If you like discreet luxury boltholes that whisper their credentials rather than scream them in your face, as seems to be commonplace these days, head to this latest boutique hotel. Found in a quiet lane just around the corner from the ultra-fashionable Marylebone High Street, Ten Manchester Street is a chic little hotel perfect for a weekend in town.
Housed in an Edwardian building, the hotel's glamorous reception area is immediately arresting. Contemporary chandeliers twinkle over sparkling black granite floors, there are plush oversized red armchairs designed by Christopher Guy, while stylish black and white photos of the capital's sights hang on the walls. But this is as loud as it gets. The 45 bedrooms are cool, calm and collected — decorated in neutrals with classy, wallpapered feature walls, fine linens and state-of-the-art bathrooms.
Cigar aficionados will love the dedicated smokers' terrace, which has a custom-made walk-in Hunters & Frankau humidor, while the adjoining all-day lounge bar makes a great pit-stop for snacks and drinks before a night out on the town.
The small dining room feels intimate, decorated in rich shades of gold and bronze. Its simple modern-European menu may not be highly unusual, but it's in keeping with the surroundings: high quality and classic with a pinch of flair. Ideal for guests who don't want to stray too far from the comfort of their rooms, we feasted on beetroot-cured salmon carpaccio with mustard sour cream (£9) and a delicious sea bass baked with basil tapenade (£13.50).
Perhaps it does not pack the punch of some of London's better known hotels, but with its friendly service and chic interiors — teamed with its very handy location (Marylebone's shops, cafes and bars are among the best in London) — Ten Manchester Street is a real find. This is a hotel that will slowly sizzle rather than burn fast and die.
Ten Manchester Street hotel, 10 Manchester Street, London, W1U 4DG (+44 (0) 207 317 5900; tenmanchesterstreethotel.com). Rates start from £169 per night.
