A woman is critically ill and two others suffered serious but not life-threatening injuries after an intruder attacked them with a hammer at a London hotel.

The three women, all in their 30s and from the United Arab Emirates, suffered head and facial injuries during the attack at the Cumberland hotel in Mayfair early on Sunday, the Metropolitan police said. They are treating it as attempted murder.

Officers were called at 1.50am. They believe a man entered a guest bedroom on the seventh floor of the building where the three women and three children were sleeping in adjoining rooms.

Detectives think the suspect was disturbed when some of the occupants woke up. He then attacked the women with the hammer, which was later recovered at the scene.

The most seriously injured woman was said to be stable in a central London hospital. There have been no arrests and police say they are keeping an open mind as to a motive for the attack.

DCI Andy Chalmers, of Scotland Yard's homicide and major crime command, said: "This was an unusually violent attack on three women and I am very keen to speak with anyone who was in or around the hotel between 01.00 and 02.00 on Sunday morning. Did you see or hear anything that could be of use to my officers? If so, we would like to hear from you as soon as possible."

The incident phone number is 020 8358 0100.