The Guardsman

Just down the road from Buckingham Palace — hence the name — the Guardsman is one of a new generation of London hotels in the members’-club genre. Its mottled-brick exterior, in sober grey fringed with gold, is nothing if not distinctive, and its interiors draw heavily from several eras, from Art Deco along the way to postmodern British luxury.

Rooms and suites are suitably lavish, though they’re both playful and tasteful about it; the service is devoted, as befits a modern-day members’ club. There is, notably, a total absence of Buckingham Palace kitsch, and the décor is a calming mix of neutrals and gem-toned accents. This is more a luxury hotel than a cheeky boutique, and the finest rooms are luxurious indeed; even the relatively humble singles are as plush as can be, right down to the heated bathroom floors.

The Guardsman’s Dining Room & Bar are open to hotel residents and their guests only, which means you’ll never suffer that modern hotel indignity of being denied a seat at your own hotel; the cuisine is modern British, and changes with the seasons. And no London luxury hotel would be complete without a delightfully over-the-top afternoon tea service….