LONDON - England 2012 and the Best of Wales - page 188

luxurious bathrooms with extra-long tubs and red marble walls, and the beds are
among the most comfortable in town. Queen Anne and Chippendale are the decor
styles, and the maintenance is of the highest order. The rooms overlooking the
garden are best. Business travelers may baulk (though many of us will cheer) at a
ban on mobile phones and laptops in public areas, where you can take afternoon
tea (see review, p. 147).
15 Beeston Place, London SW1W 0JW. www.thegoringhotel.com. & 020/7396-9000. Fax [phone]-
4393. 71 units. £410-£960 double. AE, DC, MC, V. Parking £30. Tube: Victoria. Amenities: Restaurant;
bar; babysitting; concierge; access to nearby health club. In room: A/C, TV/DVD, movie library, CD
player, CD library, hair dryer, Wi-Fi (£15 per day).
Moderate
B&B Belgravia In its first year of operation (2005), this elegant townhouse
won a Gold Award as “the best B&B in London.” It richly deserved it. Design, service,
quality, and comfort paid off. The prices are also reasonable, the atmosphere in this
massively renovated building is stylish, and the location is grand: Just a 5-minute walk
from Victoria Station. The good-size bedrooms are luxuriously furnished. There is also
a DVD library, and tea and coffee are served 24 hours a day. Late risers may want to
avoid Room 1—it's above the breakfast room and isn't the quietest.
64-66 Ebury St., London SW1W 9QD. www.bb-belgravia.com. & 020/7259-8570. Fax [phone]-
8591. 17 units. £120-£130 double; £150-£160 family room. Rates include English breakfast. AE, MC, V.
Tube: Victoria.. In room: TV, Wi-Fi (free).
Diplomat Hotel Part of the Diplomat's charm is that it is a small and reason-
ably priced hotel located in an otherwise prohibitively expensive neighborhood. Only
15 minutes' walk from Harrods, it was built in 1882 as a private residence by noted
architect Thomas Cubitt. The high-ceilinged guest rooms are tastefully done in Vic-
torian style. You get good—not grand—comfort here. Rooms are a bit small and usu-
ally furnished with twin beds.
2 Chesham St., London SW1X 8DT. www.thediplomathotel.co.uk. & 020/7235-1544. Fax [phone]-
6153. 26 units. £130-£170 double. Rates include English breakfast. AE, MC, V. Tube: Victoria. In room: TV,
hair dryer, Wi-Fi (free).
Inexpensive
Morgan House Hotel This Georgian house has a convenient address, and its
rooms are often fully booked all summer. Guest rooms are individually decorated and
have orthopedic mattresses. Many are small to midsize, while others are large enough
to house up to four people. Hallway bathrooms are well maintained and adequate for
guests who don't have their own private facilities. A hearty English breakfast is served
in a bright, cheerful room, and there's a small courtyard open to guests.
120 Ebury St., London SW1W 9QQ. www.morganhouse.co.uk. & 020/7730-2384. Fax [phone]-
8442. 11 units, 4 with private bathroom. £78 double without bathroom, £98 double with bathroom.
Rates include English breakfast. MC, V. Tube: Victoria. Amenities: Breakfast room. In room: TV, hair
dryer, Wi-Fi (free).
KNIGHTSBRIDGE
Very Expensive
The Capital A luxury shopper's and gourmet's delight, The Capital man-
ages, year after year, to combine boutique hotel charm with the amenities you'd
expect in a far larger establishment. Only 45m (148 ft.) from Harrods department
store, this family-run townhouse hotel is also at the doorstep of London's “green

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