Twenty Nevern Square

Twenty Nevern Square is a romantic hotel with flavor inspired by the British Empire's former colonies, from the lounge's porcelain vases and ornate birdcages to the heavy silk curtains that dress the windows. The hotel takes great care to make sure the public areas are both comfortable and eye-catching; the lobby is filled with elegant, colorful seating areas set against a backdrop of cream walls and patterned drapes. Natural woods and fabrics are combined with colonial, Italian, and Asian influences that create a calm and stylish setting. The bright bar and breakfast area -- with its high, conservatory-style glass ceiling and exposed beams -- feels exotic. The tucked-away location favors anyone who thinks that peace and quiet is as important as excitement, and the hotel is mostly popular with couples.

Nevern Square is quiet and leafy, and the hotel sits on a pleasantly isolated street, amongst the beautiful mansion house buildings between Chelsea to the south-east and High Street Kensington to the north. Chelsea is one of London’s most exclusive and prestigious boroughs, home to cluster of attractions that offer something for everyone. The borough contains many of London’s most architecturally impressive buildings, and many designer and boutique shopping locations can be found around Kensington High Street. While Chelsea is strongly associated with the Royal Family, it still offers a unique blend of ancient and modern attractions that appeal to all kinds of travelers. There are many busy, colorful pubs and high-end restaurants that rank amongst the best that London has to offer. Twenty Nevern Square is no more than a five-minute walk from Earls Court tube station, which is on three tube lines, and the route to the station is a pleasant walk, too, putting it in an ideal spot for getting around. It’s just two stops on the tube (or a 20-minute walk) to the Victoria & Albert Museum, the Natural History Museum, and the Science Museum, as well as the Royal Albert Hall, and just a bit further to Kensington Gardens or Harrod's.

As a converted townhouse, the hotel has rooms of all different sizes, shapes, and styles. Each room has been individually decorated with a mix of Asian-inflected and Western furnishings, with delicate carved-wood furniture and rich silks, alongside modern conveniences like flat-screen TVs (housed in elegant cupboards). The floors are either hardwood or plush beige carpets. The twin room downstairs has a patio at the back, and one of the double rooms has a large private terrace with wrought-iron outdoor furniture and boxtrees. Most beds are four-poster -- no twin beds pushed together here -- and are covered in luxe fabrics and romantic canopies. Bathrooms are larger than expected, with marble tiles, fluffy bathrobes, and Gilchrist & Soames toiletries concealed in ornate boxes; some bathrooms have walk-in shower stalls, while others have shower/tub combinations. Rooms also have have fireplaces, iPod docks, and Egyptian cotton sheets. Extra perks include welcome fruit and free newspapers.

A continental buffet breakfast -- juices, cereals, pastries, and fruit -- is included in the price; full English is an optional extra. The conservatory-style breakfast room and bar (with a flat-screen TV) is at the back of the hotel, connected to reception by a lounge with a paid Internet computer station (Wi-Fi is free in the rooms). The conservatory room can also be rented out for meetings and conferences, and seats up to 25 people. A pleasant courtyard garden to the rear barely has room for the two tables at the centre, but it is the public spaces that nudge Twenty Nevern ahead of its neighbors. The hotel also offers access to a local gym for interested guests.