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Brown's Gets a Fresh Coat of Paint and Then Some

Where: Abemarle Street, Mayfair, London, United Kingdom, W1S 4BP

The NY Times got to peek in the newly renovated Brown's Hotel in the Mayfair section of London.

The hotel first opened in 1837 and has hosted a slew of legendary folks like Teddy Roosevelt, Rudyard Kipling, Agatha Christie and Ethiopian royalty.

Last year, the luxury hotelier Rocco Forte dropped about £19 million pounds into renovating the place while still trying to preserve the hotel's original appeal.

Natural linens, silks and expensive wood finishes make for an elegant minimalism.  New copies of English classics, not a moldy book among them, are a sweet touch....The room technology is up to date: Flat-screen televisions, Bose iPod docking stations and a comprehensive --but sometimes confusing-- lighting system. Suites have flat-screen televisions at the foot of the oversize tub, so guests can soak in leisure....

On the bad side, the gym is very small, the street noise can be a problem, and it's ridiculously expensive--about $569 a night for a classic room (and that's a cheap as it gets.)

Related Stories:
· Check in, Check out [NY Times]
· Brown's Hotel reviews [TripAdvisor]