This is a weird selection! Where did you dig the Sofitel up from - they were knocking rooms out via Priceline last time I heard. I'd slip in One Aldwych for a start.

What do you call a good location? London is a big sprawling hulk. The MO (as your only Chelsea / Knightsbridge pick - why not the Berkeley or, for a good steak restaurant and fantastic health club, the Carlton Tower?) is good for Harrods, Harvey Nichols, and the V&A, Science and Natural History museums, plus Hyde Park.

Dorchester / Claridges / Ritz / Sofitel are much of a muchness for location - some are nearer the West End shops, some are nearer the theatres, but if the West End and theatres are your target then you'll walk an equal distance from all of them.

Truth is, there is no George V-type property in London. Oddly, One Aldwych generally gets the nod on here for service and style but lacks a high profile restaurant. If you want a fully refurbished room, try Browns (Rocco Forte), the InterCon or the Connaught.

If you want to cut back on costs, take the fully refurbed InterContinental and join IC Ambassador for $150 to get a 'free weekend night' voucher, which will save you $500 or so if you take a suite.

My gut feeling is that you don't really know what you want. In which case, I would mix and match and split my time between a couple of places - perhaps Claridges and One Aldwych, or the Ritz (jacket and tie in the restaurant and bar, though) and Carlton Tower / Berkeley for the Chelsea / Knightsbridge experience. If you're a young couple, try Claridges and then The Soho Hotel. But do mix and match.