The Franklin, an SLH Hotel

Another hotel hit for the acclaimed, aristocratic designer Anouska Hempel, the Franklin is a discreet Knightsbridge den that feels more like your own townhouse than a hotel. The red-brick retreat has just 35 bedrooms, along with an Italian restaurant and a mirrored champagne and cocktail bar. The quiet Egerton Gardens setting lets you live like a Londoner, with Harrods, the Natural History Museum and the V&A within walking distance for when you want to succumb to the tourist tickbox.