The Connaught Hotel

The Connaught was known as the Coburg until the First World War, when it took the name of Queen Victoria’s son, the Duke of Connaught. It stands on Carlos Place in Mayfair, with Tadao Ando’s water feature Silence just outside, and inside it keeps the quiet, residential feel of a private house. The 121 rooms and suites are divided between the original building, restored by the designer Guy Oliver in 2007, and a contemporary wing he added at the same time. They mix traditional and modern design, with marble bathrooms and original artworks drawn from a collection of around 3,000 pieces that includes Barbara Hepworth, Graham Sutherland and Louise Bourgeois. Suite guests have a personal butler, and some suites open onto private terraces above the rooftops. Hélène Darroze’s restaurant holds three Michelin stars, and the Connaught Bar is known for its Martini trolley. At the heart of the building, the Aman Spa offers a quiet retreat from Mayfair, with an indoor pool and treatment rooms.