The flashier little sister of the Halkin, the Metropolitan may have had its fashion heyday in the 1990s, but it still retains a buzzy, relaxed sense of cool. The Met Bar and Nobu restaurant continue to attract celebrities and models, headlining bands still rock up, and many mere mortals drop by to rubberneck. The hotel itself is bright and uncluttered.
The rooms are a little clinical and appear ever-so-slightly dated, but pear-wood furnishings, super-soft mattresses and suede throws keep things very comfortable, and the Shambhala spa toiletries in the bathrooms are a cut above the usual chuck-away fodder. There is an annual replacement of the carpets and a rolling programme that refurbishes one room each year. The hotel’s greatest asset, however, is the prime location, overlooking a corner of Hyde Park.