4 of My Favorite Firmdale Hotels

Image courtesy of Number Sixteen

The best luxury hotels know how to deliver that five-star experience without sacrificing fun and levity. Firmdale Hotels, a collection of ten ultra-stylish hotels (plus eight restaurants) in New York and London, are experts at striking this hard-to-achieve balance.

Expect vibrant colors and fabrics, antiques, modern artwork — Firmdale's hotels are full of delightful surprises and eclectic combinations. The overarching style, helmed by the talented Firmdale co-founder Kit Kemp, is British sophistication meets a cheeky sense of play.

I've always been in love with Firmdale Hotels, but now even more so: Fora is officially part of Firmdale's preferred partner program. Translation? You'll get VIP status and exclusive perks at all of their properties when you book with me.

Read on to discover four of my favorite Firmdale hotels (although I love them all, and my life goal is to visit the entire portfolio).

Crosby Street Hotel — New York

Image courtesy of Crosby Street Hotel

Crosby Street Hotel is a chic Downtown oasis on a cobblestoned street. The vibrant SoHo gem houses 86 rooms and suites, all outfitted with floor-to-ceiling windows, fun pattern play and bright color schemes (pastel blues, yellows, pinks...).

The common areas are just as lively. Before even setting foot inside this Firmdale hotel, you'll be greeted by Crosby the Cat, a giant black sculpture crafted by Fernando Botero, the famed Colombian artist known for his exaggerated, rotund forms. In the lobby, a few of the other artistic gems you'll encounter include an Anselm Kiefer painting (which required five people to hang, due to its weight) as well as a large sculpture of a human head made out of the letters of the alphabet, created by the Spanish artist Jaume Plensa.

And though the Crosby is in New York's SoHo, rather than London's, the hotel is the place to go for afternoon tea. Get your scone-with-clotted-cream fix (and your Champagne fix) at the hotel's lovely tea room, where guests enjoy gourmet mini-sandwiches and desserts on bone-china dishware.

Fora Perks:

• Welcome amenity.

• Breakfast daily.

• Upgrade & extended check-in/out whenever possible.
  
  

The Whitby Hotel — New York

Image courtesy of the Whitby Hotel

As at the Crosby, at the Whitby Hotel in Manhattan's Midtown, you'll encounter bold colors, warm service, vibrant artwork and a contemporary, cohesive eclecticism. The location of this art-obsessed Firmdale hotel is especially apt, as the Museum of Modern Art is but a couple blocks away.

Don't miss the Whitby Bar & Restaurant, where comforting, seasonal fare is served in a welcoming space filled with — what else? — meticulously selected artwork. Cozy up at an upholstered banquette, or nurse a cocktail at the pewter bar. On Friday evenings, enjoy live jazz and negronis, a combination that cannot be beat.

There's afternoon tea here, too, with an especially fancy "royal tea" option, complete with caviar paired with crème fraîche and home-made blinis.

Fora Perks:

• Welcome amenity.

• Breakfast daily.

• Upgrade & extended check-in/out whenever possible.
  
  

Ham Yard Hotel — London

Image courtesy of Ham Yard Hotel

This Firmdale hotel is located in London's SoHo neighborhood. I love the plant-filled rooftop terrace, which feels akin to an open-air garden. And in a sense, it is. The terrace is home to the kitchen's vegetable garden, as well as to two beehives that produce deliciously floral honey. (The hotel even employs a dedicated beekeeper.)

Speaking of the kitchen, the Ham Yard Restaurant & Bar is reason enough to stay at the hotel. The bustling, airy space feels special and intimate, the result of Kemp's design genius and keen eye for art. The details are stunning, and super chic: reclaimed wooden boxes painted with abstract patterns, West-Indian artwork, white lanterns displaying the needle-point outlines of leaves, Opéra de Paris costume sketches.

And then there's the spa. Ham Yard's dreamy Soholistic Spa offers numerous types of facials, massages, beauty treatments and in-room treatments. Pro tip: arrive a little early to fit in a cleansing steam and some time to unwind in the relaxation area.

Fora Perks:

• Welcome amenity.

• Breakfast daily.

• Upgrade & extended check-in/out whenever possible.
  
  

Number Sixteen — London

Image courtesy of Number Sixteen

For an especially local London feel, head to Number Sixteen, one of Firmdale's townhouse hotels. A series of handsome, all-white Victorian townhouses comprise this cheerful Firmdale Hotel, located on a tree-lined street in South Kensington, steps away from Hyde Park.

The hotel's crown jewel is its secret garden, complete with a gazebo, a water-lily-clad fish pond, numerous flowers as well as stone and slate mosaics. The outdoor space is a celebration of varying textures, tranquility and natural beauty. Access the garden via Number Sixteen's Orangery, where you can enjoy a leisurely breakfast, afternoon tea and a hearty à la carte menu of comforting classics with a gourmet twist (warming pastas, perfectly roasted meats and fish, housemade desserts).

Number Sixteen is brimming with village-like vibes. It's homey, bright and cozy.

Fora Perks:

• Welcome amenity.

• Breakfast daily.

• Upgrade & extended check-in/out whenever possible.