The Mandrake Hotel

Some of London’s luxury boutique hotels are so tasteful they’re almost invisible, catering to guests who want a blank canvas on which to project their own personalities. And then there’s the Mandrake. Set in a relatively sleepy section of Fitzrovia, it’s nevertheless nothing short of a fantasy world, a moody, atmospheric 34-room boutique hotel surrounding a central courtyard full of hanging jasmine and passionflower.

It’s named, after all, for a hallucinogenic root much beloved by occult practitioners; it’s only natural that a stay here should be a transformative experience. Rooms are a trip to the Far East via Victorian London, all rich textures, vibrant, dark colors, and theatrical lighting. And while all of them are perfectly luxurious, there’s a penthouse that can compete with any of London’s finest lodgings, complete with a rooftop Jacuzzi under a retractable roof.

Yopo, the restaurant, serves modern European fare with South American flavors and an emphasis on raw and plant-based cuisine. With a small in-house theater and a focus on art and cinema, the Mandrake has clearly thrown its lot in with London’s status as a cultural center. You’re as close to the production companies in Soho as you are to Theatreland and the shops of Oxford Street, after all.