The hotel has a health club in the basement with a good selection of cardiovascular machines and weights, and personal trainers available for £50 and hour. One fun free extra, if you’re a jogging junkie, is the 5km run with personal trainer John, available on request. He takes you round the major sites like Brick Lane and HMS Belfast, as well as helping you work off all that food.

There are also three treatments rooms offering basic facials and massages.

The hotel has an average rating of 4/5 on Tripadvisor.co.uk - with most praising the hotel decor, food, cleanliness and all-inclusive room rate. There are a few complaints about the style of check-in and the lack of information about the hotel facilities - but these are both conscious decisions made by the management to adopt a different approach - clearly it's not to everyone's tastes.

Bottom line: Rooms start from £160 at the weekend and £400 during the week.

Novotel London St Pancras, NW1

No points for character, but this hotel is handy for the Eurostar and has comfort, attentive staff and splendid food

BACKGROUND

• The Bermondsey Square Hotel, London

• The Fox and Anchor, Smithfield, London, EC1

• Andaz, Liverpool Street, London EC2

• The Zetter, London EC1

• Apex City of London Hotel, EC3

BACKGROUND

• The Fox and Anchor, Smithfield, London EC1

• Threadneedles, City of London, EC2

• The Hoxton, London, EC2

• Sleep Inn, Tower Hill, London E1

Related Internet Links

• More hotels in East London and The City

Best thing: the food

Worst thing: it would be great to have the personal training also included in the room rate

Access all areas: the hotel is wheelchair accessible, as are all of the restaurants. In addition there are bedrooms adapted for disabled guests.

Need to know: Andaz London, 40 Liverpool St, EC2M 7QN, tel. 020 7961 1234; www.andaz.com; info.londonliv@andaz.com

Food: 10 out of 10

Service: 9 out of 10

Room: 8 out of 10

Value: 7 out of 10 (better value at the weekend)

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