Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park
London

If you're looking for Hyde Park views, luxury shopping on your doorstep and haute cuisine then the Mandarin Oriental is the place for you from the minute you climb the staircase into the art-deco marble lobby the hustle and bustle of London simply fade away. Built at the turn of the 20th century to be used as gentleman's serviced apartments, the hotel's grand Victorian facade is ornately beautiful and rooms are a tasteful blend of Louis XVI-inspired British tradition and global contemporary luxe that you would expect from a mega brand like the Mandarin Oriental. One of the few grand London hotels that was purpose built for luxury accommodation, corridors are incredibly wide and spacious and lined with sumptuous sofas and armchairs. Each floor has its own decorative lobby meaning that simply walking from your room to breakfast makes you feel like royalty. Although lavish and ornate in style, service at the Mandarin matches up to its Asian counterparts staff are discreet and scrupulous and work hard to make your stay a truly memorable experience. Dining is where this hotel really comes into its own the Mandarin Bar is smart and sexy whereas next doors Dinner by Heston Blumenthal is an innovative gastronomic treat with expansive views of Hyde Park. A firm Ampersand favourite Bar Boulud is the perfect place for lunch after a hard day's shopping.

To my mind, the greatest reward and luxury of travel is to be able to experience everyday things as if for the first time, to be in a position in which almost nothing is so familiar it is taken for granted.
Bill Bryson