South Place Hotel

From the tailored suits worn by the staff to the eerie art pieces, South Place Hotel screams style -- and plenty of it. The lobby seamlessly blends austere and playful touches: Ultra dark wood-paneled walls and a charcoal slate fireplace are juxtaposed with mustard yellow velvet armchairs and a funky black-and-white checkered coffee table. The predominant vibe of the art on the ground floor is edgy and bizarre, adding an air of mystery to the hotel: Think white plaster limbs extending ominously and a softly rattling wall of scuttling, rotating cans at the end of a long, dark hallway.

The hotel is situated within the Square Mile and off of a busy artery passing through major city hubs that include Moorgate and Old Street. Unfortunately, there isn’t much to see or do within the general vicinity of the hotel as most of the area caters to finance workers on a 9 to 5 schedule -- the block contains primarily office buildings, and any restaurants are generally closed on weekends. Wander just a bit further up the road however, and you start to venture on the edges of trendy Shoreditch -- a good place to start.

Designed beautifully by Conran and Partners -- a high-profile UK design group not to be confused with the Conrad hotel group -- the rooms are achingly hip with an abundance of luxury amenities. While this hotel does cater to leisure guests, it’s clear that it was meant to appeal equally to the corporate guest: Ebony wood headboards, tweed pillows, and monochrome houndstooth lounge chairs are a common theme. Pair that decor with charcoal gray, marble minibar cupboards and matching marble bathrooms, and you get rooms that are handsome and masculine with strong design elements adding plenty of style. Vintage cultural relics, encased in transparent resin, add a nice quirky touch.

Rooms are built to pamper. There’s fresh lemon and lime to accompany the drinks in the minibars -- which, incidentally, are creatively stocked: Drinks range from the classiest blended whiskies to spirits from local independent distilleries. Other deluxe touches include the automatic mood lighting touchpads, built-in media hubs with international sockets, 40-inch Bang and Olufsen televisions, iPod docking stations, toasters, Jing teas, and free shoe shine that come with every room. And if that’s not enough, don’t forget the bathrobes and slippers, abundant James Heeley toiletries, large inviting tubs (some rooms only), rainfall showerheads, and even sensual Koibito love kits (available for a fee).

If you want to get a party started, head down to the 3 South Place bar and grill: Classy and stylish, the bar hosts resident DJs until late into the night and features cowhide armchairs, black accented furniture, and a long granite table in the center. For a little more privacy, the Secret Garden bar is an open-air space for hotel guests only and comes complete with tropical plants and a waterfall feature.

Angler Restaurant is the hotel’s prized Michelin-star restaurant that serves locally sourced seafood. A bright, inviting roof terrace and the sleek and sexy Angler bar are also open to guests. Le Chiffre is an all-purpose function room decked out with quirky vintage objects, handsome brown leather armchairs, and a stock cabinet full of spirits.

The hotel also offers a small fitness center with modern cardio and resistance equipment, as well as free weights. There is also a tiny spa that feature an extensive list of treatments, including ones designed especially for men and others tailored to women.