The Best Rooftop Bars In London, England, For All Seasons

Londoners don’t let a little bit of bad weather get in the way of sky-high views. Hit the top floor of these hip hotels for decadent cocktails, DJs, yoga decks and more.

No matter the season, Londoners love a rooftop: there’s just something about the city’s centuries-old skyline that adds an extra frisson to eating, drinking and socialising. In winter, they come festooned with lights and warmed with heaters and helpings of mulled wine; in summer, DJs spin sets and wild abandon fills the air. Whether you’re seeking sustainable cocktails, a swimming pool, live jazz or beehives, these higher-ground hot spots are all blessed with views of London’s never-gets-old cityscape.

Arcus

A new lookout has arrived in Bloomsbury: overlooking Russell Square, Arcus is the neighbourhood’s first and only rooftop, and is a bold, modernist destination where design, culture, and skyline views converge for guests to come for more than just the sweeping views, but to feel like they are part of Bloomsbury itself.

One of Central London’s biggest rooftops, the space makes the city feel close yet never crowded, allowing guests to take advantage of near-360° views that stretch from the City and St. Paul’s Cathedral to the London Eye and domes of the British Museum, grounded by the park below. The 330-seat venue is inspired by London’s most unpredictable guest: the weather. Built to the path of the sun, Arcus creates an as-yet-undiscovered vista of London that lifts both mood and moment, with carefully mixed cocktails and a seasonally inspired menu of small plates.

Vintry & Mercer

Perched on the hotel’s seventh floor, the rooftop boasts sweeping views across St Paul’s Cathedral and The Shard, with intimate, candlelit cabins providing a cosy setting for festive dining. Complete with plush faux fur blankets, twinkling fairy lights and an après-ski-inspired ambience, it’s the perfect spot for a winter catch-up or seasonal celebration, offering an inviting escape from the winter chill.

Sabine St Paul’s

Sabine rooftop has arguably the best views of St Pauls in London

Overlooking St Paul's Cathedral, Sabine's original rooftop remains one of the City's most sought-after terraces. Botanical interiors, refreshing signature cocktails and uninterrupted cathedral views make it the perfect place to cool off after a day in the sun. When we hit the colder months, the cosy atmosphere and scenic backdrop also elevate the experience.

triplebond

Home to Marylebone’s first rooftop pool and a collection of skyline spaces, triplebond blends cutting-edge wellness, performance optimisation and restorative experiences into one seamless destination. Opening in 2026, it is redefining the intersection of social connection and modern wellness. Set within The BoTree, a vibrant five-star hotel where Marylebone, Mayfair and Soho connect, triplebond is available to members and hotel guests.

This is something different in terms of rooftop experiences in the city, but there's no harm in mixing it up a little.

NYX Hotel London - Glasshouse

Chain Hotel

A funky addition to the hotel scene, the NYX concept is a popular one that has led to a new rooftop in a part of central London we rarely get to see. The Glasshouse on the Roof at NYX sits on the 10th floor of this property in Holborn and when you get up there you'll feel at home in the indoor/outdoor vibe even if the views are a little alien. Some great cocktails will get you used to the surroundings in no time at all though, and once you're settled in you're going to really want to savour the relaxed ambience.

Good Hotel

Philanthropy and hospitality go hand in hand at the Good Hotel, a former prison barge that floats on the London Docklands. All profits from this community-spirited spot go towards job training for the long-term unemployed in the local borough, so you’ll feel fantastic about spending a summer afternoon on the astro-turfed rooftop, sharing vegetarian small plates, drinking sustainable tipples and savouring the superlative Thames views.

Treehouse Hotel

London is all atwitter over The Nest, a bright and foliage-filled lounge and outdoor terrace atop the Treehouse Hotel in Marylebone. Once you see the 360-degree views of the London skyline from up here, you’ll understand what all the chirping is about – you'll be hard pressed to find a prettier spot to perch. Achingly photogenic, yes, but also really good fun: DJs spin from their own enclosed fort, glam clientele drink farm-to-glass cocktails, and there’s yoga-with-a-view on weekends.

Ham Yard

The trendy Ham Yard in Soho is home to a rooftop garden that’s buzzy in more ways than one. As well as sweeping views over the London skyline, a kitchen-garden and stylish rattan lounge seating, there are also two beehives tended by the hotel’s dedicated beekeeper, Camilla (the honey is blended to make cocktails in the bar downstairs). And it’ll never be a swarm – the leafy space is only available to hotel guests or for private hire.

The Boundary Project

The Rooftop at design-haven and Shoreditch hotspot The Boundary is superb in any season. In winter, you can snuggle up in the covered Orangery for cheese fondue or raclette with warming vin chaud or whisky cocktails. In summer, the menu is Mediterranean-inspired: grilled meats, fish and spritzes abound. It’s ever-popular (the queue has been known to snake down the street), so be sure to book ahead.

Sea Containers

For a room with va-va-voom, take the dedicated lift to the 12th floor of the South Bank’s Sea Containers and you’ll find sultry, low-lit lounge the 12th Knot. Sumptuous jewel-toned banquettes and a gilded bar draw the eye, but the knock-out views of the Thames and London’s skyline are the main event. There’s a rotating roster of jazz bands, live DJs and high-concept cocktails inspired by famous voyages.

ME London

Ready to party? Celebration is always in the air at ME London’s Radio Rooftop bar on the Strand. So much so, that there are over 30 different types of champagne on the menu. Settle onto a squishy white sofa, take your pick of moreish bar snacks – melt-in-your-mouth Iberico ham, soft-shell crab sliders or sweet-potato fries – and raise your glass of bubbles to the views of Big Ben.

The Ned

Bank-turned-hotel-hotspot The Ned doesn’t lack in filmic features: a vaulted atrium with verdite columns, a marble-clad swimming pool and a bank vault that inspired a Bond scene. But members-only sanctum Ned’s Club Upstairs still manages to steal the scene. If it weren’t for the views of St Paul’s (and, ok, the temperature), you’d swear you were in Los Angeles as you swim laps in the pool or sun yourself on a luxe lounger.

Original article by Emilie Hall