The best London hotels with gardens
Green space is precious in London - and no more so than when the sun's out. So what better setting to relax with a summery tipple than your own little urban oasis at one of the city's best hotels? Here's our pick of the bunch - from cute courtyards to rooftops with spectacular views.
? The best hotel gardens in England
The Culpeper
Spitalfields, London, England
8Telegraph expert rating
Old boozer given the East London treatment: original brick walls and polished parquet floors set the scene downstairs for science lab-style metal stools, a central zinc-topped bar and mismatched wooden chairs, while potted plants and bronze light fixtures hang from the peacock blue ceiling. Turquoise booths and Ercol chairs dominate the intimate second-floor dining room. The rooftop's latest incarnation is Piculpeper, with a menu that celebrates all things pickled, notably cucumbers - honoured with a giant 'gherkin' statue in the shadow of the real one. Read expert review From ￡120per night Check availability Rates provided by Booking.com
? The best London hotels with pools
Blakes Hotel
Kensington, London, England
6Telegraph expert rating
A rococo townhouse in the middle of Kensington that has held the title of London’s first boutique hotel since it opened in 1978. Anouska Hempel’s vibey décor still sets the standard for boutique hoteliering today, with glamorous and romantic bedrooms that realise dreams of far-off places. In summer, the Matthew Williamson-designed Mediterranean garden is the place to be, complete with life-sized birdcage. The party moves downstairs later on to Blakes Below, an opium den-esque club – all moody lighting and Oriental panelling – which hosts parties that might include live piano sets or Seventies nights. Read expert review From ￡240per night Check availability Rates provided by Booking.com
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Ham Yard Hotel
Soho, London, England
9Telegraph expert rating
A light-filled, spacious new build in an ‘urban village’ setting at the bottom of Regent Street, perfectly placed for Mayfair and Soho. It's all about fun here, from Kit Kemp's signature cosy-cool interiors to the neon light-lined bowling alley and bar. The hotel is set around a tree-filled garden, with a bronze sculpture centrepiece by Tony Cragg, and there is also a magical fourth floor roof terrace complete with olive trees, lavender and vegetable beds. The joy of building a hotel from scratch is 91 rooms and suites (plus 24 apartments) that are huge for London. Read expert review From ￡312per night Check availability Rates provided by Booking.com
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The Goring
Belgravia, London, England
9Telegraph expert rating
A favourite of dowager duchesses, lords, ladies and assorted gentlefolk; the Middleton family and the Duchess of Cambridge stayed here the night before the Royal Wedding. The Goring was opened by Otto Richard Goring in 1910 and remains in the family to this day. The hotel has the great advantage of a huge private garden, surrounded by flower borders and shrubbery, with a central lawn on which croquet is played in the summer months. The Dining Room at The Goring was awarded its first Michelin star in September 2015. Read expert review From ￡370per night Check availability Rates provided by Booking.com
? The best hotels in central London
Draycott Hotel
Chelsea, London, England
7Telegraph expert rating
This is the type of hotel that returning guests become possessive of – some were indignant when the drawing room was refurbished for example. It's traditionally furnished, with elegant but comfortable sofas, and scented by fresh lillies throughout. Designed to feel like a private city retreat, it has an air of old-fashioned gentility. A big plus-point for the hotel is the large, enclosed garden square behind, shared with local residents, which guests can access directly from the drawing room as well as two of the ground-floor bedrooms. Read expert review From ￡168per night Check availability Rates provided by Booking.com
St. Ermin's Hotel
Victoria, London, England
8Telegraph expert rating
This hotel was once a mansion block, with huge, bland corridors, but after a ￡30m refurbishment courtesy of its American owners, the rooms are attractive, the bar warmly convivial and the whole place hums with life. It's a hop from St James’s Park – and the underground station – and a short stroll from Parliament Square and Westminster Abbey. The rooftop garden supplies herbs and vegetables for the kitchen, and there's also a greenhouse and beehives. It's a hop from St James’s Park – and the underground station – and a short stroll from Parliament Square and Westminster Abbey. Read expert review From ￡175per night Check availability Rates provided by Booking.com
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Sanderson London
Soho, London, England
8Telegraph expert rating
One of London’s original design hotels, conceived by Ian Schrager and Philippe Starck. The lobby could pass as a chair museum: on entering you’re met by a copy of Mae West's Salvador Dalí lips sofa copy; others include an Eero Aarnio bubble chair hanging from the ceiling, an ergonomic carved wooden chaise-longue-style piece and a Louis XIV-style chair in powder blue, which stretches out the length of one wall. The Japanese garden courtyard, in the middle of the property, is a calm oasis in which to enjoy drinks, afternoon tea or dinner. Read expert review From ￡245per night Check availability Rates provided by Booking.com
