I have never seen anything like this indescribably extraordinary hotel Miller's Residence. A bright red door on a side street off Westbourne Grove and a small brass plate gives you no clue as what to expect once you’re inside.

Imagine an old antique shop filled with valuable odds and ends, beautiful old pieces of carved and ornamented furniture, chandeliers, leather bound books, paintings on the walls – and you’ve got a vague idea what Miller’s Residence looks like.

Martin Miller is an inspired collector, and most people would have stopped years ago when the place was filled to the bursting point.  But he will always find room to fit in more.

The rooms are decorated in warm burnt nuances and antiques have been generously scattered all over. If you’re into old stuff and you’re the nostalgic and romantic kind of person, you will not find a better place than this cave. But it’s definitely not for claustrophobics who find peace of mind between white walls.

A simple breakfast is served on a long table in the dining room, and an unusual detail is the bar, which is free of access and charge to the guests. This way the place doesn’t need a liquor license and the guests are received with a great deal of trust.

Miller’s Residence, 111a Westbourne Grove, W2 4UW.

Extract from Karin Graabaek's book LONDON my love!, published by Gyldendal.

Find more hotels in London. 

I have a certain fascination for the young, hip model Agyness Deyn and other such cool Londoners. The kind of people who can wear a leather cap, striped tights, blue shorts, suspenders and yellow cardigan… and still look fabulous.

I love people who don’t play by the fashion rules, or any other strict social rules for that matter. Whenever I read about their shopping tips, I picture myself in one of their favourite London stores.

Take B Store, which is a firm favourite with the cool set. B Store is on a quiet strip in the fashionable and very expensive shopping area of Mayfair. On my first visit, I probably expected something a bit more spectacular, something over the top, or at least something bigger. I wondered what all the fuss was about. Why are all these hip people so into this shop?

But once I got closer look, I completely saw the point. The clothes for both men and women are absolutely amazing, contemporary and cutting edge. Some of them made by the two very individual and interesting London-based designers Jens Laugesen and Peter Jensen.

B Store, 24a Saville Row W15 3PR. Tube: Oxford Circus or Picadilly Circus.

On Manhattan you can easily walk from China to Greece in minutes. And it only takes 20 minutes or less to change the scenery from cool Soho galleries and boutique browsing, to the more scruffy and hip vintage shopping on Lower East Side.

My absolute favourite thing to do in New York is to walk from one neighbourhood to another and pretend I live here. It is an old dream, that demands just a bit of imagination, a special neighbourhood and some great off-track pit stops, where you can try to blend in with the locals.

Mojo Coffee on Charles Street 128 is such a place - a tiny tiny coffee shop in a quiet part of the West Village, which has a mix of old school record shops, hip designer shops, local stores and lots of small streets dotted with townhouses.  I enjoy drinking hot ginger steamer with honey, reading newspapers amongst locals working on their laptops (the perfect accessory if you really want to blend in). Opening hours varies and they close around 8 pm.

Having recently interviewed Elizabeth Hurley made me think of her favourite hotel. No. 11 Cadogan Gardens, she mentioned, feels like home.

I agree that it’s a rare feeling in many hotels. But somehow I don’t mind that so much. To me, checking into a hotel is a about quite the opposite – running away from home, dishes and laundry.

It’s a bit like going to Fantasyland – at least if you choose to stay in a nice hotel. And when it comes to No 11, I know I’ll find just that in this Victorian townhouse.

It’s decorated in dramatic colours and brocade upholstery. My home certainly doesn’t look anything like this shiny and luxurious mix of classic English style and contemporary elegance. Perhaps that’s one of the differences between Miss Hurley and I.

In fact, she also mentioned that this is just about the only place that serves a proper cup of tea in London. I wouldn’t be the judge of that. However No. 11’s tearoom with art exhibition is a charming spot for an afternoon cuppa.

No. 11; Cadogan Gardens SW3 2RJ. Tube: Sloane Square

Find more hotels in London

 

It is almost cruel to ask me to suggest just two shops, when there are so many in New York. I have a very soft spot for Marc Jacobs, but his things especially the more affordable Marc By Marc Jacobs are everywhere and don’t really need much guidance. Neither do all the popular chains like Banana Republic, Gap and Urban Outfitters.

But as tempting as the good basic buys and designer-labels-for-less (due to the low dollar) are, I prefer the more adventurous kind of shopping in small unique vintage shops or independent boutiques.

Jane Mayle is a very cool exclusive American designer, who creates personal clothes with a feminine twist and graphic cut. She isn’t cheap, but she is unique. And her little shop is a like a sweet shopping treat. The area around called Nolita is an interesting area to go for small shops and charming cafés.

Mayle, 242 Elizabeth Street (at Houston Street in Nolita)