Boundary

Class: First

Style: Modern design

Rooms: 17

Terence Conran's first foray into the world of hotels, in a former Victorian warehouse in Shoreditch, won't be defined as a hotel. Rather, it's an urbane 'multifunctional space' in which each of the 12 large - expensively pared-down rooms- and 5 suites has been individually created to showcase Conran's favourite 20th-century designers against a gallery-style backdrop of white walls and plenty of exposed brick. Whether it's Mies van der Rohe, Le Corbusier or simply 'Shaker', each room is full of iconic furnishings - or, in the case of the four suites, quirkier touches such as flamboyant patchwork chairs, detailed chinoiserie wallpaper and even a tree 'growing' out of the wall. The two exemplary restaurants have become destinations in their own right. Local hipsters head for Albion, a simple 'caff' where striped tea-cosies and British comfort food (boiled eggs, Welsh rarebit) are simultaneously homely and stylish, much like the contents of the adjoining bakery and deli. Downstairs, City boys and smart media types dine on frogs' legs and other French classics at the Restaurant, where the open kitchen and 500-bin wine cellar add a New York City buzz. The Manhattan state of mind continues at the Rooftop bar, a little oasis amid the inner-city rooftops, albeit one with a 24-hour soundtrack of sirens and street-level revellers. If you're a light sleeper, pack earplugs. Alternatively, simply join in: some of London's most talked-about night-time hangouts are just a stone's throw away.