Bloomsbury Hotels

The Kimpton Fitzroy took us completely by surprise. Rushing up the steps off busy, buzzy Russell Square, we stepped into the cavernous, mosaic-floored, marble lobby and gasped: The hotel is breathtaking. Taking up an entire city block, the heritage building with its turrets and flourishes contains more than three hundred guest rooms—but you would never know. The sloping corridors, palatial public spaces filled with antique furniture, specially commissioned artworks, and warm tones feel intimate and welcoming rather than austere. A basement gym, several dining spaces—peach-hued Neptune might be the prettiest dining room in London—and the softest beds we’ve slept in for a while have turned the Kimpton Fitzroy into a dreamy pied-à-terre when we’re in town.

Ignore the fading yellow 'No Vacancy' sign above the entrance and walk into this painstakingly artful hotel that features small rooms with perfectly cracked paintwork, fading wallpaper, and impressive contemporary art (Rough Luxe features two artists in residence). What the accommodations lack in size, the proprietor, Leo, makes up for in service and exquisite taste: Croissants fresh from famed local brasserie Ottolenghi erved at breakfast are just one delicious example.