Kimpton Fitzroy London

Right on Russell Square in Bloomsbury is a hotel that could hardly be more quintessentially London: the Kimpton Fitzroy London is named for its architect, Charles Fitzroy Doll, and from the outside it’s almost exactly as it would have appeared when it opened in 1900 as the Hotel Russell. These days, of course, it’s flying the Kimpton flag, and boutique hotel enthusiasts will be prepared to guess that what’s inside is considerably less historically correct — in the best possible way.

Its impossibly ornate lobby still bears its columns and arches and its mosaic floor; by the time you’re in the rooms, though, you’re treated to an eclectic contemporary-luxe look that admits influences from just about every decade since the hotel’s founding. Luxky George, the hotel’s dragon mascot, makes an appearance on throw pillows designed by Kit Miles, and the mixture of Twenties glamour and contemporary art is a heady one.

Burr & Co. transitions from coffehouse to wine bar as the day progresses, and the Palm Court, with its plentiful indoor greenery, serves tea and other light fare. Fitz’s, the cocktail bar, is a dark and romantic Deco-inspired space, and Galvin, the flagship bar and grill, features a menu by the award-winning chefs Chris and Jeff Galvin.