Ham Yard Hotel

Swanky and breezy 90-room hotel located in the southwestern corner of Soho on a piece of land that spent many decades since the Second World War vacant and sad. Opened in June 2014, this part-fun, part-neo-natural and part-swish hotel spreads its boutiqueness in a U shape around a courtyard space invented for the hotel, punctuated by boutiquey ground-floor shops. Like London's other hotels in Jim and Kit Kemp's Firmdale chain — including neighbour the Soho Hotel, plus Charlotte Street Hotel, Covent Garden Hotel, Haymarket Hotel, Knightsbridge Hotel and Number Sixteen — Ham Yard toys with warm colours and textures in a way that nearly defies description. Designed by Kit Kemp and her team, it's definitely comfy and unthreatening, with a long and sexy bar adding a bit glamour. Because the hotel was built from scratch, the rooms all feature floor-to-ceiling windows, which it can get away with in this tucked-away location. The outdoor guests-only rooftop terrace provides not only a fabulous garden oasis but new views overlooking Soho. The basement offers other possibilities (1950s bowling alley with machinery shipped over from Texas, splashy screening room, dance floor etc), but these are for private hire only. Located immediately west of gay-owned gelateria Gelupo [see entry] and oh so close to dozens of gay Soho bars.