LONDON - England 2012 and the Best of Wales - page 189

lung,” Hyde Park. Famed designer Nina Campbell furnished the spacious bedrooms
with sumptuous fabrics, art, and antiques. David Linley, nephew of the Queen, also
assisted in the design. The liveried doorman standing outside has welcomed royalty,
heads of state, and international celebrities.
22 Basil St., London SW3 1AT. www.capitalhotel.co.uk. & 020/7589-5171. Fax [phone]
units. £305-£365 double. AE, DC, MC, V. Parking £30 per night. Tube: Knightsbridge. Amenities:
Restaurant; bar; babysitting; access to nearby health club. In room: A/C, TV, hair dryer, minibar, Wi-Fi
(£15 per day).
Knightsbridge Hotel A berth on a quiet, traffic-free, tree-lined street
sets the Knightsbridge apart from its more prosaic neighbors: Repeat visitors from
all over the world have succumbed to the charms of a small, comfortable hotel in
this high-rent district. Built in the early 1800s as a private townhouse, the
Knightsbridge has been updated with such luxe touches as granite-and-oak bath-
rooms, an honor bar, and Frette linens. Most bedrooms are spacious and furnished
with traditional English fabrics. The best rooms are nos. 311 and 312 at the rear,
each with a pitched ceiling and a small sitting area. The hotel is fabulously
located, sandwiched between fashionable Beauchamp Place and Harrods, with
many of the city's top museums close at hand.
10 Beaufort Gardens, London SW3 1PT. www.firmdale.com. & 020/7584-6300. Fax [phone].
44 units. £230-£320 double. AE, DC, MC, V. Tube: Knightsbridge. Amenities: Self-service bar; babysit-
ting; room service. In room: TV/DVD, CD player, hair dryer, minibar, Wi-Fi (£20).
Expensive
30 Pavilion Road A leafy rooftop restaurant, understated country-house
ambience, and the most British of personal service—it's no surprise that many of the
guests of this converted pumping station are repeat visitors. At this Knightsbridge
oasis, you press a buzzer and are admitted to a freight elevator that carries you to the
3rd floor. Upstairs, you'll encounter handsomely furnished rooms with antiques,
tasteful fabrics, comfortable beds (some with canopies), and often a sitting alcove.
Some of the tubs are placed right in the room instead of in a separate unit.
30 Pavilion Rd., London SW1X 0HJ. www.30pavilionroad.co.uk. & 020/7584-4921. Fax [phone]-
8694. 10 units. £180 double; £200 suite. Rates include continental breakfast. AE, DC, MC, V. Tube:
Knightsbridge. Amenities: Babysitting; room service. In room: A/C, TV, Wi-Fi (free).
KENSINGTON
Very Expensive
Baglioni Hotel Arguably West London's chicest address, Baglioni, part
of the Italian hotel chain, is the personification of la dolce vita in London. This
pricey citadel attracts those who were born to shop (Harrods is a 10-min. walk
away, Kensington High St. only 5). Of the 67 stunning and luxuriously furnished
bedrooms, 49 are suites. The best and most elegant bedrooms open onto Kensing-
ton Gardens. What an enclave: Ebonized wood floors and deluxe furnishings in
mocha, taupe, and black are just part of the allure. Suites come with their own
espresso machine, and the 24-hour room service is the most skilled and smoothly
functioning in London.
60 Hyde Park Gate, London SW7 5BB. www.baglionihotels.com. & 020/7368-5700. Fax [phone]-
5701. 67 units. £279-£329 double. AE, MC, V. Parking £38. Tube: High St. Kensington. Amenities: Res-
taurant; bar; babysitting; concierge; room service. In room: A/C, TV/DVD, movie library, CD player, CD
library, hair dryer, minibar, Internet (free).

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