Reuters Business Traveller

London – Accommodation

Best for Business

Travellers to the City of London have a snazzy new bolthole with all the trimmings in which to stay and play. Opened in September 2012 between Moorgate and Liverpool Street Station, 80-room South Place Hotel is full of the little touches that make overnighting away from home a pleasure rather than a chore, and which should ensure the D&D London-run property a fair share of well-heeled leisure guests.

The Conran-designed bedrooms are a good example: Two’s not a crowd in the bathtub where unguents come care of the English perfumer James Heeley (the product’s only hotel tie-up); local artisanal gin and vodka brand Sipsmith has mini-bar pride of place.

Sleep comes easy under a Hungarian goose down duvet; though, if not, an internet radio with iPod dock or 40-inch Bang & Olufsen TV will provide audio and visual company. Connect your device by Bluetooth to the TV, or, down in the handsome gym, a next-gen TechnoGym exercise machine.

But why use a gym when a jogging map is available in the room, along with a non-mainstream, cut-out-and-keep selection of local to do’s. Much thought has gone into this and it is generous for a foodie hotel to recommend so many outside options.

On the subject of refreshment, a charming and sheltered outdoor bar can be found on the first floor, while an alfresco rooftop bar area buzzes until the wee smalls – a dearth of residential neighbours allows for a late license. It’s no wonder that the concierge proudly proclaimed to the reviewer that the property is a smoker’s paradise.

Also rooftop is the Angler restaurant whose lobster- and oyster-centric menu may send pescetarians into a feeding frenzy; a ground-floor all-day diner has plenty more omnivorous options, as well as  a splendidly rustic breakfast.

A final pleasing touch comes in the form of guest common room Le Chiffre, a guest-only space which stocks a quirkily curated library of books (mainly spy novels – a running theme), along with some classic vinyl (with turntable). Play board games here and/or partake of the honesty bar after a meeting at one of the five private dining rooms nearby. (Reviewed by Peter Myers)

Built in 1865 on the railway station, the newly renovated St Pancras Renaissance Hotel is a prime location for the continental business traveller. The final extension to the station’s GBP800m restoration project provides instant access to underground and international train connections, including London’s Eurostar terminal. Though muffled, TFL announcements and railway rumblings are within earshot in the majority of the 245 single-glazed guestrooms – perhaps a small price to pay for having Europe at your fingertips.

After you’ve completed a 10-minute grooming session at Melogy, the hotel’s expert barbers, find Victorian Gothic-inspired spaces set aside for professional functions and private meetings — there are seven boardrooms and two banquet halls to choose from. The Chambers Club, available to those in the original part of the building, offers an executive lounge with complimentary snacks and hot beverages. Or work from your room; there’s a circular desk complete with a hidden multimedia panel in every one. WiFi is available throughout the property, though there is a charge of GBP15 a day. When hunger strikes, British classics are served in a fine dining setting at the prestigious Gilbert Scott, run by renowned UK chef Marcus Wareing. (Reviewed by Morven McCulloch)

Hot Properties: Top End

First opened in 1889, billed as London’s “first luxury hotel”, The Savoy is spick and span again after the most expensive hotel restoration in history (GBP 220 million; each of the 268 guestrooms cost over GBP 800,000 to spruce up). The extensive refit took three years – and previous guests won’t recognise it. Prepare to be wowed: from the new Lalique crystal fountain in Savoy Court, to the transformed, marble-floored reception area; a colossal cupola in the Thames Foyer (Afternoon Tea central, serving its own Savoy tea and sweets), the new Savoy will impress contemporary guests just as it did the first Victorian patrons.

Perks for the professionals include six conference rooms, three banquet halls and an enclosed 24-hour business centre. Don’t expect free WiFi though; unless you’re a member of the Fairmont President’s Club, it’s an extra GBP10 a day. But there’s plenty of space for work with a Bill Amberg leather desk set in every room. N.B. Remember to drive in on the right, it’s the only road in Britain where you can do so.

Since its Valentine’s Day, 2011 opening, 192-room W London Leicester Square has enjoyed 92 percent capacity. Nestled between Soho and it eponymous Square, the property is encased in a transparent veil. Think increased privacy and climate control. Inside, more wow elements include a 38-seater contemporary screening room and clusters of metallic disco balls dripping from ceilings.

The W stays true to its trendy reputation with an edgy British, rock star theme throughout: the glittery guestrooms reveal a bachelor-style vanity surrounded by full-length mirrors. All public spaces boast free WiFi and two 16-person boardroom “studios” come complete with reclining sofas. Even the business centre, Wired, has a fluorescent glow. Don’t be shy about inviting clients back to yours: There are plenty of places to let loose after work, including Wyld, a members-only club, where guests can enjoy 350 varieties of premium tequila. Chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten’s Spice Market brings a slice of New York to London, and though won’t find tea and crumpets at the W, try the state-of-the-art sushi bar for a mid-afternoon snack. (Reviewed by Morven McCulloch)

Locations don’t come hotter than this: overlooking Hyde Park and about a minute’s walk to Harrods in exclusive Knightsbridge, the Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park brings Asian levels of hospitality to London – and in-room orchids. The 1889 building was first a Gentleman’s Club and was re-opened by the current owners in 2000 with 200 guestrooms and suites, all of which are individually decorated with Victorian pomp and style. It is famous for its deluxe Spa, one of the city’s most luxurious and personalised, the Michelin-starred signature restaurant Foliage and place-to-be-seen Mandarin Bar. The traditional afternoon tea at The Park restaurant is legendary.

Just off the Strand, in London’s West End theatre district, the 1907-built One Aldwych’s imposing triangular building is a landmark of the city’s Edwardian age created by the same architects responsible for the Ritz in Paris and London. Seeking to escape from the ‘dripping deluxe’ of other grand hotels, the interior design team here sought to pare back the superfluous trappings of luxury, and concentrate on comfort and service. With 105 rooms and suites (two of which have private gyms), additional highlights here include the serious gym with Technogym equipment and 18-metre swimming pool, with underwater music, and a private screening room/cinema seating 30.

Metropolitan London in Mayfair remains a firm favourite of those involved with the ‘four Ms’: media, movies, music and models. The ultra-trendy Met bar and Michelin-starred Japanese restaurant Nobu restaurant mean that your clients will seek you out here, while the sleek, minimalist rooms, with views over Mayfair or Hyde Park, gym-with-attitude and monastic Shambhala treatment rooms will inspire your inner designer. The extensive business facilities are, of course, among the chicest in town.

Hot Properties: Medium End

Myhotel Chelsea is a quirky 45-room bolthole. Guestrooms and suites come in shades of pink, or scarlet. Repair to the white bar for meals, or the conservatory for relaxation. And yes, there’s a resident tarot card reader.

The 460-room City Inn Westminster is a simple, contemporary property with free WiFi, a changing showcase of art and sculpture. Rooms are amenity rich (flat-screen TV, DVD and CD players with complimentary music and movie library); book a high floor for great views of the city and the Thames. There’s also spacious and flexible meeting space available.

Courthouse DoubleTree by Hilton off Regent Street was once a magistrate court. Book a suite in a former judges’ robing room or clerks’ chamber. Standard rooms are housed in a new wing built on the site of an old police station; pass through salvaged prison gates to sip in-cell cocktails at The Bar or dine in the shadow of the judges’ bench at Silk. Breakfast is held in the Waiting Room.

Hot Properties: Boutique

Five minutes’ walk from Liverpool Street station, hip-industrial urban lodge The Hoxton sells Bollinger at retail prices in its mini-bar, has free broadband in the lobby, and serves sizzling Hoxton Fry-Ups to complement the ‘Lite Pret’ breakfasts. Rooms are anonymous but the lively buzz in the public spaces more than makes up for it.

No. 11 Cadogan Gardens is a 60-room, four-apartment hotel and private members’ club. Mind you don’t get lost among the myriad nooks and crannies, where antique bric-a-brac meets cool, contemporary styling. Fashionistas love this hotel for its location just a stroll away from Sloane Street.

It’s hard to believe that five-storey The Soho Hotel off Dean Street was once a car park. This boutique bolthole mixes the homely and traditional with retro cool: pink armchairs in the library, Tivoli radios in the 91 guestrooms. Rooftop penthouses have wrap-around terraces and city views. Hip hangout Refuel caters will feed and water you with gusto, while two state-of-the-art screening rooms host regular cinematic events.