"The Connaught curves around Carlos Place in Mayfair Village, but it’s not just the address that makes this one of the smartest hotels in London. It started life in 1815 as the Prince of Saxe-Coburg Hotel, and since then has had facelifts as well as the additions of a wing, an Aman spa, and a 1930s-style ballroom—all without losing its original spirit. A gilded mahogany staircase twists heavenward in the reception area, where the energy crackles with a permanent sense of occasion. The private art collection bedazzles: a Graham Sutherland landscape here, a Barbara Hepworth lithograph there. Despite the grandeur, everyone is treated with trademark down-to-earth service. Blending heritage and creature comforts, rooms and suites by Guy Oliver promise style and a soft landing. Minibars are disguised as chinoiserie cabinets; bed heads are hand-embroidered. The 2024-renovated gray-green or storm-cloud-blue Coburg Suites, with painted paneling, delft-encrusted chimneypieces, and heavy draped curtains, are the newest. Megawatt options include The Apartment, designed by David Collins Studio, on the rooftop; The Mews, a light-filled private townhouse; and the King’s Lodge, inspired by Kabul’s 19th-century Peacock Palace. The Jean-Georges Vongerichten and Hélène Darroze flagship restaurants are the focus of a stay, but the watering holes are the most fun. If you start an affair at the Connaught Bar, with its jolly martini trolley and candlelight, you can cut a bon vivant’s business deal at The Coburg. And, for quiet loungers, the Red Room is a modern bar that has an after- or preparty feel. Part of the Maybourne Group, this landmark grande dame still feels utterly relevant. From $1,090 a night. —Lydia Bell" - CNT Editors
