The Colonnade London

Dating back to 1865, this elegant Victorian property has been through several incarnations -- including boarding school, private apartments, and even a hospital -- before becoming The Colonnade in 1944. As well as being the birthplace of mathematician Alan Turing, the hotel has had a long list of notable guests, including Sigmund Freud and, more recently, Christian Slater and Woody Harrelson. The boutique property still very much maintains the look and feel of a private, albeit lavish, 19th-century residence, stuffed with antique furnishings, gilt-framed mirrors, and plush tasseled sofas and draperies -- there's even a resident cat. The hotel's elevator is also one of the oldest operating lifts in the U.K., and it services all but the top forth floor -- though its age means it's occasionally out of order and stairs are fairly steep.

The hotel is located on the corner of a quiet residential street in the leafy and upmarket Maida Vale area of West London. A couple of blocks away are the picturesque canals and barges of Little Venice -- one of the capital's prettiest neighborhoods. The Warwick Avenue Tube station is about a five-minute walk away and offers convenient access via the Bakerloo Line, which connects to the city center (Oxford Circus) in 12 minutes. West London's main train terminal, Paddington Station, is one stop away, with connections throughout the capital and beyond.  

Because of the age of the building, most of the hotel's 44 rooms vary in shape and size, but all follow the similar theme of classical English decor with traditionally styled furnishings. Though some of the superior rooms have a more modern take on the traditional, others are starting to look a little dated and even old-fashioned. In-room amenities blend old-school -- personalized business cards, free shoeshine, trouser press -- with minibars and plenty of tech, including flat-screen TVs, CD players with music library, and free Wi-Fi (faster unlimited data uploads come with a charge). Luxury touches also include Italian-made Egyptian cotton sheets, robes and slippers, and Gilchrist & Soames bath products -- though some of the bathrooms, which have shower/tub combos, could use sprucing up. Suites, however, are particularly sumptuous, with mezzanine floors and four-poster beds. 

The Colonnade serves a full and tasty breakfast each morning -- guests can choose from a continental buffet, full English, or cooked-to-order eggs -- American-style pancakes are also on the menu. The restaurant also offers afternoon tea as well as an evening menu -- while the food is good it's expensive. There's also a lobby lounge where visitors can sink into plush armchairs while enjoying a quintessentially English moment with a copy of The Times newspaper and a cup of tea.