The Wellesley, though, despite the modest prospective façade (see above) adapted from a former tube station, is rumoured to be the most luxurious of them all, and London’s first six star hotel. Theoretically, of course, that would make it one star better than all of the amazing-looking properties listed above, as well as other notable lights such as the Ritz and the Savoy.

Among the first questions to arise upon hearing this news is ‘what exactly makes this place so special?’ After all, at a certain level it becomes difficult to even conceive of the ever-escalating levels of luxury involved. At the Savoy, for example, you stay in an amazingly comfortable, beautifully decorated mansion in the centre of London where everything is done for you. Practically-speaking, how much more can you add to that before things start getting silly? A private swimming pool, harem or spaceship? At least one Vegas hotel offers a service where you can have wine poured into your mouth by a beautiful woman abseiling down the side of the building, but even that place is only 5 stars. How can the Wellesley top it?

Well, it will have London’s largest suite, with four rooms, a private lift and a view over Hyde Park. In fact, the Wellesley is all-suite, with no single rooms on offer. There will be a restaurant serving Italian food, a bar with live jazz and Britain’s largest bespoke humidor (cigar and tobacco shop).

So, it doesn’t sound like too much and certainly not the kind of mind-boggling splendour that shifts the playing field for Britain’s entire hotel industry. Although construction is almost complete on this most promising of Knightsbridge hotels, no operator has yet been found to run the place. How can they be so sure that they’re destined for six stars?

The answer is that they can’t be sure at all. There are a few hotels in the world described as six star, and at least three claiming to be seven star (The Emirates Palace in Abu Dhabi, the Burj al Arab in Dubai and perhaps most luxurious of all the Town House Galleria in Milan, where all guests get a butler, a Bentley and a room to transform into whatever they want). Ultimately, though, these are no more than claims. There is no centralised global body awarding hotel stars, so standards may vary slightly between countries. However, no official certification board in ANY country awards more than five stars. Six and seven star hotels are unarguably the cream of the crop, but their certifications are a self-invented marketing tool.

That said, the Wellesley is no doubt going to be the jewel in the crown of Knightsbridge hotels, and you shouldn’t let anyone stop you from expecting the best. Just be aware that for your harem, you may have to go elsewhere.

Environmental concerns are increasingly affecting many of the day-to-day decisions we make. Today, many of us want to know the ‘green’ credentials of every product we buy, and every consumer decision we make.

For the most serious of eco-warriors, choosing a hotel can also be dictated by such factors. The hotel industry has latched onto this trend, with most of them making efforts to change their policies to bring them into line with the public’s growing appetite to protect the environment.

As one of the world’s most popular cities for tourism, London has duly responded to this shift in attitude with several eco-friendly hotels popping up across the capital. Visitors to London can now make their accommodation choices comfortable in the knowledge that they are contributing to the global effort to combat climate change.

Contrary to what you may assume, it is not only humble, independently-owned establishments that have transformed themselves into ‘green’ hotels. Large chain hotels have also got in on the act, including some of the most luxurious hotels in the city.

One such hotel is the 5-star Swissôtel The Howard, which is located on the Victoria Embankment and offers panoramic views over the River Thames, the Houses of Parliament and St Paul’s Cathedral. This hotel has committed to a range of environmentally friendly practices, including minimising energy and converting cooking oil to bio oil. As a nice personal touch, there are even wind-up torches in your bedroom.

The 4-star Cavendish Hotel is situated in Bloomsbury in the heart of London’s West End. Fairtrade products are used throughout the hotel, while the restaurant guarantees that it serves sustainable produce. Furthermore, in an effort to incentivise eco-living, environmentally-friendly cars get a 50% discount in the hotel’s car park.

Another eco-friendly London hotel is the 4-star Base2Stay in the city’s chic west London district of Kensington. This hotel claims to recycle 60% of its waste, as well as using low-energy electrical devices, providing fairtrade tea and coffee, and working with a carbon neutral taxi company.

The 4-star Park Inn Heathrow is conveniently located at London’s Heathrow Airport and has impressive green credentials, being the first hotel to receive a Green Tourism for London Award. This hotel uses fairtrade and organic products, boasts its own in-house water bottling company (the Pure Water Company), and supports local and international charities.

In the latest Michelin guide Quilon is one of five London restaurants to be awarded their first Michelin stars. Quilon is only the fifth Indian restaurant in the capital to win the honour and is the only South Indian restaurant in the whole of the UK.

Compare prices and book rooms at 51 Buckingham Gate or read more information on Quilon restaurant.

Sofitel London Heathrow is instantly recognisable by its five towering steel and glass atriums, and will become a spectacular addition to Heathrow’s skyline. Focusing on the concept of ‘the gateway to the world’ as the design inspiration, KCA International Designers (who have previously designed interiors for Burj Al Arab, Dubai and Four Seasons Hotel, Hong Kong) will embrace the theme of Continent and Country throughout the property. Antarctica will take the central focus in the hotel’s reception areas with a dramatic water fountain centrepiece, cascading out from a mirrored ceiling onto floodlit ice blocks, funnelling refractive light on the surrounding surfaces. The adjoining public areas will carry through the continents theme to encompass Asia, Africa, Europe and the Americas.

The hotel’s four room categories include Classic, Superior, Luxury and Suites, all complete with the signature Sofitel MyBed, ensuring guests the most comfortable night’s sleep possible. Triple-glazed windows will guarantee absolute silence throughout bedrooms, with many rooms offering commanding views of the airport and internal gardens. Each room will be individually styled with contemporary aesthetics appealing to both business and leisure travellers. The hotel will feature no fewer than 52 Suites ranging from Sofitel, Prestige, Opera to the presidential grandeur of the Imperial Suite – measuring 165 square meters.

As soon as this hotel can be booked on TubeHotels.com we will let you know! In the meantime, compare rates and choose another Heathrow airport hotel.

Set within three imposing Victorian houses, Hyde Park Gate was built in 1864 and many of the original features have been retained over the years. The apartments are the most prestigious in the Capital, and in hotel terms equate with London’s grandest five-star establishments. The new designs encompass this splendour and are elegant and classic, with a focus on creating timeless, traditional English surroundings. For more information visit www.chevalgroup.com

The Junction Bar bestows an additional place for guests to dine, enjoy cocktails or grab a snack. The accessible bar provides a quiet substitute the hotels Irish bar, Callaghan’s, for those looking for a more calm, contemporary night out.

The updated Lobby and reception area has also been given a stylish look that coincides with Junction Bar. The room has been seemingly enlarged and celebrates London art icons with the artwork that is hung around the space.

The fantastic, new fangled hotel can also house the business minded with its Academy. The specialized Academy boasts self contained meeting, conference and banquet facilities, complete with 14 suites, which can accommodate nearly 450 guests comfortably.

The Holiday Inn London Bloomsbury has also been praised for its accessibility for people with a disability and proudly received the Best Disabled Access Award in 2007. This well rounded and well situated hotel is located across from Kings Cross and Euston stations and the Russell Square Tube, enabling guests to whisk around the city at a moments notice.

On November 13, the last arrivals and departures to and from Waterloo International will come to a halt. Over night, Eurostar will be changing its location to St Pancras International – its new home. The new station is at a better site, right in the heart of London. It offers a faster Eurostar with enhanced connections through the United Kingdom and Europe. On average, Eurostar will be more than 20 minutes quicker to each place. For example a trip from the new St Pancras, London station to Paris will be 2 hours and 15 minutes compared to the current pace of 2 hours and 35 minutes. A journey to Brussels will go from 2 hours and 15 minutes down to 1 hour and 51 minutes and a ride to Lille, now 1 hour and 40 minutes, will be cut down by 20 minutes.

The Eurostar services project will expand in 2008 but for now the High Speed 1 line with its six underground lines and five train operators serving St Pancras, King’s Cross and Euston will do.

The new St Pancras station is located in London’s Zone 1. London Kings Cross hotels (or should that be St Pancras hotels?) are plentiful and tend to be on the budget end of the hotel price scale. From Kings Cross St Pancras you can get to most central London locations in only 20 minutes.

Eurostar also calls at brand new station Stratford International in the east of London. Hotels in Stratford London are scarce but we expect more to come with the new terminal and upcoming Olympics.