Links to Recommended Hotels and Restaurants

We're happy to recommend the following hotels and restaurants we love.

Part of The Red Carnation Hotel Collection. Situated in the heart of Bloomsbury The Montague on the Gardens is an elegant and long-established Georgian townhouse hotel overlooking a secluded private garden square. The 101 luxurious rooms and suites, including one two-bedroom apartment, are elegantly understated, furnished with luxurious fabrics capturing the timeless elegance of Bloomsbury and its literary heritage. This four-star hotel showcases superb facilities to include the Terrace and Wood Deck, perfect for a relaxing drink al fresco or enjoy the daily summer barbecues. The Blue Door Bistro Restaurant is open year-round and offers a menu that delivers both modern British cuisine as well as comfort dish classics. Afternoon tea in served daily in the Conservatory and the Terrace Bar is famous for its cocktails. The Montague also offers meeting, event, wedding and other celebratory space for up to 150 guests. The British Museum lies adjacent to the hotel, Covent Garden and Theatreland are just a short stroll from the door and the Eurostar terminal at St Pancras is a five minute cab ride.

Mike's Note: Stayed recently. They have the most amazing staff. Hospitality is king at the Montague.

The Arch London is a luxury lifestyle hotel in an enviable setting, spanning seven Georgian townhouses and two mews homes, this urban hideaway offers a unique combination of English heritage and contemporary style. With 82 individually designed guestrooms and an inspiring restaurant and bar, The Arch London provides the best in comfort and service. Imaginative British art, rich fabrics and colours and honest, hearty food, add to the spirit of this creative new hotel.

Mike's Note: Just near marble Arch of course. New hotel in an older building. Part of Pride of Britain Hotels. Contemporary edge. We stayed just after it opened in late 2009 and it was fabulous.

Firmdale Hotels' owners, Tim and Kit Kemp believe that "hotels should be living things, not stuffy institutions". Kit Kemp has designed all of the interiors in a fresh contemporary English style. Her mixture of colour and texture, modern and antique together with an impressive art collection, has combined to create a unique look and style.

Visit their website.

Mike's Note: We have stayed in almost all of these at one time or another. No 16 Kensington, The Soho (guess where), Charlotte Street just West of Tottenham Court Road, Haymarket, to name most of them. All superbly designed and run. They just opened in New York. Can't wait to try.