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With thousands of hotels across London, there’s fierce competition when it comes to naming the best. But that hasn’t stopped the AA’s annual hospitality awards, which has just crowned its top place to stay in the capital for 2026.
The AA Rosette awards – which are the AA’s hospitality prize scheme – have been running for 70 years. The awards celebrate ‘high standards of quality, hospitality and service’ at hotels and restaurants. Earlier this month the AA named the top hotel in every UK nation, as well as the finest in London.
The capital’s winner was, drumroll please... The Emory in Belgravia. The hospitality guide praised The Emory for its ‘fresh expression of luxury’.
The Emory opened fairly recently (in 2024) and is notable for being London’s first all-suite hotel. That means its 61 residences are not just rooms (ie a room with a bed) but splendorous suites, complete with separate living spaces. If that wasn’t luxe enough for you, the place also overlooks Hyde Park.
On-site restaurant ABC Kitchens is by chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten and inspired by his culinary explorations in New York – featuring the likes of pretzel-crusted calamari and dover sole tacos. The Emory’s rooftop bar not only boasts stunning views across London but is listed in the prestigious Pinnacle Guide.
The hotel’s subterranean spa Surrenne is also a thing of beauty, with a 72-foot swimming pool that lies beneath a gold leaf ceiling. There’s a Finnish sauna, steam room and hydrogen bath, plus plenty of other cutting-edge wellness additions. Visitors can pay to use the spa without staying at the hotel with a yearly subscription… though it does cost a whopping £15,000 for the first year.
The place has been an instant hit with critics. As well as winning the AA’s top gong, The Emory has one Michelin Key. Prices start from around £1,000 a night.
The AA guide added: ‘With its forward-thinking design, calm atmosphere and highly personalised approach, The Emory stands apart from the capital’s more traditional luxury hotels.’
The other greatest hotels in the UK for 2026, according to the AA, are:
- Calcot & Spa, Tetbury
- Crossbasket Castle, South Lanarkshire
- Porth Tocyn Hotel, Gwynedd
- Culloden Estate & Spa, County Down
Read more about all four hotels here.
The best hotels in London for every type of traveller, according to Time Out.
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