Why You Can’t Book Christmas Day Lunch at Claridge’s, The Connaught or The Lanesborough
Every December, the same question circulates: where can I book Christmas Day lunch in London? The listicles point to Claridge’s, The Connaught, The Ritz. They show prices, menus, photos of glittering dining rooms. What they rarely say is that at three of London’s most famous hotels, you cannot book a table for Christmas Day lunch. You have to book a room. A multi-night stay. With a fixed arrival date and a non-refundable deposit.
The Lanesborough is the only one of the three with a clear public price: £530 per adult, £265 per child, five courses in The Lanesborough Grill, prepayment refundable up to 72 hours before Christmas Day.
This is what the booking pages actually say, as of October 2026. None of the seven hotels has published complete 2026 festive pricing. This page will be updated as each one does.
Compare all 7 hotels → Why packages? → The 3 package hotels → Non-hotel options → What to ask → FAQ → JP’s verdict →
Christmas Day Lunch in London: Compare All 7 Hotels
Whether a table is bookable without a stay, how many nights the package requires, which dining room you’ll eat in, price, courses, deposit terms and dress code — all seven hotels at a glance.
| Hotel | Claridge’s | The Connaught | The Lanesborough | The Ritz | The Savoy | Corinthia | The Goring |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bookable as a table? | No — package only | No — package only | No — package only | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated |
| Minimum stay | 3 nights (23 or 24 Dec arrival) | 2 nights (24 Dec arrival) | 2 nights (24 Dec arrival) | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| Dining venue | Dante Mayfair / French Salon | Jean-Georges / Hélène Darroze / Grill | Lanesborough Grill | Ritz Restaurant | Gallery / River / Savoy Grill | Kerridge’s / Mezzogiorno | The Dining Room |
| Price per adult | In package | In package | £530 pp | £460–£670 (conflict) | Not published | Not published | Not published |
| Price per child | In package | In package | £265 | £300–£365 | Not published | Not published | Not published |
| Courses | 7 | 4 | 5 | 6 | Not published | 5 | Not published |
| Deposit | 50% non-refundable | 50% non-refundable | Prepayment, 72h refund | Not published | Not published | Not published | Not published |
| Dress code | Not published | Not published | Not published | Jacket & tie | Not published | Not published | Not published |
“In package” means the Christmas Day lunch is only available as part of a multi-night stay with a fixed arrival date · secondary-source figures are from listings sites, not the hotels themselves · confirm everything directly with the hotel before booking.
Why You Can’t Book Christmas Day Lunch at Claridge’s, The Connaught or The Lanesborough
It is not an accident of availability. It is deliberate commercial policy — and once you understand the economics, the booking pages make more sense.
A table for two at Claridge’s on Christmas Day is worth around £1,100 in food and drink. The same table, tied to a three-night package at peak festive rates, is worth well over £4,000 once accommodation, extras and the accompanying spend across the hotel are counted. For the hotel, selling a package is worth four times a standalone booking — and the packages fill regardless.
That is why a table for Christmas Day lunch at Claridge’s, The Connaught or The Lanesborough is not a booking you can make. It is a package you either commit to or you do not. The hotels are not being evasive about the price — they are selling a different product to the one most readers are searching for.
The practical consequence: if you want one of these three Christmas Day lunches, budget for the stay, not the meal. And check the cancellation terms carefully before you commit — at Claridge’s and The Connaught, the money is non-refundable from 25 November, well before Christmas arrives.
Christmas Day Lunch at the 3 Package-Only London Hotels
Full booking mechanics, dining rooms, and published 2025 pricing for the three package-only hotels — Claridge’s, The Connaught and The Lanesborough. 2026 package rates are not yet published by any of the three.
Claridge’s is the hotel most people picture when they think of Christmas Day lunch in London. The famous tree, the Art Deco lobby, the Chihuly chandelier. What the listicles never mention is that you cannot book the table. Christmas lunch is bundled into a three-night Christmas package with arrival on 23 or 24 December only.
The meal itself is among the largest on this list: seven courses served in either Dante Mayfair or the French Salon. The 2025 menu ran from celeriac carpaccio and smoked salmon through butter poached lobster, Cornish turbot, roast Norfolk turkey, and beef Wellington, finishing with the hotel’s Christmas pudding and a British cheese course. Sitting times are confirmed by the reservations team at the point of booking.
“The tree, the lobby, the chandelier — all of it. What nobody tells you is that you cannot simply book the table. It comes with three nights and a non-refundable deposit.”
— JP
No · three-night Christmas package, arrival 23 or 24 December only
Butter poached lobster · seven courses · 2025 menu
50% non-refundable at booking · balance due 25 November, also non-refundable
- 2025 menu price: £550 per person, with a discretionary 15% service charge. Children £275. This is prior-year menu pricing, not the 2026 package rate.
- Deposit and cancellation: 50% non-refundable at booking. Remaining 50% due 25 November 2026, also non-refundable. Bookings made on or after 25 November require full non-refundable payment.
- Sitting times: confirmed at the time of booking by the reservations team.
- Dress code: not published.
The Connaught
Two nights, three dining rooms, £190 supplement for the flagship
The Connaught runs a shorter package than Claridge’s — two nights, arrival 24 December only — but gives you a choice of three dining rooms on Christmas Day. Jean-Georges is the base option. Hélène Darroze, the three-Michelin-starred flagship, is available for a £190-per-adult supplement. The Connaught Grill, at £10 per adult, is the most relaxed of the three.
The base package is more affordable than Claridge’s on paper — one less night, no standalone lunch price to anchor against. But the supplement structure is where the cost moves: if you want the flagship Hélène Darroze dining room for Christmas lunch, you are adding £190 a head on top of the room rate, for adults and children alike (£120 per child).
“Three restaurants, one package. If you want Hélène Darroze on Christmas Day, you are adding £190 a head on top of the room rate — and you are committing to the stay either way.”
— JP
No · two-night Christmas package, arrival 24 December only
Eggs toast with Imperial Oscetra caviar · Jean-Georges 2025 menu
Hélène Darroze supplement £190pp / £120 per child · 50% non-refundable at booking
- Package supplements: £190 per adult / £120 per child for Hélène Darroze, £10 per adult / £10 per child for The Connaught Grill. A children’s menu is available at Jean-Georges.
- 2025 Jean-Georges menu: four courses at £290 per person. Included eggs toast with Imperial Oscetra caviar, roast Norfolk turkey, roasted venison loin, and Christmas pudding. Prior-year pricing.
- Deposit and cancellation: 50% non-refundable at booking. Balance due 25 November 2026, also non-refundable. Jean-Georges adds a 48-hour cancellation policy and requires credit card details at booking.
- Sitting times: not published. Dress code: not published.
The Lanesborough
The clearest picture of the three — £530pp, five courses, 72-hour refund
The Lanesborough is the only one of the three where the price is consistently reported across multiple sources: £530 per adult, £265 per child, five courses in The Lanesborough Grill. The menu includes lobster ravioli or cured foie gras ballotine to start, beef or Dover sole in addition to turkey, and a chocolate and coffee yule log. A glass of Laurent-Perrier La Cuvée is included.
The booking terms are the most forgiving of the three. Prepayment is required at the time of booking, but it is refundable up to 72 hours before Christmas Day. Cancellations for the stay follow the same 72-hour window. That is meaningfully more flexible than Claridge’s or The Connaught, both of which lock you in weeks before Christmas.
The caveat: TheFork shows no availability for Christmas Day lunch at the time of writing. If you want it, this is the one to call first.
“If you are booking a package hotel and want the flexibility to cancel, The Lanesborough is the only one of the three that gives you a 72-hour window.”
— JP
No · two-night Christmas in Residence package, arrival 24 December
Lobster ravioli · five courses · Laurent-Perrier La Cuvée included
TheFork shows no availability at time of writing · likely fully booked
- Price per adult: £530. Reported across multiple secondary sources including Hot Dinners and TheFork. The official Oetker page confirms the five-course lunch and the Laurent-Perrier but does not state a standalone price.
- Price per child: £265 (secondary source).
- Deposit and cancellation: prepayment required at booking, refundable up to 72 hours before Christmas Day. Cancellations for the stay free up to 72 hours prior to arrival.
- Sitting times: not published. TheFork shows no availability for Christmas Day lunch at time of writing. Dress code: not published.
Christmas Day Lunch at The Ritz, The Savoy, Corinthia and The Goring
The Ritz, The Savoy, Corinthia and The Goring have not published 2026 Christmas Day lunch pricing on their official websites. What follows is what is confirmed — and what still needs a phone call.
The Ritz runs the longest festive calendar of any hotel on this list, and its Christmas Day lunch at The Ritz London is a six-course menu in the Michelin-starred Ritz Restaurant. The problem is the price: the official page does not publish one, and the two figures in circulation differ by 45%.
Listings sites show £460 per person. An undated Ritz FAQ shows £670. The hotel has not confirmed which applies to 2026. Call before you budget around either number — the gap is £210 per head, which matters when you are booking for a group.
The dress code is enforced without exception: jacket and tie for gentlemen, no jeans, no sportswear. This applies year-round, but on 25 December the door staff apply it strictly. Children’s pricing is also unconfirmed — secondary sources list £300–£365. The Ritz Restaurant lunch generally runs 12:30–14:00, but Christmas Day timings are not published.
Christmas Day lunch at The Savoy is offered across multiple restaurants — Gallery, The River Restaurant, Savoy Grill, Restaurant 1890 by Gordon Ramsay — but the hotel has not published any 2026 Christmas Day lunch details on its official site. Design My Night lists the 2026 price as TBC.
The 2025 press release mentions “both sittings” for Christmas Day dinner, implying two services. Lunch sittings, courses, deposit terms, and dress code are all unpublished. This one requires a call to the festive team.
Corinthia London
2025 pricing only — Italian festive menu
Christmas Day lunch at Corinthia London is Italian rather than traditional British: Chef Francesco Mazzei’s menu at Mezzogiorno, or Kerridge’s Bar & Grill. The 2025 festive brochure listed a five-course Christmas Day lunch at £355 per person, with a children’s menu at £50 for three courses. Both figures are prior-year and undated.
The hotel has not published its 2026 festive programme. Deposit terms, cancellation policy, sitting times, and dress code are all unstated. Call before planning around it.
The Goring
No 2026 data from any source
No official 2026 Christmas Day lunch at The Goring information is published. A TripAdvisor review from December 2024 mentions a set menu “coming in at £160+,” and a third-party listing page shows £160 for adults with child prices — but neither is confirmed as The Goring, and neither should be relied on.
What is confirmed: the Dining Room holds a Michelin star, the hotel has been family-owned for over a century, and the menu is known for dishes such as the Goring Eggs Drumkilbo, though this is not confirmed for the Christmas Day menu specifically. Call the festive team for anything more.
Christmas Day Lunch in London Without Booking a Hotel Room
The package-only reality at Claridge’s, The Connaught and The Lanesborough does not mean Christmas Day lunch in London is closed to you. Four restaurants below are open on 25 December, take bookings from non-residents, and publish their prices.
| Restaurant | Area | Price pp | Courses |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sartoria | Savile Row | £85 | Four |
| Origin Kensington | Kensington High St | £115 | Five |
| Butlers Wharf Chop House | Tower Bridge | £140 | Five |
| Booking Office 1869 | St Pancras | £165 | Five |
Booking Office 1869 (St Pancras) — five-course Christmas Day lunch at £165 per person, wine pairing at £95, children at £82.50. Served Friday, 25 December 2026. Open to non-residents. The most traditional of the four — a Victorian booking hall setting, suited to a large family group.
Butlers Wharf Chop House (Tower Bridge) — five-course menu at £140 per person, glass of bubbly included, views of Tower Bridge and the Thames. Open to non-residents. The one for the view: riverside tables, and a walk along the South Bank after lunch.
Sartoria (Savile Row) — four-course Italian-inspired menu at £85 per person, in the heart of Mayfair. Open to non-residents. The value pick by a wide margin — the cheapest confirmed sit-down option in this guide, and a short walk from Claridge’s and The Connaught if you end up staying in Mayfair and want lunch out.
Origin Kensington (Kensington High Street) — five-course menu at £115 per person, vegan options and a children’s menu available. Menu includes curried parsnip soup, Larchwood Farm roast turkey, and Braeburn apple and date Christmas pudding. Open to non-residents.
Book now, not in December. These venues typically open their Christmas Day booking earlier than the hotels and sell out sooner — often by late October or early November. If you want one of them, this is the part of the article to act on today.
Christmas Day Transport in London: Getting to Lunch Without the Tube
This is the practical detail almost no Christmas Day lunch guide mentions, and it matters more than the menu.
There is no Tube on 25 December. No buses. No Overground. No Elizabeth line. London’s public transport network shuts down on Christmas Day. It runs a reduced service on Boxing Day, and normal service resumes on 27 December.
What that means if you have booked lunch:
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Black cabs run, but you must book ahead
Taxis operate on Christmas Day with a surcharge, and demand heavily outweighs supply. Book through a minicab firm or your hotel concierge 48 hours in advance. Do not assume you can hail one on the street.
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If you are staying at the hotel, this problem disappears
One more argument in favour of the package hotels: if you are booked into Claridge’s, The Connaught or The Lanesborough, you are already there. No journey, no taxi, no surcharge.
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If you are booking a non-hotel restaurant, pick one you can walk to
Sartoria is in Mayfair, Booking Office is at St Pancras, Butlers Wharf is at Tower Bridge, Origin is in Kensington. If you are staying in central London, choose the one closest to your hotel and plan on walking.
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Parking exists, but is limited and pricey
Some hotels offer valet parking for guests. For standalone restaurants, check whether there is a car park nearby and whether it is open on 25 December. Most are not.
Booking Christmas Day Lunch in London: 5 Questions to Ask Every Hotel
Same five questions, whether you are calling Claridge’s or Sartoria. Ask them all, and ask for the answers in writing.
-
01
Is Christmas Day lunch bookable without staying?
At Claridge’s, The Connaught and The Lanesborough, no. At the other four hotels, this is not published. Ask directly — do not assume.
-
02
What is the price per adult and per child for 2026?
Most hotels have not published this yet. Ask when they expect to release it — the answer is usually October or November, and they will often take your details to notify you.
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03
What are the sitting times, and how long do we get the table?
Published for none of the seven hotels. On Christmas Day most venues run two sittings and expect you out within two hours. Confirm before you commit.
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04
What is the deposit and cancellation policy?
At Claridge’s and The Connaught, 50% non-refundable at booking, with the balance due 25 November and also non-refundable. The Lanesborough allows a 72-hour refund window. Terms for the other four are unpublished.
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05
When does booking open, and when does it usually sell out?
Non-hotel restaurants open earlier and sell out sooner than the hotels — often by late October. Package hotels fill their Christmas allocation from September onward. Ask so you can plan.
Christmas Day Lunch in London Sold Out? Waitlists and Alternatives
By December, most Christmas Day lunches in London are fully committed. That does not mean the day is closed. Three options that work:
Join the waitlist and call weekly. Package hotels and non-hotel restaurants both get cancellations in the weeks before Christmas — usually the same week as the 25 November deposit deadline for the hotels, and early December for the restaurants. Being the name at the top of the list when someone cancels is how most late bookings happen.
Shift the meal to 24 or 26 December. Christmas Eve lunch and Boxing Day lunch are far easier to book, often at the same venues and often at lower prices. Sartoria, Rules, and most of the restaurants listed above are open on those dates and still take bookings in December.
Book January at the same hotel. If you wanted the Christmas Day experience at Claridge’s and missed it, the same dining room in January is bookable, cheaper, and shows you the hotel without the seasonal crush. The tree is gone, but the cooking is the same.
FAQ — Christmas Day Lunch in London 2026
The most common questions about booking Christmas Day lunch in London, answered honestly.
Can you book Christmas Day lunch at Claridge’s without staying?
No. Christmas Day lunch at Claridge’s is included in a three-night Christmas package with arrival on 23 or 24 December only. There is no standalone table to book. The 2025 menu alone was priced at £550 per person (children £275), but the package rate including three nights’ accommodation is not published for 2026.
How much is Christmas Day lunch at The Ritz London?
The official page does not publish a price. Listings sites show £460 per person; an undated Ritz FAQ shows £670. The hotel has not confirmed which applies to 2026. Call directly before you budget around either figure. Six courses and the jacket-and-tie dress code are confirmed.
Where can I book Christmas Day lunch in London 2026 without staying at a hotel?
Sartoria (£85, four courses, Savile Row), Origin Kensington (£115, five courses), Butlers Wharf Chop House (£140, five courses, Tower Bridge), and Booking Office 1869 (£165, five courses, St Pancras) are all open on 25 December 2026 and take bookings from non-residents. Book by late October to avoid disappointment.
When do Christmas Day lunch bookings open in London?
Non-hotel restaurants open their Christmas Day booking in September or October and often sell out within weeks. Package hotels at Claridge’s, The Connaught and The Lanesborough fill their Christmas allocation from September onward, with deposits and balance deadlines set for 25 November. The Savoy and Ritz open festive bookings in September; Corinthia and The Goring typically publish their festive programmes in October or November.
What is the dress code for Christmas Day lunch at these hotels?
The Ritz enforces a jacket-and-tie policy for gentlemen in The Ritz Restaurant, year-round, and jeans and sportswear are not permitted. Dress codes for Christmas Day lunch at the other six hotels are not published. Smart casual is the safe default; a jacket without a tie will never be wrong.
Can I cancel a Christmas Day lunch booking?
At Claridge’s and The Connaught, no — both require a 50% non-refundable deposit at booking, with the balance due 25 November 2026 and also non-refundable. The Lanesborough allows cancellation up to 72 hours before Christmas Day with a full refund of prepayment. Terms for The Ritz, The Savoy, Corinthia and The Goring are not published.
Which is the cheapest Christmas Day lunch in London in this guide?
Sartoria at £85 per person for four courses in Mayfair is the lowest-priced confirmed option. Origin Kensington at £115 and Butlers Wharf Chop House at £140 follow. Among the hotels, The Lanesborough is the only one with a consistent public price: £530 per adult, though that is part of a two-night package including accommodation, not the meal alone.
How do I get to a Christmas Day lunch in London if there is no public transport?
The Tube, buses and Overground do not run on 25 December. Black cabs operate with a surcharge and demand far outweighs supply — book through a minicab firm or hotel concierge at least 48 hours in advance. If you are staying at a package hotel, the problem disappears. If you are booking a standalone restaurant, choose one within walking distance of your hotel and plan on walking.
JP’s Verdict: Where to Book Christmas Day Lunch in London 2026
If you want a table, book a restaurant. If you want Christmas Day lunch at Claridge’s, The Connaught or The Lanesborough, you are booking a stay.
Choose Christmas Day lunch at Claridge’s if you want the full London Christmas experience and are prepared to commit to three nights and a non-refundable deposit. Seven courses, served under the famous tree.
Choose Christmas Day lunch at The Connaught if you want the option of Hélène Darroze’s three-Michelin-starred dining room — you pay a £190-per-adult supplement, but the base package is only two nights.
Choose Christmas Day lunch at The Lanesborough if you want the clearest pricing and the most flexible cancellation terms of the three. £530pp, five courses, refundable up to 72 hours before. Call first — it may already be full.
Wait on Christmas Day lunch at The Ritz until it publishes a 2026 price. The gap between £460 and £670 is too wide to plan around. Six courses and the dress code are confirmed.
Call The Savoy, Corinthia or The Goring directly. None has published 2026 Christmas Day lunch details, and the prior-year pricing is either unverified or out of date.
If you want to skip the package entirely, book one of the four non-hotel restaurants above. Christmas Day lunch at Sartoria at £85 is the value pick. Booking Office 1869 at £165 is the most traditional. Book today, not in December.
Whichever you choose, book early. Non-hotel restaurants sell out from October. Package hotels require non-refundable commitment by 25 November. For the full hotel comparison, see our guide to the 7 best 5-star London hotels for Christmas and New Year →
I was born in Italy and grew up understanding that a bad meal is a genuine problem and a good one is worth going out of your way for. London came next — for years, then more years — and it is where I have lived ever since. I know this city’s hotels the way you come to know anywhere you have lived long enough: not from brochures, but from having walked in from the rain, from having eaten in the dining rooms, from having noticed what the staff do when they think no one is watching. I pay for my own stays. No free rooms. No press trips. Just honest reviews.