Budget travelers are quickly discovering easyHotel, 14 Lexham Gardens (www.easyhotel.com). The hotel runs on the principle that people would rather have smaller hotel rooms and pay less. If you are claustrophobic, this hotel is definitely not for you. The rooms are 6-7 sq. meters (65-75 sq ft.), with most of the space taken up by standard double beds. If you can get a room with a window, do so because it makes a big difference. Flat-screen televisions are in every room, but you have to pay a fee to use them. The maximum per room is two people, and children under 18 are not allowed unaccompanied.
Located on one of London's trendiest streets, Saint Gregory Hotel, Shoreditch High Street, (tel. 207/613-9800; www.saintgregory-hotel.com), is a comfortable hotel at moderate prices. Business travelers flock here because of the well-lit workstations, dataports, and safes available in every room. The onsite restaurant, Roof Tops, has panoramic views of the city, which makes up for the less-than-stellar food. You can also grab a cocktail at G's Bar or coffee at St. G's Café.
Evoking Italian contemporary style, the expensive Baglioni Hotel (tel. 207/368-5700; www.baglionihotellondon.com) contains 68 units, including two presidential suites, all in a black, mocha, and taupe motif. This new hotel has landed the perfect location for "shop till you drop" divas. A 10-minute walk from the hotel leaves you in the heart of London's shopping haven. Baglioni Hotel offers such amenities as 24-hr. room service, spa, fitness center, and a delectable Italian restaurant, Brunello Restaurant.
Soho Hotel (tel. 207/559-3000; www.firmdale.com) is London's hottest spot for luxury. Its 91 units, elegant lounge, library, spacious fitness center, and fine restaurant, Refuel, are situated where only a parking garage stood not too long ago. Here you will find individually designed accommodations, granite and oak walk-in showers, and a top-of-the-line 1,500 sq. ft. Soho Suite on the fifth floor with panoramic views of London's landmarks and a 24-hr. butler solely for the suite.
London's newest design hotel is K-West, Richmond Way (tel. 020/7674-1000; www.k-west.co.uk), in what was the former home of the BBC administration center. Swanky suites and elegant bedrooms in a contemporary neutral style await a cosmopolitan crowd of hotel shoppers who aren't put off by the Shepherd's Bush location. Everything from Philippe Starck designs to state-of-the-art plumbing awaits you in this bastion of chic, attracting lots of media people. The young, good-looking staff scurries around catering to your needs (at least some of your needs). The hot stone treatments in the topnotch spa are memorable.
Sir Michael Caine has come back with a vengeance to the dining scene. His new restaurant, Deya, 34 Portman Sq. (tel. 207/224-0028; www.deya-restaurant.co.uk), serves modern and inventive Indian dishes cooked by renowned chef Sanjay Dwivedi, previously of Zaika. Vegetarians love this place because of the extensive amounts of choices Dwivedi's menu offers. The bar here has become one of the places to be after dark because of mixologist Massimo Di Paola's exotic cocktail list.
The newest venture from the owners of the popular Club Gascon has been an enormous success. Le Cercle, 1 Wilbraham Place (tel. 207/901-9999), is a French restaurant with tapas-sized portions. The food is absolutely delectable, but diners have to order three to four dishes to equal a normal starter and main course. The service can be a bit slow, especially on busy nights like Saturday, but the waiters are friendly and can be very helpful when it comes to selecting dishes. The biggest problem here is the noise level: Diners have complained that they had to strain to hear the person sitting across from them. The quality of the food seems to have made up for the restaurant's faults, however, because almost everyone we talked to said they would go back.
In a rather inconvenient location in Bethnal Green, a hidden gem is waiting to be discovered. Bistrotheque, 23-27 Wadeson St. (tel. 020/8983-7900; www.bistrotheque.com), has a congenial waiting staff, all of which are knowledgeable about the menu. The decor is minimalist. Some find it charming, whereas others feel as if a part of the dining experience is missing. Menu choices here are simple, but done right. The meat is cooked exactly as directed, which has become a rarity these days. The cod and chips is a favorite of a lot of the diners.
After a day of shopping at Oxford Street, many head over to Leon, 35-36 Great Marlborough St. (tel. 020/7437-5280). This new cafe-style restaurant serves filling organic food at very low prices. Everything on the menu is fresh and healthy, and the service is extremely fast, causing some to quip, "It's gourmet fast food." While gourmet it's not, this is a great place to just sit and eat without being rushed.
Voted "London Newcomer of the Year" by the editors of the Good Food Guide, Anchor & Hope, 36 The Cut (tel. 020/7928-9898), has become the place to dine in the fast-rising area around the Young Vic Theatre, reached by the Southwark tube. Its cooking is a refined version of a traditional European cuisine. One half is a pub, the other a restaurant. You don't expect to taste such a refined cuisine in a pub setting. But the dishes are completely captivating, some achieved after a long cooking process. The stuffed duck is one of the most memorable of such dishes in London.
The owners of the celebrated Harry's Bar in Venice have opened Cipriani in London at 25 Davies St. (tel. 020/7399-0500; www.cipriani.com). Its Art Deco-style dining room is now a choice reservation for true devotees of the northern Italian style of cooking. Yes, Virginia, you can also order a Bellini here, just like Hemingway enjoyed in Venice a long time ago.
Paul McCartney's daughter has made a name for herself as a top designer in recent years. Her reputation continues to grow. Her store, Stella McCartney, 30 Bruton St. (tel. 207/518-3100; www.stellamccartney.com), is the best place to pick up clothing from her new line of women's wear. Vegetarians and animal lovers adore McCartney's no leather, suede, or fur policy while fashionistas clamor for the chic look of her designs.
Vintage lovers have a new favorite place to shop. Haji and White, 53 Fashion St. (tel. 207/377-9319; www.hajiandwhite.com), sells a variety of vintage design objects, such as ceramics and artwork. However, they also sell books, old records, and video games like the original Atari. The store's more eccentric patrons praise the artwork by Richard Paul, Luke Oxley, Anthony Gross, and Craig Fischer.
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