Visit The Ampersand Hotel, South Kensington for a Christmas treat or a New Year’s escape.

Returning to the home where you grew up to see Ma and Pa is wonderful for a weekend but sometimes what’s supposed to be your festive downtime turns hectic and requires a bit of recovery after. London residents should swing to SW7 and sample afternoon tea at The Ampersand Hotel right up until 28th December, as a reward for getting through the winter holidays, for not forgetting to buy your second cousin’s child a present and for smiling and laughing every time your Dad made the same joke. You can expect to sip on champagne, sample mulled wine jellies and nibble mince pies in peace.

If you’re from further afield, book a room for January. The best time of year for a more relaxed London experience with Christmas craziness over. The 111 luxury rooms focus on themes and are inspired by the local area, from the pattern of the V&A’s costume collection, to the Science Museum’s planets and phials, from the Natural History Museum’s ornithological drawings to the drama and ceremony of the Royal Albert Hall. The boutique hotel also has a wine room to enjoy, Mediterranean restaurant ‘Apero’ open all week and a drawing room to take afternoon tea, with champagne of course. Maintaining a homely feel, The Ampersand Hotel has all the services you’d expect, with a gym as well as the additional option of utilising the nearby Hyde Park for slightly less conventional activities such as horse riding and rollerskating.