The Ampersand Hotel

Perfectly placed for South Kensington's shops and museums, The Ampersand Hotel combines elegance with fun from its sleek bedrooms and glamorous afternoon teas to its basement games room. There's a small library and table tennis in the games room. An unstuffy South Kensington oasis. The 111 bedrooms, spread over six floors including the ground, are a mix of modern elegance and fun, with throne-like velvet bedheads, dove-grey carpets and feature wallpapers boldly covered with musical, botanical, ornithological or astronomical motifs. Bathrooms are shiny in black and white. The entry-level doubles can be small so choose the top-floor to get the most light - and lovely views to the Natural History Museum's towers. However, it's also worth the upgrade to Superiors and Deluxes; some have balconies, others have romantic baths tucked in large bay windows. In the heart of museum-land - The V&A, Natural History and Science museums are within 5 to 10 minutes' walk - The Ampersand Hotel reflects the museums’ riches in bold and playful ways: wallpapers with scientific drawings, books on astronomy, paintings of birds in teacups. Above all, it is South Kensington-elegant from its grey and white neo-classical exterior to its fresh flowers and flirty drawing room; the latter all kingfisher-blue chairs and silver-framed mirrors, the perfect setting for its afternoon teas, which include the wonderful and unique Science Tea. Apero, the basement restaurant, is a relaxed affair with white-painted brick and plaster walls, stripped-wood floors and vintage knick-knacks. Its menu is suitably informal, serving Mediterranean-influenced sharing platters such as squid ink and artichoke risotto, and red mullet and citrus quinoa. Breakfast is a feast of sweet, savoury and healthy treats.