Check in was fast and efficient on our arrival at the Landmark London, which is lucky, since there’s nothing special about the lobby area.

But the entrance is compensated, a few steps later, by the spectacular winter garden, an eight-storey atrium which once allowed guests in horse–drawn carriages to be deposited in the heart of the hotel. There were no porters fawning over our luggage, but you sense that the service is discreet rather than non-existent.

The atrium serves as a reminder of the Landmark’s history. The hotel opened in 1899 as one of the Victorian railway hotels (one entrance is opposite Marylebone Station) then was transformed into offices before being used during the wars as a soldiers’ convalescence home. The building was restored as a hotel in the 1990s.

There are all the hallmarks of a hotel build pre-noughties minimalism: thick patterned carpets and lots of marble.

Homeliness was the order of the day. In our large double bedroom - an "executive" - the best of three room types, we had an umbrella stand with brollies, a comfortable sofa, a desk, tables, and five lamps offering enough light to read a book after dark.

The best feature was the all-white marble bathroom – the largest I’ve seen – with a bath, separate shower, double sink, wardrobe, towelling robes, towels, slippers, White Company toiletries and a separate toilet.

Our room looked onto the busy Marylebone road, but double-glazing blocked out noise. It’s a good option for light sleepers, because noise might drift into the single-glazed interior rooms, which look onto the atrium.

After a stroll to nearby Regent’s Park, we relaxed in the hotel’s spa. The £10 fee seemed petty, but facilities were luxurious: the pool was spacious for its central London location, the gym well-stocked, and the whirlpool with neck massager was a welcome gimmick.

Back to the room to change for dinner, we discovered the hairdryer was well overdue replacement – I grew so bored listening to its weak hum that I opted for the wet-hair look on a cold October evening. The hotel has a restaurant and two bars, but, desiring some variety, we opted for the Landau restaurant of the Langham hotel near Oxford Circus for dinner, and enjoyed a delicious five-course grazing menu.

We tried out Landmark cooking for next morning’s breakfast, served 7am-11.30am, and it was impressive – my boyfriend declared his hash browns the best he’d eaten, and I enjoyed the continental buffet’s Bircher muesli, muffins and fruit. The buffet was £20, adding a full English was £8 more, but the winter garden set it apart from any other five-star London hotel, and we waddled back to the room wishing we’d had room for another trip to the buffet.

Check out was busy but the queue moved quickly, since there were no major complaints from fellow guests, or us.

The worst reviews on Tripadvisor take issue with the hotel’s prices rather than rooms or service. Don’t head to this hotel looking for up-to-the-minute design, but it’s a great choice for a comfy, luxe stay in a great location. The service is excellent and the spa adds a twist of glamour to this otherwise traditional hotel.

Bottom line: Full-rate rooms cost from £430 (including VAT) but we found prices starting from £150 on the hotel’s website and at hotels.co.uk.

Best thing: The swimming pool and the breakfast.

Worst thing: A terrible hairdryer and cheap toilet roll.

Access all areas: Public areas are wheelchair accessible and some bedrooms are adapted for disabled guests.

Need to know: The Landmark London, 222 Marylebone Road, London, NW1 6JQ; tel. 020 7631 8000; www.landmarklondon.co.uk; reservations@thelandmark.co.uk

Food: 9 out of 10

Service: 9 out of 10

Room: 8 out of 10

Value: 7 out of 10

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