[HOTEL REVIEW] Langham Hotel, London

Luxurious, stately, and composed, this 380-room hotel projects an air of exclusivity. Certain amenities seem meager for a five-pearl luxury brand, however -- even the "complimentary" evening champagne is offered in conservative amounts and presented with a full champagne menu, presumably to encourage extra spending. But for a certain quintessentially English air of prestige without the usual pretension, and a premier location for West End shopping, this is a good place to be. The ultra-luxurious Chuan Spa, 16-meter pool, and salt sauna don't hurt its high-end credentials either.

Pros

• Excellent location for West End shopping
• Luxurious amenities include a lovely pool and Vitality pool, salt sauna, and high-end spa
• Elegant common spaces with exquisite period features
• Original home of the English afternoon tea tradition
• Literary heritage courtesy of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s use of the hotel as a setting for several Sherlock Holmes novels
• In-house book butler to supply guests with classical literature to read during their stay

Cons

• Standard rooms lack amenities like iPod docks and free Wi-Fi
• Anything beyond basic Internet browsing requires a fee