tower Penthouse, bespoke private chef dinner, VIP tickets to a West End show, after-hours tours, a perfume experience, Selfridges personal shopping trip, champagne afternoon tea and a chauffeur-driven Rolls Royce. www.thelondoner.com

The Londoner on Leicester Square

Operate like a spy at Raffles
The breathtaking Old War Office building on Whitehall has been reinvented as Raffles London at The OWO. Once home to Winston Churchill and frequented by James Bond creator Ian Fleming, the building’s history is showcased in the decor and experiences.

With 120 rooms and suites, a Guerlain Spa, indoor pool and tours shedding light on its spy secrets, it’s a fascinating place to stay. There are nine restaurants and three bars, including the Michelin-starred Mauro Colagreco featuring the finest British produce. 

Guests looking for something beyond the norm will appreciate the duplex Turret Suite, with views of Whitehall, St James’s Park and the gates to Buckingham Palace, while other suites feature wood panelling and original fireplaces. www.raffles.com/london

A Spy Bar Tasting Experience sees mixologists preparing cocktail tributes to well-known spies paired with canapes, for those who like to be shaken and stirred

Grand staircase, Raffles London at The OWO

Have a mindful Mayfair experience
London’s first “mission-driven sustainable luxury hotel”, 1 Hotel Mayfair reimagined two buildings to create an eco-conscious environment with a low-carbon footprint. Located near Green Park, the property brings the outdoors in with thousands of plants sprinkled throughout, and each of the 181 rooms and suites featuring a living moss wall. To truly appreciate the setting, book the sprawling Green Park Penthouse with its double-height living area and wrap-around terrace, sauna, fireplace and sweeping views of the city and park.

Guests also have a wine bar and cafe, a lounge with cosy corners serving creative cocktails, plus the Dovetale Restaurant led by Tom Sellers, who also owns the two Michelin-starred Restaurant Story. Suitably sustainable, Dovetail dishes up reimagined European classics using organic and locally sourced ingredients. 

To unwind from a day exploring the city, there’s the Mindfulness Suite, an art and audio takeover from artist Robi Walters and personalised organic treatments at Bamford Wellness Spa. www.1hotels.com/mayfair

1 Hotel Mayfair near Green Park

Enjoy Suite living at Grosvenor House
Guests looking for something next level will find it at Grosvenor House Suites on a leafy corner of Park Lane, where the Dukes of Westminster once resided. Another addition to Preferred Hotels & Resorts Legend Collection, Grosvenor House combines the benefits of a five-star hotel with privacy of a residence.

Each suite has a kitchen, spacious living area, butler service, access to private chefs and a fitness centre

The sprawling, 448-square-metre, five-bedroom Grosvenor Penthouse includes a study with baby grand piano, dining room, TV room and balcony with views over Mayfair and the city and Hyde Park. Studios and deluxe suites are also available for solo travellers or couples. 

Dining is hosted at the light-filled Atrium courtyard, which serves an all-day seasonal menu, or guests can order dishes to their room or have fresh groceries delivered. www.grosvenorhousesuites.com

For more information, visit www.visitbritain.org/starring-great-britain-premium-collection-2025 and download the Starring Great Britain – A Premium Collection 2025 guide here.