New Hotels in London: The Latest in London this Summer

London’s summer season of events—which dates back to the 17th century, when aristocrats brought their marriageable children into the city for socializing—begins with the Chelsea Flower Show, but it really takes off in June with Ascot, the Trooping of the Color, the Henley Regatta and Wimbledon. For all Anglophiles heading across the pond for these rituals, or just for a British fix under summer skies, there are lots of buzzy openings to know about. Read on to learn what is soon to open; what I recently loved—and found over-hyped; where local insiders are gathering; and much more.

Imagine Chiltern Firehouse meets Claridge’s. That is the concept behind the new hotel that Soho House founder Nick Jones is bringing to London. “I am getting rid of everything that annoys me about hotels,” Jones explained as we walked through the in-the-works St. Clement Hotel, which will open officially in the fall but is welcoming “friends and family” this summer. Jones’ annoyances include check-in and check-out, dynamic pricing and having to sign bills. “Being ripped off really annoys me,” he says. The hip Chiltern Firehouse aspect of the hotel will be found in the ground-floor restaurants that will open this summer and should be celebrity-filled and glamorous—in a similar fashion to Jones’ past dining forays like Cecconi’s. (The most casual of the property’s eateries, Corner Shop, has reportedly already welcomed Anna Wintour.) The Claridge’s comparison nods to the high quality of hospitality as well as the pedigree of many of the hotel’s staff.

Located on the bend of the Thames where London was founded, just behind the Strand, the hotel will feature 115 keys, including 15 apartment-style river-facing suites that would be ideal for a movie star or musician’s long-term London idyll. I met Nick in one of the two master suites, which has drop-dead views of riverside London as well as his-and-hers bathrooms each outfitted with its own tub. To say the vistas from these tubs—and most of the rooms—are the best in London is not a stretch, precisely because this bend of the river affords views that extend all the way from Canary Wharf and Battersea Power Station to the London Eye to Big Ben. The interior design, which has a sophisticated residential feeling, was masterminded by Eagle + Hodges, who is known for their British-made and British-modern aesthetic. (One of Alex Eagle’s principles: “Making functional things beautiful.”)

“A sense of generosity is what I want guests to feel,” Jones explained. “I went into hospitality because I love a room full of people having a good time.” Among the generous gestures included are a medicine cabinet packed with sought-after local brands like Lyn Harris, an in-room fitness box of gym equipment and free laundry and pressing (not dry-cleaning). Jones isn’t trying to recreate Soho House, but no one knows better than he how important the right people are to the personality of a project. One way to achieve this is with restaurants that appeal to the in crowd. Café Clement, which he calls “a grand brasserie” with indoor and outdoor seating and a chef who trained at The River Café, will be the main attraction along with a sultry speakeasy called Bobby’s. An added advantage to drawing the right crowd to these venues is the fact that St. Clement happens to be on the city block that the FT has dubbed “its own precinct, where London’s creative and arts talents innovate at all hours.”

Now, thanks to Jones, London has a new hotel with epic views, and London’s cool creatives have their central gathering spot.

While London reportedly already contains more than 20,000 five-star hotel rooms, even more are on their way. Among the other hotly anticipated openings are two properties making the most of historic locations. Auberge Resorts will open Cambridge House in the 18th-century Georgian mansion that formerly housed the Naval and Military Club ‘In and Out’. The Grade I-listed building at 94 Piccadilly, facing Green Park, will feature 102 guest rooms as well as the latest dining sensation to hit London from Major Food Group. Major’s Grill will bring brasserie-style dining to the building’s historic ballroom—and may finally give Carbone (another Major Food Group spot) a challenge as the toughest reservation to secure in London. The property’s design is being updated by Paris-based interior designers Laura Gonzalez (behind Printemps, Casa Monti, Relais Christine) and Jean-Louis Deniot, who recently oversaw the historic renovation of New York’s Waldorf Astoria.

Not far away, the Waldorf Astoria group is transforming another historic site, Admiralty Arch, into its first London hotel. Facing Buckingham Palace on one side and Trafalgar Square on the other, Admiralty Arch will open later this year with 100 rooms, including a presidential suite with 360-degree views. The rooftop restaurant to be helmed by Daniel Boulud will offer similar perspectives on the palace and Nelson’s Column.

Having tried many of the new London hotels over the last few years, on this trip I chose to return to my two old favorites: the Connaught and Claridge’s. With the most storied traditions of hospitality in the city, the pair might rely on their reputations, but both continue to wow with the attentiveness of their staff and the constant gentle upgrading of their facilities (which may be why they are also always at the top of the list of London hotels most booked by Indagare members). As I checked out of Claridge’s, I couldn’t help but think of a twist on the quote from 18th-century writer Dr. Samuel Johnson: “When a man is tired of London (or Claridge’s), he is tired of life.”