The Town Hall Hotel and Apartments is located in London's artsy East End. Striking design mixes Edwardian influences with 1930s art deco style and contemporary touches. This hotel first opened as a town hall in 1910 and many of the rooms, studios, and apartments have original period details. All rooms have free Wi-Fi and iPod docks. Bathrooms are especially luxurious, most with soaking tubs and separate walk-in showers. Vintage furniture and modern kitchens make these loft-style rooms both functional and inviting. Hotel amenities include a nice indoor pool, a fitness room, and a stylish Michelin-rated restaurant. While some guests might feel that the location is isolated from London's top attractions, the Town Hall Hotel offers great value for money in a hip neighborhood.

This exquisite luxury boutique hotel with just 28 rooms offers the elegance of a different time in England's history. Located in the upscale Knightsbridge neighborhood, Egerton House Hotel is a short walk from the famous Harrods Department store and renowned London museums. Rooms in this historic townhouse are individually decorated in rich fabrics, and have opulent bathrooms, free Wi-Fi, champagne on arrival, and candles at turndown. The common spaces are just as special, with a notable art collection -- including works by Picasso and Matisse -- and a gorgeous drawing room for afternoon tea.

Featuring only 29 rooms, this quaint-and-cozy boutique hotel offers an inviting, intimate experience in the middle of the posh residential neighborhood of Knightsbridge. As to be expected with a tiny boutique hotel, rooms lack extra space, but the decor is fresh and modern with neutral colors and the occasional designer-like touch (like stacked glass-ball lamps and pretty patterned wallpaper) -- though the random uninspired watercolor paintings feel a bit misplaced. Perhaps because of the surrounding area, rooms rates are here are above average despite the fact that rooms are missing some basic amenities (like a mini bar). But the free daily traditional English cream tea with homemade scones and the open bar in the evenings are definite perks.

The Sanderson is an edgy hotel with original and extravagant design by Philippe Starck. Innovative rooms feature a mostly all-white color palette designed without interior walls. There is an emphasis here on texture, seen in the layers of sheer curtains that divide different areas of the room. Design touches include carpets with Voltaire's handwriting and luxurious bathrooms, some with separate walk-in showers and freestanding soaking tubs. There are many hotel highlights beyond the rooms, including an all-white tranquil spa with 14 treatment rooms and meditation beds. A contemporary fitness room has individual TVs at cardio machines, and a billiard room features 1950s stained glass. The restaurant, Suka, serves Malaysian food, and a Mad Hatter's themed afternoon tea is served in the striking courtyard.

Dukes Hotel is a pricey, prestigious 90-room boutique delivering an updated take on classic English luxury. It's quietly opulent and features plenty of special boutique amenities, such as a cognac and cigar garden, and a Drawing Room where traditional afternoon tea is served. The most notable feature, however, is Dukes Bar, frequented by James Bond creator Ian Fleming, and the birthplace of the famous "Shaken, not stirred" line. (The bar is, naturally, famous for its martinis -- but note that there's a strict dress code.) Rooms have upscale decor that varies between room types; lower level rooms have fresh ivory and white decor, while suites blend classic and contemporary styles. All are sophisticated.

Before St. James's was a luxurious boutique hotel, it had a distinguished past as an exclusive Gentlemen's Club. Previously owned by Sirs Michael Caine and Sean Connery -- and frequented by Winston Churchill and Gregory Peck -- this striking building on a quiet cul-de-sac in prestigious Mayfair now houses lavish accommodations. A recent multi-million renovation brought in bespoke furnishings, and rooms offer high-tech perks such as free Wi-Fi and iPod docks. An outstanding feature here is the Michelin-star restaurant directed by executive chef William Drabble. The hotel is also filled with notable Cubist paintings and offers close proximity to shopping and galleries.

The central, exclusive Metropolitan Hotel is located at the nexus of Hyde Park, Knightsbridge, and Mayfair. Known for the excellent Michelin-rated restaurant Nobu and nightlife hot spot Met Bar, this hotel is a chic, upscale option. Rooms are sunny and spacious with flat-screen TVs and iPod docks, and the contemporary lobby is home to a knowledgeable concierge service. The small, but well-equipped spa and fitness center along with free Wi-Fi are perks here, but rates are pricey and room amenities are limited for this price point.

This boutique hotel offers an excellent location on the southwest tip of Hyde Park overlooking Kensington Gardens. The individually decorated, luxe 67 rooms all showcase classic Italian touches as well as dramatic contemporary design. Perks include free Wi-Fi and Illy espresso machines, as well as extra hotel features like the spa and fitness center. While there is no pool, the Mediterranean-inspired restaurant, Brunello, is a destination in itself. For an extra touch of exclusivity, this hotel also offers free chauffeur service in a Jaguar within a 1.5-mile radius.

The 300-room Landmark is a beautiful and luxurious hotel located in the heart of aristocratic Marylebone. Key defining highlights are its spacious rooms, the fantastic central atrium with palm trees stretching up to a glass roof, and the sexy-and-sophisticated on-site restaurant. But the hotel's penny pinching puts a damper on the luxury feel -- basic amenities such as use of the indoor pool, fitness center, and Wi-Fi will result in additional lines to your bill.

Luxurious, stately, and composed, this 380-room hotel projects an air of exclusivity. Certain amenities seem meager for a five-pearl luxury brand, however -- even the "complimentary" evening champagne is offered in conservative amounts and presented with a full champagne menu, presumably to encourage extra spending. But for a certain quintessentially English air of prestige without the usual pretension, and a premier location for West End shopping, this is a good place to be. The ultra-luxurious Chuan Spa, 16-meter pool, and salt sauna don't hurt its high-end credentials either.