Corinthia Hotel

Whitehall Place London

Walk into the lobby of the Corinthia Hotel and you’re immediately transported to 1930s London. Smack in the middle of Whitehall, just a few steps away from 10 Downing Street, you can imagine Churchill having meetings beneath the glittering central chandelier that dominates the marble entrance hall of this beautifully restored art deco building. And you get the feeling that at any moment Hercule Poirot is going to sweep in and order a hot chocolate in the virtually hidden Bassoon bar – although it’s best to forget soft drinks. The latenight cocktail menu is worth the visit alone – try the Fleurs du Mal with rye whiskey, apricot brandy, chocolate bitters and Pernod. Rooms are just as glamorous, decked out with huge Italian marble bathrooms, gargantuan beds, shining wooden desks and coffee machines. The art deco theme continues in the Northall restaurant, where everything from the oysters to the chicken liver parfait is so elegantly served that even the undeniably fussy Poirot would have given it the thumbs-up. Doubles from £450.