June 15 2007: St. Martins Lane is one of my favourite places to stay when visiting London. It's part of the Morgan Hotel group and has all the modern style of it's sister hotel The Sanderson, but a little more relaxed atmosphere.  Some things that stand out about this hotel are:

 1. Rooms are ultra modern with minimalistic design. Very refreshing. Ask for the room with the patio in it, considering how small the hotel rooms are in London, it's pretty special to have a room that has an open air terrace build into the center of the room.

 2. Concierge service is spot on. This is what you want in London when there are so many choices, and you want to cut through the crap and have a nice experience. They know what they are talking about. We asked for a good Italian restaurant, and they pointed us down a nearby alleyway to one of the most authentic Italian restaurants we've come across in London. My wife arrived early on Valentine's day, and the concierge helped me surprise her by ordering red roses (hard to find the day before valentine's day in London!) and set them up in the room prior to arrival.

  

October 11 2007: This hotel is in one of the nicest areas of London: Coven Gardens.  The main lobby is strangely fun with gnome stools, gold rococo settees and neon yellow walls.  The video playing in the elevator is just strange.  The rooms themselves are nice and certainly have smart design, but still feel cramped.Much of the luxury comes in the details: the doors, the handles, even the lighting.  There is also a usable fitness center, though I wish it had a window instead of a tv.A splurge, but if you're kooky, this place will inspire you.

Date of stay: May 2007
Purpose of stay: Leisure (Alone)