One of the things I’ve found it hardest to adjust to as an American is finding family-friendly hotel rooms abroad. Even though we skew toward luxury hotel vacations, much of the time, it just makes sense for us all to share one room. When I’m looking for family friendly hotels in London, that’s even more the case…I always forget how expensive London is because I love it so much!
We’ve got 2 kids, but more often than not, I find that the maximum occupancy in European hotel rooms is 3 people! If you’re planning a family trip to London, don’t get lazy and leave the default setting on the search engines at 2 adults…you’ll be sadly surprised at the time of booking when you see which options disappear when you adjust it to have 2 adults and 2 kids.
We have an upcoming trip to London, so I went deep on the best family rooms in central London. Here are my picks for the best family hotels in London, starting with the one I chose.
Andaz Liverpool London
The Andaz Liverpool London is a five-star hotel that does family rooms right. Their Family Room is actually two interconnecting rooms, one with a king bed and one with two twin beds – no need for a sofa bed here. Because the family rooms are interconnecting, you get the benefit of two bathrooms, which is personally key to my happiness.
Andaz takes it a step further, offering all kinds of kid-friendly goodies for the youngest travelers. Each booking of a family room comes with a welcome gift:
- Andaz London activity packs with colouring kit
- Andaz teddy bears
- Child-size bathrobes and slippers
- Available children’s menu
Located in East London, the Andaz’s central location puts it a mile or less from all the major sights – .9 miles to the Tower of London and Tower Bridge, a mile from St. Paul’s Cathedral, and just over a mile to the Museum of London. And as a member of World of Hyatt, you can redeem or earn Hyatt points on a stay here.
I cannot wait to spread out in these spacious rooms. At 62 sq meters, they rank at the top for family rooms in London. Check back for our full trip report and review of the Andaz London.
The Ampersand Hotel
Here is a hotel that goes out of its way to to be kid-friendly, and we are HERE FOR IT. It’s not just the rooms I’m talking about, although all their deluxe rooms, deluxe studios, and suites can accommodate an extra bed for children up to age 12 at no extra cost. Many of their rooms also connect. Unlike the other hotels on this list, suites at The Ampersand Hotel have small kitchenettes with microwaves, kettles, toasters, and fridges.
On request, all rooms can come with mini bathrobes and slippers, children’s toiletries, and an activity book.
Located in South Kensington, The Ampersand Hotel is walking distance from the Natural History Museum, the Science Museum, Princess Diana Memorial Playground, Hyde Park, and Kensington Gardens. There is also a tube station just outside, making it super easy to explore other parts of the city.
As if that weren’t enough, there is no children’s menu like that at The Ampersand. You can’t miss the special treats at the Science Afternoon Tea, featuring dinosaur cookies and a rocket cheese straw. There is nothing fussy and everything fun about this afternoon tea, and it pairs perfectly with a day at the science museum.
The Kensington
Welcome to quiet luxury in South Kensington, near Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens. If you’re looking for a stately hotel with a solid afternoon tea and an appreciation of the little things that make traveling with a family more pleasant, you’ve come to the right place.
The Kensington’s family rooms can accommodate four people in a variety of configurations – a king bed and two singles, two kings, a king and a sofa bed, or three singles.
The Kensington takes room service to a new level, with turndown service of milk and cookies (though as a parent, the last thing I want is for my kids to have cookies right before bed!)
Also on offer is a teepee for young children to relax in, and a collection of classic children’s and family DVDs to choose from.
At 33 sq meters (355 sq feet), The Kensington family rooms are on the snug side, but we love its location in the heart of South Kensington and that it is walking distance to the Victoria & Albert Museum.
The Biltmore Mayfair
There are few addresses more recognizable in London than Grosvenor Square, and The Biltmore Mayfair is one of its crown jewels. Without a doubt, this is one of London’s best family-friendly hotels, and its location means you almost have a private garden right out your front door.
The Biltmore Family Suite is made for luxury family vacations, with upgraded amenities, free wifi, and a separate bedroom and living room. This bedroom setup is interesting, with one king bed and one double bed.
Older kids will love that the soft drinks and snacks in the minibar are free, and adults will love that the family suites are 62 sq meters (667 sq feet).
There is truly no better location for the whole family than what you find at The Biltmore, with Hyde Park, Oxford Street, and Piccadilly within easy walking distance.
L’Oscar London
L’Oscar is a lavish boutique hotel near Covent Garden, and admittedly it’s an interesting choice among the best London hotels for families. That said, its the perfect combination of modern rooms in a historic hotel – a “turn-of-the-century architectural gem” is how they describe themselves, and their awards back up the lofty claims.
At L’Oscar, you’ve got choices for a family of four. They do have family connecting rooms, which are two connecting deluxe rooms totaling 60 sq meters, but families of four are also welcome in their junior suites, regular suites, and duplex suites. Even better, up to 2 kids under 12 stay free when booking a junior suite or higher.
Choose L’Oscar precisely because they don’t overly cater to kids. These rooms work for families, but they still funky, brightly colored and sumptuously decorated, and meant for celebration.
Marriott Hotel Grosvenor Square
Another Grosvenor Square hotel, because it’s just such a great location for a luxury family vacation in London. Through the end of 2022, Marriott is running a promotion of 50% off a second room if you book for 1 or 2 nights for families of up to 2 adults and 2 children. This is a nice family getaway package that we’re not seeing elsewhere, and is a great option if you’re wanting to book multiple rooms (which you might, when you read what some of the options are).
If you’re willing to squeeze in, a family of four can stay in a standard room with 2 double beds. Personally I can’t imagine sharing a double bed – I can’t even get myself to share a queen bed if you want me to be honest – but I suppose it can be done.
If you want to pay up a bit more, you can book a one bedroom suite with M Club lounge access, which has one king bed and a sofa bed. Sadly, an extra bed is not allowed even in this nicely sized room (56 sq meters / 603 sq feet), but you can have a crib.
The killer feature of the one bedroom suite has to be the M Club lounge access. The club lounge offers free breakfast, a mid-day snack, hors d’oeuvres, and complimentary non-alcoholic beverages. It’s a continental breakfast, which should be plenty for the little ones and will save you a solid amount on food.
Great Scotland Yard Hotel
Another World of Hyatt hotel here, but this one is part of their ultra-luxurious and boutique Unbound Collection. Their newest Unbound Collection resort, Rancho Pescadero, is about to open next door to our new beach house in Pescadero, Mexico, and I have watched firsthand at the level of luxury they are bringing to that hotel. I imagine that Great Scotland Yard brings the same attention to detail.
We love Great Scotland Yard for its location. The biggest sights in London are a short walk away, including Trafalgar Square, Buckingham Palace, Big Ben, the London Eye, and Westminster, home to the houses of Parliament. It is the perfect hotel for seeing all that London has to offer.
Family accommodation at Great Scotland Yard consists of 2 interconnecting “courtyard view” rooms, featuring 1 king bed and 2 twin beds. At 46 sq meters / 495 sq feet, they aren’t the biggest rooms we see in London, but again, the super central location makes up for it.
Brown’s Hotel, a Rocco Forte Hotel
Like several other of the hotels on this list, Brown’s makes the list of kid-friendly hotels because it offers interconnecting rooms and family amenities. At a generous 76 sq meters, Brown’s rooms are the largest we found. Kids will enjoy welcome treats like Albemarle, a handcrafted wooden monkey toy to play with during their stay (taking him home costs extra).
If you’re looking for a way to keep kids busy on those rainy days so common in London, look no further than Brown’s Jungle Book Afternoon Tea, themed after Rudyard Kipling’s iconic book and a very fun theme indeed.
Brown’s has a host of family-friendly offerings, including 24-hour babysitting service, high chairs, baby bathtubs on request, milk warmers and sterilizers, and even night lights and play mats. Young kids will enjoy getting a kids’ passport at check in and coming back to find the “teddy turndown service,” complete with milk and cookies (again with cookies at bedtime!)
Teens aren’t forgotten either, with a welcome mocktail and in-room amenities like books, magazines, board games, and game consoles. Brown’s really does work to make it a memorable experience for all ages.
Located in Mayfair, Brown’s Hotel is in a good location for seeing and doing all you want in London. Wander over to Kensington Palace, shop at Fortnum and Mason, or take in Regent’s Park, a beautiful green park in the heart of London where you can find the London Zoo and hundreds of acres of formal gardens and tree-lined paths. Or if you’re looking for something more specialized, let Brown’s concierge service put together an itinerary made just for your interests.
When compiling this list, I went with the things that matter most to me. Top of the list is maximum occupancy (you wouldn’t believe how many lists I reviewed where the max occupancy was 2 adults and 1 child…hardly what I think of as “family friendly!”)
A close second is the bed layout – several of these lists also recommended hotels that had nothing bigger for families than double beds! For me, it’s king or bust when I’m sharing, and my kids will kick each other and keep each other awake if they’re in a double.
Room size and view was third on my list of criteria for best family hotels in London, and I must say I’m sad to see that most of the hotels put their family rooms facing the courtyard. I suppose this may be quieter, but I find that with little ones, we spend a lot of time in the room trying to get ready. I’d rather have a view while I’m asking my littles to put their shoes on for the third time.
Lastly, I was looking for kid-focused amenities. Unfortunately, I’ve seen that even with the swankiest hotels, they often don’t live up to what their website says they will do for kids. That’s why I take those idyllic photos of teepees and teddy bears with a grain of salt, and you should too.
The list I’ve put together are all hotels that I seriously considered staying at or actually booked a stay. I would be comfortable in any of them, and I’m looking forward to reviewing our London experience so you get the inside scoop.
