THE “fact sheet” in my room at the Warwick Arms had it in black and white: dinner was served from “6.30-9.30pm, Monday to Saturday”.

This was puzzling. I was visiting midweek, and had arrived at 9.20pm. But I had just been told by a fierce woman wearing black in reception that the restaurant was “closed, sorry”.

What about room service? “Sorry. There's no food now,” she said bluntly. Yet the fact sheet took a different view: “Room service: we can serve continental breakfast in your room and full menu is available lunch and dinner.”

I asked for a dining recommendation outside the hotel. The receptionist raised an eyebrow and replied: “At this hour? I'm not sure.”

After dropping my bag in the room - passing a restaurant where main courses were still being served - I went out to find some food. Directly opposite the hotel was a stylish ASK pizzeria that took customers up to 10pm. How had this slipped the receptionist's mind?

The Warwick Arms is in a 16th-century building in the centre of town, a couple of minutes' stroll from Warwick Castle - three of its rooms have castle views - and has been recently refurbished to “contemporise the traditional” feel of its interior.

The reception looks slick, with grey-avocado walls, red and grey leather horseshoe-shaped armchairs, spotlights, tables with tea-lights, and an opening to a bar with a chandelier, stained-glass decorations and real ale and fancy lagers on tap. There are secluded lounges with scattered magazines, including The Shires (listing attractions in Shakespeare's county) and Totally Society, a “local celebrity magazine”.

Drinking a beer after a pizza in ASK, I flicked through the latter, which showed pictures of events including Kenilworth's sixth-form prom and the birthday celebrations of a woman who had invited guests to the Warwickshire Golf and Country Club for a “pink and posh” party. Paparazzi seemed to be everywhere in these parts: I half expected photographers to burst in to snap the wedding guests downing drinks by the bar.

My room had been “contemporised” with a blond-wood headboard, a picture of a gold chandelier and ceramic decorations in the shape of upside-down questions marks. There was a neat bathroom with a bath tub and “ginseng macadamia” shampoos and bath gels with the motto: “We live like this (copyright).” The floor sloped this way and that, and creaked a bit in traditional style.

I did not have a view of the castle. Instead, I could look out into a courtyard and through a skylight to the wedding party enjoying themselves.

Comfortable, quiet, not the greatest view, but not bad. And the breakfast was decent, too... served when it was meant to be, by a much nicer woman wearing black.

20 QUESTIONS

1. Do rooms have kettles/coffee makers? And is there fresh milk?

Kettles but only milk cartons.

2. Is there a hairdryer, and is it fixed to a wall?

Hand-held hairdryers.

3. Are coathangers metal, wooden, removable?

Wooden and removeable with bobbles at the top.

4. Complimentary bottle of water?

No.

5. Sheets and blankets or duvets?

Duvets.

6. What about a 'pillow menu'?

No.

7. Is lighting good enough for reading?

Reasonable.

8. Is there a shaving/make up mirror? And is it well lit?

No magnified mirrors, decent lighting.

9. What about the in-room entertainment system?

Flat-screen TV with Freeview channels.

10. Is there a temperature control panel?

No.

11. Do the windows open?

Yes.

12. Is there good sound-proofing?

OK.

13. Is there wi-fi internet access?

Yes, £5.50 for 24 hours.

14. Is there a good place to go jogging nearby?

Yes, around the edge of Warwick Castle.

15. What is the vegetarian food selection like?

Two or three vegetarian mains, plus salads.

16. Is there baby listening/babysitting? And are children welcome at adults’ evening meals?

No, but children are welcome at meals.

17. Is there wheelchair access to all areas?

No.

18. Do you get a free paper in the morning?

No.

19. Is there a pub round the corner?

Several and a downstairs hotel bar.

20. Is there free car parking? And is it secure?

Yes, but only limited spaces. Parking is at owners' own risk.

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