St Martins Lane London ★★★★★

When it first opened around the turn of the millennium, St Martin’s Lane was one of London’s original designer boutique hotels, bringing a daring streak of creativity and contemporary flair to the city’s hotel scene. Fifteen years later, it remains at the forefront of luxury, style and glamour thanks to its recent refurbishment, and now VeryChic invites you to step through the doors of one of London’s most exclusive and unique hotels.

It does not take long to realise that this place is a paragon of modern design. A bright yellow revolving door beckons you in from the street and serves as a portal into another world, a world of dazzling design and endless creativity. You emerge into the lobby, where quirky furnishings and sculptures are scattered around amongst oversized chess pieces, gold tooth-shaped stools and an enormous floor to ceiling vase of flowers. Meanwhile the huge round columns and gleaming white floors are as polished as the professional service from the staff behind the desk.

This bold modern style has helped establish St Martin’s Lane as a popular hangout for London’s high flyers and fashionistas, although this status is also due in no small part to the chic and innovative restaurant, Asia de Cuba. The décor is suitably elegant and artistic, with bookshelves, hanging flowerpots, oversized portraits and black and white prints lining the walls. Living up to the voguish and creative design, the cuisine is an unusual and intriguing fusion of Asian and Cuban flavours, inspired by the cultural synthesis of old Havana’s Chinatown. Far from simply being a place to be seen by London’s in-crowd, Asia de Cuba serves up some absolutely stunning dishes, enticing discerning diners from far and wide, run by the excellent Chef Luis Pous.

For a pre-dinner aperitif or late night cocktail head to Blind Spot, the swanky cocktail bar with a hidden entrance behind the lobby’s tea counter. Serving up a great range of expertly crafted drinks by mixologist Andrew Louden, inspired by the ancient tea trade, this is one of the coolest places around to drink the night away, drawing in a sociable and convivial crowd.

With all the glitz and glamour of the hotel’s aesthetic, it is easy to overlook the fact that this is an ultra-luxurious, five-star hotel with some outstanding facilities to go with the fashionable décor. Perhaps the most remarkable of these is the Gymbox fitness suite, where you can enjoy a truly unique workout experience. As well as its state-of-the-art machines and equipment and Olympic-sized boxing rings, the fitness centre has plenty of extra surprises in store, from resident DJs and laser-lit dance studios to performing hip-hop dancers and cage fighters.

The bedrooms are slightly more sedate and relaxing, though just as luxurious. One of the more eye-catching features is the interactive lighting system, with a full spectrum of colours so that you can light the room with whatever shade matches your mood. The pure white colour scheme and a more minimalistic take on modern décor helps the room feel airy and spacious, while welcome touches such as plush bedding, media hubs and stunning bathrooms help you feel right at home. Best of all, the enormous floor-to-ceiling windows put the cityscape right at your fingertips, tempting you out into the streets below. And when you do decide to throw yourself into city life, you find yourself in the heart of the lively, arty and energetic Covent Garden, one of the most exciting areas to stay in the whole of London!