London is indefatigable. Even in the two short weeks that I stayed there, this was apparent. The city is tireless, constantly buzzing, always moving. In the daytime, locals rush off to their 9-to-5s as tourists scramble about in and around Trafalgar Square. At night, it's off to the pubs and clubs, where people stumble in and out of, ready for a good time or simply to drown the stresses of their jobs away, if only for a few hours.
It's probably why slumber here feels like nirvana, or like you've just come home from a long and arduous trip. Of course, it helps when you're doing it in a plush bed in a particularly exquisite room. Here are two slices of heaven in a city that doesn't seem interested much in sleep.
The Posh and Modern
The bed is probably the best part about my cool, ultra modern yet chic suite at The Hari, which at the time of my stay was called Belgraves. Well, that and the rainforest shower in the glass and white marble bathroom. I loved it so much that I actually considered staying in for two straight days, well fed by room service and engulfed in gloriously soft beddings while watching TV reruns. Not that the other amenities are any less swanky: the hard wood floors, velvet love seat, and even bespoke toiletries didn't hurt either. The front foyer and lobby are just as jazzed up, if not more. Yet all of it feels very cozy and welcoming, homey even. The friendly staff might even bring you a cup of delicious latte in the lobby if asked nicely.
The Classical
Ironically, Georgian inspired Batty Langley might just be a breath of fresh air in this era of modernist hotels. Outfitted with handsome period furnishings and art pieces, the fairly new hotel, idyllically tucked in Spitalfields, is absorbing in its classical aesthetics and comforting with its small modern flourishes. I adored the four-poster bed, which made me feel like a princess, as well as the small balcony that looked out to the neighborhood in my Kitty Fischer suite. But to be completely honest, it was the magnificent Victorian shower canopy bath, rose-colored and completely functional, that I fell head over heels with. In the bottom floor, the public spaces--the Parlour and the Library, for example--are as fancy and as intimate as the rooms and suites themselves, making them lovely for meet cutes with fellow guests and travelers.
Michelle Rae Uy is a travel writer, editor and amateur photographer based in Los Angeles. Check out her other adventures on Another Spur on the Road.