Baglioni Hotel

Dark, sexy, moody and very Italian. The drama starts as soon as you walk into Baglioni's lobby, with its dark-wood floors, votive candles, black velvet armchairs, vast vases, and striking glass-and-water feature—and continues through all 67 guest rooms, 49 of which are spacious suites. The attention to detail is extraordinary: a team of male and female personal butlers to unpack for you, light the fire, make a cocktail or draw the bath. Each suite has separate bed, bath and sitting rooms, decorated in a stylish striped gold and mahogany trim, with flat-screen TVs, Internet access and an Italian coffee maker. I love the personalized calling cards on the writing desk; slip them to shopkeepers so they can deliver your purchases ("Send my Prada suit to the Baglioni Hotel, pronto!"). Or ask the butler to arrange your own personal shopper with a little black book of London's best designer stores and contacts. The hotel is a credit card's toss to Knightsbridge, Harrods and Selfridges, and the chauffeur-driven Maserati can whisk you there (trips are complimentary within a one-mile radius). Return in time for a treatment in the Rejuvenation Spa, before cocktails and dinner at sleek Brunello Restaurant, with a Tuscan-inspired menu and impressive wine list. The Baglioni has a small gym but is right across the road from Kensington Gardens and Palace, a lovely place for an early morning walk or jog. My only criticism: the hotel's low-level lighting is more atmospheric than practical, otherwise I'm hooked.

Room rates from £285.

Insider tip from Mr & Mrs Smith, one of my trusted resources:

"Packing tips: Your jogging kit, rollerblades, or Frisbee, since the park is on your doorstep. Bread to feed the ducks in the Serpentine.

Get more tips, see photos, and book the guaranteed best rate on Mr & Mrs Smith:
www.mrandmrssmith.com/baglioni-hotel