A visit to London with the kids can be an exhausting affair but get the hotel right for quality downtime between sightseeing and you’re winning. First up, think where you plan to visit and try to choose a child-friendly hotel in the vicinity – your feet will thank you for it. Other essentials to consider include decent sized family rooms or the ability to get interconnecting rooms (some hotels will offer the second room at a discounted rate so worth an ask). In a lot of hotels kids can eat free, too, so look out for that. To take it up a notch, choose a hotel with a swimming pool – for that resort feel in the city.
Many hotels have dedicated kids packages including toys in the room (think in-room tepee and pens to draw on the mirrors), child-friendly menus – for room service with a movie? There are even kids’ concierges in the posher hotels to hook your little VIPs up with everything from horse riding in Hyde Park to mocktail making classes, ‘little butler bootcamp’ (yes, really) and spy treasure hunts.
Here’s our guide to the best family-friendly hotels in London in areas including Mayfair, Westminster, Victoria and Marylebone.
This Marylebone Village property could just be your family home from home. The boutique hotel is inspired by Baker Street’s most famous resident, Sherlock Holmes, and interiors layer the old and new across the four Georgian houses. Adults will love the trendy restaurant and bar – whimsical cocktails include Sherlock’s Pipe served in a teapot as a nod to Ms Hudson’s teatime ritual – while children are also well catered to. Rooms are designed with families in mind and the hotel offers sofa beds and interconnecting rooms, depending on your needs. Under 12s stay – and eat – for free and children receive little gifts, including a complimentary Holmes teddy. The hotel also offers family packages whereby tents and toys can be delivered to the room.
From
£
242
per night
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Children are welcomed with open arms at Brown’s. The grand interconnecting suites are ideal for families looking for luxury; rooms are vast and service is charmingly personalised. Expect sheets embroidered with princesses or pirates, and a play tent, toys and biscuits bearing the name of your child waiting in the room on arrival. Book the Kipling Suite and stay where author Rudyard Kipling reportedly wrote The Jungle Book. Look out for the hotel’s specially commissioned picture books and mascot Albemarle, a monkey. During their visit, children are showered with gifts – from activity packs and free-to-use board games, to milk and cookies at turndown – and the concierge can organise child-friendly activities. Book a babysitter and enjoy dinner at Charlie’s, afternoon tea in the Drawing Room, or cocktails at Donovan Bar.
From
£
800
per night
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Children are spoiled at The Lanesborough, making it one of the best family-friendly hotels in London (albeit a very blow-the-budget option). Despite its price and grand façade though, the hotel exudes a down-to-earth charm that effuses the feel of a private residence. All rooms come with butlers, and children are made to feel special with welcome gifts, treats on tap, and movies to choose from in the rooms. Many of the rooms interconnect – the corner suites are especially favourable for families. The hotel’s Little VIP Club (for children up to 16) organises family-friendly activities such as Little Butler Bootcamp, horse riding in Hyde Park and treasure hunts. Little ones receive their own Little VIP business wallet for treats in restaurants and bars. Don’t forget to take a dip in the hotel’s pool – a rarity for London – or greet the resident cat Lilibet.
From
£
955
per night
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St Ermin’s has repositioned itself as a family-friendly property, following a £30m refurbishment, making it one of the best child-friendly hotels in London. New dedicated family suites come with two comfy beds and two bathrooms, plus sofa beds, complimentary teepee tents for playing, LED TV entertainment systems and children’s books and toys. Sony Playstations are available on request and, to save on packing, visitors can pre-order a variety of essential baby and toddler items for their stay. The kid’s concierge ‘Buzz the Bee’ offers family -friendly activities for all ages both inside and outside of the hotel. For instance, there’s a special interactive Spy Kids trail, and families can watch resident beekeeper Buzz make honey at the Bee Hotel on the third floor.
From
£
299
per night
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One of London’s best-kept secrets, this all-suite hotel is very much geared towards families. Many suites have more than one bedroom – there’s even a six-bedroom option for larger families – and all come with large living areas, fully-equipped kitchens, and multiple bathrooms. The complimentary Kids @ Taj program includes free goodie bags on arrival (inside you’ll find a sketchbook, crayons and a Taj ‘passport’ stamped by the concierge) and special child amenities in the room (such as miniature slippers and robes). The children’s menus in the restaurants show some imagination, doing beyond the usual staples of burgers and chips. Personalised cookies with the child’s name at turndown are a sweet touch and there is also a nanny service available at an additional cost.
From
£
495
per night
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Children are welcome at this boutique hotel, which is perfectly placed for exploring London’s Museum Mile. Ampersand is quiet and intimate but also laid back and unintimidating, making it an ideal choice for families. Chefs cater to young gourmands with treats such as science, sci-fi and Jurassic-themed afternoon teas — the latter is served on a dinosaur-shaped stand. There is also a games room filled with children’s books, curios and board games, from chess and backgammon to Ludo and Rubik’s Cubes, plus a ping pong table. Families are best off booking one of the deluxe studios or suites, which can take a fold-out bed and include small kitchenettes. Interconnecting rooms are also available and additional cots or beds can be requested, alongside child-sized bathrobes and slippers, children’s toiletries and activity packs.
From
£
258
per night
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With so many great shows on all year round in the West End, families travelling to London to visit one of the theatres can stay within a stone’s throw of Theatreland at The Resident Victoria. As a budget option, rooms are unsurprisingly compact but comfortable and minimalist and feature kitchenettes — not state-of-the-art but perfectly adequate for rustling up breakfast for the troops or warming a baby bottle in the microwave. The superior rooms sleep two adults and a child; Smart TVs keep young ones amused when it’s relaxation time. An additional sofa bed can be added to King or Deluxe rooms, as can rollaway or chair beds – these can also be used in Superior rooms. Note that breakfasts are not available but there are many options close to the hotel.
From
£
187
per night
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With spacious suites (the Executive suites easily fit a family of four) and regularly updated family-focused packages, this is a very comfortable and casual base for families in London. Young children can blow off steam at the nearby Diana, Princess of Wales memorial playground, or whizz around Hyde Park on micro scooters, available for free from the Kensington-based hotel. There’s a children’s entertainment team who organise everything from treasure hunts to Mary Poppins tours, as well as movie nights (or rainy movie days). Food plays a big part in the fun for youngsters, who can feast on ‘make your own’ ice cream sundaes, free daily milkshakes and children’s afternoon tea — think peanut butter jelly sandwiches and chocolate scones.
From
£
246
per night
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Taking over 15 beautiful Georgian houses, the Mayfair Townhouse is a home from home that welcomes families in central London. The Mayfair Townhouse evokes an “Oscar Wilde in Wonderland” aesthetic which is playful yet sophisticated, and draws on its rich history and literary associations — the street where the hotel is based features in author’s novel The Importance of Being Earnest. Families can choose between a number of interconnecting suites, where children will receive a surprise, and enjoy Instagrammable interiors that’ll capture the imaginations of all age groups. For nourishment, there’s a destination cocktail bar for adults and an all-day-dining establishment.
From
£
283
per night
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This Piccadilly hotel, with its famous façade, welcomes families with open arms. It has spacious suites and dedicated family rooms and a kids’ menu, while ‘Dilly Explorers’ offers children under 12 games, books on arrival, the chance of popcorn or milkshakes in the room and a special map to check off various London landmarks. The eye-catching Terrace at The Dilly is a highlight of the hotel – light and airy, it suits any time of day. Plus, kids under 12 eat for free when dining with adults. Perch here for the hotel’s scrumptious “Peter Rabbit Afternoon Tea” including an edible chocolate pot. There’s also a spa, fitness centre, and pool – children are welcome to take a splash in the pool. Kids’ dance lessons are available in the hotel’s historic ballroom.
From
£
224
per night
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A trip to Meliá White House Hotel is like coming home to your Spanish family. The Spanish love of children ensures a good welcome, and cots and extra beds are available in the spacious family rooms – kids up to six years old stay for free. Family-friendly amenities include children’s and baby menus, bottle warmers and children’s bathroom products, and gifts for the kids on arrivals. There are dining outlets on site but there’s plenty in the neighbouring area, too, and the hotel is in a convenient location for exploring – it’s close to some of London’s most popular tourist attractions, including Madame Tussauds and London Zoo.
From
£
180
per night
Rates provided by
Booking.com
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From
£
400per night