Great Affordable City Hotels
Main House, London
The Hotel: Staying at Caroline Main’s uniquely converted, 1840s Victorian terrace house lets you feel like a stylish London apartment dweller. The hotel has just four spacious, wood-floored suites; each occupies its own floor, and is decorated simply but exquisitely with an eclectic assortment of antiques and objets (wrought-iron chandeliers, ornate gilt-framed mirrors, animal-skin rugs). If you’d like to entertain in your “flat,” a special doorbell lets you buzz in your friends.
The Locale: Notting Hill, a famously posh neighborhood near the northwest corner of Hyde Park, has streets lined with ivy-covered townhouses, upscale boutiques, and intimate eateries. The legendary antique shops and Saturday markets of Portobello Road are just steps from the hotel.
The Bottom Line: Rates for all suites are the same, about $160 per night; in most cases there’s a three-night minimum.