Ham Yard Hotel

A large bronze sculpture by Tony Cragg stands in the courtyard of Ham Yard Hotel, a small square planted with oak trees and lined with independent shops, a few steps from Piccadilly Circus. The hotel opened in 2014 and belongs to Firmdale Hotels, and like the group’s other addresses it was designed by Kit Kemp, who brings together bold colour, pattern, contemporary art and British craft. Every room and suite is decorated differently, and large windows look out over the courtyard or the rooftops of Soho. The restaurant and bar serve seasonal British cooking and cocktails inspired by the hotel’s art collection, and for several years the same team has run the restaurant at Frieze Masters. The building also holds a roof garden, a spa, a theatre and The Croc, a bowling alley with an original 1950s lane brought over from Texas.