Claridge’s London Hotel Review 2026: The £4,000 Truth Revealed

Claridge’s in 2026: Living Off Legacy or Still Worth the Legend?

The £4,000 Question: What Are You Actually Buying?

   

The doorman at Claridge’s remembered my name on the third morning. Not from a computer screen or a note passed along by the front desk—he just remembered. When I stepped out at 7:30 AM for an early walk through Hyde Park, he greeted me by name and asked if I’d like him to arrange a car for later. Small detail, but it captures something real about this place.

Claridge’s has been operating at 49 Brook Street in Mayfair since 1812, and in that time it’s hosted everyone from Queen Victoria to Audrey Hepburn to countless heads of state. The question I wanted to answer during my three-night stay in January 2026 wasn’t whether Claridge’s has earned its legendary status—clearly it has. The question was whether that legend still delivers in practical, contemporary terms at £800-£1,200+ per night.

My stay cost £2,685 for three nights before meals (£895 per night for a Superior Queen room). Add breakfast at £40 per person daily, afternoon tea at £75, dinner at Davies and Brook at £180 for the tasting menu, and drinks at The Fumoir, and the total came to just over £4,000.

That’s serious money. Not aspirational luxury—actual luxury. At that price point, you’re entitled to ask hard questions about value.

Here’s what became clear: Claridge’s isn’t trying to compete on amenities or cutting-edge technology or even flawless service execution. It’s competing on something harder to quantify—atmosphere, history, and the feeling of being inside a living piece of London’s cultural heritage. Whether that’s worth the premium depends entirely on what you value in a hotel experience.

Step into a 1929 Art Deco Dream (Preserved to Perfection)

Walking into Claridge’s lobby stops you mid-stride. The black-and-white checkerboard marble floor creates this optical illusion where your eyes need a second to adjust. Above hangs Dale Chihuly’s chandelier—800 pieces of hand-blown glass catching light from every angle. It’s a bold contemporary installation sitting inside a 1929 Art Deco masterpiece, and somehow it works perfectly.

The hotel’s current form was largely created by architect Oswald Milne in 1929. His Art Deco redesign added 80 rooms and created the now-iconic ballroom and public spaces. Walk through the corridors and you’ll see original Lalique glass panels, hand-laid parquet floors, geometric brass details, and vintage black-and-white photographs documenting decades of celebrity guests.

This isn’t a hotel that preserved one wing for tourists while modernizing everything else. This is comprehensive historic conservation. The Reading Room still has its original 1930s furniture. The Fumoir cocktail bar maintains its jade-green lacquered walls from nearly a century ago. Even the elevator doors are original Art Deco metalwork.

During World War II, exiled monarchs from Norway, Greece, and Yugoslavia all took refuge here. There’s a story—probably apocryphal but repeated so often it’s become part of the mythology—that Winston Churchill declared Suite 212 Yugoslav territory for a day in July 1945 so Crown Prince Alexander could technically be born on Yugoslav soil.

Whether every detail of these stories is strictly accurate doesn’t really matter. What matters is that Claridge’s feels like it carries weight. You’re not just booking a room—you’re stepping into a narrative that stretches back over 200 years.

Room 427: The Good (Exceptional Bed), The Bad (Dated Tech), The Steamed Jacket

I stayed in a Superior Queen on the fourth floor—roughly 25 square meters (about 270 square feet). The size surprised me. Not tiny, but noticeably smaller than rooms I’ve had at Rosewood London or The Langham at comparable prices.

The design was pure Art Deco: cream walls, taupe carpet with geometric patterns, chrome and glass furniture details, a large mirror above the bed. Everything coordinated perfectly. The marble bathroom took up maybe a quarter of the room’s footprint—separate tub and rainfall shower, double sinks, heated floors, thick towels, and Claridge’s-branded toiletries.

The bed was genuinely exceptional. Whatever custom mattress Claridge’s uses hits that perfect balance between firm support and soft comfort. Egyptian cotton sheets that felt expensive because they were, a perfectly weighted duvet, four oversized pillows, and blackout curtains that actually worked. I slept better here than I have in months.

Technology told a different story. The television was maybe 32 inches—the size you’d find in a midrange business hotel. No streaming services, just basic cable. Temperature control required manually turning a dial on the wall. Ordering room service meant picking up the phone and calling. No app, no tablet, no smart controls.

For some guests, this analog approach is probably refreshing. For me, at £895 per night, it felt dated. I’ve stayed in £400 boutique hotels with better in-room tech.

The minibar pricing made me laugh: £45 for a small bottle of champagne, £6 for a Coke, £12 for a tiny jar of pistachios. The saving grace was complimentary coffee and tea—actual loose-leaf blends and proper espresso, not instant sachets or generic pods.

Storage was generous. The walk-in closet had space for a week’s wardrobe, a full-length mirror, safe, iron and board, and enough hangers that I didn’t have to reuse them. Bathrobes were plush, slippers disposable but comfortable.

One detail stood out: I’d hung a jacket in the closet somewhat carelessly on my first day. When I retrieved it later that evening, housekeeping had not only rehung it properly but had steamed out a wrinkle I hadn’t even noticed. They did this without my asking, probably during turndown service.

That’s the Claridge’s difference—staff who notice and act on details most hotels would miss.

Service: When It’s Magic vs. When It’s Missing (45 Minutes for a Pillow)

Claridge’s operates on a service philosophy of anticipation. The goal is for staff to predict what you need before you ask.

When this works, it’s exceptional. The front desk remembered my name by day two without checking a screen. The concierge printed a detailed walking map to the British Museum with specific gallery recommendations based on a casual comment I’d made about liking 19th-century British art. Housekeeping arranged my toiletries by the sink within an hour of check-in without instruction.

On my wife’s birthday (which I’d mentioned when booking), we returned to the room to find champagne, macarons, and a handwritten note from the managing director. These aren’t automated gestures. They require human attention and genuine care.

But there were also lapses that felt out of place at this price point.

Turndown service was missed entirely on my second evening. When I called at 9 PM to request it, it was done within 15 minutes with sincere apology. But the miss shouldn’t have happened.

Room service breakfast, ordered for 8:00 AM, arrived at 8:27 AM. The food was hot and well-presented, but I’d scheduled a work call for 8:30 and ended up eating while on mute.

Most frustrating: I requested an extra pillow on my first night around 10:15 PM. It arrived at 11:00 PM. Forty-five minutes for a pillow at a hotel charging £895 per night felt unacceptable.

When I mentioned this at checkout, the front desk removed one night’s minibar charges (which I hadn’t even used) as an apology. Nice gesture, but reactive rather than preventive.

My sense is that Claridge’s is either understaffed or has staff stretched too thin across too many responsibilities. The people working here clearly care—I never encountered rudeness or indifference. But there’s a gap between intention and execution that suggests a management issue rather than an individual employee problem.

The Public Spaces That Make You Understand the Hype

If the room felt cramped and service felt inconsistent, the public spaces are where Claridge’s justifies its legendary status.

The Reading Room sits just off the main lobby with original 1930s furniture, soft lighting, and floor-to-ceiling bookshelves stocked with everything from Dickens to contemporary fiction. I spent an afternoon there working on my laptop, and staff brought me tea without my asking—they’d simply noticed my empty cup. It’s the kind of space where you could spend hours and feel completely comfortable.

The Fumoir cocktail bar occupies a jewel-box room with jade-green lacquered walls, velvet banquettes, and Art Deco lighting that makes everyone look better. A martini costs £22, but watching the bartender craft it with theatrical precision—stirring for exactly thirty seconds, straining it twice, presenting it with a perfect lemon twist—almost justifies the price.

One evening I sat next to a couple who’d been coming to The Fumoir for twenty years. They ordered their usual drinks and told stories about watching the space evolve. That’s the thing about Claridge’s—it has regulars. People who return not because it’s trendy but because it’s emotionally theirs in some way.

The New Spa: A Modern Oasis That Actually Impresses

This is important: Claridge’s opened a brand new spa in October 2022, designed by Hong Kong interior architect André Fu. The spa sits three floors below ground level—they excavated five stories into London clay to create it—and spans 7,000 square feet.

The spa includes a heated indoor pool, steam rooms, sauna, and seven treatment rooms. Fu designed it with inspiration from Japanese temples and Zen gardens in Kyoto, using French limestone, natural oak, and water features throughout. The pool area has limestone columns and a multi-vaulted ceiling with private cabanas for relaxing.

I spent a morning there and found it genuinely impressive. The pool is intimate but beautifully designed. The steam room and sauna were well-maintained. The treatment menu includes everything from lymphatic drainage massages to Hammam experiences in the recently added “Pink Room.”

This matters because many older luxury hotels lack comprehensive spa facilities. The fact that Claridge’s invested in this major renovation shows they’re not just coasting on history—they’re updating infrastructure where it counts.

The gym, located within the spa complex, is functional but not inspiring. It has enough equipment for a solid workout—treadmills, bikes, free weights, some Peloton equipment—but it’s not going to wow fitness enthusiasts. Still, it’s a significant improvement over what many historic hotels offer.

Afternoon Tea: £75 for Performance Art (Worth It)

Afternoon tea at Claridge’s is served daily in the Foyer & Reading Room beneath the Chihuly chandelier. I booked the traditional tea at £75 per person (£95 with champagne).

The setting does most of the work. You’re seated in a plush armchair, watching the flow of people through the lobby while a pianist plays Cole Porter and Gershwin on a Steinway grand. The whole experience feels like theater—you’re not just having tea, you’re participating in a tradition that dates back over a century.

The food arrived on Claridge’s three-tiered stand. Finger sandwiches—smoked salmon, cucumber, egg mayonnaise, ham—were perfectly executed. The scones, served warm with clotted cream and strawberry preserve, were genuinely excellent. Light, buttery, gone in seconds.

The pastries showcased real skill: a chocolate tart with perfect mirror glaze, a lemon meringue that stayed crisp, a pistachio macaron that rivaled anything I’ve had in Paris. The tea selection, curated by Claridge’s tea sommelier, includes over 40 varieties. I chose a Darjeeling first flush that was complex and fragrant.

Service was impeccable. Staff refilled hot water without prompting, cleared plates at the right pace, answered questions about tea origins with genuine knowledge rather than scripted responses.

Is it worth £75? If you’re focused purely on food value, no. But if you approach it as a cultural experience—two hours in one of London’s most beautiful spaces, eating well-made food, feeling part of something larger than lunch—then yes, absolutely.

Davies and Brook Review: Perfect Execution, Zero Surprise

The hotel’s flagship restaurant, Davies and Brook, is helmed by Daniel Humm (of Eleven Madison Park fame) and holds one Michelin star. The tasting menu costs £180 per person, with wine pairings adding £120.

The dining room is stunning. Guy Oliver’s design features curved walnut paneling, olive-green velvet banquettes, and geometric brass details that tie perfectly into Claridge’s Art Deco heritage. It seats about 70 but feels intimate.

The meal I had was technically accomplished but lacked emotional impact. English asparagus with wild herbs and aged Parmesan was simple and perfectly executed. Cornish turbot with champagne sauce demonstrated precision cooking. Spring peas with mint and ricotta had beautiful color and freshness.

Everything was cooked correctly, seasoned properly, presented beautifully. But nothing surprised me. Nothing made me stop mid-bite and think “I’ve never experienced this before.” For £180, I expected either extraordinary ingredients or creative preparations that reimagine familiar flavors. Davies and Brook delivers neither—it’s very good hotel restaurant food at Michelin-starred prices.

The wine list is encyclopedic, with bottles from £65 to well over £5,000. Our sommelier was knowledgeable and steered us toward a Burgundy under £150 that paired beautifully.

Would I return? Not at these prices. For £180 in London, I’d rather go to The Ledbury, Core, or Sketch—restaurants where the food feels alive rather than refined and restrained.

The Breakfast Upsell: Good Food, Annoying Extra Charge

Breakfast isn’t included in the room rate. It costs an additional £40 per person for the full English or £35 for continental buffet.

The breakfast itself is excellent—freshly squeezed juices, warm pastries that taste genuinely baked that morning, perfectly poached eggs, quality smoked salmon, good coffee. But at £895 per night, charging separately for breakfast feels dated. The Connaught includes it. Rosewood London offers it complimentary for certain bookings. Even hotels that aren’t quite at Claridge’s historic level often bundle breakfast into package rates.

This is the kind of nickel-and-diming you expect from midrange business hotels, not luxury icons.

The Final Verdict: Who Should Actually Book Claridge’s

 

This isn’t a simple yes or no question.

Claridge’s delivers something rare: a coherent historic experience with moments of genuinely exceptional service and an atmosphere you can’t replicate at more modern properties. The Art Deco preservation is museum-quality. The afternoon tea is magical. The new spa facility shows they’re investing in infrastructure. When service works—like finding my jacket perfectly steamed without asking—it operates at a level few hotels attempt.

But you’re also paying a premium purely for heritage. The rooms are smaller than competitors at similar prices. Technology lags behind boutique hotels charging £400 per night. Service has noticeable gaps. Breakfast costs extra when it shouldn’t.

Here’s my honest take: Claridge’s is worth experiencing if you understand and value what it offers—which is atmosphere, history, and Art Deco elegance—and can accept that you’re not getting the best contemporary amenities or most consistent service for your money.

Book Claridge’s if you:

• Are celebrating something significant and want a hotel that feels ceremonial
• Genuinely appreciate Art Deco design and historic properties
• Value atmosphere and heritage over cutting-edge technology
• Have the budget to spend £1,000+ per night without calculating exact value-for-money
• Are willing to forgive occasional service lapses in exchange for peak moments of personalized attention

Skip Claridge’s if you:

• Want comprehensive modern amenities without compromise
• Expect breakfast included at luxury prices
• Need consistently flawless service execution
• Are budget-conscious or focused on maximizing value
• Prefer contemporary design and technology over historic preservation

Booking Claridge’s: Essential Tips and Hidden Costs

Location: 49 Brook Street, Mayfair, London W1K 4HR
Nearest tube: Bond Street (3-minute walk, Central and Elizabeth lines)

Room Rates (2026):
Standard rooms: £800-£1,200
Suites: £1,500-£3,000+
Book directly through Claridge’s website or phone for best rates and upgrade leverage.

What’s NOT Included:

• Breakfast (£35-£40 per person)
• Minibar (£6+ for sodas, £45+ for small champagne bottles)
• All restaurant bills carry 12.5% service charge
• WiFi is complimentary

Check-in/Check-out: 3:00 PM / 12:00 noon
Early check-in and late checkout subject to availability—request when booking.

Cancellation: Typically 48-72 hours notice, varies by rate type.

Dress Code: Smart casual minimum throughout hotel. Jackets required for men at Davies and Brook dinner service.

Booking Tips:

• January through March offers lowest rates, sometimes 25-30% below summer pricing
• Request rooms on 5th floor or higher to minimize street noise
• Book afternoon tea 2-3 weeks ahead for weekends
• Mention special occasions when booking—the hotel often provides thoughtful touches
• Join Maybourne Hotel Group loyalty program for potential benefits
• Ask about packages bundling room + breakfast + afternoon tea for better overall value

Spa Access: Open daily, pool hours 8:00 AM to 9:00 PM. Guests under 17 not permitted.

Your Claridge’s Questions Answered

Is breakfast included in the room rate?

No. Breakfast costs an additional £35 for continental or £40 for full English per person. This is a frequent complaint in reviews, as many luxury hotels at similar price points include breakfast as standard.

Does Claridge’s have a swimming pool?

Yes. Claridge’s opened a new spa in October 2022 with a heated indoor pool, steam rooms, and sauna. The spa is located three floors below ground and was designed by André Fu. Pool access is included for hotel guests. Children under 17 are not permitted in the spa.

What’s the dress code for afternoon tea?

Smart casual is the minimum. No sportswear, shorts, or flip-flops. Most guests dress more formally—it’s considered an occasion. Men often wear jackets, women typically wear dresses or smart separates.

Can I visit just for afternoon tea without staying at the hotel?

Yes, afternoon tea is open to non-guests. Reservations are essential, especially on weekends. Book at least 2-3 weeks in advance during peak season.

Are there connecting rooms for families?

Yes, Claridge’s offers connecting rooms and family suites. The hotel accommodates children and provides amenities like cots, high chairs, and children’s menus. However, the formal atmosphere may not suit very young children, and the spa/pool is restricted to guests 17 and older.

How far in advance should I book?

For standard rooms, 2-4 weeks is usually sufficient except during peak season (April-September, December). For specific suite types or special dates, book 2-3 months ahead. Afternoon tea should be booked 2-3 weeks in advance for weekends.

What’s the cancellation policy?

Typically 48-72 hours notice is required for free cancellation, though this varies by rate type. Always confirm the specific cancellation terms when booking, as some promotional rates may be non-refundable.