The Bailey’s Hotel London, a luxury Victorian-style hotel operated and owned by Millennium Hotels and Resorts (MHR), has been named among London’s top 20 cool and unusual hotels by Global Grasshopper, an award-winning travel blog and resource for independent travellers.

Global Grasshopper praised the “immaculately presented” The Bailey’s Hotel – restored from a 19th century townhouse – for its “quintessentially English, old-world charm”, replete with a sweeping staircase, intricate stonework and stained-glass windows.

Located in the affluent and cultural district of South Kensington near Hyde Park, the Royal Albert Hall and Kensington Palace, the 212-room boutique hotel is steeped in English history. Established in 1876, the hotel was named after its original owner, British politician Sir James Bailey (10 November 1840 – 12 October 1910) who built it to attract London’s aristocrats and wealthy individuals. It was one of the earliest privately funded hotels in London at the time and had over 300 rooms then.

The hotel has housed many celebrities in its 144 years of existence; Sultan Abu Bakar of Johor state, then part of British Malaya, spent his last days in bed at the hotel before he passed away from pneumonia in June 1895. The hotel has even survived incendiary bombs, once in World War II and another in March 1941, as well as a fire in 1945, at a time when it was used as a hospital.

Following an extensive £7.5 million renovation in 2016, the historic hotel saw a total redesign of all its guestrooms and public spaces that highlights the personality of Sir James Bailey and reflect the character of its central Kensington location. Four design motifs differentiate each floor. Informally named Kensington, Kew, Henley and City Gent, they influence the colour palette, patterns, artwork and decorative details giving it the luxury and modern flair, while keeping with its Victorian roots.

The hotel’s redesign was also extended to its popular Olives Italian Restaurant and Olives Bar featuring warm shades of greys and blues for a relaxing and refined ambiance.

The Bailey’s Hotel General Manager Ms Kim Tian said, “The art of being timeless is at the heart of The Bailey’s Hotel. It carries a distinct old-world elegance and charm which continues to appeal to discerning travellers. We are thrilled by the Global Grasshopper rating which comes amid more bookings across our hotels in the UK by domestic travellers.”