The Cadogan

For more than 100 years, patrons have been drawn back to the timeless elegance of The Cadogan, this most charming of small hotels just off Sloane Square. At this exclusive SW1 hotel, 65 rooms and suites recall their flirtations with some of London society's most pivotal figures. For it was here that England's future King, Edward, would liaise with close friend Lillie Langtry, the famous British actress. And here that playwright and society figure Oscar Wilde (visit the Oscar Wilde Society at www.oscarwildesociety.co.uk) sipped hock and awaited his arrest in room 118. Beyond the walls, the names are less historic, more iconic. Indulge yourself at Dior, Valentino, Hermes, Prada, Jaeger, Harrods (see www.harrods.com) and Harvey Nichols (see www.harveynichols.com). Feel the pull of the King's Road, birthplace of the Swinging Sixties, and the pulsating playground of the West End. Or enjoy the serene beauty of early-morning Hyde Park. A recent refit has brought the Knightsbridge hotel's history back to life and brought about a dramatic renaissance. Relax and be pampered among velvet-edged bouclé bedspreads, cotton-twill upholstered chairs and the rich tapestry of colour. Sit serenely in the hotel gardens. Keep the fires of industry burning in the business centre. Build up an appetite in the fully equipped fitness studio, then let your palate tingle in anticipation of the creative menu options at inventive Langtry's restaurant.