The Portobello

Intrigued by the idea of an antique four-poster bed so high you need steps to get into it? Fascinated by the notion of a Victorian steampunk bath right in the bedroom? Look no further. The ‘charming and quirky’ Portobello may not be as rock’n’roll as when the likes of the Rolling Stones used to stay – it was taken over in 2014 by Peter and Jessica Frankopan, whose Curious Group of Hotels includes the Canal House, Amsterdam (see the Good Hotel Guide website) – but the original features and eccentricities remain. ‘The result is a delight.’ The manager is Douglas Cooper (no relation, we presume, to Alice Cooper, who kept snakes in the bath here); the staff are ‘friendly’ and ‘helpful’. Overlooking communal gardens to the rear, the 19th-century stucco mansion has bedrooms ranging from ‘tiny but beautifully coloured’ attic singles to generously sized ‘Exceptional’ rooms. No two are remotely alike, but all have a coffee machine, minibar and apothecary-inspired bath products. Snacks are available all day; in the morning, sit down to a continental breakfast in the ‘large, light’ drawing room.