MALMAISON

Sometimes a hotel is good not because of any über-modish design Michelin-starred restaurant, but simply because it provides what we’re all really hoping for – great service. Malmaison (named after Napoleon and Josephine’s home) does just that, offering contemporary accommodation in a stately red-brick building overlooking a leafy courtyard close to bustling Smithfield market, meaning there are loads of great foodie options nearby (though guests rave about Malmaison’s own subterranean brasserie), as well as great transport links to more happening areas of the city and the Square Mile, with its financial markets.