The
Miller's Residence in London is not for the minimalist, but if you want to pretend you're a guest in the home of an eccentric Lord, then it is for you! Owned by an antiques dealer, it is packed with antiques, and I mean packed. Each bedroom is unique with decor inspired by the English Romantic poets, the rates are under 200 pounds a night, and it is very centrally located in arty Notting Hill. Spend a Saturday perusing the nearby
Portobello Road Market, and you can pick up some antiques of your own. Basically, this hotel had me at the persimmon door (I often fantasize about having a house with a persimmon door) and yes, I do want to imagine I'm staying with an aristocrat.
I recently bought Debrett's Guide For the Modern Gentleman as research for a project I'm working on, but discovered that it would be a great holiday gift for the guy with fine taste, or the anglophile. It's filled with very practical information such as: what you need to know when buying a suit or having one made, what every guy should have for a well stocked bar, manners for the office or when on a date; as well as, less useful information such as: how to behave when you are a guest at a country house (although it might apply if you know someone who is in the landed gentry.) It is so very English, and looks great on a coffee table. I ordered mine from an amazon seller in England for $19, but you can also get them from Debrett's directly.
