The Bar/Lounge at Claridge's

"Its main lift is the last in Central London to be operated by hand—there’s a sofa inside should you tire during your five-level journey to the top floor—and its clubby cocktail bars and Fera restaurant are favored by modern-day fashion icons (your Von Furstenbergs, your Jaggers, your Eltons—wealthy Americans, in particularly, love it, and so did the Queen Mum) who value luxury and exclusivity without the snooty exclusivity that can make the Ritz such a drag"

"Previously, NYC über-decorator Thierry Despont created the Deco foyer with its giant Murano glass Medusa head chandelier; London über-decorator David Collins did the rock-and-fashion–hangout cocktail bar with its adjunct Macanudo Fumoir; and the Queen's nephew, David Linley, designed two suites (one Art Deco; one traditional late 19th-century)"

"Enjoy a cup of tea in the lounge, cocktails in the stylish bar, or, better still, a meal in chef Simon Rogan's much talked-about restaurant, Fera"

"Without departing too far from the traditional, Claridge’s bars and restaurant are actively fashionable – Gordon Ramsay is the in-house restaurateur, and the A-listers can gather for champers and sashimi in the bar"

"Gordon Ramsay’s fêted restaurant and a stylish bar are further draws"

"Big draws here are the Michelin-starred Gordon Ramsay restaurant (the city’s toughest booking) and the gorgeous Fumoir bar, which harks back to the days of flapper girls and jazz piano"

"Other assets include an elegant restaurant serving upscale British cuisine and a traditional afternoon tea; two stylish bars, Claridge’s and The Fumoir (the latter with a Lalique glass-paneled door); and a top-floor health club and spa with city views"

"Dotted on one wall are sketches of former Claridge’s guests such as Sarah Jessica Parker, Dita Von Teese, Christian Louboutin and Kristin Scott Thomas, created by artist-in-residence David Downton (whose illustrations have appeared in Vogue) from his base in the hotel’s seductive Fumoir bar"

"Claiming to have one of London’s largest champagne menus, Claridge’s Bar is a great meeting place and always very lively"

"Stepping into this chamber filled with leather-lined walls, stunning Lalique glass panels, stylized art and fragrant leather seating is like stepping into a glamorous private bar"