Fodor's Expert Review The Berkeley

Convenient for Knightsbridge shopping, the very elegant Berkeley is known for its excellent restaurants, heated rooftop swimming pool with views over Hyde Park, and an excellent, if pricey, Bamford spa. The spacious rooms, all with lavish marble bathrooms, reflect an uncluttered, modern approach to luxury. Several have terraces or balconies. In addition to Marcus Wareing's Michelin-starred restaurant, the Collins Room serves classic British cuisine in a more relaxed and informal environment (don't miss its Prêt-à-Portea with couture-inspired pastries). There's also the Blue Bar (an elegant celebrity haunt), a pop-up gastropub, and the Berkeley Café, overseen by renowned pastry chef Cedric Grolet, with an attached patisserie featuring his Instagram-friendly, trompe l'oeil fruits and flowers (which are actually sweet treats).