"The vibe: Creatives ahoy Location: Soho Top amenties: Basement screening room Best for: A taste of London's cultural scene Designer Kit Kemp has taken her Firmdale Hotels brand from one London property in 1985 to a boutique empire reaching as far as New York and Barbados. Of her eight London hotels, this is the classic: right in the middle of energetic Soho, but a quiet haven wedged down a peaceful alleyway (making it one of the most intriguing hotel entrances in London). Perhaps the most urban of Kemp’s London properties, all 96 rooms pair floor-to-ceiling, warehouse-style windows with her quirky, print-heavy designs (beds and linens are made bespoke for the property). As befits its location, this is London’s ultimate hotel for creatives, with the Refuel bar and restaurant—which specializes in modern British cooking—acting as a place for deals over lunch, afternoon tea before fashion events, and post-screening drinks. In fact, the hotel even has its own screening room, in the basement, and it isn’t just for private hire—weekend “Film Club” events pair lunch with a movie." - Julia Buckley
