Kensington, London, England

Dark, sexy, moody and very Italian. The drama starts as soon as you walk into Baglioni's lobby, with its dark-wood floors, votive candles, black velvet armchairs, vast vases, and striking glass-and-water feature—and continues through all 67 guest rooms, 49 of which are spacious suites. The attention to detail is extraordinary: a team of male and female personal butlers to unpack for you, light the fire, make a cocktail or draw the bath. Each suite has a separate bed, bath and sitting rooms, decorated in a stylish striped gold and mahogany trim, with flat-screen TVs, Internet access and an Italian coffee maker. I love the personalized calling cards on the writing desk; slip them to shopkeepers so they can deliver your purchases ("Send my Prada suit to the Baglioni Hotel, pronto!"). Or ask the butler to arrange your own personal shopper with a little black book of London's best designer stores and contacts. The hotel is a credit card's toss to Knightsbridge, Harrods and Selfridges, and the chauffeur-driven Maserati can whisk you there (trips are complimentary within a one-mile radius). Return in time for a treatment in the Rejuvenation Spa, before cocktails and dinner at sleek Brunello Restaurant, with a Tuscan-inspired menu and impressive wine list. The Baglioni has a small gym but is right across the road from Kensington Gardens and Palace, a lovely place for an early morning walk or jog. My only criticism: the hotel's low-level lighting is more atmospheric than practical. Otherwise, I'm hooked.

Baglioni Hotel
60 Hyde Park Gate
London SW7 5BB
England