GORING HOTEL
When I was in London in March I had dinner at the Goring with the owners and management. Those guys were so funny. They reminded me of the English show "Fawlty Towers" -- except the Goring is one of the nicest hotels in London. It has been awarded the most coveted honor: 5 Red stars from the Automobile Association. Only half a dozen or so London hotels have earned this prestigious accolade. Here's even more praise: Last July, Travel + Leisure Magazine listed the Goring in its Top 100 Hotels in the World -- and rated it number one in London.

GORING ROOMS
The Goring is quintessentially English. It's not an international hotel; it's English, and there are not many of those left. It's been in the Goring family for four generations (it opened in 1910) and is still privately owned. The 73 bedrooms are all individually designed in English Country House style, with silks and fabrics of primarily English design. The beautiful, clean bathrooms are stocked with Molton Brown products, and two glass bottles of water (still and sparkling) are placed bedside every night and morning. Most rooms overlook an English Garden. High-speed internet is available at 15 pounds a day ($27). I know -- that hurts!

GORING FOOD
The food at the Goring is really good. Last year the Goring was named British Restaurant of the Year at the Tio Pepe ITV London Restaurant Awards. Their full English breakfast frequently wins awards as London's best. The lunch and dinner menus feature modern, light versions of English classics like steak and kidney pie, steak and kidney pudding, salmon fishcake, whitebait, Cromer crab, English asparagus, roast leg of lamb, ribs of English beef, and of course Yorkshire pudding.

GORING LOCATION
The Goring is ideally located in a quiet haven in the center of London . It's adjacent to Buckingham Palace and within walking distance of the Royal parks, London's major shopping areas and the heart of the West End. It's just a 5-minute walk to Victoria Station, whose trains take you anywhere in London � including nonstop to Gatwick airport. Room rack rates are priced between �180 ($330) and �590 ($1,100), but shopping around on the internet will save you some money. The Goring, Beeston Place, Grosvenor Gardens, London; tel.: 44-0-20-7396-9000; email: reception@goringhotel.co.uk.