london hotels by hotels-london.co.uk

The Courthouse Hotel Kempinski is the ultimate hip yet historic hotel in the heart of London. Located amidst the capital's bustling shopping district - a stone's throw away from Liberty's and the internationally renowned areas of Bond Street, Regent Street and Carnaby Street - the Courthouse offers a luxurious haven for those wishing to enjoy the best that the capital has to offer. With 116 well-appointed rooms, ranging from the delightful penthouse suites through to surprisingly spacious standard accommodation, the Courthouse offers a wide range of rooms to suit all tastes and budgets.

Situated in an historic courthouse, the Grade II listed building retains much of its original splendour, including a number of quirky features. The Great Malborough Street Magistrate's Court has played host to many famous cases over the years with Mick Jagger, Keith Richards and Oscar Wilde having all passed through the Courthouse's doors.

Many remnants of this time have been incorporated into the building's current scheme. Original Robert Adams fireplaces adorn several of the suites, and The Bar's private tables are actually inside three of the original prison cells. Silk, the hotel's fine dining restaurant, is the old Number One court where the Judges bench, witness stand and dock take centre stage. Elsewhere in the hotel, glimpses of former use can be seen - such as the iron bars that separate the lobby from The Bar.

The Courthouse Hotel's cuisine ranges from traditional afternoon tea served in the Waiting Room; modern Italian in the Carnaby Brasserie to Italian, Oriental, Indian and Asian grazing dishes in Silk. A wide selection ensures there is something to suit every palate.

Carnaby's, with separate street entrance, offers all day dining with a lively, buzzy atmosphere. Silk is located within the infamous No. 1 Courtroom where the great and not so good have pleaded their cases in previous years. This is fine dining at its most special with cuisine following the ancient Silk Route, flavoured by radical inspiration from Europe by head chef, Elisha Carter, formally of Lola's in Islington. The Waiting Room is transformed into an elegant palm-filled atrium in which to relax and enjoy breakfast, light meals and afternoon tea.

'The Bar's' clubby atmosphere is emphasized by low seating, a wall-length glass bar and a monochrome design scheme of black and white leather. The three former Ladies Cells are retained, though upgraded, to offer intimate, private booths, complete with bunk bed and ice-bucket charmingly fashioned from the original Victorian lavatory!

The 'Roof Terrace' is the ultimate retreat and an exclusive rendez-vous, from where to enjoy light meals and exquisite cocktails, overlooking Liberty's.

The hotel's facilities are extensive and include a 100-seat private cinema (the largest of its kind in London), a roof top terrace overlooking Liberty's, Conference Suite, business centre and health spa with a pool, treatment rooms, gym, steam shower and sanarium.

The Spa has a fully equipped gymnasium, separated from the stunning wet areas by a glass wall. The wet areas comprise a hot tub and a large square swimming pool. There are two aluminium treatment rooms with glass floors, one of which is suspended over the pool (though swimmers please note, you cannot peep inside!).

The hotel has seven meeting rooms catering for a maximum of 130 people (theatre style) in the largest room. Release, the hotel's extravagant private screening room, seats up to 100 people and is the largest of its kind in London. With aubergine walls and large apple green leather chairs, the room can be used as a dramatic meeting room when not in cinematic use.