Covent Garden Hotel, Firmdale Hotels

On a narrow side street in the bustling and chic Covent Garden district of London’s West End, this splendidly theatrical small hotel’s exclusive atmosphere and central location make it the perfect London pied-à-terre for visiting actors, professional shoppers, and savvy yet indulgent travelers. The opera house and the theatre district are close by, as are the West End’s best shops and boutiques — and yet the hotel itself is stunning enough you may have trouble dragging yourself outside.

The building, a converted 1880s hospital, doesn’t exactly scream “hotel” from the outside — it’s a substantial brick structure, in contrast to the Firmdale group’s other Georgian townhouse hotels, and the front windows look into the Brasserie Max, rather than the lobby. Once inside, though, you’ll find the reception desk framed by lavish draperies — a nod to the stage curtains of the surrounding theatre district — and behind, a heavy stone staircase leading to the guest rooms upstairs.

Rooms are decorated in a classic style, classic in inspiration but contemporary and always light, each one featuring Kit Kemp’s signature dressmaker’s dummy, outfitted in the same fabric as the room itself. Beds are expansive and luxurious, as are the marble-and-mahogany bathrooms, complete with a pair of bathrobes and Molton Brown bath products.

Downstairs one finds the wood-panelled drawing room, and next door the library, both with wood-burning fireplaces — perfect if you wish to be social but not too social. The brasserie off the lobby offers a similarly relaxed and clubby atmosphere, and on Saturday nights dinner can be paired with a screening in the hotel’s private cinema. But then you shouldn’t forget to get out for a bit — all the best of London is within a few blocks from the hotel, and believe it or not, scanning the lobby and restaurant for famous faces loses its charm after a day or two.

How to get there:
Covent Garden Hotel is a 5-minute walk from both the Leicester Square and Covent Garden tube stations. If you’re arriving from Heathrow Airport the most convenient transfer option to central London is the Heathrow Express train, which leaves Heathrow Airport every 15 minutes and takes 15 minutes to arrive at Paddington Station. One-way fares are available from £25 and round-trip fares from £37. By black cab, Covent Garden Hotel is approximately a 45-minute ride from Heathrow Airport (depending on traffic) and can cost upwards of £50.