The Main House is what the British B&B should be all about, providing not just a comfortable night’s sleep, hot water that roars out of taps and proper coffee delivered to your bedside, but also value, style, real goosedown and non-allergenic duvets and Egyptian cotton sheets. And it costs from £65 per person per night which, when you consider its location – a short walk from Portobello Road and Westbourne Grove – is about as good as it gets. The fourbedroom Victorian stucco house belongs to Caroline Main, a personable, discreet owner who guards her guests’ privacy (this is a real bolthole, the B&B indicated by a house number only).
Decor is simple but oozes good taste: white walls, wooden floors, furniture in shades of taupe, antique mirrors and iron chandeliers. Airy, old-fashioned bathrooms feature large porcelain baths. Guests can use Lambton Place gym (a two-minute walk away), and also get a discount for breakfast at nearby Tom’s (Tom Conran’s deli and diner which offers a fabulous full English). The Main House also has a terrace, video library and a fridge that guests can stock themselves.