10/10
Great Location and incredibly capable and friendly staff
London · head to head
The Connaught vs Raffles London at The OWO
Priced on the same night, 2026-10-10: Raffles London at The OWO is $4,023 a night less. They are 1.7 km apart.
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The honest take
Book the Connaught if the point of the trip is the room, the bar and the service being the single best version of the London grand hotel experience; it costs $1,887 against the OWO's $1,084 for the same night, and on this data neither lacks a facility the other has. Book Raffles at The OWO if you want a five-star stay for over $800 a night less, in a genuinely astonishing building, with slightly fewer reviews behind its 9.5 rating versus the Connaught's 9.6 from 304. They're 1.7km apart, Mayfair versus Whitehall, so the neighbourhoods and the kind of evening you'll have outside the hotel are quite different.
The look and the feel
The Connaught
The Connaught occupies a red-brick Mayfair townhouse whose bones are Edwardian but whose interiors have been steadily modernised by David Collins Studio, most famously in the Connaught Bar, all curved walnut, illuminated onyx and a trolley of vermouths wheeled to your table. The lobby is hushed, panelled, lit low, with a revolving Anish Kapoor mirror sculpture at its centre that guests photograph on the way in. Upstairs the rooms mix English chintz with contemporary restraint, deep baths, good linen, the kind of quiet that costs money. Hélène Darroze's restaurant sits within, three Michelin stars deep in French technique, and the whole place runs on the sort of butler service that anticipates rather than responds.
Repeat Mayfair guests and anyone who wants the room, the bar and the service to be the whole point of the trip.
Raffles London at The OWO
Raffles London at The OWO is the old War Office on Whitehall, a vast Edwardian government building of 1906 with 1,100 rooms in its former life, converted with the scale intact: grand stone stairwells, long corridors, a courtyard, ceiling heights no new-build could match. Raffles has dressed it with British-Mediterranean-European dining across several restaurants rather than one signature name, and rooms lean on the building's original proportions and windows for their character, with city views the listing makes a point of. It trades the Connaught's intimacy for institutional grandeur, marble corridors built for civil servants now carrying room service trolleys instead.
Travellers who want five-star scale and a genuinely remarkable building for meaningfully less money, closer to Westminster and the river.
Nothing is missing on the facility lists provided; the difference at this price gap is the Connaught's tighter, more personal service model and its bar and restaurant's reputation, against the OWO's sheer square footage and lower nightly rate.
The Connaught is the more beautiful room to actually sit in, because David Collins's Connaught Bar is one of the best-designed rooms in London and the whole hotel is scaled to a single guest rather than a government department.
The numbers
| The Connaught | Raffles London at The OWO | |
|---|---|---|
| Price, same night | $5,314 | $1,291 |
| Guest rating | 9.6/10 | 9.5/10 |
| Reviews | 304 | 207 |
| Stars | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ |
| Facilities on our list | 7 | 7 |
| Distance apart | 1.7 km |
What one has that the other doesn't
Only The Connaught has
Nothing on our list that Raffles London at The OWO lacks.
Only Raffles London at The OWO has
Nothing on our list that The Connaught lacks.
What guests actually say
The Connaught
- friendly, capable staff
- great location
- impeccable service
“Fabulous hotel. Impeccable staff. A real treat”
Raffles London at The OWO
- exceptional staff
- great location
- excellent rooms and service
- billing mistake by the team
“I want to live at Raffles. Best hotel ever”
Both hotels' guests are equally delighted with staff and location, but Raffles guests use more superlative language, calling it perfection and the best hotel ever, despite one billing mishap.
Rooms & rates, 2026-10-10
The Connaught
- Grosvenor, Suite, King BedRoom Only$5,314
- Grosvenor, Suite, King BedRoom Only · free cancellation$6,251
- Grosvenor, Suite, King BedBreakfast Included · free cancellation$6,370
Raffles London at The OWO
- Double Deluxe TwinRoom Only$1,262
- Deluxe Room, 1 King BedRoom Only$1,296
- Deluxe Twin Room, 2 Queen BedsRoom Only$1,296
In guests' own words
The Connaught
10/10
Fabulous hotel. Impeccable staff. A real treat
9/10
Excellent service and staff
Raffles London at The OWO
10/10
“Perfect stay”
Fabulous hotel in a great location and exceptional staff
10/10
“I want to live at Raffles. Best hotel ever”
Everything
Nothing. Raffles is perfection
10/10
Best Hotel in London. From rooms to service, just excellent and it never feels crowded
About each
The Connaught
Luxurious Accommodations : The Connaught, nestled in London's upscale Mayfair area, offers a sophisticated stay with bespoke butler and concierge services from the moment you arrive. Culinary Excellence : Indulge in award-winning dining at Hélène Darroze at The Connaught, boasting 3 AA Rosettes and 3 Michelin Stars, serving exquisite French-inspired…
Check-in — · Check-out 12:00 PM
Raffles London at The OWO
Luxurious Accommodations with Stunning City Views Experience the epitome of luxury at Raffles London at The OWO, where each 5-star room offers breathtaking city views, air-conditioning, and top-notch amenities including a coffee machine and a flat-screen TV. Indulge in Exquisite Dining Options Savor a delightful culinary journey at our on-site restaurant,…
Check-in — · Check-out 12:00 PM
Facilities, in full
The Connaught
- Fitness facilities
- WiFi available
- Free WiFi
- Parking
- Non-smoking rooms
- Air conditioning
- Fitness center
- Swimming pool
- 24-hour front desk
- Restaurant
- Room service
- Heating
- Pets allowed
- Lift / Elevator
- Laundry
- Luggage storage
Raffles London at The OWO
- Fitness facilities
- WiFi available
- Free WiFi
- Parking
- Non-smoking rooms
- Air conditioning
- Fitness center
- Swimming pool
- 24-hour front desk
- Restaurant
- Room service
- Heating
- Family rooms
- Pets allowed
- Lift / Elevator
- Laundry
Where they are
Carlos Place57 Whitehall
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Rates are live for 2026-10-10, one night, two guests, fetched together so the two are comparable. Facilities and reviews are from each hotel's own listing. The honest take is written by our AI from the listing, the reviews and what is widely known about each hotel. HotelDupe earns a commission if you book, which never changes the verdict. All comparisons