- Claridge’s is an Art Deco darling and London institution, it’s pretty universally considered one of the best hotels in London and is arguably one of the most beautiful too, with its red brick facade, and sweeping black and white marble entrance and tea lounge. Claridge’s recent refurbishment was sympathetic to the beauty of the original, and it’s helped make the restaurant and the top floor spa just as popular as afternoon tea in the foyer. There are more Art Deco features here than you can spot on a visit of less than a week, and old fashioned charms, like manned lifts complete with a sofa and the sort of service that’s really a pleasure.
- In a fantastic Knightsbridge position opposite Hyde Park, The Berkeley is another stunning, luxurious grande dame, and one with London’s few rooftop pools. Its showstopper entrance is a relatively recent addition, and there are some new build rooms with lots of glass and steel, in addition to the more turn of the century original rooms. All have had a makeover, though, and the interiors are extremely elegant and comfortable. The food, in Marcus Wareing's eponymous restaurant, is fantastic and the service impeccable. Plus, if you haven’t quite packed properly they’ll lend you a Burberry trench. And there’s a Dyson hairdryer in every room.
- The Dorchester is another London landmark and institution, the kind of place to stay in if you want the royal treatment, even if you can’t afford to shop in the Chopard concession in the lobby. Its ritzy-yet-comfortable rooms and suites, many with splendid views of Hyde Park, are models of understated luxury, adorned with elegant drapery and recherché ornaments. And overall the feeling is traditional and formal, without being stuffy.
- Or, for something just as glamorous, but a bit more glossy, less fussy, try The Dorchester's sleeker, younger, more masculine brother hotel, 45 Park Lane, which has an Art Deco flavour adored by the smart set, and Wolfgang Puck's highly recommended in-house steak restaurant, CUT. The hotel’s 45 rooms and suites, all with views over Hyde Park, boast a colour palette of rich earth tones and sensuous fabrics that ooze retro-chic appeal, plus gleaming, marble bathrooms and all the jiggery-gadgetty-pokery you can imagine.