Sleep

THE DAKOTA

Dakota Manchester, Ducie Street, Manchester

Located about 5 minutes round the corner from Manchester Picadilly station, The Dakota is a massively convenient choice if you’re arriving by train. A sleek, black block situated on the canal, The Dakota is dark and moody inside, with a monolithic fireplace and lounge area at the entrance that leads back to a smart bar and restaurant, the Dakota Grill. There’s also a canal-side terrace which has a retractable roof so you can be out there whatever the famous Manchester weather brings. Rooms are comfy and luxurious with big beds, bathtubs and huge rainforest showers, plus all the mod cons you might need – all in all very decent value too, with rooms starting at £126 a night.

MAISON DELANO PARIS

Maison Delano Paris, Rue d'Anjou, Paris, France

Maison Delano is a very luxurious new five-star luxury hotel in an 18th century mansion in the swanky 8th Arrondissement. There’s 56 classically-styled suites, plus a restaurant from Michelin-starred Spanish chef Dani Garcia.

THE HOXTON, POBLENOU

The Hoxton, Poblenou, Avinguda Diagonal, Barcelona, Spain

A beaut new outpost of The Hoxton located in the Poblenou neighbourhood of Barcelona. As well as the superbly designed, spacious bedrooms, there’s a rooftop pool and restaurant (Tope), plus Four Corners Detroit-style pizza, and bikes to rent. Poblenou is a relaxed yet buzzing neighbourhood situated a little away from the centre – so you’re free from the tourist hoards that clog up downtown Barca, but still just a quick cycle or taxi away.

HOTEL ARTS BARCELONA

Hotel Arts Barcelona is an exceptional choice for anyone looking for luxurious accommodation in the city. With five gastronomic restaurants, including two Michelin-starred Enoteca, led by the five Michelin-starred chef Paco Perez; a cocktail bar; and a unique collection of open and leisure spaces, including a spa, an infinity pool, a family pool overlooking the gardens, the hotel is an oasis of calm by day and a vibrant hot spot at night. The duplex penthouses are nothing short of incredible, with sleek, modern design complemented by an impressive 20th-century collection of works by contemporary Catalan and Spanish artists, a huge dining table that seats eight, a mini kitchenette with enough equipment to pull off a dinner party, and his and hers sinks, a double walk-in shower and bathtub in the bathroom. With exceptional service and attention to detail, a stay at Hotel Arts is an unforgettable experience.

MAMA SHELTER LA DEFENSE

Mama Shelter La Defense hotel is located out in Paris’ business district, and although it may feel like you’re in the suburbs, La Defense is super accessible, only a 15-minute metro ride to the centre. Mama Shelter injects a heavy dose of fun and personality into a relatively serious La Defense. The hotel’s playful and colourful branding is instantly recognisable and a welcomed contrast to its surrounding neighbours – think plenty of neon signs, bold interiors and a cheeky personality. This runs throughout the whole hotel, from the minute you step into reception right up to where you lay your head. Like at the sister sites, you’ll even have the classic cartoon masks hanging by your bed. Their TVs come loaded with some of the latest films and even x-rated vids – ooh la la. And if you’re looking for an extra couple of hours in the room, (perhaps you’ve painted the town a little too hard the night before) you can opt for a 3pm checkout. There are two restaurants housed in the hotel. Up top is the Mama Penthouse, which has panoramic views of Paris, and a new retro diner located on the ground floor, which is an Instagram dream with pastel pink decor, planet lights, jukeboxes and leather booths.

HOTEL WALLACE

Hotel Wallace is part of the Orso group, founded by Anouk and Louis Solanet, a young cool couple that own a collective of seven Parisian boutique hotels and have plans to open more. Orso Group has a great ethos, using locally made, good produce throughout all its sites. It also has its own Orso guide, showcasing the 100 best neighbourhood spots less than 15 minutes away from the hotel, to check out during your trip – very handy if you want to live like a local! Hotel Wallace has a prime location in the 15th arrondissement, around a 25-minute walk to the Eiffel Tower. The building had a major makeover back in 2021, and, with the help of well-known interior gurus Hauvette & Madani, it was transformed into the riviera-inspired retro-chic hotel it is today. Think tasselled lamp shades, striped curtains, slick lacquered wooden headboards and terrazzo features throughout, with mod cons in the rooms and their own-brand Colomba skincare in the bathroom. There’s even a Scandi hot tub on the terrace for you to soak in after a day of sightseeing and then you can head down to the Wallace bar for nightcap.

THE BEAUMONT HOTEL

8 Balderton St, Brown Hart Gardens, London W1K 6TF
OPENING HOURS
  • Monday: Open 24 hours
  • Tuesday: Open 24 hours
  • Wednesday: Open 24 hours
  • Thursday: Open 24 hours
  • Friday: Open 24 hours
  • Saturday: Open 24 hours
  • Sunday: Open 24 hours

To take a trip to The Beaumont hotel is to step into a calm, Art Deco retreat away from the chaos of nearby Oxford Street. Styled after the grand hotels of the 1920s, The Beaumont’s interiors definitely fit the bill, with its walnut-panelled walls, marble furnishings and sleek rooms. Besides actually staying at the hotel, The Beaumont houses a pretty special selection of bars and restaurants. The Colony Grill Room is an old-school NYC-style restaurant with a timeless menu, Le Magritte Bar & Terrace pays homage to the American bars that were very popular in London and Paris during the 1920s and Gatsby’s Room serves as more of a daytime venue, with an all-day menu that includes breakfast and afternoon tea.

LA CLEF CHAMPS-ÉLYSÉES

Parisian addresses don’t come more iconic than the Avenue des Champs Elysées, so if you want to do Paris in style then a stay at the five-star La Clef Champs-Elysées will do the trick. Located just off the famous street (right by Louis Vuitton so you can do a little window shopping on your way in and out) and only a short distance from the Arc de Triomphe, the Effiel Tower and the Grand Palais, La Clef Champs-Elysées couldn’t be in a better spot for those wanting to see the sights. Like its namesake, the property, part of The Crest Collection, is luxury through and through. The hotel is inside a former residence belonging to the Hennessy family, itself a 20th century Haussmannian-style building, with interiors designed by Jean-Philippe Nuel. La Clef Champs-Elysées has 70 rooms, suites and apartments (some with fully equipped kitchens, making them ideal for families), all of which are elegantly decorated and fitted with all the mod-cons you could need, and some even boast a balcony view of the Eiffel Tower.

MAMA SHELTER EAST

Mama Shelter East is a fab choice if you’re after a hotel that’s affordable and a bit eccentric. Located in the very cool 20th arrondissement, MSE is sandwiched between the famous Père Lachaise Cemetery (burial place of Édith Piaf and Frédéric Chopin) and artists’ studios. If you don’t want to travel too far out of your room for a drink and bite to eat, there’s a rooftop bar and in-house restaurant and pizzeria. Rooms are simple but stylish – an ideal spot to crash after a day of exploring the city, just remember to bring your own toiletries as they aren’t provided here.

PAVILLON FAUBOURG SAINT-GERMAIN

Refurbished during the pandemic, the five-star Pavillon Faubourg Saint-Germain is actually made up of three different 17th century buildings that housed smaller hotels, merged into one property, with 47 rooms and suites, a spa, the James Joyce bar and the Les Parisiens restaurant run by Michelin-starred chef, Thibault Sombardier. There’s tranquility to be found in the Spa des Prés, formerly a wine store, which makes use of the natural stone to create a minimalist, zen feel. The James Joyce bar (named after the author who finished writing Ulysses on the Rue du Pré-aux-Clercs where the hotel is located) adds the glamour, with wood pannelling, lots of book-filled shelved and plush jewel-toned furniture, with a cocktail menu that nods to the bar’s literary connection. The rooms are spacious too, with comfy beds, walk-in rain head showers, robes and CODAGE products in the bathroom, a Nespresso machine and LCD flat screen TV, making it the perfect crash pad after a day spent cafe hopping.

ONE HUNDRED SHOREDITCH

One hotel closes, another one opens. One Hundred Shoreditch, from the Lore Group (who are also behind Sea Containers and Pulitzer Amsterdam) has moved into the site once occupied by the Ace Hotel. The property boasts 258 bedrooms and a whopping six restaurants and bars, including seafood restaurant and wine bar Goddard & Gibbs; destination cocktail bar Seed Library from Ryan Chetiyawardana aka Mr Lyan, which’ll shake up new takes on classic serves; a lobby bar; a coffee shop; and a roof terrace with panoramic views over the city.

NOBU HOTEL SHOREDITCH

10-50 Willow St, London EC2A 4BH
OPENING HOURS
  • Monday: Open 24 hours
  • Tuesday: Open 24 hours
  • Wednesday: Open 24 hours
  • Thursday: Open 24 hours
  • Friday: Open 24 hours
  • Saturday: Open 24 hours
  • Sunday: Open 24 hours

With 164 guest rooms and suites, the world-renowned Nobu restaurant, NAMI bar, alfresco terrace and a tranquil spa and gym, Nobu Hotel has a lot to offer the short stay visitor, making more than jut a base to throw your bags in and head out again. Given its position in Shoreditch and near to the City, it is a great option location wise and with so much to explore right on the doorstep, there’s plenty of fun to be found outside as well as inside Nobu. The Yuhi bedrooms are a blend of Shoreditch loft and Japanese Ryokan with warm wood tones, brushed gold accents, dark parquet floors, a custom-designed ceiling and wallpaper by Shoreditch based-artist Richard Harding, and huge king beds. You can dine on Nobu signatures like black cod miso and wagyu beef at the restaurant and then you can zen out at the hotel spa. A real touch of luxury in the heart of East London.

SOUTH PLACE HOTEL

Being within a short walking distance of Barbican, Old Street and Liverpool Street stations, the South Place Hotel is a pretty convenient spot to be based from in the City. The 80 rooms come with all the mod cons like Bang & Olufsen TVs, free films on demand, free WiFi, Nespresso machines and so on. There’s a lot to get stuck into outside the rooms too, with the South Place Chop House serving up classic British grub, fancy seafood (and a fancy terrace) up at Angler, speakeasy cocktail bar Le Chiffre, and even a hidden secret garden. For a slick stay in a convenient location with all your drinking and eating needs taken care of inside the hotel, South Place ticks all the boxes.

CHILTERN FIREHOUSE

Chiltern Firehouse, the hotel and restaurant owned by Andre Balazs (the man behind Chateau Marmont and New York’s Mercer), is a popular celeb haunt – remember when every man and his dog was papped falling out of the restaurant circa 2014? It does however live up to the hype. The 5-star hotel, housed in a Grade II-listed former fire station, features 26 luxury suites, a secret smoking lounge and a restaurant overseen by Portuguese chef Nuno Mendes. The food (dishes include crab doughnuts, fried chicken with ranch, and chargrilled Iberico pork with poblano chilli) is great, the cocktail menu is bang on trend and the place looks amazing too.

GUNMAKERS

Chef Mark Jarvis, who runs Anglo in Farringdon teamed up with sommelier Xavier Rousset (the pair worked together at Texture) to re-open the Gunmakers in Marylebone 2019. The pub, which had been closed for over a year, was a bit of a hidden gem and used to be frequented by Winston Churchill back in the day. Now it’s home to a bar stocked with classic beer, ale, wine and spirits; a dining room that serves a British-inspired menu (including one of the best Sunday roasts in London); and six-boutique bedrooms upstairs, perfect if you’ve overindulged in the pub and can’t face the journey home.

HENRY'S TOWNHOUSE

Jane Austen’s brother Henry used to own a townhouse on Upper Berkeley Street and now the Grade II listed building has been turned into a boutique hotel named after him. Henry’s Townhouse has seven bedrooms, all with Georgian-inspired interiors courtesy of Russell Sage Studio and modern amenities like Nespresso coffee machines, flat-screen TVs, Dyson hairdryers and LA Bruket toiletries. Plus there’s a sharing table in the pantry kitchen where breakfast and private dinners are served as well as a cocktail snug, an outdoor terrace and a sitting room that pays homage to Jane Austen. The rooms are available to book individually or if you’re having a very fancy party (and you’ve got the dollar) you can hire the whole place for 14 people.

THE ZETTER TOWNHOUSE

When a 13-bedroom Georgian townhouse hotel meets an award-winning cocktail lounge, magic happens. And that magic is known as The Zetter Townhouse. It’s luxurious, quirky and very, very British (think red, white and blue everything) with big comfy beds, Egyptian cotton linen and REN products in each room. Their cocktail lounge is pretty spesh too, paying homage to the neighbourhood’s distilling heritage with old cocktail classics as well as homemade cordials and infusions.

BANKSIDE HOTEL

On the cusp of south London, just over from Blackfriars Bridge, is the Bankside Hotel which opened up in 2019. Art and design is a huge focus at Bankside; the industrial-chic interiors pay homage to the history of the area whilst still remaining inviting, and the lobby is home to a curated collection of multi-disciplinary art put together by designer Dayna Lee. The hotel has 161 rooms ranging from a modest double to their biggest suite, and they come with Grown Alchemist bathroom products, remote-controlled blackout blinds, Chromecast, and a Nespresso coffee machine. Sadly there isn’t a spa to relax and unwind in, but you can enjoy a 24 hour gym in case you get the urge to throw kettlebells around in the middle of the night.

Page 1 of 512345

Loading...