Number Sixteen

Discrete, elegant service in an extroverted neighbourhood

Noteworthy for: Frequent travellers appreciate the low-key atmosphere and personalised service at Number Sixteen, and the hotel has also recently become popular with the fashion set.
Word to the wise: If you feel like a night in, there is an expertly curated DVD library and scented candles in each room.

It may not be as large or as flashy as some of Kensington’s better-known hotels, but Number Sixteen gets the little things right – and it has earned itself a fierce cult following in the process. Late check-outs, unusual room service orders, and requests for local knowledge are all accommodated by the hotel’s graceful staff.
The hotel was fashioned from a row of townhouses, and retains an elegant English feel, with 42 individually decorated rooms and suites. Bright wallpaper and brash art prints inject some vibrancy into the cosy, comfortable accommodations, and there is a no-nonsense European feel in the bathrooms, with shiny granite surfaces and Miller Harris toiletries.

The common areas are worth a visit, too: the hushed library and verdant garden will make you feel miles from the bustle of West London.