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| The Ampersand Hotel in South Kensington |
After
10 years of travelling the world in search of the best boutique
boltholes, the hotel experts at Mr & Mrs Smith have discovered it’s
the classic haunts of Paris and London that top the charts
for city breaks in Europe.
Smith
bookings for the first five months of 2013 show that the English and
French capitals are the most desirable city destinations for Smith
bookers, with Barcelona hot on their heels and New York the top choice
beyond Europe. London’s cultural credentials and Paris’ brasserie-lined
boulevards make the Anglo-Gallic pairing this year’s European
favourites.
Here’s the Smith picks of the most chic stays in two of Europe’s hottest boltholes:
A LOVE OF LONDON
For a dash of gourmet gastro in the centre of the city, Mr & Mrs Smith’s newest tip is the tranquil Grazing Goat.
Tucked away behind Marble Arch, there are just eight rooms; despite
their central location, each is styled with lashings of countryside
character. Doubles from $268.00
If it’s oriental-inspired modern opulence that floats your boat, head to the Anouska Hempel-designed La Suite West in
well-bred Bayswater. Opened in August last year, this retreat in a
listed building has chef Victor Garvey (of Copenhagen’s NOMA fame) at
the helm of the forward-thinking restaurant. Doubles from $279.00
The Ampersand Hotel in
South Kensington made its debut last summer. Boutique luxury in London
doesn’t get much more accomplished than this: the interior design (and
the cocktail menu) is inspired by the surrounding museums, with
references to botany, music, geometry, ornithology and astronomy. What
better way to prompt discerning discourse à deux? Doubles from $263.00
Aperitivi,
the light bites you’re presented with as soon as you pull up a pew, are
one of the many things we love about Italy. Back in Blighty, we say grazie to Baglioni,
opposite Hyde Park, where this March the bar launched its own version
of the tasty Mediterranean treats. So, roll up and raise a toast to la dolce vita; cocktail and antipasti, anyone? Doubles from $591.00
It’s 175 years since Brown’s,
London’s first hotel, opened in 1837. Redesigned by hotel guru Olga
Polizzi, each room blazes with British good looks – this is
unquestionably one of London’s top citystays. Doubles from $679.00
PASSION FOR PARIS
Sleek, chic Hotel Sezz in the 16th arrondissement comes with a historic Parisian façade covering a contemporary cool interior. Book 21 days in advance all year round for 10% off. Mais oui! Doubles from $400.00
With delightfully mismatched interiors by designer India Mahdavi, Hôtel Thoumieux sits
in the most cultured patch of Paris. It’s eccentrically beautiful
throughout, but its Michelin-starred, design-your-own-menu cuisine is
the main attraction. Doubles from $327.00
The first hotel project of fashion frontman Martin Margiela, La Maison Champs Elysées showcases
his fine eye for art, sophisticated style and playful sense of humour.
The dominant colours are black, white and grey, but there’s no doom and
gloom here – the theatrical design is too amusing for that. Curious
couture, a tranquil terrace and fine French food make this our top tip
for a très chic Parisian retreat. Doubles from$569.00
After a flâneur’s foray through the streets of Paris, there’s nowhere better to wind up than Hôtel Daniel.
This breathtakingly beautiful hotel in Paris is a feast for the eyes, a
delicate confection of exotic Eastern motifs, 18th-century Chinoiserie
and specially commissioned fabric and wall coverings. Doubles from $550.00
Just off the Champs-Élysée, Hotel Keppler is
all imposing Haussmannian townhouse on the outside; inside, designer
Pierre-Yves Rochon has signed off a sophisticated meeting of
high-society modern style with camped-up classicism. Riddled with
alcoves, plastered with frescoes and dotted with intriguing artefacts,
the hotel has an air of opulence. Book a month in advance for an
exclusive 10% off, including breakfast, from now until the end of August. Doubles from $524.00
