The Rookery Hotel

12 Peter’s Lane, Cowcross Street, London

To go from the cobbled Farringdon streets into this peaceful 18th-century, 33-room boutique hotel is to step back in time. Rich antique furnishings provide a decadent but homely feel: think heavy silk, deep red-hued Persian rugs, Georgian four-poster beds alongside roll-top baths, beautiful bathrooms with REN toiletries. All furniture is of the period; some of the finest antiques you’ll find. Homemade croissants delivered to your door each morning mean you don’t have to go far for breakfast, and the teal brick-walled conservatory is the perfect spot to settle in for a relaxed afternoon with the papers and enjoy the company of resident feline, Lady Grey. As an alternative to a faceless central London lodging, you won’t find much better. BG. Doubles from £288, rookeryhotel.com