Ham Yard Hotel

This gem, part of Tim and Kit Kemp's Firmdale group, occupies a contemporary building in Soho. Kit Kemp's award-winning interior design – a common thread in all Firmdale hotels – is bright and eclectic. She loves mashups of English classical style with ultramodern details, a hallmark of contemporary British design. Walk into one of the rooms, and the first thing you'll notice is the incredible diversity of fabrics and bright details. Pillows, bedspreads, furniture upholstery, rugs, curtains – every fabric has its own color and texture. And even more amazing, they all go together beautifully.

All 91 bedrooms and suites contain gorgeous floor-to-ceiling windows. The Terrace Suite even has its own terrace with views of the courtyard and the London skyline. But the best view of the city is from the lush rooftop garden, which is exclusively available to in-house guests.

One tradition that's observed in every Firmdale hotel, whether in London or New York, is afternoon tea. It includes tea, deserts, and light appetizers, as well as champagne, and can be taken at either the The Ham Yard Bar & Restaurant or the hotel's drawing room. Afternoon tea at the Ham Yard Hotel does attract Londoners, but more fashionable and progressive locals prefer another spot, Engawa, an authentic Japanese restaurant with amazing sushi and sashimi. It's just across the street.

The hotel has its own spa, Soholistic, and a 24-hour gym.

FYI: The Ham Yard Hotel even boasts a bowling alley, a movie theater – where they play new releases from around the world and host comedy shows – and an impressive library.

Rooms begin at £460/night.