The Mayfair Townhouse

Worth getting out of bed for

When you’re not tearing through the cocktail list or getting your move on in the gym, cast an eye over the hotel’s fantastical art collection. Start in the lobby where Miss Aniela’s mixed-media fables hang and Colombian artist Clarita Brinkerhoff’s Swarovski crystal-encrusted peacock is proudly displayed – each of it’s 25,000 gems was applied by hand. In the stairwell, artist Grant Watts chose a similar avian theme, with a mural inspired by James Mcneill Whistler’s Harmony in Blue and Gold: The Peacock Room. And in the Club Room, painter Svetlana Melik-Nubarova’s heavily detailed portraits of the fictional Renard family of Mayfair and Ant Fox’s anachronistic Byron with an iPad add layers to the hotel’s already embellished story. If you want to learn more about each piece, search for the QR code close by. Mayfair may be one of London’s most lah-di-dah districts today, but in the 1800s, the Grade II-listed mansions the hotel is housed in were home to young bachelors; thus, Half Moon Street came to be associated with dandies, bohemians and ladies (and gents) of the night – there was even a catalogue. And literary sorts, too: Oscar Wilde based character Algernon Moncrieff from The Importance of Being Earnest in a residence on the street, as did PG Wodehouse with Bertie Wooster. A wander along gives you a sense of how it was then – and even further back in time, Shepherd Market, close to the hotel, was where the original May fair was held until Victorian times. You’re sandwiched between Hyde and Green parks here, although the former has the edge for its pedalos, Serpentine galleries and riding trails. Though, the latter does lead to Buckingham Palace, where The Crown fans might want to snoop around on a tour. Aristocratic Spencer House (at 27 St James's Place) has some rather splendiferous interiors too. For the sights of London postcards, you couldn’t be better placed – Westminster, Trafalgar Square and Oxford Street are all within walking distance meaning you can easily dart from Westminster Abbey to the Houses of Parliament to the National Gallery, to Carnaby Street. Shoppers, brace yourself, Mayfair, Knightsbridge and Kensington are home to some of the capital’s most refined – and pricy – boutiques, whether you’re looking for a ballgown, new yacht or attire for a shooting party. The Institute of Contemporary Arts is a showcase for some truly exciting new talents, and due north is the Handel Museum, set in his former residence, which was also home to equally legendary Jimi Hendrix.

Local restaurants

Dining in Mayfair requires deep pockets – after all, there are no less than 16 Michelin-starred restaurants in its borders – but for your buck you get beautifully executed food by chefs who’ve rightfully made names for themselves, so screw the budget and see what’s cooking. Kitty Fishers, just around the corner seems a suitable bedfellow for the hotel – and not just because the eponymous Kitty was a courtesan. There’s a shared fondness of velveteen banquettes, low-lit libertine carousing and a menu that’s both cosseting yet creative. Hide, also steps away from the Townhouse, is an ambitious three-tier offering from super chef Ollie Dabbous. Hide Below is the bar, Hide Ground is a laidback eatery with an inventive à la carte, and Hide Above is where Dabbous’ dabbles in the weird and wonderful to create five- and eight-course tasting menus. A little further along is haute Indian Gymkhana whose muntjac biryani is a bowl of game-y goodness, and around Berkeley Square there’s a triple threat of acclaimed, wallet-emptying eateries. Members’ club Annabel’s mixes leopard print, florals and ikat with aplomb, and didn’t meet a tassel it didn’t like. The food is very high-end Italian, and with a million-piece mosaic and pink-onyx basins, the loos are surprisingly Instagrammable. Unfortunately named Sexy Fish serves sushi and seafood that is indeed very palatable and prides itself on showiness, with bedazzled ceilings and floating sculptures. And Hakkasan could be dubbed ‘sexy duck’ for its Peking-crisped, truffle-soused take on it. Beef punched up with merlot and honey-slicked Chilean seabass are also dishes you’ll dream about.

Local cafés

Everbean brews up stiff cups of Climpson & Sons coffee along with other respected roasteries, and their food edit is ideal for light lunching (or heavy, if you simply must sample all the cakes). Ladureé may be best known for their make-up-palette macarons, but their pâtisserie begs to be demolished with a tiny fork – the rose and raspberry religieuse strikes the perfect balance of fruity, creamy, tart and sweet.

Local bars

You may well rub shoulders with royalty while out on the lash in Mayfair’s upmarket drinkeries. Mahiki is where Harry, Wills et al used to go for treasure-chest cocktails and tiki drinks and still offers a fun kitschy alternative to some of the more stiff-upper-lip establishments. Claridge’s Bar knows it’s the grand dame of the area, but unflagging service and a legacy of being an excellent hostess makes it feel all the more welcoming. And Kwānt (pronounced ‘quaint’) is our date-night pick; its gilded filigree ceiling and liberal use of rattan and palm print give it a chic retro air and cocktails are both slurpable and surprising.