I quite like this impossibly central hotel. It's not the most perfect place you'll ever stay in any sense, but it's solid, well-run, thoughtfully equipped, and you won't be sorry you booked it. Slotted into a gorgeous old Victorian building in the heart of Shaftesbury Avenue (amid theatres and Soho alike), you'd walk right by it if you didn't know it was there, but inside is a friendly independent hotel, smoothly soundproofed (carpets, upholstered headboards), that packs luxury-level room amenities (AC, Nespresso coffee, safe, hand-held tablets with tourist info) into moderately priced rooms. For being in the pounding heart of the city, the hotel feels calmly sealed away once you're inside. From the welcome glass of Prosecco to the attentive staff (after all, there are only 67 rooms), the Piccadilly treats guests who pay moderate rates a sense of higher-priced luxury.