Number Sixteen, Firmdale Hotels

Number Sixteen is either the coziest boutique hotel in London, or the most luxurious bed and breakfast — we’re still not sure. The location, down a sleepy side street in South Kensington, is fairly well hidden; just a row of nineteenth-century Victorian townhouses without so much as a sign to show the way. As a member of Firmdale’s Townhouse Collection, it’s a more low-key experience than the bigger, more lively Ham Yard or Soho Hotel — Number Sixteen is notable for its intimate scale and its quiet charm.

Interiors avoid an excess of clichéd Englishness, mixing the usual antiques with modern artworks and muted contemporary colors. The result is chic without being precious, and the overriding birds-and-butterflies theme is unique, though perhaps an odd choice. Rooms vary from typical London size (rather small) to surprisingly large, and all are luxuriously outfitted with big comfortable beds and top-quality linens. Some rooms come with balconies, and the views vary as well, looking over either Sumner Place or the meticulously kept gardens and conservatory around back. The conservatory is also the site of a restaurant that serves breakfast, lunch and dinner to guests and non-residents alike, and the social life spills over into the hotel’s library and drawing room, where travelers huddle round the fireplace or the honor bar, according to taste.

Though Number Sixteen isn’t exactly nightlife central, there’s plenty to like about the geographic situation — the nearest underground station will connect you directly with Heathrow, the West End and the theater and financial districts. Within walking distance are Hyde Park, Harrods and the Knightsbridge shops, and the Natural History and Victoria & Albert museums are steps away. Swinging? Not quite, but for those who cringe at the very mention of that most tiresome word, this place is nearly perfect.