Charlotte Street Hotel, London, United Kingdom

In the heart of London’s Fitzrovia lies Kit Kemp’s beautiful boutique hotel, Charlotte Street. Everything about it, from the name, to the decor, to the hordes of artsy types that patronise it, pays homage to the Bloomsbury set. Charlotte Street is a real home-away-from-home. A definite elder sister to the more vibrant Haymarket and Soho Hotel, its discreet demeanour and chic restaurant are popular with camera-shy celebs and media moguls.

The facilities

One of the biggest draws of this boutique hotel, apart from the gorgeous bedrooms, is Fitzrovia favourite Oscar’s bar and restaurant. It’s fronted by big glass doors that are opened (weather permitting) into the bustling street below. The clusters of tables and chairs inside and out are inviting and informal. It is always busy, so that moving beyond the eatery into the quiet communal areas behind comes as a bit of a shock.

Charlotte Street’s Sunday night films give away another great facility of this boutique hotel – the 67-seater screening room. Huge red-leather seats, popcorn and a great mix of classics and new releases make it understandably popular with guests and locals. Other great communal areas include the guests-only drawing room and library, stuffed full of huge squashy sofas and artwork by Bloomsbury artists Vanessa Bell, Duncan Grant and Roger Fry.

The rooms

The boutique hotel’s 52 rooms and suites are all individually decorated with typical Kemp flair. Everything is as comforting and refined as the rest – Tivoli radios, flat-screen televisions, huge beds draped in luxury linens and the ubiquitous mannequins that feature in every room. Every one is stamped with its own quirky personality, from shocking pink velvet and floral motifs to antiquated furniture and contemporary wall hangings. Charlotte Street comes out top for style-savvy sophistication in the city.