Like a boy racer’s favourite Ferrari or a puppy’s beloved ball, the Union Jack flag stands tall above the entrance of The Gore Hotel. This luxury boutique hotel is quintessentially British – and proudly so.

With just 50 rooms The Gore delights in giving the most bespoke experience, far from the ‘cookie-cutter’ hotels of London. As one of thirteen hotels within the Starhotels Collezione, The Gore, like its brother and sister hotels, has a deep sense of history and individual character.

After the mighty success of Prince Albert’s international manufacturing exhibition in 1851, money was pumped into South Kensington and upsprung what was soon to be the glamorous Gore hotel.

Even its original owners have a rich sense of history as descendants of the British explorer, Captain Cooke. The sisters, Fanny and Ada Cooke, opened the luxury boutique hotel in 1892.

Located in this hub of South Kensington, guests staying at The Gore experience the true soul of the city. Capture culture at the Royal Albert Hall, the V&A, or the Natural History Museum. Stroll along The Serpentine and through Kensington Gardens to give a wave to Kate and Will at the Palace. Or glut on the shops of High Street Ken. Staying at The Gore means London is quite literally at your feet. But the most lavish of ways to spot the sites isn’t by foot.

It’s through The Gore’s Classic Car Experience in which a private chauffeur will give you a tour of the surroundings. The only tricky part is deciding whether to choose a 1920’s, 30’s, 40’s, 50’s or 60’s Rolls Royce or the Queen Mother’s favourite – the lengthy Jaguar Daimler Limousine.

Spread across the length of two traditional townhouses means extravagance is built within The Gore’s foundations. Extravagance is the mortar that holds the bricks together. Within is a world of eccentricity.

This is strikingly obvious from the quirky yet entirely elegant banqueting rooms – The Mulberry Room, The Library Room, and The Tapestry Room.

But even more so, from the grandeur of the hotel’s bedrooms and suites. Each suite is themed differently. Each taking different hues, be that a deep red, teal blue, orangey gold, or lime green. And like a scene out of Downton Abbey or The Crown, each is unapologetically attention-seeking. The Tudor Suite, The Queen Elizabeth Suite, The Victoria Suite – just the names alone are regal.