The Lalit London

Character and identity

Set in a converted 19th century grammar school just south of Tower Bridge, The Lalit London leans hard into its scholastic past while overlaying it with the polish of its parent group's first international outing from India. Original dark wood panelling, parquet floors and neo-baroque detail remain throughout 70 individually designed "classrooms", and the triple-height former assembly hall, now in cobalt blue under half-ton glass chandeliers, houses Baluchi for pan-Indian cooking. Expect a namaskar welcome, Naanery's naan-and-wine pairings, the Teacher's Lounge and Headmaster's Room bars, and Rejuve spa downstairs offering shirodhara, said to be London's only hotel Ayurvedic treatment of its kind.

Who's it for

Bottom line

What sets this place apart is the building itself and the cooking inside it: Baluchi under the Great Hall's chandeliers is one of London's more striking dining rooms, and the Indian programming runs from Lalit High Chai to shirodhara at the spa. Book it if you want personality over polish, request a lower floor for ceiling height, and make a Baluchi reservation before you arrive.