"The Queen learnt to dance in the ballroom of this splendidly florid pile. A great deal has changed since then. There's now an award-winning, state-of-the-art spa, zeitgeist-y restaurants by Daniel Boulud and Heston Blumenthal, and perpetually packed bars (not one, not two, but three, and all terrific in their very different ways). In June 2018, straight off the back of the biggest refurbishment in this Hyde Park hotel’s history, a major roof fire kept the hotel closed for another 10 months. Reopening in April 2019, the Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park retains elements of its gentler, more cosily traditional past, but with interiors that have had a modern makeover, and are significantly lighter and brighter. Meanwhile, the clippity-clop that rises faintly from the Hyde Park side as horses from the Household Cavalry make their way past the hotel never gets old. Price: Rooms from around $1,182 per nightAddress: 66 Knightsbridge, London SW1X 7LAClosest tube station: Knightsbridge" - Condé Nast Traveller, Steve King
