You can paddleboard on the river, take a yoga class, stroll to see the deer in Richmond Park, and feel a world away from central London at this smart, multifaceted Thames-side hotel.

In a row of stucco-fronted Edwardian townhouses, this small hotel, a stroll from Hyde Park and the South Kensington museums, has 24 smart, individually styled, air-conditioned bedrooms with a coffee machine and shower, a lounge, bar and secluded terrace.

On the corner of a leafy Pimlico street, this handsome Georgian stuccoed gastropub is a popular neighbourhood drop-in, with four airy bedrooms, an open-plan ground-floor bar serving wood-fired pizzas, an atmospheric basement cocktail bar and first-floor restaurant.

A home away from home in the heart of Chelsea is the aim of these red-brick Victorian townhouses, which have been converted into a luxurious hotel of dazzling individuality.

Hip, fun, quirky, this London outpost of a small, art-focused chain of hotels is a popular neighbourhood drop-in with a restaurant, basement cocktail bar, and highly individual bedrooms set over three upper floors, on a leafy residential street.

The Doric porch and white stucco exterior of a handsome 1830s terrace townhouse on a leafy garden square give no clue to the ultra-high-tech facilities at this Pimlico hotel, with its 'digital concierge' and adjustable beds with massage settings, though a human will bring bar food to your room.

A personable, affordable hotel in swanky Belgravia, the Lime Tree has smart boutique bedrooms, 24-hour reception, an oasis 'secret' garden, barista coffees, breakfast, brunch and lunches on offer in the Buttery, and some great restaurants close at hand.

Single, double, family room, or a wizard-themed basement 'chamber' accessed by a hidden door in a bookcase – take your pick at this smart but quirky hotel spread across imposing, stucco-fronted 19th-century townhouses, where breakfast is served in the Pimlico Pantry, and they do a magical afternoon tea (but no fairy cakes!)