This 105 bed roomed hotel has a boutique style about it with its tastefully decorated rooms and calm hallway atmosphere, which is by no means over the top unlike some 5 star hotels.

It is one of the nicest hotels I have stayed in. From the greeting I received at the door when I arrived to the goodbye Sir when I left. I found the staff extremely warm, welcoming and friendly and nothing was too much trouble. Having checked in the receptionist showed me up to my room and explained all the facilities available. If anything the rooms are somewhat understated, but I like that and it is very much in keeping with the Campbell Gray environmental philosophy where there is no excess of materials, rather providing guests with what is most comfortable and functional.

My room was a superior room with a king sized bed, which was unbelievably comfortable. It was generous in size with plenty of wardrobe space so you can actually unpack, including a personal safe and a much needed umbrella given that it rained the next day. The bathroom was a good size too and even had a television you could watch when soaking in the bath. What I also liked was that the bathroom had a nice large window and in fact most of the bathrooms enjoy natural light. In keeping with being kind to the environment the bathroom amenities are Ren clean bio active products and even the toilets use only 20% of the water a conventional unit uses. It has that vacuum sound you get in planes!

All rooms are well insulated from outside noise and face outwards. There are no internal rooms. Every room also has a Bang & Olufsen television and my room even had its own Radio and CD system.

Although the chlorine free pool (with underwater music!) was closed for its annual clean when I was there, it is a good size and compliments the well-equipped fitness room and Health Spa, sauna and steam rooms.

There are some lovely little touches such as a pad of paper and pen to scribble notes on placed at each table in Indigo Restaurant, where I enjoyed a fabulously relaxed Saturday morning breakfast. The 350 pieces of contemporary art dotted around the hotel are unusual and I just love the boat man in the lobby bar which you cannot miss! Look out for the “Toast for Breakfast, Toast for Tea...” and see if you can work out what it is made from!

The hotel even has its own private screening room and every Friday and Saturday during most of the year they do a thing called “Möet Movies On The Menu” where you can enjoy a glass of champagne a lovely meal in Axis and then watch a classic movie all for a very reasonable £42.50 per person. The blue leather chairs are the most comfortable cinema chairs I have ever sat in I must say!

The Lobby Bar is a great place to meet friends and enjoy one of their tasty cocktails. It has a great buzz about it and Axis, their up-market restaurant is a wonderful place to enjoy a fabulous dinner (please see separate review).

Clientele is a mix of business and more discerning leisure travellers who know about the hotel’s hidden charm.