The Beaumont

The proprietors call this relative newcomer “American-style,” but you might peg it for Art Deco; after all, its 1926 facade was once the garage of Selfridges’ department store, the halls and lifts are full of glossy shots of bygone stars, and its bar and restaurant—serving duck egg hash at breakfast—strongly evoke a 1930s Los Angeles grill, like a Mayfair version of Hollywood’s Musso & Frank. Or maybe they mean that it’s friendly, not stuffy—after all, the top-hatted doormen welcome you by name whenever you return, such as from Selfridges itself, steps away. Either way, it’s a five-star hotel that benefits from the fact its guts were custom-built a few years ago, meaning rooms could be customized to be cutting-edge (free streaming movies, free minibar, heated bathroom floors). It’s a top-quality luxury stay in a modestly sized hotel, but without the affected snottiness of some London properties. The Beaumont is most noted for Antony Gormley’s geometric sculpture of a brooding man perched on one of its outcroppings—inside is an arty wooden suite that’s favored by society spenders. You’re more likely to love a “Classic” room facing the courtyard or a “Superior” facing the quiet street and a pocket park.