Batty Langley's

One of a trio of London boutique hotels that self-consciously blends 18th-century elegance with contemporary style, Batty Langley's is as comfortable an East End bolthole as you'll find. Situated a stone's throw from the famous Spitalfields Market, it's handy for both the City of London and Shoreditch's hip restaurants and clubs, while the West End isn't too far either. It's one of the most distinctive hotels the capital has to offer – a pair of renovated weavers' houses on a street that was colonised by Huguenot refugees in the 17th and 18th centuries. It's very comfortable, bursting with heritage, rather cool, and utterly unique.

Batty Langley was one of the most influential interior designers of his day who advised rich folk on matters of taste, in particular how to decorate their houses. The hotel is well named, as it's not only a soothing place to come back to after a day's sightseeing, but very elegant too. Like its sister hotels, Hazlitt’s in Soho and The Rookery in Clerkenwell, it boasts several welcoming lounges decorated with antique furniture, oil paintings from the owners' extensive Georgian art collection and lots of books, along with well-stocked honesty bars and comfy sofas to flop onto. There's also a sweet little courtyard to sit and relax in. With just 29 guest rooms, the hotel's ground floor areas never feel crowded, which suits the urban home-from-home feel perfectly, and although it has no restaurant or bar, you don't really need either in this neighbourhood, where there's so much choice on your doorstep, not least street food-friendly Spitalfields Market and Brick Lane.

The guest rooms are spread across five floors and come decorated with handsome antique furnishings, big oak beds – some of them four-posters – and en-suite bathrooms, many of which have roll-top baths. Like the group's other two hotels, the feel is private and rather special (as if it was your own secret), yet the rooms are relatively affordable, spacious and well-equipped with all the modern amenities you need – wifi, air-conditioning, minibars and Smart TVs cleverly concealed within the period furnishings. Tea- and coffee-making facilities are also provided on request. While rooms vary in size, all are decorated in an equally lavish manner. All in all, it's a terrific place to stay in a great area. Whichever room you opt for, Batty Langley's is ideal for discerning guests who like their hotels with a healthy heritage factor and style in spades. It's a hard-to-beat base in one of London's most vibrant neighbourhoods.