England: London: Where to Stay: Hideaways: Pelham Hotel

Pelham Hotel

Those who prefer a quiet, residential neighborhood should stay at the Pelham, just steps from the Victoria and Albert Museum and the Natural History museum, in South Kensington. While the hotel’s fifty-two rooms have antiques scattered around (formerly a Firmdale property, it has the Kit Kemp creative stamp), there’s a pleasing mix of color, patterns and objects to make it interesting but not overwhelming. The restaurant has an attractive pewter bar and a changing array of original artwork by such British fashion designers as Philip Treacy, Lulu Guinness and Zandra Rhodes. Solo travelers should check out Room 401; it has a pretty William Yeoward upholstered headboard and a treetop view of the Brompton Oratory, but it’s a little snug for two. I also liked Rooms 304 and 408, large spaces decorated in a soothing jade green. The well-dressed man should book Room 104, which Kemp designed with Anna Zegna of Emenegildo Zegna—the walls are upholstered in grey wool. Rooms from $350.

Says Steven Schapera, CEO of the Australian makeup company BECCA: “Without any doubt my favorite “business hotel” is a small boutique hotel called the Pelham in South Kensington. It is one of those amazing hotels where everything comes together and you want for nothing. I learned a long time ago not to count the stars – for instance a 5-star hotel MUST have a swimming pool and 24-hour room service. That’s hardly important to me in London. The Pelham doesn’t have those but I can’t sing its praises highly enough. And if it’s full, its sister property the Knightsbridge Hotel is my other favorite.”

Read a member Rave on the Pelham Hotel