CLARIDGE'S, London

Boom! London is back, the new global capital of, well, capital—bristling with energy, confidence, and cash. The problem with big cities like London is it's easy to feel that energy is passing you by. Without connections, you just might find yourself crammed into a tiny hotel room and eating pub grub. No worries whatsoever when you place yourself in the hands of the staff at Claridge's. No hotel better exemplifies this new injection of British cool. At the center of Mayfair, a storied residential neighborhood recently reinvented with a spate of fashionable boutiques and restaurants, the Art Deco gem maintains old-school traditions like afternoon tea, uniformed elevator attendants, and discreet service. But it also injects an exhilarating dose of modern style: a Champagne bar so hip that Kate Moss hosted her 30th there, 21 new suites designed by the Queen's nephew David Linley, and Gordon Ramsay's flagship (and still best) restaurant. Other draws: one of the best dry martinis in the city at the Fumoir bar, and Thomas Keatley, the concierge, who has been taking care of high-maintenance requests for 30 years. London is rocking, and you will be, too.

Claridge's
Tel: 44 207 629 8860
Tel: 866 599 6991 (toll-free)
Doubles from $1,080

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