London dreaming: The best hotels to stay in the British capital

Ham Yard Hotel: British interior designer Kit Kemp is the force behind nine exquisite Firmdale Hotels in New York and London, but our favourite is this property in Soho, centred around a leafy courtyard where an enormous bronze sculpture by artist Tony Cragg takes centre stage. With brilliant artworks and bright-coloured furnishings, the rooms upstairs are just as striking, not to mention the onsite restaurant and bar, where it's hard to decide what to look at: the striking wallpapers or head chef Joe Fox's beautifully plated courses. From $1169 per room, per night; firmdalehotels.com

Citadines Trafalgar Square: Even the smallest studios at this apartment hotel have separate seating areas, work desks, and kitchenettes with microwaves, refrigerators and tea/coffee facilities. But if more space is desired, there are one- and two-bedroom apartments, too, with separate living rooms and shiny ensuites. A spacious breakfast lounge, 24-hour front desk and a shared communal area where kids can play boardgames and adults can watch TV are some other conveniences. Not that we expect you to spend too much time inside - some of London's top attractions (from Trafalgar Square to The National Gallery) are just out the door. From $530 per room, per night; citadinestrafalgarsquare.uk-london.website

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The Ned: From its location (in the heart of the City of London) to the building it's housed in (the former Midland Bank headquarters), everything about this 250-room hotel screams "business". But in a remarkable departure from most hotels that cater to that demographic, the rooms at the Ned are replete with tasteful touches (think four-poster beds and velvet couches). Eleven onsite eateries make sure you're well fed no matter what you're in the mood for (Italian, Mexican, American or British), while the sprawling fitness studios - with 40 classes per week - mean you can stay fit on the go. From $656 per room, per night; thened.com

The Hoxton, Shoreditch: There are four Hoxton hotels in London but our money is on the OG in Shoreditch, where splendid rooms with parquet wooden floors, leather couches and large round mirrors meet decadent eateries such as the all-day Hoxton Grill, with bright-red booths, refreshing cocktails and American-inspired fare. From $365 per room, per night; thehoxton.com/london/shoreditch

Raffles London at the OWO: Magnificent chandeliers, soaring marble columns, grand staircases and an onsite Guerlain Spa ... there's no shortage of opulent touches at this landmark property, which opened in September last year in London's Whitehall. But perhaps the biggest luxury here is the story behind the building, which dates back to 1906 and was home to the New War Office used by Winston Churchill as Secretary of State for War from 1919 to 1921. The building later became the Old War Office, hence the name "OWO". From $1712 per room, per night; raffles.com/london

The Dorchester: Located in London's posh neighbourhood of Mayfair, just across the road from Hyde Park, this is old-school grandeur at its best. Make yourself at home in one of the rooms, with floral wallpapers, plush sofas and textured drapes, then soak up the glamour at one of the property's exquisite eateries - from the three-Michelin-starred Alain Ducasse at The Dorchester to the Grill by Tom Booton, which specialises in modern British fare. One excellent way to experience the hotel, even if you're not staying there, is to have an afternoon tea at The Promenade, with show-stopping floral displays by in-house designer florist Philip Hammond. Just don't forget to dress up. This is the Dorchester, after all. From $1739 per room, per night; dorchestercollection.com

Shangri-La the Shard London: If images of the infinity pool, located on level 52 of this sky-piercing hotel, don't send your social media into overdrive, pictures of the city from your room's floor-to-ceiling windows certainly will. And don't even get us started on Gong, where interiors by Andre Fu compete with twinkling London skyline, as irresistible Japanese fare and envelope-pushing cocktails land on your table. From $1410 per room, per night; shangri-la.com