"How did it strike you on arrival?Brown’s has all the cachet of London’s better-known five-star hotels, but it feels less formal—you could nip down to the lobby in your slippers without raising too many eyebrows. It’s also got (whisper it) a bit more personality. The place oozes history—Agatha Christie once stayed; Rudyard Kipling finished The Jungle Book here—without feeling the remotest bit stuffy, thanks to the imaginative Olga Polozzi interiors. Antique rugs, bright upholstery, and modern art offset the weighty mahogany paneling. What’s the crowd like?Those who like luxury but hate chain-hotel regularity. It’s minutes from Mayfair’s best shopping streets. The good stuff: Tell us about your room.The rooms are spacious but a little greige compared to the rest of the hotel—classic rooms have queen beds, stripy carpeting, and come in shades of taupe and moss green. It’s quite a different story if you can stretch to one of the 33 suites though, where things get brighter, patterns start to clash, and the wallpaper gets some interesting foliage. How about the little things, like mini bar, or shower goodies. Any of that find its way into your suitcase?The use of the house Bentley for trips within a two-mile radius is a nice perk. Please tell us the bathroom won’t let us down.The bathrooms in the classic rooms are good for bathers but less so for those who prefer a shower—these are bathtubs with a shower attachment. The Forte Organics products are a little unimaginative. Maybe the most important topic of all: Wi-Fi. What’s the word?Free. Anything stand out about other services and features? Whether it’s childcare, gyms, spas, even parking—whatever stuck with you.The small spa punches above its weight, as you would expect from a Rocco Forte hotel. The Donovan Bar recently had an extensive spruce. Charlie’s restaurant is a cheerful riot of wood paneling and botanical prints and dishes manage the same of fresh and traditional—try the za’atar spiced monkfish. Bottom line: worth it, and why?For this price, you might find hotels with better facilities, but for five-star charisma, Browns wins hands-down." - Laura Goulden
