The Bingham

The Bingham, perched on the banks of the River Thames in the posh suburb of Richmond (a 25-minute drive from London), offers an elegant and serene alternative to city’s central hotels.

• The helpful and impeccably polite staff at this family-run boutique hotel
• The spacious Sappho suite, with glorious views over the hotel’s colorful flowerbeds and the River Thames
• Hopping on a ferry at Richmond Bridge to glide serenely to Hampton Court Palace

With a grand Georgian facade, picturesque riverside location, sumptuous interiors and superb staff, this boutique hotel has been a favorite haunt of well-heeled Richmond locals for years. It’s also a brilliant option for international travellers who crave a more relaxed, traditional English experience and don’t mind the 25-minute drive into the city.

Though once here, guests rarely want to leave, thanks to the rooms that deftly combine classic, neutral mushroom hues with glamorous teardrop chandeliers and art deco-inspired furniture. There's also an elegant restaurant, with French windows opening onto a wrought-iron balcony overlooking the Thames and an atmospheric chandelier-lit bar. Beautiful, bucolic Petersham Nurseries is just a 15-minute stroll along the river, and offers an enticing roster of candlelit evening events and wine-pairing suppers. Yes, you're 25 minutes on the tube to Kensington, but for visitors from out of town, a riverside stay in Richmond makes for a brilliantly affordable and relaxed way to mix time in the English capital and its quaint countryside.

Couples and families who crave an English countryside experience on top of an action-packed city break.