conde nast traveller restaurants london

The 27 Best Restaurants in London

From elegant to offal, and everything in between.

Petersham Nurseries Café, Richmond

BAO Noodle Shop

Kiln - London

Sessions Arts Club

Cafe Cecilia

Circolo Popolare

BRAT Restaurant

Honey & Co. Bloomsbury

Padella Shoreditch

40 Maltby Street

St. JOHN Marylebone

The Ledbury

Ikoyi Restaurant

The Clove Club

Rochelle Canteen

Claude Bosi at Bibendum

Silo London

The Wolseley

Smoking Goat Shoreditch

The River Café - London

Barrafina - Dean St

The Barbary

Hoppers Soho

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The 29 best Indian restaurants in London

By Condé Nast Traveller

Indian restaurants in London are stealing the culinary spotlight like never before. The spice route is hotter than ever, thanks to new openings that have introduced regional variations and fresh takes on traditional recipes. From Michelin-starred celeb favourites to no-frills restaurants ideal for midweek comfort food, these are the most delicious places in the capital to tuck in.

1. The Tamil Prince, Islington

Best Indian Restaurant for: Cosy pub aesthetics Dish to order: Channa bhatura with Raita The Tamil Prince took its  Islington  neighbours by surprise when it launched as a pub-slash-restaurant in June 2022. But the intrigue only fuelled interest, as influencers and discerning foodies have been seeking out the establishment – among a grid of manicured parks and lavish townhouses – ever since. Food is served tapas style as it's ready, fresh from the small kitchen which is visible through a large glass window from the dining room. Okra fries and onion bhajis kick things off, dipped in the fiery mint chutney – hold off if spice doesn’t agree with you. Paneer masala is an explosion in the mouth, with tender chunks of Indian cheese smothered in the rich sauce. Pile it on heaps of sweet coconut pilau rice and you may wonder if you’ve moved straight onto pudding (no complaints here). Second helpings of buttery goodness come courtesy of dhal makhani, an indulgent lentil dish new to my palate that was so good I’ve since been on the hunt for a recipe to replicate it from the comfort of my kitchen. Prioritise the Channa bhatura, a melty chickpea dish accompanied by an Insta-worthy raita ideal for soaking up all of the sauce that hasn’t landed on the table or down your front. While there may not be much room left for pudding, the hefty cocktail list does a good job of extending sittings. Drinks are the domain of Bar Termini alumni Simone Pugi, so it’s little surprise that more than one of the prince cocktails was consumed (a cardamom rum, rose water and lime concoction topped with a branded, edible rice paper circle). While it may come with a wildcard location, few Indian restaurants are as characterful as this. Connor Sturges Address: The Tamil Prince, 115 Hemingford Road, London N1 1BZ Website: thetamilprince.com  

2. Bibi, Mayfair

Best Indian restaurant for: Character-packed fine-dining Dish to order : Buffalo-milk paneer

In the heart of Mayfair, BiBi’s ethos is inspired by traditional Indian cuisine and the personal memories and family history of esteemed chef, Chet Sharma. Opulent decor – think red-tiled kitchens, dark wooden countertops, chequerboard flooring and paisley-patterned chairs – make the space a worthy opponent of the glamorous haunts nearby. The menu – designed for sharing – consists of three sections, with seven or eight small plates the ideal number for getting a real flavour of the food here. Order the oysters – lightly poached in lime, coconut and fermented chilli – for a zingy start, or the Orkney scallops for a creamier, more textured take on ceviche. From the main courses, go for the creamy, nutty buffalo-milk braised paneer, and the khatti meethi cod for sweet-and-sour style, melt-in-your-mouth fish. Olivia Morelli

Address : 42 N Audley Street, London W1K 6ZP Website : bibirestaurants.com

3. Gymkhana, Mayfair

Best Indian restaurant for : Michelin-starred fine dining  Dish to order : Muntjac biryani, pomegranate and mint raita

Gymkhana has an excellent reputation for fancy fare that leaves you feeling truly satisfied. Taking inspiration from the old gymkhana clubs of India , the polished dark timber and rich printed fabric transports you away from central London in an instant. The tasting menu is a gorgeous treat but will require an empty stomach; portions are generous and full of flavour, from the cull yaw mutton samosa to start, to the cardamom kheer, fresh mango and mango sorbet pudding. As with many memorable restaurants, it’s the service that really sets Gymkhana apart from its competitors, so don’t be shy when it comes to asking for advice on what to order. Abigail Malbon

Address: Gymkhana, 42 Albemarle Street, Mayfair, London W1S 4JH Website: gymkhanalondon.com

4. Pali Hill, Fitzrovia

Best Indian restaurant for : Seasonal regional dishes Dish to order : Alphonso mango cheesecake

Named after one of Mumbai ’s oldest neighbourhoods, Pali Hill delves into some of the finest flavour-packed regional dishes from every corner of the country. Sit on the side-street terrace or cosy up among colourful cushions in the art deco-inspired interior, admiring the specially commissioned artworks from India adorning the walls. Kick things off with a boozy lassi, a smooth, refreshing drink of yogurt, honey and fresh mango blended with a shot of rum. Or perhaps the special Champagne lassi, a mix of lychee and apricot sorbet with sparkling 15 Moët & Chandon Impérial Brut and Glenfiddich Grand Cru. Accompany your tipple with papadi chat – crispy and crunchy and topped with spiced yogurt, red and yellow tomato, pomegranate, mint and tamarind chutney, it’s a sophisticated upgrade on the classic poppadom with chutneys and pickles, deep in flavour and dangerously moreish. Another small plate to try is the hara kebab , a falafel-style combination of spring peas and spinach with a tamarind chutney for dipping.

Move on to the main event of big plates, tandoor and grills, all cooked following house recipes that use traditional techniques. The menu changes every few months to guarantee the freshest, in-season plates. We loved the sea bass steamed in banana leaf with raw mango, mint, coriander and lime – it was the star of the show, paired perfectly with the seasonal grilled asparagus with pahadi bhaang jeera (hempseed) chutney and a glass of the Grüner Veltliner. Meat eaters shouldn’t miss the classic slow-cooked Suffolk lamb biryani, mopping it up with a soft but crispy ghee-striped sourdough roti. Finally, if you have a sweet tooth, finish with the mango cheesecake – the light mousse topping the crumbly biscuit base is simply delicious. Or go for the passionfruit gola – shaved ice with a sweet burst – which is perfect for cleansing the palate. Cordelia Aspinall

Address: Pali Hill, 79–81, Mortimer Street, London, England, W1W 7SJ Website: palihill.co.uk

5. Attawa, Dalston

Best Indian restaurant for : elevated Punjabi plates in a casual setting Dish to order : lamb biryani (Mum’s recipe)

The first thing to note about Attawa, aside from the cosy, gimmick-free interiors and rich, mouthwatering wafts of spices, freshly baked naan and coconut, is its location – slap-bang in the middle of Dalston ’s main strip and mere steps away from its station. Owned by husband-and-wife team Ravinder and Amar Madhray, Attawa is housed in a building Ravinder’s parents once ran as a shoe shop, where he spent a great deal of his childhood. They sold the store, and only years later was Ravinder able to buy it back, collaborating with MasterChef: The Professionals semi-finalist Arbinder Dugal and his mother (his cooking guru) to create a simple yet elevated menu with a modern twist.

Named after the Punjabi village the Madhray family originated from, Attawa serves basics done well, from the butter naan to the Cardamom Blush cocktails sprinkled with rose petals. There’s a contrast of textures: creamy yogurt and potatoes with chickpeas and crispy baby spinach make the palak papdi chaat a stellar small-plate choice (go easy, it’s filling), along with the khatte ladoo – indulgent fried lentil dumplings – and the lighter soft-shell crab. Meat lovers should fix their gaze on the tandoor options – the flavoursome lamb seekh with mint chutney is divine and the chicken tikka is a more elaborate riff on the classic, coated in a dhal marinade and balanced with cucumber salad. The lamb biryani (Mum’s recipe) is a tasty tribute to the family’s cooking prowess, while the tadka dhal topped with kale pakora packs a whole arsenal of comforting flavours and is mopped up exceptionally well with a warm tandoori roti or chilli naan. This spot is a well-oiled (and high-octane) machine. Rosalyn Wikeley

Address : Attawa, 6 Kingsland High Street, London E8 2JP Website: attawa.co.uk

6. Trishna, Marylebone

Best Indian restaurant for : A taste of coastal cooking  Dish to order : Aloo tokri chaat and makai saag

Aloo tokri chaat is a well-known street-food staple in India: deep-fried potatoes are topped with spices, yogurt, tamarind sauce, mint and pomegranate, so it’s sweet, sour, tangy, crunchy and spicy all at the same time. The Sethi siblings, who own Michelin-starred Trishna in the heart of Marylebone, know a good thing when they taste it, which is why they start their menu off with this popular roadside snack. What follows is an exploration of the country’s coast – moving from Mumbai to Tamil Nadu – with a strong focus on vegetables and seafood that makes for a welcome change from the more common meat-heavy northern dishes found across London.

It’s all done with creativity, in a space that is simple and contemporary – whitewashed brick walls, wooden chairs and not a single tablecloth in sight. Waiters are attentive without being intrusive, recommending dishes and their favourite cocktails, while sommeliers guide guests through a wine list that showcases emerging regions and niche producers from England to the Czech Republic . Try the Gujarat Cosmo made with a home-brewed rose-petal tea or a gin and tonic garnished to perfection. Then embark on a voyage across southern India, opting for the Taste of Trishna’s Koliwada with intricately decorated small plates that blend smoke and spice in impressive dishes such as stuffed soft-shell crab. Delicious curries include the Iyengar Aubergine Varuval made with coconut, dry red chilli, shallots and curry leaf, and the Makai Saag, a creamed spinach and sweetcorn, which is served with lentil dal and truffled mushroom pilau. Emma Russell

Address : Trishna, 15-17 Blandford Street, Marylebone, London W1U 3DG Website : trishnalondon.com

7. Gunpowder, various locations

Best Indian restaurant for : Casual evening ambience  Dish to order : Gunpowder Aloo Chaat

The tiny, homey restaurant run by Harneet and Devina Baweja has been serving Indian small plates in Spitalfields since 2015. New this year is their second spot, a much bigger restaurant, in a development that has views of Tower Bridge. The best bit? The new space means you can finally book for large groups. Other than the size, the two joints are satisfyingly similar – though this one swaps the original’s brick-and-wood aesthetic with polished concrete interiors, zinc surfaces and terracotta tones. Plus, they both dish up the very popular spice-encrusted Kashmiri lamb chops and spicy venison with a vermicelli doughnut. Also delicious is the succulent Chettinad pulled duck. But it's one of the simplest plates on the menu that is our favourite: the signature aloo chaat, a mound of potatoes piled with yogurt and spiced-tamarind-and-date chutney – a perfect complement to the rest of the sharing plates. You won’t find naan on the menu at Gunpowder, and you might not even need to order rice, but we find it hard to believe there's anyone that won't be won over by this inventive and flavour-packed menu. Tabitha Joyce

Address : Gunpowder, 11 White's Row, Spitalfields, London E1 7NF; 4 Duchess Walk, London SE1 2SD; 20 Greek Street, London W1D 4DU Website : gunpowderlondon.com

8. Kutir, Chelsea

Best Indian restaurant for: an Indian tasting menu Dish to order: Signature Expedition

Kutir is the first solo venture by chef Rohit Ghai and front-of-house Abhishake Sangwan, both previously at Gymkhana and Jamavar , so expectations were pretty high when it opened at the end of 2018. The name means 'small cottage in the middle of nowhere' in Sanskrit – in this case a very exclusive one, and certainly not off-the-map remote.

Set in a townhouse across the road from the Saatchi Gallery, it takes its theme from hunting expeditions in the Indian countryside. You ring the bell before being guided into a dining space of pistachio-green walls with mirrors and prints of elephants and tigers – the nature theme extends to vibrant bird-print panels on the bar, and flower-branch lights and hypnotic tree wallpaper elsewhere. For the full showcase of Ghai's skills, the Signature Expedition (one of three tasting menus) is packed with satisfyingly rich meat dishes and just-right spicy seafood – standouts among them were the crunchy prawn masala and velvety coconut sea bass with mussels. There's also stone bass with squid, hot and cold partridge with beetroot, and lamb with cumin, all expertly paired with wines from a globe-spanning list, and when you feel certain you cannot fit in pudding, a tempting Valrhona-chocolate and banana square appears. Katharina Hahn

Address : Kutir, 10 Lincoln Street, London SW3 2TS Website : kutir.co.uk

Sneha Thomas

Julian Manning

Jahnavi Bhatt

Aishwarya Venkatraman

9. Tamarind, Mayfair

Best Indian restaurant for:  lighter and more sophisticated take on traditional Indian cooking Dish to order: Chargrilled lamb chops

Tamarind’s been a steadfast fixture on London ’s Indian fine-dining scene for 24 years: old-school, elegant and the first restaurant of its kind to win a Michelin star . And after an eight-month, multi-million-pound overhaul, it’s just thrown open the doors again, relaunched, box-fresh, and with not a starchy white tablecloth in sight. The space has doubled in size and the team behind Dover Street’s The Arts Club sent in; interiors have been pared-back, adding long squishy sofas, stripped wooden tables and two all-action open kitchens. There’s top talent in the kitchen too: Karunesh Khanna, swiped from Belgravia’s Amaya and Manav Tuli from Chutney Mary. The new menu focuses on small plates and light tandoor grills; start with huge plump scallops swimming in a red lentil and curry sauce, meaty coconut and chili sea bass, or sensational lamb cutlets sealed with a gently spiced pistachio crumb. Mains are designed for sharing: chicken biryani with a pastry lid that’s ceremoniously cracked open at the table, tender lamb osso bucco, and a Keralan prawn curry mopped up with slithers of fluffy garlic naan and dollops of hot-pink raita. There’s plenty for vegetarians too, or those who fancy something a bit healthier and fresher (making this a popular lunchtime spot) – brightly coloured kale and papaya salads, and – a must-order – caramelised Brussels sprouts in a chestnut and mustard-seed sauce. Come for a special occasion – the Michelin star may have been rescinded during the closure, but we’ve no doubt it’ll be won back in no time. Teddy Wolstenholme

Address : Tamarind Mayfair, 20 Queen Street, London W1J 5PR Website : tamarindrestaurant.com

10. Soho Wala, Soho

Best Indian restaurant for: a taste of India’s off-beat charm  Dish to order: Bhelpuri with pomegranate and sev

Before you’ve even had time to order a gin and tonic at Soho Wala, fresh, miniature poppadoms with parmesan appear on your table alongside a bus-shaped napkin holder with the rather unexpected – but charming – message ‘For use in any kind of crisis’ printed along the side. The only crisis is how quickly the poppadoms vanish, but you’ll soon forget when fragrant plates start to arrive. Head chef Rajesh Parmar produces good, easy-to-order food that is comforting to its core and confidently fuss-free. The kali daal has an earthy texture with a good kick of heat that will bring a flush to your cheeks, and comes with discs of light, buttery choor choor naan to scoop it up (those napkins come in handy). The bhelpuri , meanwhile – puffed rice and vegetables topped with pomegranate seeds, crunchy gram flour sev and tamarind sauce – displays Parmar’s aptitude at balancing flavours and textures from Northern India ( bhelpuri is often associated with Mumbai ). Despite its location opposite one of London ’s landmarks on Great Marlborough Street (grand dame department store, Liberty), Soho Wala’s quiet, unassuming presence makes you feel like you’re not in London at all; perhaps not quite India, either, but somewhere peaceful suspended in between the two, and happily away from the manic shoppers of Soho. Anna Prendergast

Address : Soho Wala, 21 Great Marlborough Street, Soho, London W1F 7HL Website : sohowala.com

11. Kahani, Chelsea

Best Indian restaurant for: Indian small plates Dish to order: marinated tandoori broccoli with nigella seeds and wheat crisps

Kahani, which means 'story' in Urdu, is the first restaurant from chef Peter Joseph, who had been at Michelin-starred Tamarind for 14 years. Its elegant location, just off Sloane Street, has been reflected in the interiors: velvet chairs, low lighting and marble tables. And the menu is refined too. Joseph serves up traditional Indian dishes using seasonal, British ingredients with a little influence, he says, from Spanish tapas culture. Menu highlights include the soft-shell crab with Mangalorean spices, smoked Malabar prawns with turmeric and coconut and – the chef’s personal favourite – marinated tandoori broccoli, served on an artistic splatter of honey and crumbled poppadoms. The venison bhuna (black cardamom, peppers and shallots) on paratha is delicately spiced, but with a chilli kick. For those who have a sweet tooth, the medley of kulfis is a must – an Indian take on ice cream, in which eggs are replaced with evaporated milk to get a softer, creamier taste. And do try the special JCB No. 47 Brut from Mahārāshtra, an Indian sparkling wine named in honour of the country’s independence from Britain in 1947. Luzrezia Worthington

Address : Kahani, 1 Wilbraham Place, Belgravia, London SW1X 9AE Website : kahinilondon.com

12. Tamarind Kitchen, Soho

Best Indian restaurant for: sharing small plates Dish to order: lotus-root kebab with dates and plum chutney

There’s something pleasingly jewel-box about the interior of Soho ’s Tamarind Kitchen (the little sister to Michelin-starred Tamarind) with its dark wood panels, blue-striped banquettes and pomegranate-red walls hung with shiny brass plates. A new menu focuses on three grills – the tandoor, hot griddle and charcoal – and all the wonderful things you can flame on them (ask the brilliant manager Arvind Chavhan for his recommendations). Order small plates of smoked spicy chicken tikka, watercress seekh filed with onion raita, super-tasty chargrilled seabass with coconut and chilli, meaty (and yet meat-free) lotus-root kebab and tangerine-bright Kerala prawn curry as good as any you’ll taste in Fort Cochin. Accompanying it all are rotis hot off the heat with a trio of chutneys: tomato, fiery aubergine and peach. And to finish, go for a rich and sticky gulab jamun with ginger kulfi and a colourful tropical trifle with pistachio sponge and mango jelly. Gráinne McBride

Address : Tamarind Kitchen, 167-169 Wardour Street, London W1F 8WR Website : tamarindkitchen.co.uk

13. Dishoom, Soho

Best Indian restaurant for: Breakfast Dish to order: The Big Bombay

First things first: expect a queue. And if you can stick it out, you'll be met with a bustling space styled on a Bombay café complete with spinning ceiling fans and vintage magazine prints on the walls. From the menu we like the lamb biriani, the bhel (puffed rice with a tangy tamarind chutney) and the black dal. But, best of all, we like Dishoom at breakfast, not only because you can book – but also because the sticky char-striped streaky bacon naan is excellent. If you're really hungry, go for The Big Bombay which comes with peppery Shropshire pork sausages, masala baked beans, grilled field mushrooms and buttered, home-made buns. Dishoom has multiplied since it arrived in Covent Garden in 2010, but it's doing so at a steady rate – with five restaurants in London and one in Edinburgh . While this joint, off Soho 's Carnaby Street is our favourite, the Shoreditch courtyard is particularly lovely too, while one of the latest Indian restaurants in London to open its doors is Dishoom's latest outpost in Canary Wharf. Tabitha Joyce

Address: Dishoom, 2 Kingly Street, Carnaby, London W1B 5QB Website: dishoom.com

14. Brigadiers, The City

Best Indian restaurant for:  Dining in the city Dish to order: Indo Chinese chilli chicken lettuce cups

Bank has never been a dining destination. And then, all of a sudden, there are burgers from Bleecker Street, great coffee from Caravan, enormous pizzas at Homeslice and Koya's hard-to-beat noodles, all within one block. But the stand-out has to be Brigadiers. Unlike it's neighbours, it's not a chain, but it is from the same team behind Gymkhana in Mayfair so you know you're in excellent hands. Unlike Brigadiers' fine-dining sibling, their City spot is themed as an Indian gastropub . But ignore the fact they're promising to show the football and settle down in a booth (in a room without a screen) because their barbecue take on Indian is sizzling. Small-plate starters include skewers of Afghani lamb, smoked aubergine rotis and the must-order chilli chicken lettuce cups. Even the pappadums are amazing - with four different recipes on display. Mains include plates of perfectly-grilled meats – from guinea fowl reshmi kebabs to tandori lamb. Almost everything packs a fiery punch so order plenty of the sesame and cucumber raita to pile on everything. As well as the two main dining rooms there are a handful of private rooms making this a great spot for a party. Tabitha Joyce

Address: Brigadiers, 1-5 Bloomberg Arcade, London EC4N 8AR Website: brigadierslondon.com

15. Benares, Mayfair

Best Indian restaurant for:  A Michelin-star feast Dish to order: Baked Malabar Scallop

This is one of the stalwarts of upscale Indian cooking in London. It first gained a star under Atul Kochhar in 2007 and it’s been impressing with its generous servings of traditional-meets-modern dishes ever since. Now under the leadership of Exec Chef Sameer Taneja, who successfully regained Benares’ Star in 2021, come here and make an evening of it, kicking off with a Passion Fruit Chutney Martini in the red-and-black bar. Mini poppadoms arrive at your table in the low-lit mirrored dining room to be slathered in apricot, gooseberry and pickled-carrot dips. Next up is a delicious Samosa Ragda Tartlet – crushed warm potato on Carom seed Tartlet. The scallops are a standout starter, baked in a coconut curry to keep in the flavour; balance it out with a minerally Joh Jos Riesling, all the while taking in the happy-making buzz of the room. For mains there’s smoked chilli marinated tandoori lamb cutlets with a spiced spinach purée and a hearty dish of roasted duck with crispy semolina bread. Keep it light (sort of) for pudding, with with tangy mango and raspberry kulfi and rose bhapa doi (baked yogurt) with hibiscus-tea jelly. Well, we did say to make an evening of it. Gráinne McBride

Address: Benares, 12a Berkeley Square, Mayfair, London W1J 6BS Website: benaresrestaurant.com

16. Darjeeling Express, Soho

Best Indian restaurant for:  Proper home-style cooking  Dish to order: Darjeeling steamed dumplings

Owner Asma Khan is a self-taught cook and previously a much-loved supper-club host. The open-plan kitchen inside Darjeeling Express, her first restaurant, is run by a team of ladies who, similarly, have no formal training - they cook from the heart, showcasing Khan's passion for traditional North Indian, Bengali and Hyderabadi dishes. Aromatic mutton kebabs are stuffed with hung yogurt and fresh mint; a slow-cooked Bengali-style goat curry is strewn with spice-soaked potatoes. The restaurant's steel-blue walls display a storyboard of pictures from Khan's childhood and the slatted wood benches, concrete tables and Victorian tile patches are inspired by her childhood home. This is a personal project from an exceptional chef.

Address: Darjeeling Express, Top Floor, Kingly Court, Soho, London W1B 5PW Website: darjeeling-express.com

17. Jikoni, Marylebone

Best Indian restaurant for: A spicy brunch  Dish to order:   Prawn toast Scotch egg with banana ketchup and pickled cucumbers

A homely spot with a menu that draws upon East Africa and the Middle East as well as Asia, Jikoni has the look of an arty aunt's house with its mix of Indian printed tablecloths, wicker chairs and mismatched china. Sit back, get cosy and enjoy reinvented brunch classics such as tamarind and pineapple glazed bacon with fenugreek waffles and fennel slaw, or poached egg and chilli pickled cauliflower on caramelised pineapple piña colada pancakes. Also worth ordering are the lobster khichdee with a spicy moolie broth and coconut chutney, a green bean and cashew nut thoran and the Pondicherry prawn puffs. To finish, indulge in childhood treats including peanut brittle and a light banana cake with miso butterscotch. Amandip Uppal

Address: Jikoni, 19-21 Blandford Street, Marylebone, London W1U 3DH Website: jikonilondon.com

18. Kricket, Soho

Best Indian restaurant for:   Cool, creative Indian cooking  Dish to order:   Pumpkin, makhani sauce, fresh paneer, hazelnut crumble, puffed rice

This incredible restaurant began as a pop-up in a 20ft shipping container in Brixton. It wasn't long before all of London wanted a chair at chef Will Bowlby's mini kitchen table. Less than two years later, Kricket opened its first bricks-and-mortar restaurant in Soho. The design is a modern memoir to Mumbai , with bare walls and rough plastering and large communal tables in a dimly lit basement. The menu brings together the flavours of Mumbai and London, with British ingredients used to make the most of authentic flavours, aromas and spices, inspired by Bowlby's first-hand experience of working in India 's largest city. Guests are smitten with moreish dishes such as crispy samphire pakoras, Keralan fried chicken, curry-leaf mayonnaise, pickled mouli and tandoori monkfish. But if you order just one thing, make it the roast pumpkin plopped in a sweet spicy makhani sauce. It's worth noting that parties of four can book - useful in Soho. Amandip Uppal

Address: Kricket, 12 Denman Street, Soho, London W1D 7HH Website: kricket.co.uk

19. Bombay Bustle, Mayfair

Best Indian restaurant for:   Cocktails to match your curry  Dish to order: Duck Chettinad dosas

From the brains behind Jamavar this is an exciting new Maddox Street opening. Interiors are styled on inspired by the bustling streets, and famed railways - with booth seating that mirrors an old first-class railway coach, and station-style signage to differentiate between the bar (the spot is so buzzy that you could happily just visit for drinks) and dining areas. Come for the collection of gin cocktails, but stay for the small plates - our favourites were the green chilli and red onion bahji fritters, and the trio of spicy duck dosas. Then, there’s a tandoor menu featuring chaat masala chicken, as well as a tasty Cornwall lamb chop. For those that prefer curry the Keralan fish is made with coconut milk and tamarind; and the paneer butter masala comes with charred cottage cheese, peppers, fresh tomatoes and fenugreek. Tabitha Joyce

Address: Bombay Bustle, 29 Maddox Street, Mayfair, London W1S 2PA Website: bombaybustle.com

20. Tandoor Chop House, Charing Cross

Best Indian restaurant for: Excellent meat cuts and naans  Dish to order:   Dexter Beef Naan and House Tandoor Chicken

This is where a classic Brit chop house meets traditional smoky North Indian eatery. Interiors are stripped-back but offset by a stunning mosaic-tiled floor and three large brass tandoor ovens. Order from the select cuts of meat, including a moist masala-boti-rubbed rib-eye, Amritsari lamb chops and fiery black-pepper chicken tikka, as well as a classic British masala chicken, in a marinade of hung curd, fresh, garlic, ginger, chilli and smoky spices. As an alternative to meat there's also a whole tandoor-roasted cauliflower and delicious fish specials to choose from. The simple butter naans are pillowy soft, but the bone-marrow butter naan is the one to try. Be sure to end your meal with the sweet brûlée made from BBQ pineapple and chai. Amandip Uppal

Address: Tandoor Chop House, 8 Adelaide Street, Charing Cross, London WC2N 4HZ Website: tandoorchophouse.com

21. Cinnamon Bazaar, Covent Garden

Best Indian restaurant for: A portable hand-painted chaat cart and bespoke cocktails  Dish to order: Grilled aubergine with sesame peanut crumble and labna-toasted buckwheat

A familiar face in the national media, Vivek Singh is a master of top-end feasting and is constantly exposing us to new tastes. Cinnamon Bazaar is his fourth restaurant (The Cinnamon Club is probably his best-known), and draws inspiration and interpretation from the colours, food and energetic atmosphere of India's old spice markets. Interior doors are parrot-green and a statement ceiling is hung with baskets and panels of hot-pink silk draped to create an awning. While you're persuing the menu, order a Bazaar Old Fashioned cocktail made with Indian scotch, coconut sugar and burnt cinnamon. Main courses include Indo-Chinese chicken wings with burnt chillies, and double-cooked pork belly with curried yogurt, barley, pomegranate and a broccoli smoked raita. The best bit about the Cinnamon Bazaar is its roaming chaat cart, which allows guests a chance to pick ingredients and spices to create their own bespoke chaat, a crispy-crunchy-spicy-tangy Indian street food. Amandip Uppal

Address: Cinnamon Bazaar, 28 Maiden Lane, Covent Garden, London WC2E 7JS Website: cinnamon-bazaar.com

22. Calcutta Street, Fitzrovia

Best Indian restaurant for: : East Indian flavours  Dish to order: Prawn malai kari (king prawns cooked in a creamy coconut and mustard sauce)

It wasn't until Shrimoyee Chakraborty left her motherland to study that she truly missed the Bengali home cooking she was used to. Longing for her favourite street snacks and sweets, she launched the vibrant Calcutta Street in Fitzrovia, and more recently in Brixton. Walk through the main doors - a pair of bespoke shutters that mirror Calcutta's most familiar sights - and you'll find chandeliers made from hath-pakha fans and antique furniture that conjures the colonial capital of British India. The joint is particularly popular for its lunch menu: try the Calcutta Kati Rolls, a fresh, flaky paratha rolled with egg, paneer or chicken served with salad and house chutneys. Other classics on offer from the Bengali family kitchen include delicious seafood dishes such as a steamed sea-bass Machar Paturi and the creamy coconut king prawn malai kari. Amandip Uppal

Address: Calcutta Street, 29 Tottenham Street, Fitzrovia, London W1T 4RU Website: calcuttastreet.com

23. Jamavar, Mayfair

Best Indian restaurant for: : A romantic meal for two  Dish to order: Scallop bhel

Named after a type of intricate and vibrant 16th-century Kashmiri shawl, Jamavar is a stunning restaurant in the heart of Mayfair with a menu created by chef Surender Mohan that celebrates his love of authentic dishes from both the palatial north and coastal south. On the list are a wide range of specialties from all over India, but it's the exquisite seafood menu that really stands out. Try the wonderful soft scallops which are served with crispy puffed rice, or the delicate stone-bass tikka, which is soaked in milk and whole spices before being roasted in the tandoor, and served with avocado chutney. Amandip Uppal

Address: Jamavar, 8 Mount Street, Mayfair, London W1K 3NF Website: jamavarrestaurants.com

24. Café Spice Namasté, Whitechapel

Best Indian restaurant for: Persian recipes with an Indian twist  Dish to order: Parsi lamb and lentil dhaansak

Jovial TV chef Cyrus Todiwala is the godfather of contemporary Parsi cooking, famous for bringing his unique Persian-Indian style to the London food scene. A short stroll from the Tower of London, Café Spice Namasté is housed in a Grade II-listed former magistrates court, with large stained-glass windows providing a gentle grandeur. The menu is packed with knowledge and some seriously unusual ingredients: this is the place to try rare meat dishes such as ostrich bhuna. But also for the goat curry which is wonderfully deep and meaty, or the Goan prawns that come in a thick, rich sauce. Amandip Uppal

Address: Café Spice Namaste, 16 Prescot Street, Whitechapel, E1 8AZ Website: cafespice.co.uk

25. Dum Biryani House, Soho

Best Indian restaurant for:   Big gatherings  Dish to order : Lamb shank biryani

This is a cosy Soho basement restaurant inspired by the founders' extensive travels through Andhra Pradesh and Telangana in southern India. It specialises in dum, a cooking method where meat or vegetables are tempered with spices and layered with rice, then topped and sealed with a pastry lid and steamed until fragrant and tender. All dishes are accompanied with okra yogurt, baby aubergine, house pickle and papadums. The pig trotter and wild garlic soup is an unexpectedly light option while praya shorba and lukhmi pastries are crisp and flaky, stuffed with guinea fowl and fragranced with fenugreek. Amandip Uppal

Address: DUM Biryani House, 187B Wardour Street, Soho, London W1F 8ZB Website: dumlondon.com

26. Veeraswamy, Regent Street

Best Indian restaurant for : Old-school royal recipes  Dish to order : Raja of Travencore prawn curry

Once frequented by Mahatma Gandhi and Charlie Chaplin, this atmospheric Michelin-starred gem is the UK's oldest Indian restaurant. It was founded 91 years ago by a retired Indian Army officer and his princess wife, and the menu features royal favourites from several regions of India. In keeping with its roaring Twenties history, the Maharajah-style interiors have a timeless sophistication - twinky chandeliers and candlesticks, fretwork screens, hand-woven carpets - as does the menu. Try the subtle sweet coconut and sour tamarind flavours of the Malabar lobster curry, or the intense lamb shanks slow-cooked in bone-marrow sauce. Other favourites include a rich chicken makhani in a caramelised onion and tomato Delhi sauce, and the signature prawn curry.

Address: Veeraswamy, Victory House, 99-101 Regent Street, W1B 4RS Website: veeraswamy.com

27. Chutney Mary, St James's

Best Indian restaurant for: Weekend brunch  Dish to order: Baked venison samosa

After 25 years in Chelsea, the brilliantly smart Chutney Mary has found a new home in central St James's. Inside there's dark wood, vintage Indian rugs, bell-jar chandeliers and fluted glass candelabras. And a completely new set of menus, with fluffy Akoori-Indian style scrambled eggs for brunch, and larger dishes of Afghani chicken tikka infused with fennel, cardamom and Himalayan mint, and a beautifully filleted sea bass with a spiced crispy glaze. There's also the option of pre-dinner drinks at the lavish Pukka bar, where the Watermelon Martini is a good place to start. Amandip Uppal

Address: Chutney Mary, 73 St James's Street, St. James's, SW1A 1PH Websites: chutneymary.com

28. The Punjab, Covent Garden

Best Indian restaurant for: No-frills Punjabi dining  Dish to order: Grandad's Kali Daal

This fourth generation, family-owned restaurant in the heart of Covent Garden has its feet firmly on the ground. Specialising in standard, no-nonsense north Indian cuisine the menu is comfortingly old-school consisting of familiar favourites such as a tarka dhal bursting with smoky garlic, fried onions, cumin, red chilli and ghee. The vegetarian mattar paneer is creamy and fresh, while the distinct Achari lamb and chicken dishes are perfectly pickled in traditional Punjabi spices. The chicken tikka is particularly delicious with a soft, coconut-stuffed peshwari naan. But Grandad's Kali Daal, a take on a classic black daal, is the stand out dish. Amandip Uppal

Address: The Punjab, 80 Neal Street, Covent Garden, London WC2H 9PA Website: punjab.co.uk

29. Motu Indian Kitchen

Best Indian restaurant for: Take away Dish to order: Prawn masala

This is not just any take away, this is indulgent Indian from the crew behind Hoppers and Gymkhana. And with shiny kitchens across London the take-out brand are using the same suppliers and spice mixes as the Michelin-starred Gymkhana. The name Motu comes from the affectionate Hindi term for 'Fat Man', and the menu includes feast boxes, as well as dishes like slow-cooked dal, chicken korma with rosewater and cashew, and a mixed platter of tandoor-grilled meats. Go for the mustard seed and curry leaf-laced prawn masala with an spicy potato-stuffed aloo kulcha naan. Based out of shiny kitchens across London, order via deliveroo.co.uk . Amandip Uppal

Website: motuindiankitchen.com ** First published in CNT UK **

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This Coastal Destination Is One of England's Best-kept Secrets — With Charming Villages, Historic Castles, and Delicious Seafood

Surprised to learn that England has great beaches? Visit Suffolk, in the northeast, and you'll understand why it's one of the country's most popular summer getaways.

Kate Maxwell is a freelance editor, writer, and author based in London. She is a contributing editor at Condé Nast Traveller (U.K.) and the former Europe editor for Condé Nast Traveler. Her work has also appeared in Travel + Leisure , Jetsetter , and more.

Michael Brooks/Alamy

Travelers in search of England’s classic seaside towns often head to Devon and Cornwall, southwest of London. But the popularity of those counties — particularly since more Brits snapped up second homes there during COVID — means bumper-to-bumper traffic in summer and restaurants booked out weeks in advance.

Many are now turning their attention to Suffolk , about two hours northeast of the capital, for its quiet beaches, meandering river walks, and elevated pubs and restaurants. Here’s how I spent a long weekend there recently. 

For a wild stretch of golden sand framed by crumbling cliffs, rather than the more popular Southwold Beach, I went to Covehithe, on the north coast of Suffolk. When I arrived mid-morning, it was nearly empty, except for a few families building sandcastles. I lingered for a while, watching a glossy black ibis tiptoeing toward the ocean, then drove to Walberswick, a seaside village on the river Blyth. After a lunch of crab linguine and an Adnams IPA at the Anchor , a pub with 10 guest rooms, I headed down the road to Thorington Theatre , a wooden amphitheater built inside a World War II bomb crater. Its popular summer calendar includes child-friendly Shakespeare and comedy acts.

Jemma Watts

From there, it was a short drive to Wilderness Reserve , an 8,000-acre estate with 27 individual lodgings, including cottages with one to six bedrooms and two sprawling manors, one with 13 bedrooms and one with 17. My one-bedroom thatched-roof cottage had its own swimming lake and hot tub, plus a sauna and a steam room. The sitting area had a dramatic brick chimney that corkscrewed from floor to ceiling. It was a chilly evening, so I ate my fish pie — freshly made and delivered to my door — in front of a crackling fire. 

After breakfast, I paddled around my private lake in a rowboat. Guests at Wilderness Reserve can also try clay shooting, paddleboarding, axe-throwing, and archery, so it’s tempting to stay put. (A Wilderness ranger even set up a target behind my cottage so I could test out my bow-and-arrow skills.) But this part of Suffolk is strong on art galleries, so that afternoon, I popped over to Yoxford to visit Rowe & Williams , which specializes in modern and contemporary works by local artists. I was drawn to a 1970s oil painting of Walberswick with a glittering Pointillist sea by Lionel Bulmer, who lived in Suffolk for several decades.

Aldeburgh, perhaps Suffolk’s best-known town, was my next stop. Its main road, High Street, is a parade of brightly colored Georgian cottages and stores like Aldeburgh Bookshop , which hosts a small literary festival each year. I browsed the titles by Suffolk authors, then took a windy walk along the beach, dodging kite flyers and seagulls swooping for stray morsels of fish and chips. 

Courtesy of The Suffolk

I had dinner at the Suffolk , a recently restored six-room inn where I also spent the night. The restaurant by George Pell — the man behind London’s legendary L’Escargot — began as a pop-up and opened permanently in 2022. My favorite dishes were the seaweed pappadums (inspired by the Indian snack) served with a dollop of oyster mayonnaise; crab in a brioche bun; and brill drenched in butter and capers. Spent from the day, I took my mille-feuille dessert upstairs to my room. The sound of the North Sea, which I could see from the window, lulled me to sleep.

Related: 13 Most Beautiful Castles in England

On my last day, I went to Snape Maltings , an arts complex near Aldeburgh that has become Suffolk’s cultural headquarters and hosts a well-known classical music festival each June. The brick buildings, which were used to malt barley in Victorian times, now house a concert hall, shops, and galleries. I found impressive sculpture, too: three of the bronze figures from Barbara Hepworth’s famous The Family of Man. (All nine of the figures were originally installed at the center in 1976.) 

For lunch, I headed to the Greyhound Inn , in the village of Pettistree. With Harry McKenzie, formerly of London’s storied River Café, at the stove, it’s also one of the county’s newest gastropub destinations. The River Café’s influence was clear in the daily menu; I ordered the light-as-air gougères (cheese puffs made with Gouda from neighboring Norfolk) and gnocchi with red mullet and crunchy breadcrumbs.

From left: Emma Croman; Courtesy of The Greyhound Inn

There was just enough time for a tour of Orford, a pretty town that was an important port and fishing village in the 12th century. These days, it’s best known for the pastries at Pump Street Bakery . I took my Eccles cakes (pastry filled with brandy-soaked currants) and walked along the Alde River, following the footpath to Orford Castle, which was built in the 1100s by King Henry II and recently restored. The tour guide regaled my group with colorful anecdotes, including a fable about a mute merman who was caught in a fishing net and imprisoned in the castle before escaping back to sea. 

The Merman of Orford is the emblem of Butley Orford Oysterage , a seafood restaurant just down the road from the castle. There, I had a dozen creamy oysters grown in the nearby Butley River. The meal seemed a fitting end to my weekend in Suffolk, a place connected by its beaches and marshes and rivers, each town perfectly unhurried and untethered.

A version of this story first appeared in the June 2024 issue of  Travel + Leisure  under the headline "Get Swept Away on the English Coast ."

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London street named one of the most beautiful in the world comes with an unfortunate problem

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From world-famous museums to energetic pubs on street corners bustling with the sound of chatter, London is famous for many things.

Now, one street has been named one of the most beautiful in the world. And no, it’s not in Elephant and Castle – but Portobello Road in West London.

Londoners are well-acquainted with the fact that, despite it genuinely being one of the most exciting cities in the world, it’s often romanticised by tourists.

Picture perfect snaps of the classic side to the Big Smoke – red buses, telephone boxes and picturesque flower markets – are often shared online with captions full of yearning.

These posts lead those of us who live here to joke ‘where’s this?’, pointing the fans towards the rain, the grey tower blocks and the overwhelming smell of weed and vapes on just about every corner.

As is often the case with many cities (read: New York and Paris, which can be similarly dishevelled and heavily romanticised, as London is), the reality is different from the expectation. That’s perhaps the case with Portobello Road, which according to Condé Nast Traveller , is one of the most beautiful streets in the world.

It might be relatively colourful, and there are a handful of famous pubs dotted around the place that’ll no doubt charge you £15 for an Aperol Spritz, but is Portobello Road really all that?

Found in the Notting Hill district of Kensington and Chelsea, Portobello Road runs roughly parallel to Ladbroke Grove. Each weekend, the famous Portobello Road Market lines the streets, where visitors can purchase second-hand clothes, pastries, antiques and the like.

It wasn’t always famous. Before the Victorian Era, the street was little more than a country road that connected Portobello Farm with Kensal Green. But, as the area became more developed in the nineteenth century, and as the Hammersmith and City tube line was built, it became increasingly built up.

Nowadays, Portobello Road is frequented by thousands of people. Statistics from the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea suggest that between 100,00 and 150,000 people visit the market each Saturday, and over 17 million people travel through Notting Hill Gate station each year.

It’s known for being diverse, too, with the Notting Hill Carnival held annually on the August Bank Holiday Weekend in celebration of West London’s African-Caribbean culture spanning Notting Hill, Ladbroke Grove, Westbourne Park, Bayswater and Royal Oak.

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And, of course, who could forget the impact that Roger Michell’s classic 1999 film ‘Notting Hill,’ starring Julia Roberts and Hugh Grant, had on the local area? No doubt, it played a role in the area being romanticised as home to quaint bookshops (where a charming real-life William Thacker might be lurking) as well as colourful houses.

However, the area is increasingly touristy, which has perhaps tainted its ‘beautiful’ status, with various Reddit threads lending themselves to the debate surrounding Notting Hill and overtourism.

‘Walked through those roads with the colourful houses near Portobello Market and was honestly stunned,’ wrote @mumzspaghetti.

‘A good 100 or so people hanging about in front of people’s homes taking Instagram pics and one woman even had the audacity to open someone’s front gate to stand in front of their door for a pic?! Is it just me or have people forgotten how to act like normal f***ing human beings?’

‘It is awful for the residents, it really is. Some people have even put signs in their window requesting random people don’t enter their gardens or hang out on their front steps,’ added one of the comments.

Another person, who used to work in the area, recalled scenarios where he’d seen people doing a ‘full’ photoshoot with ‘suitcases full of clothes’ they’d brought along.

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‘I used to purposely walk through the shot just to p**s them off,’ @RoyTheBoy84 penned. ‘What gives them the right?’

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10 Nicest Hotels in NYC With Rooms Under $300

Posted: June 15, 2023 | Last updated: June 15, 2023

New York City is superlative in many ways: It has some of the best restaurants , theater, museums , and boutique shopping in the US. But all of this can come at a price; New York is also top of the list when it comes to the average price of a hotel room . And while some of the city’s most famed properties— The Plaza Hotel or The Four Seasons Hotel New York , for example—may charge an eye-watering sum per night, those grand dames are hardly the only game in town. The five boroughs are also home to a delightful collection of affordably priced places that sacrifice neither location nor style for their nightly fee.

Below, we’ve rounded up some of our favorites across a variety of neighborhoods. Whether you’re looking for the newest outpost of a chic hotel brand in one of Brooklyn’s most charming quarters, or apartment-style living in the heart of downtown Manhattan, we guarantee there’s a place on our list that’s perfect for your next vacation. Read on to discover our 10 favorite hotels in NYC where you can stay for under $300 a night.

This article was originally published on Condé Nast Traveler UK .

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Ace Hotel New York

Neighborhood: NoMad Price: From $210 per night

It wasn’t so long ago that New Yorkers were skeptical of the marketing for the new neighborhood of NoMad (which stands for North of Madison Square Park), but once again, Ace was there to lead the way. Since the hotel opened over a decade ago, not only has the neighborhood become one of the most in-demand places to stay, but the Ace itself has emerged as a popular melting pot for travelers and locals. We love the local DJs spinning music in the lobby on weekends, and the original art and vintage furniture in the tastefully curated rooms.

Neighborhood: SoHo Price: From $245 per night

Removed from the tourist-clogged avenues of Broadway and West Broadway, 11 Howard is situated on the far reaches of SoHo; nearly on the border with Tribeca. This southern pocket of the neighborhood retains much of the gritty charm for which SoHo first became notable, but rest assured the aesthetic at the hotel is a more accessible luxury. Think high-ceilinged rooms with light oak floors, marble and brass details in the bathrooms, and Danish-inspired furniture. You’ll also want to make sure you reserve a table at the on-site restaurant Le Coucou for a meal (or two). The French spot, helmed by acclaimed chef Daniel Rose, is one of the best in the city.

Arlo NoMad Hotel

Neighborhood: NoMad Price: From $213 a night

Just a few minutes walk from The Ace New York is boutique hotel Arlo NoMad. You can think of this one as a slightly more buttoned-up sibling, with smart rooms featuring floor-to-ceiling windows, crisp white linens, and dreamy views of the Manhattan skyline. On-site restaurant Lamalo is also one of the neighborhood’s best, providing a menu filled with modern Middle Eastern spreads, dips, and breads. And make sure to spend at least one night at the hotel’s rooftop (A.R.T. NoMad); it’s perched 31 stories-high and has a glass floor installation for those who aren’t afraid of heights.

The Made Hotel

Neighborhood: NoMad Price: From $271 per night

Located just a few blocks south of the Empire State Building, this boutique hotel gives off more of a cosy, upstate New York vibe than big-city, thanks to king-sized beds on platforms topped with shibori-style linens and hand-carved stone sinks. But take one step out onto your Juliet balcony and you’ll be treated to classic Manhattan views for blocks (so many water towers!). Also notable for a small hotel is Made’s wide range of dining and drinking options on site, including Debajo for tapas, coffee shop Paper, plus the lively Lobby Bar and the gorgeous, sun-drenched Good Behavior lounge on the 18th floor.

Mint House at 70 Pine NYC

Neighborhood: Financial District Price: From $244 per night

If you’re looking for more apartment-style accommodations, but Airbnb isn’t your thing, Mint House is the ideal, affordable alternative. Set in an Art Deco building in the Financial District (and just a few minutes' walk away from the newly revitalized Seaport area), all the rooms here are equipped with full kitchens and roomy living areas, plus communal perks like a bowling alley, a two-floor fitness center, and an on-site grocery market. Plus, if you like any of the modern decor inside your room, you can probably buy it: the tech-forward company has made nearly the whole space shoppable from your phone.

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Public Hotel New York City

Neighborhood: Lower East Side Price: From $298 per night

While the Lower East Side is no longer the hardscrabble place of decades past, it has historically been a desert for affordable hotels that weren’t of the hostel variety. That all changed with the arrival of the Public Hotel in 2017: Ian Schrager ’s sexy, swanky boutique hotel that brings a bit of uptown, downtown. While the large number of restaurants and bars is certainly a draw here (this is a Schrager hotel, after all), we also love the minimalist-chic rooms. Think Brutalist-style concrete ceilings, paired with beds ensconced in backlit wooden frames, with huge picture windows looking out onto one of NYC’s most vibrant neighborhoods.

Radio Hotel

Neighborhood: Washington Heights Price: From $212 per night

Washington Heights got a bit of a fame boost in 2021 with the release of In The Heights , and the following year, the northern Manhattan neighborhood finally got its first-ever, full-service boutique hotel. The multi-colored Radio Hotel, which opened in June 2022, has 221 rooms and features architecture and food tours of the neighborhood, a lively rooftop with postcard-perfect views of the city and the famed GW Bridge, plus the first US location of popular Dominican restaurant, Jalao.

Graduate Roosevelt Island

Neighborhood: Roosevelt Island Price: From $222 per night

In the last five years, sleepy Roosevelt Island has gone from a bit of a backwater neighborhood to an emerging tech hub for students and New Yorkers alike. Last year, the small, historic island welcomed its first hotel, the lively Graduate Roosevelt Island, located on the campus of Cornell Tech. But don’t be fooled that this is just a waystation for students and their families: Designed by bigwig firms Snøhetta and Stonehill Taylor, the hotel has quickly become a magnet for New Yorkers looking for the next big thing. Rooftop bar and lounge Panorama Room has been especially popular since opening, as has The Big Suite, which boasts themed bunk beds and an authentic Zoltar machine, just like in the movie.

The Hoxton, Williamsburg

Neighborhood: Williamsburg Price: From $212 per night

It’s hard to be the coolest kid in town when you’re in the coolest ‘hood in town, but somehow, The Hoxton has managed the feat. In Williamsburg, an area lousy with achingly-hip people and even hipper hotels, this first US location of the London-based chain manages to toe the line between drop-dead trendy and approachable. The 175 rooms are all stocked with king-sized beds and gorgeous linens from Brooklyn-based designer Dusen Dusen, and have dreamy views of Manhattan through their floor-to-ceiling windows. Don’t miss the rooftop restaurant Laser Wolf, one of New York City’s most anticipated openings of 2022.

Freehand Hotel New York

Neighborhood: Gramercy Park Price: From $195 per night

There are few hotels in New York City whose interior design is as effortlessly cool and photogenic as that of The Freehand. But, considering it’s the work of famed design house Roman and Williams, it’s also no surprise. Apart from its good looks, however, there’s so much to love at this hotel. Rooftop bar Broken Shaker is one of the city’s premier rooftop watering holes, while on-site restaurant Comodo’s Latin American food proved to be one of the biggest hits of recent years. And similar to the hotel’s public spaces design, the rooms here also have a lot of whimsy. Guests can choose from petite spaces meant for just one person, lively Quad rooms with two bunk beds, or even suites with separate living rooms.

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6 Readers’ Choice Award-Winning Hotels Our Editors Love

By CNT Editors

All products featured on Condé Nast Traveler are independently selected by our editors. However, when you buy something through our retail links, we may earn an affiliate commission.

The winners of the Readers’ Choice Awards 2022 have officially landed. You have selected your favorites for all things travel—best hotels , airlines , cruises , islands , the list goes on—and we have the pleasure of presenting them here. Unsurprisingly, you have fabulous taste. Also unsurprising? That there is some overlap between the winning hotels and those most beloved by our very own editors.

Below, Erin Florio , Rebecca Misner , and more familiar faces—discerning editors and contributors galore—extrapolate on when they’ve stayed at some of our readers’ favorite hotels this year, everywhere from the Upper East Side to India’s Rajasthan.

For me, The Mark dispels that oft-cited notion that the finest hotels should feel like a better version of home. And I’m glad of it. When I glimpse the tidy bundles of fresh-clipped white roses in my room, or when my breakfast is rolled through my doorway at the very minute I’d requested for it to arrive, I know exactly where I am—and it’s definitely not my apartment. The most exceptional hotels are brilliant transporters, elevating guests into their own special universe, one you want to dive into and never leave. The Mark’s success is thanks in part to design titan Jacques Grange, whose work is a master study in subtlety. His clean black-and-white-tiled lobby and elevators, dimly lit hallways, and smart guest rooms, with white marble bathrooms and the deepest soaking tubs, are a refreshing counterpoint to the amped-up design often found in properties elsewhere in the city. The location of The Mark, which gracefully occupies part of a block between Madison and Fifth Avenues on the Upper East Side, also informs its soft sophistication. It is an extension of, rather than an escape from, that smart Manhattan sensibility that makes this corner unique—a place that, rather wonderfully, could only exist in New York. — Erin Florio, executive editor

The Dewberry

A lot of strategizing goes into planning a weekend trip to foodie darling Charleston , South Carolina. Like whether or not to skip breakfast so you can eat two lunches, one at Lewis Barbecue and the other at Minero. Or how to score dinner reservations at The Ordinary and Husk , and, of course, the old quandary of just how many oysters and Pappy Van Winkle cocktails is too many. But now with the opening of The Dewberry , deciding where to stay is a no-brainer. Atlanta-based real estate developer John Dewberry enlisted the help of Brooklyn-based design firm Workstead (known for converting historic buildings into it spots like N.Y.C.'s Wythe Hotel and Arcade Bakery) to transform an austere 1960s federal building into a spot-on mid-century-mod-inspired hotel. 

While bartenders in white vests do stir up Manhattans in the brass lobby bar, this isn't some kitschy knockoff of a Mad Men set. Instead, the overall design—the highly collectible Powl Kjaerholm sofas in the lobby, the palmetto-shaped chandeliers, copper sconces, and vintage credenzas found at Danish auction houses, plus paintings by 1950s abstract artist and Charleston native William Halsey—is refined and timeless. It's a fresh look for a city whose hotels tend to skew over-the-top antebellum in vibe. But The Dewberry's big draw is its location—just off Marion Square in the Upper King District—which means it's a short walk from nearly every restaurant worth checking out. — E.F.

Oberoi Udaivilas

At India’s palace hotels and royal-style resorts, the architecture is grand, the service is immaculate, and the air rustles with stories. Jodhpur’s Umaid Bhawan Palace—home to the former royal family—exudes elegance through Art Deco–inspired rooms, horse stables, and a vintage-car collection, while the contemporary Oberoi Udaivilas , Udaipur captures Rajasthan ’s fairy-tale romance with Mughal- and Mewari-inspired design (domes and mirror mosaics) and a Lake Pichola location. The Leela Palace New Delhi is a modern interpretation of North India’s majestic palaces, replete with chandeliers and silk furnishings. 

The Taj Mahal Palace, Mumbai remains a hallmark of sumptuous hospitality—and a symbol of resilience after the 2008 terror attacks. But grandes dames can also reinvent themselves: The Oberoi, New Delhi reopened in 2018 with updated rooms and dining venues, including the revamped hot spot 360°. — Saumya Ancheri, features editor

Chileno Bay Resort & Residences

Although the towns that make up Los Cabos have become increasingly charming over the last decade, and the nearby East Cape more accessible, I find myself returning every winter for the sole purpose of checking into one fantastic hotel—and totally checking out for a few days. In a landscape overgrown with places to stay, Auberge’s Chileno Bay Resort & Residences has cracked the recipe for relaxation. There’s the indoor-outdoor setup, with breezy rooms that spill out onto private balconies—many overlooking a sandy and swimmable slice of coastline, both rarities for the area—and one of the best spas in Baja . 

But for me, it’s the little touches, like the smart three-tiered swimming pool (adults-only, family, and a super-shallow one for littles) that safeguards against errant cannonballs while I’m trying to nap; a dedicated pool concierge who eliminates any stressful chaise-jockeying; and an excellent beachfront spot turning out tasty shrimp tacos, ice-cold Micheladas, and bracing shots of Sotol that prove Chileno Bay gets what I really want in a trip to Cabo: rays, water, and to walk to lunch barefoot. — Rebecca Misner, features editor

Fairmont El San Juan Hotel

First opened in Puerto Rico in 1958, it was the axis for entertainment on the island, with a nightclub that drew legends like Frank Sinatra and Liza Minnelli. Throughout its run, the hotel has always retained a polished, dress-your-best ambience. Now part of Fairmont Hotels and Resorts and known as Fairmont El San Juan Hotel , the hotel enlisted designer Jeffrey Beers to spearhead a $65 million renovation under the Hilton banner, unveiled in December 2018, that modernized the common spaces, restaurants, and bars while preserving the property's history and throwback elegance making it a Readers' Choice Awards 2022 favorite.

The property has one of the most dramatic lobbies on the island, with a glistening oval chandelier—the third largest of its kind in the world—shining in the center. It's a bright contrast to the intricately carved mahogany and polished marble in one of the hotel's five bars that sits directly below. It might be hard to linger, though, the beach and four pools will call you outside. — Kathleen Squires, contributor

Four Seasons Resort Dubai

Booking a room at a Four Seasons always comes with equal doses of assurance and curiosity: You know exactly what standards of service and design to expect, but it’s a delight to see how they become distilled with local flavor. At the Four Seasons Resort Dubai at Jumeirah Beach, that influence finds a home in arabesque details—geometric motifs and bubbling star-shaped fountains that could have been plucked straight from the Alhambra. 

The hotel’s crescent of sand and bougainvillea-strewn pathways evoke a faraway place, always lulling me into such a relaxed reverie that it’s hard to believe I’m in Dubai—until I glimpse the Burj Khalifa peeking out above the palm trees. I check in here when I want to do it all: relax by the beachside pools or at the tranquil spa by day, then dive into the best of Dubai’s nightlife—first with sashimi at the sultry Mimi Kakushi, then a party on the sand at Nammos, the city’s hottest beach club. —Sarah Khan, contributor

This article appeared in the November 2022 issue of  Condé Nast Traveler.  Subscribe to the magazine   here . View our full list of the 2022 Readers' Choice Award winners here .

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