Hotel Café Royal – Mayfair, W1

A landmark address on Regent Street for more than 150 years, this hotel has seen everyone from Oscar Wilde and David Bowie to Winston Churchill walk through its doors (the latter, apparently, came for the excellent steaks, stilton and champagne). Entering the sleek lobby – which was revamped in 2018 – a huge Murano glass chandelier hangs overhead. It sets the opulent tone for the rest of the interiors, including The Grill Room, a decadent, Grade II-listed gilded, mirrored space where afternoon tea is served to the sound of a pianist playing, and the speakeasy-like Green Bar that’s the ideal spot for pre-dinner cocktails. Rooms and suites feel calm, many panelled in English oak, with marble bathrooms and views of the bustling shopping street below. Equally sanctuary-like is the underground Akasha spa which offers the full spectrum of wellness experiences from fitness consultations to meditation and Watsu treatments. Don’t miss chef Alex Dilling’s tasting menus in the two Michelin-starred restaurant, which are a modern take on traditional French cuisine or Albert Adria’s Cakes & Bubbles, which specialises in tempting desserts and pastries.

Doubles from £795

+44 (0)20 7406 3333; hotelcaferoyal.com