London has held on to its reputation as one of Europe's hippest capitals with new landmarks and trendy hotels, restaurants and clubs opening up all the time. The hotel scene is ever expanding with recent openings including boutique hotels and stylish B&B accommodation in the pretty neighbourhoods of Notting Hill and Chelsea as well as more centrally in Bloomsbury and Mayfair. Steeped in history and architecture, with prominent sights at every turn, from Big Ben to the London Eye, the National Gallery to the Tate Modern, London is a timeless city offering a fascinating mix of old and new.

BASE2STAY
25 Courtfield Gardens SW5 (0845 262 8000; www.base2stay.com). The Kensington address, the grand, white façade, the black-and-cream reception with a lone sculptural flower, everything points to a classic boutique hotel. Except there's no bar, restaurant or gym, and a double room costs under £100. This new-concept hotel provides stylish, streamlined accommodation for the iPod-laptop-Blackberry brigade, two steps from Earl's Court tube and only a few more from the V & A. The 67 bedrooms have chocolate-brown carpets, photographic prints by Peter Lavery, oversized showers and lots of handy sockets (including a European one) for recharging all those gadgets. Large flat-screen TVs access 30 films at £2.95 a go and broadband costs £2.95 per hour. There are also vending machines selling Evian, in-room kitchenettes with fridges and microwaves, and directories listing nearby services. £

B+B BELGRAVIA
64-66 Ebury Street, SW1 (020 7259 8570; www.bb-belgravia.com). Winner of a Visit London Award for two years running, this Georgian townhouse B&B is a good substitute for anyone who has dreamed of having a pied-à-terre in residential Belgravia, near the quirky fashion boutiques of Elizabeth Street and Victoria station. Opened in 2004, it is run by the B+B Collection, a consortium of hoteliers with plans to open more B&Bs in the UK. Rooms have flat-screen TVs, phone cards (allowing guests to make calls at standard rates) and free Internet. Interiors are fresh and contemporary (black and white in the living room; earthy tones in the smallish bedrooms). Commendably, none of the homeliness of the traditional B&B has been sacrificed: breakfast is a hearty Continental or full English, cooked to order. £

BROWNS HOTEL
Brown's Hotel, Albemarle Street, London W1 (0870 460 8040; www.roccofortehotels.com). Located in the heart of Mayfair, Brown's Hotel looks set to reclaim its position as London's grande-dame hotel when it reopens in early December. Former guests Rudyard Kipling, Haile Selassie and Agatha Christie would hardly recognise their old quarters. Designer Olga Polizzi has spent £20 million sprucing up acres of original oak panelling, wrought-iron banisters and stained-glass windows, and updating rooms with banquettes, limestone bathrooms and prints by British artists such as Bridget Riley. ££

CHARLOTTE STREET HOTEL
15 Charlotte Street, W1 (020 7806 2000; fax: 7806 2002; www.firmdale.com). Sister hotel to the Covent Garden Hotel, the Charlotte Street Hotel is located just north of Soho, in Fitzrovia. The hotel, owned by Kit and Tim Kemp, has 52 individually designed rooms including loft and penthouse suites decorated in contemporary English country-house style and is equipped with a CD player, DVD, VCR and all business related mod cons. The Charlotte Street Hotel was featured in The Hot List 2001 and The Gold List 2005. £££

CIRCUS APARTMENTS
39 Westferry Circus, E1 (020 7719 7000; fax: 7719 7001; www.circusapartments.co.uk). Set in a swish, blond building in the Docklands, with a darkly handsome main entrance and beige and crimson furnishings, the hotel has 49 one-and two-bedroom apartments with fully equipped kitchens, DVD and CD players. You can be completely independent, but wake-up calls, maid service and other hotel amenities are available. Rooms have balconies but the apartments don't look directly over the river. £££

CLARIDGE'S
Brook Street, W1 (020 7629 8860; fax: 7499 2210; www.claridges.co.uk). Located in Mayfair, with Bond Street, Hyde Park, Covent Garden and the Houses of Parliament all within easy reach, Claridge's enjoys a prime location. The famed Art-Deco building dates back to 1898 and the hotel is one of London's most renowned. Residing head chef at the restaurant is England's only three-starred Michelin chef - Gordon Ramsay, who serves superb European cuisine. Don't miss Claridge's famed afternoon tea. The Olympus Health & Fitness Suite has a range of gym facilities, a personal trainer and sweeping views across London. Claridge's was featured in the The Gold List 2005. £££££

COVENT GARDEN HOTEL
10 Monmouth St, WC2 (020 7806 1000; fax: 7806 1100; www.firmdale.com). This intimate boutique hotel is located Covent Garden, in the heart of London's theatre land and dining district and so is perfect for a weekend theatre break or for some serious shopping. There are 58 stylish rooms and suites, many with views over London. Brasserie Max is a light and spacious restaurant that serves modern British cuisine in relaxed surroundings. There is also a fully equipped gym on the lower ground floor, a beauty treatment room and a private screening room where you can watch all the classics. £££

DUKE'S HOTEL
St James's Place, SW1 (020 7491 4840; fax: 7493 1264; www.dukeshotel.com). Duke's Hotel is located in a hidden courtyard off St James's Street. The service is traditional and pleasant - expect deferential butlers, maids and valets to tend to your every need. Some rooms overlook St James's Place, but book the penthouse for the ultimate, royal views: Buckingham Palace, Clarence House and Spencer House. Beware though - this is an old-school hotel and fun-loving visitors might find the formality inhibiting. Dukes Bar is famous for its dry Martinis, make sure you try one. £££

FOUR SEASONS HOTEL CANARY WHARF
46 Westferry Circus, E1 (020 7510 1999; fax: 7510 1998; www.fourseasons.com). A minimal modern hotel which is part of the riverside development near Canary Wharf (restaurants, shops, boats into London), with 142 rooms, including 14 suites and interiors just the right side of bland. Nobu restaurant is nearby. Staff are welcoming and well groomed. Good for business stopovers. £££

FOUR SEASONS HOTEL LONDON
Hamilton Place, W1 (020 7499 0888; fax: 020 7493 1895; www.fourseasons.com). Situated in Mayfair, a stone's throw from shops, museums and theatres, the Four Seasons has 219 rooms, including 26 suites, with either city or park views. It also boasts the Lanes Restaurant and Cocktail Bar, an indoor tennis club and extensive facilities for business travellers. The Four Seasons Hotel was voted best business hotel in the UK in The Readers' Travel Awards 2002 and 2003, and was featured in The Gold List 2005. ££

GREAT EASTERN HOTEL
Liverpool Street, EC2 (020 7618 5000; fax: 7618 5001; www.great-eastern-hotel.co.uk). The first hotel in the City's Square Mile is ideal for businessmen, but also frequented by trendsetters from neighbouring Hoxton and Shoreditch. The 267 rooms come in all shapes and sizes (some with high ceilings and mouldings, others more attic-like with porthole windows) and the furnishings are uniformly sleek. The restaurants, like the hotel, are half-owned by Conran Holdings and include Aurora, Terminus, Fishmarket and Miyabi. £££

GUEST HOUSE WEST
163-165 Westbourne Grove, W11 (020 7792 9800; fax: 7792 9797; www.guesthousewest.com). Notting Hill's answer to the traditional B&B, the Guesthouse West has 20 small but functional rooms with flat-panel TVs, DVD players and broadband; and meals are provided by the neighbouring deli, Tavoli, run by chef Alastair Little. The hotel can arrange beauty treatments, personal training sessions, shopping trips or chauffeured tours of London. ££

HAMILTON HOUSE HOTEL
14 West Grove, SE10 (020 8694 9899; fax: 8694 2370; www.hamiltonhousehotel.co.uk). Located in Greenwich, the hotel is set in an 18th-century house with original wooden panelling and flooring and interiors enlivened by the owner's Indian decor. There are nine generous double rooms (some have four-poster beds) all with en-suite facilities and Enderby's restaurant which serves modern British food such as pan-fried calf's liver with mash and bacon. Against the big hotels on the Isle of Dogs, this small, family-run hotel scores highly for its friendly, personal approach. ££

HAZLITT'S
6 Frith Street, W1 (020 7434 1771; fax: 7439 1524; www.hazlittshotel.com). Located in the heart of Soho and the theatre district, just off Soho Square and minutes from Chinatown, Hazlitt's is made up of three restored Georgian townhouses (one the former home of essayist William Hazlitt) with original paintings and antiques. There are 23 rooms, including one suite. The service is warm, the Georgian experience enhanced by chambermaids in traditional striped uniforms and white pinnies. The X factor? The huge, wood-panelled bathrooms with deep, roll-top baths and chain-flush lavatories. £££

HILTON LONDON PADDINGTON
146 Praed Street, W2 (020 7850 0500; fax: 7850 0600; www.hilton.com). This hotel occupies the old Great Eastern Royal Hotel, a lavishly restored city landmark, and has 355 rooms. Business facilities include a ballroom which holds 480 for conferences and 15 other meeting rooms. Visitors in a hurry benefit from the 18 airline check-in desks at Paddington Station, where you can board the Heathrow Express for the 15-minute train journey to Heathrow airport. ££

K WEST HOTEL & SPA
Richmond Way, W14 (08700 274343; www.k-west.co.uk). 'South Beach meets East Village', as the website has it, it is not. The former BBC office is rather soulless, despite the striking glass façade and open-plan lobby-bar; and the Shepherd's Bush location feels out of the way, although it's not bad for Notting Hill. However, K West does have an excellent gym and spa (with ESPA and Thai-based Ytsara treatments). It also has an overall feeling of hipness that derives in part from design details (such as fluorescent strips in the corridor) and in part from its steady stream of visiting musicians, including Pink and Franz Ferdinand. Opened in 2001, K West has won plaudits for minimalist style at minimal prices. The 220 rooms, in taupe, brown and cream, stainless steel and glass, include 99 executive rooms with Philippe Starck baths, flat-screen TVs, DVD players and Wi-Fi (at £10 per day). The best are the six 592sq ft K Suites, which come with 37in Bose 'cinema' screens and double baths. Kanteen restaurant is open from early morning to 10.30pm.

LANGHAM HOTEL
1C Portland Place, Regent Street, W1 (020 7636 1000; fax: 020 7323 2340; www.langhamhotels.com/langham/london; email: lon.info@langhamhotels.com). This hotel has had many lives: opened in 1865 and most recently known as the Langham Hilton, it has been the home of Napoleon, Wallis Simpson and the BBC over the years. Renovated and refurbished by Langham Hotels International, the hotel has 427 rooms and suites, a bar, Chinese-inspired Chuan spa and Memories restaurant (due to be redesigned by David Collins this summer) which is presided over by head chef David Collard who honed his skills with Michael Caines at Gidleigh Park and Joel Robuchon in Paris. The David Collins-designed Artesian bar (named after the artesian well beneath the bar, which dates back to the hotel's Victorian heyday) combines chinoiserie and Victoriana, brought up to date with timber chandeliers, imitation rattlesnake-leather flooring and resin table tops with a lilac-butterfly motif. The Langham houses the most luxurious and expensive suite in London, the 236 sq metre Infinity Suite, decorated in purple, gold and chocolate, which is the work of RPW Design, of Ritz-Carlton and Gleneagles renown. The suite comes with two bedrooms, two bathrooms and two butlers. Specially commissioned contemporary art adorns its walls and a car and driver are available for three hours a day. ££

LONDON MARRIOT HOTEL COUNTY HALL
Westminster Bridge Road, SE1 (020 7928 5200; fax: 7928 5300; www.marriott.com). Situated opposite Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament, in the County Hall building, seat of London's government for more than 50 years, over half of the hotel's 200 rooms have views of the river. £££

MANDARIN ORIENTAL HYDE PARK
66 Knightsbridge, SW1 (020 7235 2000; fax: 020 7235 2001; www.mandarin-oriental.com). The Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park has long been recognised as one of London's grandest hotels for both leisure and business travellers alike. The 200-room hotel includes bars, restaurants and health and fitness facilities, and was voted best UK business hotel in The Readers' Travel Awards 2001 and best UK hotel spa in The Readers' Travel Awards 2002 and 2004. The hotel was also featured in The Gold List 2005. £££

METROPOLITAN HOTEL
Old Park Lane, W1 (020 7447 1000; fax: 7447 1100; www.metropolitan.co.uk). With its ultra-trendy Met bar and Nobu (see Where to Eat) restaurant, much favoured by the A-list, this sleek, contemporary hotel is still one of London's hippest places to stay. The hotel has smart, minimalist rooms, a gym, Shambhala treatment rooms and extensive business facilities. ££££

MILLER'S RESIDENCE
111a Westbourne Grove, W2 (020 7243 1024; fax: 7243 1064; www.millersuk.com). An 18th-century townhouse stuffed with furniture, art and ornaments collected by owner and antiques expert Martin Miller. There are six individually decorated double bedrooms and two suites, each with its own living room and kitchen. The staff are friendly, they will organise your laundry and even join you in the salon for a game of chess or to watch DVDs. There's nowhere else remotely like it; this is British hospitality at its most eccentric. £££

MONTAGU PLACE
2 Montagu Place W1 (020 7467 2777; www.montagu-place.co.co.uk). The fact that Holiday Inn owns this hotel may not sound auspicious. But with no corporate branding, and rooms designated Comfy, Fancy or Swanky, the hotel group is clearly aiming for something different with this new, 16-room Georgian townhouse property. Montagu Place is centrally yet quietly located between Marble Arch and Baker Street tubes, five minutes' walk from trendy Marylebone High Street. It was designed by Kate Mooney of Glasgow-based Occa Design and offers a smart, luxurious mix of period detail and contemporary styling in shades of charcoal, cinnamon and white. The Swanky rooms, for example, have original fireplaces, heavy linen-and-taffeta drapes and high beds topped with canopies. Rates include free broadband, CDs and DVDs; Continental breakfast is £12.95 extra. The reception and bar are open 24/7. Swanky rooms have freestanding baths and his-and-hers basins. ££

MYHOTEL BLOOMSBURY
11-13 Bayley Street, WC1 (020 7667 6000; fax: 7667 6001; www.myhotels.co.uk). This 76-room boutique hotel provides a calm little oasis away from the hurly-burly of Soho and Oxford Street. The hotel is designed according to the principles of Feng Shui: the public areas (compact lobby, lively bar, tranquil basement library) have muted colours and crisp lines; the bedrooms are uncluttered but comfortable. The Mybar/café, which serves light meals and meze, has a classic Conran look. ££

MYHOTEL CHELSEA
35 Ixworth Place, SW3 (020 7225 7500; www.myhotels.co.uk). Sister hotel to Myhotel Bloomsbury, the 45-room hotel, located on a quiet street two minutes' walk from Brompton Cross, has also been designed and decorated according to feng shui principles. Bedrooms are decorated with shot-silk, dusty-pink curtains, cashmere bed throws and crisp white linen; all have plasma-screen TVs, Pringle hot-water-bottle-covers and Aveda products in the bathrooms. The light, white bar is the setting for breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea, light dinners and cocktails and is popular with non-residents. The guest-only conservatory has big sofas, Internet access, TV, stacks of DVDs, novels and board games. There's also a small gym and a treatment room. Myhotel Chelsea was featured in The Hot List 2003. ££

NO.5 MADDOX STREET
No.5 Maddox Street, W1 (020 7647 0200; fax: 7647 0300; www.no5maddoxst.com). Situated in retail heaven, with Regents Street, Bond Street and Soho around the corner this bijou, 12-suite hotel is more like a discreet apartment block. You could spend a week here without a member of staff crossing your path, but they are around if you need them. The bedroom suites are on five floors with living/dining rooms and well-equipped kitchens. Some suites have pretty, planted terraces with bamboo furniture, a real luxury in central London. £££

NUMBER SIXTEEN
16 Summer Place, SW7 (020 7589 5232; fax: 7584 8615; www.numbersixteenhotel.co.uk). Number Sixteen is three pretty, stucco-fronted mid-Victorian townhouses. Close to the Victoria & Albert, Natural History and Science museum, as well as Hyde Park and Harrods. There are 42 rooms on three floors and service is charming and relaxed. The best thing is the vast and immensely comfortable beds, most with romantic, patterned canopies in soft colours. ££

ONE ALDWYCH
1 Aldwych, WC2 (020 7300 1000; fax: 7300 1001; www.onealdwych.co.uk). Based in the grand Edwardian building once occupied by the Morning Post and, more recently, by Lloyds Bank. It is well positioned for businessmen and tourists, and its two restaurants, Indigo and Axis, are popular for pre- and post-theatre dinners. One Aldwych was voted best UK business hotel in the Readers' Travel Awards 2004 and was featured in The Gold List 2005. £££

SANDERSON
50 Berners Street, W1 (020 7300 1400; fax: 7300 1401; www.morganshotelgroup.com). Sanderson is Ian Schrager's second London venture. There are 148 rooms designed by Philippe Starck and Anda Andei, an Alain Ducasse restaurant and an Agua spa which measures 2,400 metres square. The Sanderson was featured in The Hot List 2001. £££

SAN DOMENICO HOUSE
29-31 Draycott Place SW3 2SH (020 7581 5757; www.sandomenicohouse.com). An intimate, luxurious boutique hotel close to Sloane Square, with 16 individually-designed rooms and suites, many with grand four poster beds, and all furnished with antiques and art, flat screen TVs and dvd players, plus Molton Brown toiletries in the marble bathrooms. There is no restaurant, but the hotel offers an extensive room service menu. The concierge will book restaurants, theatre and exhibition tickets. Ideally placed for all the shops and restaurants of Sloane Square, Knightsbridge and the Kings Road. ££

SOFITEL ST JAMES
6 Waterloo Place, SW1 (020 7747 2202; fax: 7747 2210; www.sofitel.com). The hotel occupies a Grade II-listed building and has new interiors by French designer Pierre-Yves Rochon. There are 186 rooms, Brasseri Roux, from chef Albert Roux, serving new classic French cuisine, a boardroom with its own dining room and eight other meeting rooms for up to 200 guests. ££

ST MARTINS LANE
45 St Martins Lane (020 7300 5500; fax: 7300 5501; www.morganshotelgroup.com). Ian Schrager, the hotelier behind Morgans, the Royalton and the Paramount in NY, teamed up with interior designer Philippe Starck to produce one of London's hippest hotels. There are 204 relaxingly understated rooms, with floor-to-ceiling windows and your choice of different coloured 'mood settings'. The Asia de Cuba restaurant serves Asian and Cuban cuisine. Also try its newer sister hotel, the Sanderson, below. £££

THE BERKELEY
Wilton Place, SW1 (020 7235 6000; fax: 020 7235 4330; www.the-berkeley.co.uk). The Berkeley overlooks Hyde Park and is within easy reach of Knightsbridge and London's famous stores. The hotel has all the facilities you would expect from a luxury hotel and a choice of well-appointed rooms or suites. The restaurants include Pétrus run by chef Marcus Wareing and the Boxwood Café. Don't miss the chic Blue Bar with its range of over 50 whiskies. The Berkeley also houses a world-class spa, with all kinds of heavenly therapies and treatments for relaxation, health and beauty. The Berkeley was featured in Gold List 2005. £££

THE CADOGAN
75 Sloane Street, SW1 (020 7235 7141; fax: 7245 0994; www.cadogan.com). The Cadogan Hotel reopened in April 2004 after being given a new lease of life by hotelier Grace Leo-Andrieu. Revitalised but thankfully just as cosy, the hotel has 65 bedrooms decorated in contemporary or classic styles. It was once Lillie Langtry's home, and the hotel's history is celebrated in suites dedicated to her lover, Edward VII, and her friend Oscar Wilde (who was arrested in the suite named after him in 1895). At The Cadogan tea is still taken in the drawing room and the service remains charming and genteel. There is also 24-hour room service and a restaurant, Mes'anges, which is popular among well-heeled locals. The Cadogan Hotel was featured in The Hot List 2005. £££

THE DORCHESTER
Park Lane, W1 (020 7629 8888; fax: 7409 0114; www.dorchesterhotel.com). Opened in 1931, The Dorchester is one of London's swankiest hotels, overlooking Hyde Park and close to the West End shops and theatres. No two rooms are the same but all are supremely luxurious. If you want great views over Hyde Park or the city go for one of the four roof garden suites. The Dorchester also boasts four high-class eateries including The Grill and The Promenade lounge where you can sink into a comfy sofa, watch passers by and have afternoon tea. The superb spa offers everything you need for exercising and pampering your body; try the wonderful Eve Lom facial. £££££

THE HOXTON
81 Great Eastern Street, EC2 (020 7550 1000; www.hoxtonhotels.com). The idea behind this buzzy 'urban lodge', says Sinclair Beecham, co-founder of Pret A Manger, is 'not to rip you off or piss you off'. So instead of minibars selling water at £3.99 a bottle, it has Pret water and Bollinger at retail prices, free broadband in the lobby, calls at 3p per minute to UK landlines, and rooms for as little as £1. Five minutes' walk from Liverpool Street station, The Hoxton is well placed for work or play, and to help you do the latter it provides a credit-card-sized guide to all the hotspots within walking distance. There is also an on-site bistro, The Hoxton Grille, serving healthy Bircher muesli and not-so-healthy Hoxton Fry-Ups to complement the free-but-meagre Lite Pret breakfasts. The style is hip-industrial, with a touch of luxury: brick walls, leather sofas and eagle sculptures soaring over the double-height lobby; duck-down duvets and slate bathrooms; and funky lighting by Isometrics. £

THE INTERNATIONAL HOTEL
163 March Wall, E1 (020 7712 0100; fax: 7712 0102; www.britannia-hotels.co.uk). With 422 en-suite rooms, 20 suites, a bar, nightclub and a Roman-themed swimming pool, the International, run by Britannia Hotels and located in the Docklands, is no quiet hideaway. The hotel offers a wide choice of food, but the motorway-service-station atmosphere is consistent. Choose a room facing Canary Wharf with a panorama of water, metal, grass and glass; some offer a glimpse of the Dome. ££

THE KNIGHTSBRIDGE HOTEL
10 Beaufort Gardens, SW3 (020 7584 6300; fax: 020 7584 6355; www.knightsbridgehotel.com). This new 'chic B&B' is part of the Firmdale Hotels group which owns the nearby Charlotte Street Hotel and Covent Garden Hotel. Situated in the heart of Knightsbridge, with Harrods, Harvey Nichols and the international designer shops of Sloane Square just a minutes walk away, it prides itself on being a welcome alternative to stuffy expensive hotels in central London. Its style is modern English and all 44 rooms and suites come equipped with television, telephone, fax, modem, mini bar and safes. The Knightsbridge Hotel was featured in The Hot List 2003. ££

THE LANESBOROUGH
Hyde Park Corner, SW1 (020 7259 5599; fax: 259 5606; www.lanesborough.com). The Lanesborough is a nineteenth-century white-stucco grande dame on Hyde Park Corner within easy reach of Knightsbridge and Piccadilly. The hotel has 95 rooms (half are suites) decorated in classic Regency style, with cleverly concealed interactive TVs. The pretty Conservatory restaurant features well-executed international cuisine. There's also a popular bar and a two-suite La Prairie Spa which offers caviar facials. Guests can expect butler service (includes complimentary packing/unpacking/pressing on arrival), comprehensive concierge and business services - mobile phones are provided on arrival. The Lanesborough was featured in The Gold List 2005. £££

THE RITZ
150 Piccadilly, London, W1 (020 7493 8181; fax: 020 7493 2687; www.theritzhotel.co.uk). Opened in 1906 and carefully refurbished and restored in 1995, The Ritz is a London landmark and a bastion of glamour and sophistication. Rooms are luxuriously furnished with rich fabrics, 24 carat gold leaf and beautifully restored antique furniture in keeping with the original Louis XVI style. Go for tea in the spectacular Palm Court, an institution in itself. The Ritz was voted best UK leisure hotel in The Readers' Travel Awards 2003 and was featured in The Gold List 2005. £££

THE ROOKERY
Cowcross St, EC1 (020 7336 0931; www.rookeryhotel.com). An elegant, oak-panelled hideaway with 33 antique-furnished rooms. The atmosphere is more private club than hotel and appeals to visitors doing business in the Square Mile. £££

THE SAVOY
The Strand, London, WC2 (020 7836 4343; fax: 7240 6040; www.savoy-group.co.uk). Located on The Strand in the heart of the West End theatre district, the landmark hotel, which opened in 1889, has 263 rooms and suites with Art Deco touches and views of the river Thames. Facilities include palatial meeting rooms, a fitness centre and the Michelin starred Savoy Grill. £££

THE SOHO HOTEL
4 Richmond Mews, W1 (020 7559 3000; fax: 020 7559 3003; www.sohohotel.com). London's Firmdale Hotel Group has opened its fifth outpost, The Soho Hotel, in the heart of London's nightlife district. Kitted out in interior designer Kit Kemp's inimitable style, the 91-bedroomed hotel features rooftop penthouses with wrap-around terraces and city views, plus high-speed wireless internet access, flat screen TVs and DVDs. Facilities include a bar/restaurant Refuel, two state-of-the-art screening rooms and a gym. The Soho Hotel was featured in the The Hot List 2005. ££

THE TRAFALGAR
2 Spring Gardens, SW1 (020 7870 2900; fax: 7870 2911; www.thetrafalgar.hilton.com). The 129-room Trafalgar, housed in a listed building just off Trafalgar Square, is Hilton's first 'designer hotel'. The interior features split-level bedrooms and American black-walnut furniture. The hotel also boasts The Rockwell, London's first bourbon bar, and a roof garden which has stunning views of Trafalgar Square and the city's skyline. The Trafalgar was featured in The Hot List 2002. £££

THE ZETTER
86-88 Clerkenwell Road, EC1 (020 7324 4444; fax: 7324 4445; www.thezetter.com). This hotel achieves a quiet sense of drama, light and space in a relatively small building. All 59 bedrooms are accessed from the five-floor central atrium, which rises in concentric rings to a glass roof. Vivacious design details include a curved, black-marble bar, a spiral staircase in fire-engine red and the lobby's Murano chandelier. In summer, the restaurant, which features a modern Italian menu with Antipodean attitude, spills onto St John's Square. The bedrooms are dressed in muted heritage colours that offset vintage furniture. Young artists and designers are showcased in the ceramics, wallpaper and coffee tables, while floors two to four have vending machines dispensing Champagne, cameras and batteries. The Zetter was featured in The Hot List 2004. ££

BELGRAVIA

LA POULE AU POT
231 Ebury St, SW1 (020 7730 7763). This Pimlico Green perennial, with its oddly pleasant dried flowers and gardening paraphernalia, is a romantic choice for dinner. The French brasserie food is well done: perfect steak-frites, good soups and fine cassoulets. The huge portions appeal to the generation brought up on wartime rations which believes that teensy servings are not acceptable. There's a decent choice of French wine, ungreedily marked-up. Undoubtedly a classic.

MEMORIES OF CHINA
65-69 Ebury Street London SW1W ONZ (020 7730 7734; www.memories-of-china.co.uk). This well-loved restaurant, part of A to Z group, also behind Zafferano and new Mayfair Italian Alloro, serves high quality, dependable Chinese classics, in generous portions, to a loyal local crowd in a chic, red-and-gold-hued setting. Starters include spicy, red-oil poached dumplings, quick-fried scallops, prawns and chicken in black bean sauce, and more unusual offerings like quick-fried courgettes stuffed with minced prawns. The crispy softshell crab served with ginger and chilli is tender and delicious. Try the Sichuan aromatic duck to follow, and beef with ginger and spring onion. Service is efficient and warm.

ZAFFERANO
15 Lowndes Street, SW1 (020 7235 5800; www.zafferanorestaurant.com). One of the most celebrated Italian restaurants in the heart of Belgravia, Michelin-starred Zafferano continues to produce excellent Italian food of the highest quality, coupled with fantastic service. Don't be fooled by the faux-rustic interior - this place is as chic as it gets but balances this perfectly with a total lack of pretension. Chef Andrew Needham has created a memorable dining experience: spaghetti with langoustine and lobster is light and flavoursome with chunks of lobster mixed with fresh tomato. Ravioli of veal shank and roasted Fiorentina T-bone with bone marrow sauce are as fine as anything you will eat in the best establishments in Italy. There is a dedicated white truffle menu in season, and an impressive wine list. Click here for our interactive restaurant finder.

CHELSEA AND KENSINGTON

1880
27-33 Harrington Gardens, SW7 (020 7244 5555; www.thebentley-hotel.com). Technically brilliant and imaginative, head chef Sharon Robinson creates some of the best grazing menus in town. The décor is straight out of Marie Antoinette's boudoir: gold brocade, gilt and floral brocade dominate the lower ground room, creating an intimate, elegant and almost regal atmosphere. And the courses just keep coming: rabbit velouté with an onion and tarragon spring roll, native lobster and avocado salad, seared scallop with cauliflower and courgette, cutlet of English lamb, confit breast, sweetbreads and spinach and, for dessert, the signature crème brulée 1880. This place exudes luxury.

AUBERGINE
11 Park Walk, SW10 (020 7352 3449; www.auberginerestaurant.co.uk). 'Exquisite' French cuisine from the kitchen of William Drabble - the foie gras starter is delicious. The atmosphere is relaxed and unpretentious and the food has earned itself one Michelin star. Click here for our interactive restaurant guide.

BIBENDUM
Michelin House, 81 Fulham Road, SW3 6RD (020 7581 5817; www.bibendum.co.uk). Opened in 1987 by Sir Terence Conran, perennial favourite Bibendum still impresses. The elegantly-designed, spacious first-floor dining room features vast stained-glass windows which add a welcome splash of colour. Head Chef Matthew Harris produces the style of simple, modern French food espoused by founding chef Simon Hopkinson and you may expect to see dishes like terrine of foie gras with Armagnac jelly, grilled scallops with pea and mint risotto for starters, a classic steak au poivre as a main, sauté rabbit with chorizo, endives, sherry and crème fraiche, or roast Anjou pigeon with borlotti beans, pancetta and rosemary. Desserts veer towards the classic, with the ubiquitous crème brûlée making an appearance, and also a lovely, light tarte aux pommes with vanilla ice cream. Portions are generous and there is no skimping on quality. The restaurant was the winner of 2003's Carlton London Restaurant Award for best wine list. www.conran.com). On a typically British winter evening, a visit to the recently revamped Bluebird Club & Dining Rooms - recently opened under Tom Conran, son of the eponymous Terence - provides hearty doses of typically British winter food. Game and seafood dishes pack the seasonal menu: scallops with cured bacon, potted meats and oysters with spicy chipolatas to start, followed by partridge, salt marsh lamb, and smoked haddock rarebit for mains. Deserts complete the quality, quirky British food approach - how often do you see Bakewell Tart on the menu? The elegant restaurant makes good use of a large space, perfecting the formal but intimate air. Service is spot on, and the wine list extensive with a French bias; the sommelier knowledgeable and helpful.

BOMBAY BRASSERIE
Courtfield Road SW7 4QH (020 7370 4040; www.bombaybrasserielondon.com). A cocktail lounge leads to a grand dining room, complete with palm trees, ceiling fans, photos of the Raj, and a mural of the Red Fort in Delhi, at this popular old-timer in the heart of South Kensington. Avoid the Sunday buffet lunch, and opt instead for the à la carte evening menu and livelier atmosphere, where Mumbai beach snacks are listed alongside Goan, Moghul and tandoori grills plus a few 'specialities' (including the Modern Indian-styled chilgoza murg, chicken grilled with pine nuts in a creamy mint sauce). Service is excellent: helpful and accommodating.

CHEYNE WALK BRASSERIE
50 Cheyne Walk, Chelsea SW3 5LR (0207 3768787; www.cheynewalkbrasserie.com). This stylish Chelsea local has been a hit with both residents and non-residents since opening - locals Ben and Kate Rothschild have been spotted dining here. The secret of its appeal is a luxurious but intimate interior (sky blue banquettes, carver chairs in rich crimson, simple wood floors and ornate chandeliers), friendly and effusive Gallic service and superb, simply-executed food cooked on an open grill in the dining room, lending an unpretentious and relaxed atmosphere. The menu interprets French brasserie classics such as soupe d'oignon, Provençal fish dishes, Cote de Boeuf and Carre Agneau, accompanied by fantastic gratin dauphinois, sautéed wild mushrooms, and salade de haricots verts. Desserts are equally moreish - apple tarte tatin (which is flambéed at your table) and crème brulee will satisfy the sweetest of teeth. After dinner, admire the river views with a cocktail in the lovely upstairs salon, where tartines, baguettes and Croque Monsieurs are also served as a light lunch. A real treat. Click here for our interactive restaurant finder.

CHUTNEY MARY
535 Kings Road, SW10 (0870 780 8136; 020 7351 3113; www.realindianfood.com). Without a doubt one of London's most glamorous and seductive Indian restaurants, Chutney Mary opened in 1990 and still impresses after an extensive makeover in 2002. Set in a shimmering interior of wood panelling and rich colours, with the addition of an airy, plant-filled conservatory, you can expect to be thrilled by the inventive kitchen, which serves perfectly seared scallops, tandoori selections with the freshest chutneys based on gooseberry, rhubarb and avocado, and meaty crab claws with cracked peppercorns and warm garlic butter. Newcomers can opt for the 'curry tasting platter', which includes mini versions of the most popular dishes. Try the delectable desserts, among the best are dark chocolate fondant with cinnamon served with orange blossom lassi, and garam masala brûlée with cardamom sauce Anglaise and coconut ice cream. Signature cocktails include the Bombay Blush and Goa on the Rocks. Click here for our interactive restaurant finder.

CLARKE'S
124 Kensington Church Street, W8 4BH (020 7221 9225; www.sallyclarke.com). Housed in a pretty, intimate room on Kensington Church Street, Sally Clarke's seminal restaurant celebrates its 21st this year. It draws a faithful crowd of Notting Hill and Kensington locals, and those who come from further afield to sample the high-quality, seasonal dishes for which she is renowned. Seasonal salad leaves, vegetables & herbs are sourced from mainly small organic growers in the South of England. Buffalo mozzarella is flown in from Naples twice a week and all meats are from ecologically sound farms. Dishes may include smoked Irish organic salmon and Colchester crab with cucumber, soured cream and dill salad, pea leaves and dill flat bread, and, for mains, loin of Welsh lamb roasted with basil, chili and red wine glaze, sweetcorn, red pepper and basil blini and autumn vegetables. Home-made style puddings range from autumnal chestnut ice cream with puff pastry twist, to a fruity poached quince and pear in spiced syrup with vanilla ice cream.The wine list features over 200 Californian, French and Italian wines, many sourced from little-known wineries and has one of the best Californian selections in Europe. Open lunch Mon-Sat; dinner Tues-Sat.

EIGHT OVER EIGHT
392 King's Rd, SW3 (020 7349 9934; www.rickerrestaurants.com). Copying the super-successful formula of its sister restaurant E&O, Will Ricker's latest venture emulates the airy, Oriental decor of its Notting Hill sibling. Menus also seem identical, with edamame with soy and mirin, salt and chilli squid and soft shell crab tempura all featuring as signature starters. The star of the main courses is the duck, watermelon and cashew nut salad, and for dessert, opt for the chocolate soufflé with green tea ice cream. Both are delicious. And, of course, this being SW3, the crowd is self-consciously trendy - expect to see a scattering of famous faces here. Click here for our interactive restaurant finder.

GORDON RAMSAY
68-69, Royal Hospital Road, SW3 (020 7352 4441; www.gordonramsay.com/royalhospitalroad). Booking is essential for this three Michelin-starred restaurant - one month in advance. The food is legendary and even though Mr Ramsay is expanding his empire of eateries, standards at his number one have not slipped. Click here for our interactive restaurant finder.

LA FAMIGLIA
7 Langton Street, SW10 (020 7351 0761; www.lafamiglia.co.uk). This Tuscan restaurant serves some of the best pasta and meat dishes outside Tuscany but may not be the best place for a romantic date as the vibrant family-run atmosphere is loud and the restaurant is always full. A good place to spot celebs - Gwyneth Paltrow, Kylie Minogue and Matthew Vaughn all pop in occasionally. Click here for our interactive restaurant finder

LE CERCLE
1 Wilbraham Place, SW1 (020 7901 9999). The latest shining offering from Club Gascon duo Pascal Aussignac and Vincent Labeyrie, Le Cercle combines the culinary sophistication of its older, Michelin-starred sibling with a slick, modern décor and prices low enough to draw a mixed, unpretentious crowd. Headed by Thierry Beyris, the kitchen offers a grazing, tapas-style menu inspired by the cuisine of regional France and divided into Végétal, Marin, Fermier, Terroirs, Plaisirs, Fromagerie and Gourmandises sections, allowing you to taste as many dishes as you, and your stomach, desires. A must-try is the frothy serving of mini cep ravioli and the indulgent roast langoustines with foie gras and crispy bacon. Desserts are also excellent. The restaurant also offers afternoon tea and a chic mezzanine lounge area, perfect for pre-dinner drinks. Click here for our interactive restaurant finder.

L'ETRANGER
36 Gloucester road, SW7 (020 7584 1118; www.etranger.co.uk). This perennially popular neighbourhood restaurant in SW7 draws a well-heeled local crowd, who come for its delicate Asian-inspired dishes. Interiors strike the right balance between glamour and warmth: the room is decorated in muted shades of lilac, aubergine and pale grey, and silky threads hang over windows to keep the hustle and bustle of Gloucester road at bay. Head Chef Jerome Tauvron trained with Alain Ducasse at Quo Vadis before joining L'Etranger. His food is billed as French with an Asian twist: expect a tasty rendition of the ubiquitous caramelised black cod, tuna tartare with Sevruga caviar and lobster tempura with ponzu and wasabi mayonnaise, among other dishes. Make sure you leave room for the desserts: chocoholics will love the chocolate platter with its delectable mini offerings. The reasonably priced wine list features a comprehensive selection of French and New World wines; service is helpful and warm. Click here for our interactive restaurant finder.

PAPILLON
96 Draycott Avenue, London SW3 (020 7225 2555; www.papillonchelsea.co.uk). The latest edition to the portfolio of Danish restaurateur, Soren Jessen (he of 1 Lombard St and Kilo) is Papillon, situated in the heart of London's Chelsea. Housed in what was previously a Thai eaterie, design details in the pretty, old-fashioned dining room include a huge wall mirror, curving sofas, a zinc-topped bar, beige and gold curtains (a very Parisian touch) and fleur-de-lys banquettes. Restaurant manager Philippe Messey is one of London's most respected sommeliers, having previously worked with Oliver Peyton and at L'Etranger before becoming a partner here. The impressive wine list runs to more than 580 bins. Dishes emphasize their French roots: fish soup, foie gras terrine, steak tartare, Dover sole meunière and carré d'agneau. Portions are as generous as they delicious; for such a refined atmosphere, this could almost be billed as high-class comfort food. Desserts continue the French theme: the chocolate fondant is as close to perfection as you will ever find. Click here for our interactive restaurant finder.

EAST/CITY

1 LOMBARD STREET
1 Lombard Street, London, EC3V (020 7929 6611; www.1lombardstreet.com). 1 Lombard Street is sympathetically set in a Grade 2 Listed banking hall, with an imposing dome over a central, circular bar. The bar and brasserie have a relaxed, unpretentious atmosphere and you can start the evening with one of the delicious house cocktails (try the comically-named Ftse 100, and yes, they do serve a Dow Jones too). An expansive wine list features an impressive range of vintages, including a 1950 Chateau Pétrus for £1500 - just the thing for bonus day! Starters include a generous portion of beautifully smoked salmon with capers and slices of chunky, nutty brown bread and melt in the mouth pork belly. Mussels and clam casserole came in a richly flavoured broth and was served with perfectly crispy, chunky chips, while scallops were perfectly grilled, meaty and juicy. Amuse bouches between each course included a melting morsel of foie grois served with chocolate and balsamic vinegar dressing and a palate-cleansing blackcurrant granite. For dessert savour caramelised nut and rum parfait glacée and warm figs in a spectacular mulled wine reduction and a hot chocolate fondant with pistachio ice cream, which is every bit as wickedly indulgent as it sounds. Service is attentive and friendly and the cosy booths are dangerously comfortable.

CLUB GASCON
57 West Smithfield, EC1 (020 7796 0600). This seductive restaurant serves first-rate French food, specialising in a range of different foie gras preparations. With only one sitting per night you can truly savour every morsel. The restaurant specialises in tapas-style dining that means you can try a variety of dishes, at a price. Click here for our interactive restaurant finder.

SMITHS OF SMITHFIELD
66-67 Charterhouse Street, EC1 (020 7251 7950). Set in the old East End meat traders' warehouse, Smiths serves up elegant and eclectic modern dishes without the pretension of many other similar brasseries. Try the top floor restaurant for a calm and quiet evening, or the brasserie for less expensive food and a more bustling atmosphere. Click here for our interactive restaurant finder.

KNIGHTSBRIDGE

AMAYA
Halkin Arcade, Motcomb Street, SW1 (0870 780 8174; www.amaya.biz). This restaurant from the team behind Chelsea stalwart Chutney Mary, merits its status as London's most superb Indian dining spot and has pioneered the concept of the Indian grazing menu. Tucked away in a quiet arcade in Knightsbridge, Amaya features warm reds, silk cushions, sparkling chandeliers and a dark-wood bar. The spectacular open kitchen takes centre place, allowing the chefs to show off their skills, and what skills these are: flash-grilled rock oysters cooked in coconut, melt-in-the-mouth scallops in a herb sauce, beautifully-spiced lobster in a masala sauce and the most delicious broccoli cooked in the tandoor and served with a yoghurt sauce. Biryanis are just as good: chicken biryani comes cooked with the most delicate saffron rice, all under a delicious pastry crust. Desserts are equally fabulous, and well worth saving room for. Pomegranite granita is probably the lightest, most flavourful sorbet you will ever taste. The crème brulee is delicious. Wines are chosen on their ability to match the food, prices are sensible, and 26 are available by the glass. Click here for our interactive restaurant finder.

AUBAINE
262 Brompton Road, SW3 2AS (020 7052 0100; www.aubaine.co.uk). Positioned in the heart of Brompton Cross, new restaurant Aubaine is guaranteed to be a hit. And the signs are promising: packed at breakfast and lunchtime, tables spilling out on to the pavement in warm weather, and a bustling atmosphere. The winning formula here is a relaxed French café feel, with a healthy dose of high-quality, simple food, home-baked bread and good patisserie. Food is classic French: foie gras with grilled apple and prune jam - simply executed and faultless, roasted monkfish, steak à la poivre, french beans and potatoes à la dauphinoise. Desserts include tarte tartin and delectable chocolate tart. Blackboard specials are available daily.

BROMPTON QUARTER CAFE
223-225 Brompton Road, SW3 2EP (020 7225 2107; www.bromptonquartercafe.com). This sleek food emporium owned by Doron Zilkha is a welcome addition to Knightsbridge. On the ground floor is a café and deli offering cold meats and freshly made salads, along with an adjoining juice bar, and bakery/patisserie serving gorgeous cakes and treats. If you want to eat on site, there are simple wooden tables and chairs. The adjoining Quarter Grocer sells organic produce via their local delivery service (all deliveries are made by bicycle so there is zero carbon footprint). Downstairs is the more formal restaurant, which opened in May 2007, where diners sit on Kenzo fabric-covered banquettes, under chandeliers by Piet Boon. Chef Torren Lewis has created a modern Mediterranean menu, with all meat and poultry produced on the award-winning Rhug Estate Farm in Corwen, North Wales. Starters include seared scallops, sweet pea puree, grilled spring onion and fennel salad; mains include slow braised belly of organic pork, chorizo and black pudding hash, savoy cabbage, cider and apple sauce. There are also burgers, pastas and salads for those with more simple tastes. For dessert, try the coconut souffle with lime and passion fruit sorbet, or order a takeaway box of cakes tied with VV Rouleaux ribbon from the deli counter upstairs. Perfect for breakfast or lunch when hitting the Knightsbridge sales.

FIFTH FLOOR RESTAURANT
109-125 Knightsbridge, SW1X 7RJ (020 7235 5250; www.harveynichols.com). Every fashionista worth her Manolos has brunched, dined or had afternoon tea at this Knightsbridge favourite. The minimalist bar, where cocktails and light snacks are served, is popular day and night. The equally buzzy restaurant, decorated with white Mies van der Rohe Bruno chairs and wooden floors, is overseen by Executive Chef Helena Puolakka, who serves refined and well-executed French food, with an emphasis on fish. The terrine of foie gras and duck to start with, cod and scallops are all excellent. Ask for a Champagne aperitif, and a Champagne trolley is brought over and you are talked through the different ones, before you make your pick. Click here for our interactive restaurant finder.

FOLIAGE
Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park Hotel, SW1 (020 7201 3723; www.mandarinoriental.com). Set in an elegant room with fabulous views of Hyde Park, the Mandarin Oriental's fine-dining restaurant is by night very grown-up and sophisticated, and similarly very buzzy at lunchtime (the popular set lunch is a steal). Under the tutelage of the hotel's executive chef David Nicholls, chef Chris Staines produces highly-evolved food, with an emphasis on freshness and flavour. Staines is fanatical about sourcing produce, so specials may include a starter of North Atlantic crab, just in that morning, or fresh white albatross risotto with truffles. Other dishes include roast sweetbread millefeuille, onion compote, garlic caramel and potato gnocchi, roast fillet of Welsh lamb, dauphinoise potatoes and leek vinaigrette, and fillet of line-caught seabass with open ravioli of langoustine and lardo di colonatta. There is a fine selection of desserts, including a warm walnut cake, with burnt butter ice cream, compote of kumquats and Assam tea cream. Food and wine are served with impeccable charm from a well-oiled front-of-house brigade. A real treat for a special occasion. Click here for our interactive restaurant finder.

SAN LORENZO
22 Beauchamp Place, SW3 (020 7584 1074). San Lorenzo has a reputation for being one of the best Italians in town and was once an A-list star-puller. These days some diners are giving mixed reports of the service but if you want quality authentic pasta dishes and perfect tiramisu in a friendly atmosphere, this is the place to come.

THE CAPITAL
22 Basil street, SW3 1AT (020 7591 1202; www.capitalhotel.co.uk). The Capital hotel is unusual in that it is probably better known for its restaurant than its rooms. However superb the food is (more of that later), this is an oversight, as all 49 rooms are subtly luxurious, warmly furnished and the hotel is superbly located: only moments away from the shops of Knightsbridge. But the real draw here is the food. The restaurant, possibly one of the finest in London, is masterminded by head chef Eric Chavot, who has won and held two Michelin stars for his style of refined, richly-flavoured French food. A starter of crab lasagne with langoustine cappuccino is a towering mound of crab, topped with a scallop, roasted lobster with tagliolini pasta and sauce vierge is quite simply the best lobster spaghetti you will find anywhere. This is occasion food, with prices to match, so make sure you take time to enjoy the experience. Start with an aperitif in the elegant bar which adjoins the restaurant, and don't miss desserts, this is where the creativeness really comes full force: coconut pearls with caramelised banana, popcorn and passion fruit sorbet, and peanut and salt caramel moelleux, Jivara mousse with banana and passion fruit sorbet. The cellars are home to some extraordinary wines, which sommelier Joao Pires dispenses with expertise, including wines from their own vineyard in the Loire Valley. Service is warm and impressively polished. Click here for our interactive restaurant finder.

MAYFAIR

ALLORO
19-20 Dover Street (020 7495 4768; www.alloro-restaurant.co.uk). This chic Italian eaterie on Mayfair's Dover Street has beautiful chessboard parquet flooring, a curvy cocktail bar and white linen tablecloths. Set menus aren't cheap (as to be expected in this part of town) but the food is simple and delicious. The prix fixe menu includes imaginative tuna tartar and poached quail eggs with shiso cress dressing, a superb lobster spaghetti with a light sweet chilli sauce, and tender entrecôte of beef with crushed potatoes. The tiramisu is excellent. The bar is a great spot for a morning cappuccino or a pre-prandial drink.

AUTOMAT
33 Dover Street, W1S 4NF (020 7499 3033; www.automat-london.com). Automat is an American diner, restaurant, members' lounge and club rolled into one. Fans of The Wolseley and The Ivy will rejoice: the diner serves great burgers, complete with thin, crunchy fries, steak, succulent crab cakes and what is rumoured to be the best macaroni cheese in London, whilst desserts remain true to their American roots, with cheesecake and Mississipi Mud Pie on the menu. The restaurant has dishes inspired from Manhattan's top eateries while a bar at the front sells juices, coffees and US periodicals. The décor is slick: black leather banquettes and dark wooden walls dominate the long room, but you can opt to sit in the lighter, bright white-tiled room behind. To drink, there's a snappy wine list from around the world, and New York cocktails like the Cosmopolitan and Manhattan. Click here for our interactive restaurant finder.

BENARES
12 Berkeley Square, W1 (020 7629 8886; www.benaresrestaurant.com). Benares marks the first venture of chef-proprietor, Atul Kochhar, who made his name at nearby London restaurant Tamarind, where he secured a Michelin star for his innovative, subtle take on Indian food. Inspired by the holy city of Benares, the restaurant is housed in a peaceful and elegant setting in Berkeley Square House. Interior features water pools decorated with brightly coloured flowers, low lighting and dark woods, creating a stylish and intimate dining atmosphere. Highly applauded dishes are delicate and flavourful, with a good selection of fish, vegetarian and meat choices for mains, including Goan lobster and prawn curry, lamb shank with coriander and chillies and a succulent Tandoori roasted chicken. Starters are equally good: the soft shell crab and potato roti with paneer and spinach are both wonderful. Service strikes the right balance between attentiveness and obsequiousness. Click here for our interactive restaurant finder.

CHINA TANG
The Dorchester, Park Lane W1 (020 7629 9988; www.thedorchester.com). The separate entrance on Park Lane leads directly downstairs to an Art Deco gem, resplendent with glowing lights, monochrome photographs and rich leather, brought to you by flamboyant Chinese entrepreneur and socialite extraordinaire, David Tang. This has to be one of London's most beautiful restaurant settings, reminiscent of opulent 1920s Shanghai. And the food is, as you would expect in such surroundings and at these prices, extremely good. Although the décor is ornate and extravagant (think antique birdcages filled with Swarovski crystals, Bohemian crystal claret glasses, bookshelves filled with first editions), the dishes remain impressively simple. The menu runs the gamut of popular Cantonese dining. Family-style dishes (chicken feet, rice congee, baked pork chop and rice) sit next to restaurant classics such as Peking duck, braised abalone and stir-fried lobster. There are the ubiquitous leafy greens, egg-fried rice and noodles, and also a separate, and equally good, dim sum menu from which you can begin your meal, if you so wish. For a real treat, the classic Peking duck, carved at your table, is exceptional. Desserts head west for inspiration, a rose apple cake has finely sliced apple in a liqueur-soaked sponge. The wine list, while aimed at high spenders, can still be enjoyed by those on a more humble budget. Make sure you visit the bathrooms; with their lacquered walls, Dylan Thomas readings, and hand-towels inscribed with 'Kiss Me, I'm Chinese', you could happily spend the entire evening in here. Click here for our interactive restaurant finder.

GORDON RAMSAY AT CLARIDGE'S
Claridge's Hotel, 55 Brook Street, W1 (020 7499 0099; www.claridgeshotellondon.com). This is considered the most glamorous of Gordon Ramsay's seven London restaurants. The lavish interiors have Art Deco touches and purple hues and the food, European cuisine, is consistently fantastic. For something different try the chef's table - located in the kitchen itself, it seats up to six and you'll be able to talk to the chef and watch your tailor-made meal being prepared.

GALVIN AT WINDOWS
28th Floor London Hilton, 22 Park Lane, W1K 1BE (020 7208 4021; hilton.co.uk/londonparklane). The top floor of the London Hilton now has a glamorous restaurant worthy of its gorgeous views. Chris Galvin, patron of Galvin on Baker Street, is executive chef here, with Andre Garrett (ex-Orrery) as head chef. After a £2 million renovation, the result is sophisticated (and suitably expensive) Modern French food in a cream, chocolate brown and black hued dining room, crowned by a bronze ceiling sculpture which leads your eye towards the breathtaking views. Highlights include a starter of roast Scottish langoustine with slow-cooked pork belly on a bed of cauliflower puree, and fillet of Guernsey sea bass, served with braised fennel, Jerusalem artichoke and fumet of Pinot Noir. 'We are not into building towers, just making each ingredient work for itself,' says Galvin. Cheese comes on a heavily laden trolley, the Valrhona chocolate fondant is a chocaholics dream. A serious and extensive wine list is perhaps best navigated by the glass. Click here for our interactive restaurant finder.

NOBU
The Metropolitan, 19 Old Park Lane, W1 (020 7447 4747; www.noburestaurants.com/london/index.html ). Japanese restaurant in the mega-trendy Metropolitan hotel (see Where to stay) much loved by A-list celebs.

RAMA AT FIFTY
50 St James, SW1A 1JT (08704 155 050; www.fiftylondon.com). With celebrity chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten at the helm, Rama was always going to be a hit but add to the mix that architect Jeffery Beers has converted the old Jamaican embassy into a sleek and stylish venue that houses a bar, restaurant and a casino and the result is dynamite. The décor nods to Jean-Georges' New York eaterie Spice Market with its sensual silk walls and comfy chairs and the menu compliments the venue perfectly, offering up an exotic mixture of the chef's gastronomic staples and the most popular Pan Asian dishes around. The waiting staff on hand are quick to inform diners that, at Rama, it is customary to share several dishes, so order three or four that whet your appetite. With choices ranging from black pepper shrimp with pineapple and crunchy squid salad to cornfed chicken or monkfish, this is good news. The wine list is extensive, with bottles from France, Burgundy, Chile and America. If cocktails are more to your taste, Salvatore's bar opposite can rustle up some fantastic concoctions; try The Last Sin instead of having a coffee; the mixture of Havana 7, Kahlua and espresso is the perfect end to a deliciously decadent meal.

SKETCH: LECTURE ROOM & LIBRARY
9 Conduit Street, W1 (08707 77 4488; www.sketch.uk.com). With cutting-edge decor and video projections on the walls, the bar and restaurant complex, Sketch, which opened in 2003, trades on its chic minimalism. Painfully fashionable and attracting a trendy young crowd, the restaurant's minimalism isn't confined to the décor. The cuisine, from renowned French chef Pierre Gagnaire, although exceptional, is generally thought to be overpriced with meagre portions - a dinner for two at Sketch's Lecture Room restaurant can run into several hundred pounds. But this is still the most talked-about restaurants. Click here for our interactive restaurant finder.

SUMOSAN
26 Albemarle Street, W1S 4HY (020 7495 5999; www.sumosan.com). The saving grace of Sumosan is its location: tucked into a quiet street behind Green Park, it has been saved from the crowds and no-table-frustration that comes with its better known rivals, Zuma and Nobu. This is no bad thing: it is easy enough to find a table and should you pick a mid-week evening you may not even have to book. Whilst the décor verges on the nondescript side, and the huge empty spaces mean the room can lack ambiance, even the most jaded Asiaphiles will find something to get excited about here. The sushi (soft shell spider rolls, tuna and truffle rolls, and when in season, sushi topped with a dollop of sea urchin which tastes as if it has been plucked straight out of the ocean) is easily some of the best in London, and while it's not cheap, it is worth the expense. Other must-tries include feather-light rock shrimp tempura; lamb chops furikaki - chunky honey-mustard organic ribs; black cod and delicate sashimi. The cocktail bar downstairs is great for a pre or post-dinner cocktail. Click here for our interactive restaurant finder.

TAMARIND
20 Queen Street, W1 (020 7629 3561; www.tamarindrestaurant.co.uk). This is one of only three Indian restaurants in London with a Michelin star, and the creative use of north Indian spices, the excellent wine list and attentive service suggest that Tamarind really does deserve the accolade. The sophisticated bronze-hued room makes a lively setting to enjoy the flavoursome, subtle food created by executive chef Alfred Prasad. For starters, the grilled scallops flavoured with green, red and black peppercorns and drizzled with oven roasted peppers are exceptionally good. Main courses include meats and fish cooked in the tandoor, a good selection of curries, and excellent vegetarian options, from okra, chickpeas and pickled onions with cumin, ginger, tomatoes and spices to black lentils slow cooked with kidney beans, channa dal and green chillies. Desserts range from the ubiquitous but delicious Indian kulfi to an exotic tandoor-grilled pineapple marinated with fennel and star anise, served with rose petal ice-cream. The restaurant is now also open for Sunday lunch. Click here for our interactive restaurant finder.

THE GRILL AT BROWNS
Albermarle Street, London W1S 4BP (020 7493 6020; www.brownshotel.com). Located in Rocco Forte's restored Browns Hotel, The Grill is an elegant, old-fashioned restaurant, with a very British feel. The restaurant has a clubby ambience, with wood panelling, a huge fireplace and olive-coloured banquette booths. An extensive à la carte menu is offered, along with a daily choice of 'old favourites', but the best bet is to order a special from one of the carving trolleys. For starters, the smoked salmon and lemon-cured gravad lax is excellent: a generous portion of smoked salmon, full of flavour; to follow, succulent roast duck and grilled Dover Sole, kept simple with boiled new potatoes and broad beans. Desserts include treacle tart with banana ice cream and apple crème brulée with apple tarragon sorbet. The wine list contains exceptional offerings from Champagne, Bordeaux and Burgundy. A set lunch and pre-theatre dinner (from 6pm to 7pm) is available from Monday to Saturday. Have a digestif in the chic Donovan bar, which hosts Latin and Bosa nova jazz from Monday to Saturday.

NORTH LONDON

GALLIPOLI
102 Upper Street, N1 (020 7359 0630). Friendly Turkish restaurant with cosy atmosphere serving all day mezze.

LA PORCHETTA
141-142 Upper Street, N1 (020 7288 2488). Probably the best, cheapest and noisiest Italian around.

LE MERCURY
140a Upper Street, N1 ( 020 7354 4088). Le Mercury serves imaginative French food in romantic rooms on three floors of a picturesque Victorian building.

RASA
55 Stoke Newington, Church St, N16 (020 7249 0344). Set in a candy-pink venue in Stoke Newington, this vegetarian Indian restaurant is a unique dining experience. Choose from a tantalising selection of vegetarian curries accompanied by delicious saffron and cashew rice. The menu is assembled with obvious care (with imaginative use of spices and herbs) and is head and shoulders above the usual East End curry houses, for prices that are not that much more expensive.

THE ENGINEER
65 Gloucester Avenue, NW1 (020 722 0950). A leading London gastropub, The Engineer produces exemplary cooking including eggs benedict with hollandaise and fat fries, salmon fishcakes with aioli or the more polished sea bass with coconut laksa and buckwheat noodles. Book ahead for a table in the atmospheric, tiny walled garden if you can.

SOUTH BANK

CANTINA VINOPOLIS
1 Bank End, SE1 (020 7940 8333). In an old warehouse-style building next to the Vinopolis 'world of wine tour', this little-known restaurant serves up exquisite Mediterranean dishes that look almost too good to eat in an airy and stylish open room. Try the beef carpaccio or the excellent pasta dishes. The vanilla-pod ice cream is too good to miss. As you would expect, the wine list is long and diverse. A convenient venue for the Globe theatre, the Tate Modern or indeed the Vinopolis wine tour.

COUNTY HALL RESTAURANT
Westminster Bridge Road, SE1 (020 7902 8000). A listed interior in what was once the headquarters of the Greater London Council. The menu is Modern British and there is a fabulous view across the Thames to Westminster.

LE PONT DE LA TOUR
36d Shad Thames, SE1 (020 7403 8403). Excellent Mediterranean restaurant with riverside location and modern interiors by Conran. There is a covered terrace and views of Tower Bridge.

THE OXO TOWER
Oxo Tower Wharf, Barge House Street, SE1 (020 7803 3888). Offers very good food, a great wine list and, from eight floors up, one of the finest views across the Thames, at a price. Make sure you book a table next to the window. Click here for our interactive restaurant finder.

WEST END

AXIS
One Aldwych hotel, 1 Aldwych, WC2 (020 7300 0300). Axis, in the shady basement of One Aldwych hotel, can't be faulted for its superbly presented and prepared food - the marinated fig salad starter is a must. The main courses are excellent too and the décor - lurid 1970s style wall murals - give the restaurant a stylish and urban feel. The two/three course, pre- and post-theatre menus are very reasonably priced. Click here for our interactive restaurant finder.

COCOON
65 Regent Street, W1 (020 7494 7600; www.cocoon-restaurants.com). The site of West End hotspot Cocoon was formerly home to famed restaurant L'Odeon. This trendy new arrival is likely to be equally successful. The top-floor setting is ultra-cool, with table-tops filled with rose petals, groovy swivel chairs and lots of red-tinged lights. The Oriental menu varies from light fare such as dim sum and sushi rolls to more substantial wok dishes, chicken with cashew nuts and delicious soft shell crab. A sushi and dim sum counter serves light snacks for those on the move. The sleek bar, in the middle of the room, is a great see-and-be-seen spot for fabulous cocktails, or a pre-dinner apéritif. Click here for our interactive restaurant finder.

FINO
33 Charlotte Street, W1T 1RR (020 7813 8010; www.finorestaurant.com). The brainchild of hispanophile brothers Sam and Eddie Hart, Fino is a stylish Spanish tapas restaurant with a distinct London feel and elegant décor. There are two bars to enjoy pre or post-meal drinks with a vast cocktail menu as well as an extensive wine and champagne list. Fino describes itself as an ingredient driven restaurant (they only use a handful of the best suppliers) and it shows. The food, of which the friendly staff suggest you order 6-8 dishes, is delicious and varies from cold and hot meats and seafood from the plancha to various potato dishes and tortillas. The chorizo and tomato salad are delicious as are the king prawns and spinach tortilla. With head chef Jean Phillipe Patuno, previously of Chez Nico, at the helm, Fino can do no wrong on the food front. The desserts may come as a surprise - with donuts and ice cream seeming strange on such an exotic menu - but they work. If the wine list seems daunting, ask for a recommendation from the waiter or sample the Venta d'Aubert. If you choose to order many dishes, the bill will creep up, but the restaurant offers a range of fixed menus for those on a budget. Click here for our interactive restaurant finder.

HOMAGE
22 The Aldwych, WC2 (020 7759 4080; www.hilton.co.uk). Inspired by the European grand cafés of old, new London restaurant Homage offers fine dining at brasserie prices. Dishes may include starters of French onion soup, foie gras terrine with Sauternes jelly and Scottish native lobster roasted with garlic butter. Of the mains, the indisputable star is the grilled fillet of beef. Desserts are not for the faint-hearted: chocolate fondant with Valhrona sauce sits happily alongside Raspberry crème brûlée. Try the delicious cocktails - the Kir Royale is the perfect pre-dinner apéritif. Homage's Pâtisserie menu, from pastry chef Colin Bennett, offers Viennoiserie from 9am-11.30am, then selections of sandwiches, pastries, cakes and other delicacies for tea.

JOE ALLEN
13 Exeter Street, WC2 (020 7836 0651). Very relaxed surroundings in an atmospheric West End basement. The food is outstanding, with excellent steaks, delicious salads, tasty starters (try the goats cheese with ginger and chilli jelly) and chocolate cake to die for. It's a popular pre-theatre venue. Click here for our interactive restaurant finder.

LOCANDA LOCATELLI
Churchill Inter-Continental Hotel, 8 Seymour Street, W1 (020 7935 9088; www.locandalocatelli.com). Giorgio Locatelli's first independent venture has been a phenomenal success. Sophisticated and accomplished, it has been packed full since opening in February 2002. The menu includes an extensive selection of pasta dishes, homemade breads, the freshest fish, modern re-workings of classic Italian desserts and wines. Perfectly complimented by the glamorous David Collins-designed dining room. Click here for our interactive restaurant finder.

MEMORIES
1C Portland Place, Regent Street, W1 (020 7636 1000; fax: 020 7323 2340; www.langhamhotels.com; see Where to Stay). Set in a grand colonial room at The Langham hotel, rumours are that the restaurant will soon undergo a lavish make-over, with the rest of the hotel close behind it. In the mean-time, this is good spot for finely-executed French food. Chef David Collard honed his skills with Michael Caines at Gidleigh Park and Joel Robuchon in Paris. Delicate and flavoursome offerings may include lentil and foie gras soup or langoustines, hand dived scallops with warm leek and girolles to start, followed by pan fried John Dory, tomato cannelloni and lemon thyme reduction. For dessert, the rice pudding with a compote of strawberry and champagne cream provides a subtle array of flavours. The charming head sommelier Nuria Frau-Trullen will expertly pair wines with dishes. For those who may baulk at the price, the restaurant also offers a good-value, three-course Sunday lunch.

MINT LEAF
Suffolk Place, Haymarket SW1Y 4HX (020 7930 9020; www.mintleafrestaurant.com). Nestled in the heart of London's West End, Mint Leaf Restaurant mixes fine dining with traditional Indian cuisine. Head chef Ajay Chopra cooks a blend of traditional recipes with contemporary, innovative flavours and what results is a more sophisticated take on the Indian food we have come to know. Expect the likes of Tandoori Lobster succulent rock lobster tails marinated in coriander yoghurt and spiced chillies on the menu with Rabbit loin cured with coriander and boneless jumbo quail steeped overnight in home ground mustard. Delicious. Click here for our interactive restaurant finder.

PING PONG
45 Great Marlborough Street W1F 7JL (020 7851 6969; www.pingpongdimsum.com). London's trendiest chain of dim sum restaurants offers delicious and inexpensive hand-made dim sum, fragrant teas and evening cocktails. On offer is an extensive range of dumplings, including steamed seafood, pork and king prawn and scallop and shitake, char sui buns and crispy duck rolls, and Chinese broccoli steamed in soya. Ordering is easy: guests are given menus and a tally sheet on which to mark their choices. There are currently seven branches in London, and an eighth is set to open in Hampstead. They don't take bookings, except for parties of eight or more, so be prepared to queue.

VEERASWAMY
Veeraswamy, Victory House, 99 Regent Street, London W1 (020-7734 1401; www.veeraswamy.com). London's oldest Indian restaurant, situated in the heart of London's West End, has been acquired by the Masala World chain (which also runs Chutney Mary and the Masala Zone restaurants) and been given a glamorous make over in time for its 80th birthday this year. The menu is supervised by Namita and Camellia Panjabi, whose book, 50 Great Curries of India, is devoted to authentically cooked regional dishes, drawn from home cooking, street food and royal specialities. The narrow, L-shaped dining room on the first floor is awash with colour: bright, exotic light fittings and a large collection of colourful royal turbans decorate the walls. Dishes are wonderfully-flavoured and executed with flair. The street food staple of Raj kachori is a delicious crisp puffball filled with a mixture of cooked potato, tamarind-flavoured yoghurt, sev (a fried snack made from flour) and fresh herbs. Equally good are the herb leaves coated in batter and deep-fried, and soft and juicy oysters flash grilled & served with a salsa. Curries dominate the main courses, but these are not curries as you know them: aromatic slow-cooked Nihari lamb from Lucknow, and chicken breast and koftas with pine nut, lemon and rose petal from the royal kitchens of Hyderabad. After such a feast, the best bet is to finish with the home-made kulfi, try the caramelised banana and chocolate version. Click here for our interactive restaurant finder.

WEST LONDON

BUMPKIN
209 Westbourne Park road (020 7243 9818; www.bumpkinuk.com). One of Notting Hill's most popular newcomers, rural-feel Bumpkin is spread over three floors, with a buzzy ground-floor casual, all-day dining room and take-away deli, a more refined first-floor restaurant and a top-floor private room. The menus are similar, though the first floor is smarter. Service is welcoming and warm. The kitchen uses organic and Fairtrade produce where possible (all meat is from Frank Godfrey, an excellent butcher in Highbury), and showcases the best of British cooking. To start, the potted Dorset shrimps, served with 'toast', are excellent. The charcuterie board offers a selection of hams and salami, with bread and pickles, while Gloucester Old Spot pork chop had terrific flavour. Desserts continue the comfort food theme: a huge slab of sticky toffee pudding and an apple crumble with custard. Draught beers include Deuchars IPA, Adnams Broadside and Leffe Blonde; wines by the glass are also impressive. Those expecting a slice of rustic country dining in W11 will be disappointed. Bumpkin only looks like a country pub; it's a restaurant, firmly aimed at Notting Hill locals. Click here for our interactive restaurant finder.

E&O
14 Blenheim Crescent, W11 (020 7229 5454; www.rickerrestaurants.com). Japanese-influenced fusion food in a fashionable setting, attracting a trendy West London set. Try the sushi, Thai curries or dim sum. Booking in advance is advised.

I-THAI
The Hempel Hotel, 31-35 Craven Hill Gardens, W2 (020 7298 9000; www.the-hempel.co.uk). This high-ceilinged, bright, white space exudes a Zen-like calm. White chairs are arranged at white-clothed tables and a sense of tranquillity, even on a busy Friday evening, pervades. Drawing its themes from its name, the menu loosely fuses Italian and Asian cuisine, so you may expect to find an eclectic mix of dishes: butternut squash & coconut soup, whole crab served with chilli jam, traditional Thai curries, roasted rack of lamb with spicy potato rosti and an array of perfectly-executed sushi and sashimi. Desserts veer towards the traditional, with passionfruit crème brûlée and chocolate cheesecake. Click here for our interactive restaurant finder.

LUCKY SEVEN
127 Westbourne Park Road, W2 (020 7727 6771). Twee and cramped, Lucky Seven is likeable thanks to its cheery staff, free coffee refills and tasty food. Run by Terence Conran's son Tom, this is as close to a New York diner as you'll find in London. Pancake breakfasts and classic burgers made with Aberdeen Angus beef are among the best on offer. No bookings so expect to queue. Click here for our interactive restaurant finder.

NOTTING HILL BRASSERIE
92 Kensington Park Road (020 7229 4481; enquiries@nottinghillbrasserie.com). Converted from three Victorian terrace houses, the Notting Hill Brasserie is a neighbourhood restaurant which still manages to feel special. Modern African art, stylish décor, subtle lighting and the live blues and jazz in the cocktail bar all create an intimate, cosy ambience. The menu serves classic French dishes with a modern twist; oysters three ways are delicately poached, au naturel and served in a light batter with a fiery wasabi dressing. Chateaubriand baked in a salt crust is succulent and comes with a perfect béarnaise. A knowledgeable, helpful sommelier is on hand to help you peruse the extensive wine list, you can also opt for pre-or post dinner cocktails at the bar. All in all, this is the perfect spot for a romantic, intimate night out. Click here for our interactive restaurant finder.

RIVER CAFE
Thames Wharf, Rainville Road, W6 (020 7386 4200; www.rivercafe.co.uk). The River Café has earned itself a formidable reputation and inspired many imitations. Many say it is worth the trip to Hammersmith to go to this Tuscan-inspired restaurant, most famous for its chocolate 'nemesis' cake and the authentic Italian ingredients. Click here for our interactive restaurant finder.

ROYAL CHINA
13 Queensway, W2 (020 7221 2535; www.royalchinagroup.co.uk) and 40 Baker Street, W1 (020 7487 3123). Go for some of the best Chinese cuisine in London - superb dim sum, hot and spicy veal, stewed eggplant and great seafood. Weekends are very busy, and the dim sum menu is very popular, be prepared to queue. Click here for our interactive restaurant finder.

THE BELVEDERE
Holland House, Abbotsbury Road, W8 (020 7602 1238; www.belvedererestaurant.co.uk). Bang in the centre of Holland Park, this establishment consistently offers diners an opulent experience in elegant Parisian surroundings. Chef Billy Reid serves a modern, brasserie-style menu under the supervision of Marco Pierre White. Great for drinks outside in the summer, listening to the fountain and watching peacocks strut across the lawn.

W'SENS
12 Waterloo Place, SW1 (020 7484 1355; www.wsens.co.uk). W'Sens marks the London debut of French twin brothers Jacques and Laurent Pourcel, chef-proprietors of the three-Michelin-starred Les Jardin Des Sens in Montpellier. (See our Montpellier guide.) The restaurant is housed in an elegant Mayfair building with a sumptuously decorated dining room. The food is French brasserie in style with Mediterranean and Asian influences.

TATE BRITAIN
Millbank, SW1 (020 7887 8000; www.tate.org.uk). Tate Britain is home to the Turner prize and exhibits British art from 1500 to the present day. It holds the largest collection of British art including major works by Blake, Constable, Epstein, Gainsborough, Gilbert and George, Hatoum, Hirst, Hockney, Hodgkin, Hogarth, Moore, Rossetti, Sickert, Spencer, Stubbs and Turner. Tate Britain has a programme of free guided tours, gallery talks, lectures and films, every day of the week. There are also study days, courses and conferences designed for anyone who has an interest in the history of modern or contemporary art. Open daily from 10am to 17.50. Closed 24, 25, 26 December (open as normal on 1 January). Admission to Tate Britain is free.

TATE MODERN
Bankside, SE1 (020 7887 8000; www.tate.org.uk). Younger sister to the Tate Gallery (Tate Britain). A former power station on the south bank of the Thames, it houses the Tate's existing collection of 20th-century modern art. There is also a restaurant offering a Modern British menu and a great view.

THE NATIONAL GALLERY
Trafalgar Square, WC2 (020 7306 0055; www.nationalgallery.org.uk). Along with the National Portrait Gallery next door, offers a spectacular permanent collection of paintings, photographs and sculptures from Constable to Terence Donovan.

SOMERSET HOUSE
Strand, WC2 (020 7845 4600; www.somerset-house.org.uk). One of London's most important historical monuments, opened to the public in May 2000, with new galleries, The Admiralty restaurant and a 3,700 square metre courtyard area that will be used for open-air theatre, opera, film and other creative events.

THE LONDON EYE
South Bank, SE1 (0870 9908881; www.londoneye.com). The huge, unmissable Millennium Wheel towers above the embankment offering superb views of London. The ride lasts half an hour. It is possible to book a private pod.

THE BRITISH MUSEUM
Great Russell Street, WC1 (020 7323 8000; www.thebritishmuseum.ac.uk). Housed in one of Britain's architectural landmarks, the museum holds a collection of art and antiquities from ancient and living cultures, spanning two million years of human history. Various renovation projects were recently completed to mark the museum's 250th anniversary in 2003. One such project is Sir Norman Foster's Great Court, the largest covered square in London. The two-acre site houses the domed Reading Room, formerly home to the British Library and now occupied by the museum's library, as well as shops, a café and a restaurant. Access to the collections is free.

AIRPORT
London's two main airports are Heathrow, which is 22km to the west of London and is accessible by bus, underground and train, and Gatwick airport, which is 48 km south of London and accessible by main-line trains, as well as the Gatwick Express from Victoria Station.

London has plenty to offer come rain or shine and makes a great city destination all year round.