The Rookery

Repaired and extended from the last early houses standing on Peter's Lane, The Rookery was built into a boutique hotel in Clerkenwell. The neighbourhood was once a centre of monastic life, and by the 18th century, sitting just outside the old city's jurisdiction, it drew mountebanks and tricksters, some of whom have rooms named after them here. Inside, wood panelling is polished to a shine, floors are laid in flagstone, and open fires burn in several rooms. Furniture throughout is genuine antique. It reads more as a private club than a hotel lobby.

Rooms carry that same period charm, each fitted with air-conditioning, Wi-Fi, a flat-screen TV and a minibar. The Rook's Nest, a two-storey suite, has drawn particular notice from guests climbing its stairs after check-in. Two meeting rooms, the Library and the Drawing Room, seat up to six and 12 guests respectively around mahogany tables, with an oak-panelled snug in one and a Bath stone fireplace in the other. Both are used for filming and photo shoots as often as for board meetings.

Farringdon station is a two-minute walk away. St Paul's Cathedral and the Old Bailey sit within easy reach, and Clerkenwell's restaurants, from independent kitchens to Michelin-starred rooms, are on the doorstep.