Five Victorian houses cobbled into one hotel and incomparably designed by Anouska Hempel, Blakes oozes panache. Each of its 45 guest rooms is elegantly decked out in a distinctive, flamboyant style: expect four-poster beds (with and without canopies), rich fabrics, plenty of Asian influences, and antiques set on bleached hardwood floors.
For that extra bit of privacy and comfort, there's an 18th-century mews house, priced accordingly.