GREAT BRITAIN - Best of Europe 2014 - page 839

$ Cherry Court Hotel, run by the friendly and industrious Patel family, rents 12 very
small but bright and well-designed rooms in a central location. Considering London's sky-
high prices, this is a fine budget choice (Sb-£55, Db-£65, Tb-£105, Qb-£120, Quint/b-£130,
ask for best Rick Steves price with this topic, 5 percent fee to pay with credit card, fruit-
basket breakfast in room, air-con, free Internet access and Wi-Fi, laundry, peaceful garden
patio,23HughStreet,tel.[phone],fax[phone], www.cherrycourthotel.co.uk ,
[e-mail] ).
$easyHotelVictoria, at36BelgraveRoad,ispartofthebudgetchaindescribedon here .
“South Kensington,” She Said, Loosening His Cummerbund
To stay on a quiet street so classy it doesn't allow hotel signs, surrounded by trendy shops
and colorful restaurants, call “South Ken” your London home. Shoppers like being a short
walk from Harrods and the designer shops of King's Road and Chelsea. When I splurge, I
splurge here. Sumner Place is just off Old Brompton Road, 200 yards from the handy South
Kensington Tube station (on Circle Line, two stops from Victoria Station; and on Piccadilly
Line, direct from Heathrow).
$$$ Aster House, well-run by friendly and accommodating Simon and Leonie Tan,
has a cheerful lobby, lounge, and breakfast room. Its 13 rooms are comfy and quiet, with
TV, phone, and air-conditioning. Enjoy breakfast or just lounging in the whisper-elegant
Orangery, a glassy greenhouse. Simon and Leonie offer free loaner mobile phones to their
guests (Sb-£125, Db-£190, bigger Db-£235 or £270, does not include 20 percent VAT; ask
about discount with this topic—up to 20 percent discount if you book three or more nights,
up to 25 percent discount for five or more nights; additional discount with cash, check web-
site for specials, pay Internet access, free Wi-Fi, 3 Sumner Place, tel. [phone], fax
020/7584-4925, www.asterhouse.com , [e-mail] ) .
$$$ Number Sixteen, for well-heeled travelers, packs over-the-top formality and class
into its 41 rooms, plush lounges, and tranquil garden. It's in a labyrinthine building, with
boldly modern decor—perfect for an urban honeymoon (Sb-from £140, Db-from £225—but
soft, ask for discounted “seasonal rates,” especially on weekends and in Aug—subject to
availability, does not include 20 percent VAT, breakfast buffet in the garden-£18 contin-
ental or £19 full English, elevator, free Internet access, pay Wi-Fi, 16 Sumner Place, tel.
020/7589-5232, fax [phone], US tel. [phone], www.firmdalehotels.com , six-
[e-mail] ).
$$$ The Pelham Hotel, a 52-room business-class hotel with crisp service and a pricey
mix of pretense and style, is not quite sure which investment company owns it. It's genteel,
with low lighting and a pleasant drawing room among the many perks (Db-£190-290, rate
dependsonroomsize andseason,breakfast-£15 continental or£18fullEnglish, doesnotin-
clude 20 percent VAT, lower prices on weekends and in Aug, Web specials can include free