Shopping
Best shopping in London: the streets, markets and hotels for a shopping break
From Oxford Street and Liberty to Portobello Road and Borough Market: Picolo’s guide to the best shopping in London, area by area, with the hotels that make it easy to drop off the bags.
It is Saturday morning on Regent Street. The curved white façades glow in the pale sun, red buses roll past, and inside Liberty the old timber floors creak under your feet. London is one of the best cities in the world for shopping, not because anything is cheap, but because it has everything: department stores with long histories, tailors on Savile Row, vintage shops on Brick Lane and markets selling everything from antique teacups to fresh oysters.
The secret to shopping in London is choosing the right area. The city is huge, and anyone who tries to tick off Oxford Street, Knightsbridge and Camden in one day will spend more time on the Tube than in the shops. We have split this guide by neighbourhood, and for each one we have picked hotels close enough to walk back with your bags and head out again for dinner.
The links to the hotels are partner links. If you book through them, Picolo may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.
How to choose the right shopping area in London
High street brands and department stores: Oxford Street and Regent Street.
Luxury and designer labels: Bond Street, Mayfair and Knightsbridge.
Independent shops and concept stores: Covent Garden, Seven Dials, Marylebone and Coal Drops Yard at King’s Cross.
Vintage and markets: Brick Lane, Spitalfields, Columbia Road and Portobello Road.
Food to take home: Borough Market and the food hall at Fortnum & Mason.
Oxford Street, Regent Street and Bond Street
Oxford Street is one of Europe’s busiest shopping streets and the home of the big chains, with Selfridges as its undisputed centrepiece. Regent Street sweeps elegantly down towards Piccadilly Circus with flagship stores, Hamleys toy shop and Liberty in its famous mock Tudor building just behind. Running parallel is Bond Street, where the big fashion houses line up side by side.
Tip: start early. Oxford Street is calm before ten in the morning and heaving by the afternoon, especially at weekends.
The Langham, London
Next to Regent Street and Marylebone
The Langham: a stone’s throw from Regent Street
The Langham sits where Regent Street meets Portland Place, so you step straight out into the shops and are back just as quickly. It is one of London’s oldest grand hotels, and afternoon tea in the Palm Court is a classic end to a long day.
Marylebone High Street, with Daunt Books and small homeware shops, is a few minutes’ walk away and makes a calmer alternative to Oxford Street.
Book your shopping break: See rooms at The Langham
Claridge’s
Art deco in the heart of Mayfair
Claridge’s: Mayfair and Bond Street around the corner
Claridge’s is the art deco classic of Mayfair, and from here it is a short walk to Bond Street, Mount Street and the small galleries in between. This is the hotel for turning a shopping trip into a proper occasion.
In winter the Christmas tree in the lobby is an attraction in its own right, and plenty of people pop into the bar even when they are staying elsewhere.
Book your shopping break: See rooms at Claridge’s
Covent Garden, Seven Dials and Soho
Covent Garden means street performers, market halls and a mix of big names and small boutiques. Wander on to Seven Dials and Neal’s Yard for independent shops, shoemakers and coffee bars, then into Soho and Carnaby Street, where a bit of the sixties spirit still hangs in the air.
St. Martins Lane
Between Covent Garden and Trafalgar Square
St. Martins Lane: design in the middle of the West End
St. Martins Lane sits between Covent Garden and Trafalgar Square, with the theatres, Seven Dials and Leicester Square all within walking distance. Designed by Philippe Starck, it has a playful, bright style that suits a city weekend.
Ideal if you want to shop by day and head to the theatre and a cocktail bar by night.
Book your shopping break: See rooms at St. Martins Lane
Edwardian Mercer Street Hotel
By Seven Dials in Covent Garden
Edwardian Mercer Street: a quiet base by Seven Dials
The Mercer Street hotel is tucked into a side street by Seven Dials, only minutes from Covent Garden Market and Neal’s Yard. The rooms are quieter than the location suggests.
A good choice if you would rather stay among the independent shops than next to the big department stores.
Book your shopping break: See rooms at Edwardian Mercer Street Hotel
Piccadilly, St James’s and Savile Row
This is shopping the old-fashioned way. Fortnum & Mason on Piccadilly is packed with tea, biscuits and hampers, and nearby Burlington Arcade is a covered passage of jewellery, cashmere and leather goods. Jermyn Street is known for its shirtmakers, and on Savile Row the tailors still work with chalk and tape measure behind the windows.
Dukes London
On a quiet street in St James’s
Dukes London: quiet luxury in St James’s
Dukes is hidden in a small cul-de-sac in St James’s, yet Piccadilly, Jermyn Street and Fortnum & Mason are just around the corner. The bar is famous for its martinis, mixed from a trolley at your table.
Small and discreet, it suits anyone who wants a calm base in London’s most classic shopping district.
Book your shopping break: See rooms at Dukes London
Knightsbridge and Chelsea
Harrods is a department store you should see at least once, if only for the tiled food halls with counters that seem to go on forever. Harvey Nichols is next door, and Sloane Street has luxury boutiques in a row. Carry on to Sloane Square and the King’s Road in Chelsea for interiors, fashion and lunch in the sun.
Markets and vintage: Brick Lane, Spitalfields and Portobello Road
In the east, Old Spitalfields Market sits under a glass roof with designers, jewellery and food stalls. Brick Lane and the streets around it are the best part of London for vintage clothing, and on Sunday mornings Columbia Road fills with flower sellers calling out their prices. Out west, Portobello Road in Notting Hill is best known for its Saturday antiques.
Borough Market by London Bridge is arguably the city’s best food market. Buy your cheese, tea and biscuits here instead of at the airport.
The Savoy
On the Strand by the Thames
The Savoy: between Covent Garden and the Thames
The Savoy stands on the Strand, with Covent Garden on one side and the Thames on the other. From here it is easy to head west to the West End or east to the markets in the City and Shoreditch.
The hotel is part of London’s history, and the American Bar is one of the best known bars in the city.
Book your shopping break: See rooms at The Savoy
When is the best time for a shopping trip to London?
January is the traditional sales month, with the sales starting straight after Christmas. The summer sales arrive at the end of June and in July. From November the Christmas lights are up on Oxford Street and Regent Street and the department stores dress their windows, which many people think is worth the trip on its own.
Remember that larger shops have shorter opening hours on Sundays. Since 2021 the UK has not offered VAT refunds (tax free shopping) for international visitors, so the price on the tag is the price you pay. Rules can change, so check the current scheme before you travel.
When should you book your hotel?
December and the January sales: book early, as Christmas weekends in London fill up fast.
Weekend or weekday: West End hotels are often cheaper from Sunday to Thursday.
Flexible rates: choose a cancellable room if you are booking a long way ahead.
Frequently asked questions about shopping in London
Where is the best shopping in London?
It depends on what you are looking for. Oxford Street and Regent Street have the big chains and department stores, Bond Street and Knightsbridge have the luxury labels, and Covent Garden and Marylebone have smaller independent shops. For vintage and markets, head to Brick Lane, Spitalfields and Portobello Road.
Which street in London is best for luxury shopping?
Bond Street in Mayfair is London’s best known street for luxury brands, with the major fashion houses side by side. Sloane Street in Knightsbridge and Mount Street in Mayfair are good alternatives, and Harrods brings many labels together under one roof.
Can tourists shop tax free in London?
No. Since 2021 the UK has not offered VAT refunds to international visitors in shops, so the price you see is the price you pay. Rules can change, so check the current scheme before you go.
Where should I stay for shopping in London?
Stay in the West End. The Langham is next to Regent Street, Claridge’s is in Mayfair near Bond Street, and St. Martins Lane and the Mercer Street hotel are by Covent Garden and Seven Dials, so you can drop your bags off at the hotel.
When are the sales in London?
The big sales usually start right after Christmas and run into January. The summer sales arrive at the end of June and in July, and many shops run offers around Black Friday at the end of November.