The Cadogan Hotel, London, United Kingdom

Many hotels in London play the ‘quintessentially English’ theme very safely – all floral prints, overstuffed gingham armchairs and delicate china oddments. It’s very inoffensive, but can come across a little dull. Not so the Cadogan, an elegant boutique hotel on Sloane Square, Knightsbridge. But then, this is only to be expected with such an intriguing past. Oscar Wilde was said to have been arrested in one of the signature suites. And Lillie Langtry is a near-omnipresent; part of the Cadogan was her former house.

The facilities

The main Drawing Room of this boutique hotel sets a tone of sorts. It is warm, cosy and inviting. The overstuffed armchairs are all present and correct, as is the soft yellow lighting that emanates from large tasselled lampshades. On the walls, however, the traditional hunting portraits and dowdy neo-Victorian prints have been replaced by colourful canvases of Buddhist monks and leaping ballerinas. Oriental vases stand tall and proud on little darkwood side-tables.

The boutique hotel’s restaurant, Langtry’s, is very popular with guests and non-guests alike. Dedicated to the famous former resident, it serves up traditional British cuisine with a lighter, modern touch. Much of the menu is locally sourced and seasonal. The Cadogan Bar serves a great afternoon tea. Both bar and restaurant are romantic, intimate spaces, owing much to the beautiful Carrera-marble fireplaces, glittering chandeliers and soft velvet furnishings.

The rooms

The Cadogan’s 65 bedrooms do contemporary English chic very well indeed. By far the most popular are the signature suites, each named after a famous past guest. The Lillie Langtry Suite is feminine and refined, and has a gorgeous original ceiling and fireplace. The Edward VII Suite is just across the hall (conveniently enough, as it is rumoured that the two were having an affair). It has a sumptuous, regal feel to it – all polished wood, paisley prints and velvet-upholstered furnishings. Finally, perhaps the most famous of all; the Oscar Wilde Suite. Masculine and decadent, a writer’s desk holds prominent position. Silk curtains and rich fabrics reflect the tastes of the man who took rooms here.

All of the rooms in this boutique hotel have queen-sized beds at least. In-room amenities include flat-screen televisions (in the bathrooms too, in some suites), DVD players, a well-stocked mini-bar and complimentary internet access. Most bathrooms have a bath and shower, and all are stocked with delicious Zen Zone bath products.