The Portobello Hotel

NileGuide Expert tip:

Don't miss the Museum of Brands, Packaging & Advertising and Alice Temperley while staying here, they're tucked away in a nearby mews; try Gail's for breakfast

Description:

• On an elegant Victorian terrace near Portobello Road, two 1850s-era town houses have been combined to form a quirky property that has its devotees. We remember these rooms when they looked better, but they still have plenty of character. Who knows what will show up in what nook? Perhaps a Chippendale, a claw-foot tub, or a round bed tucked under a gauze canopy. Try for no. 16, with a full-tester bed facing the garden. Some of the cheaper rooms are so tiny that they're basically garrets, but others have been combined into large doubles. An elevator goes to the third floor; after that, it's the stairs. Since windows are not double-glazed, request a room in the quiet rear. Some rooms are air-conditioned. Service is erratic at best, but this is still a good choice.

• © Frommer's 2012

Awards:

Frommer's

•  Recommended 2009
•  Recommended 2010

Other features:

Agreement with a selection of local restaurants for serving lunch and dinner. All bedrooms are en suite and many bathrooms have whirlpool baths. Room service available until 11pm.