With London’s never ending revitalisation and luxurification showing no signs of abating, it's hard to come up with a new concept to top the five star pile, but The Rosewood has done just that, relying on impeccable taste, charm and elegance to make its mark.

From the second you enter the vast hotel courtyard off Holburn Road (The Rosewood building was a former insurance company) to be met by the white suited valets, you are utterly enchanted.

The spell continues into the reception area, which oozes a comfort, welcome and cheerfulness often lacking in hotels. There is nothing impersonal about the atmosphere but it is unutterably chic.

The interior designer should be given an OBE because decadence and relaxation in equal measure are the name of the game here. And yet there is a tacit understanding evident from the calmness of the bedrooms to the fun factor in the numerous bars and restaurants that panders to its clients.

So that the entire style feels intimate, like a private members club, rather than the vast hotel that it is, from the al fresco dining area outside to the kitsch cocktail and champagne bar and the bustling bistro to the more refined mirror room.

In fact so immersive and seductive is the Rosewood experience that my plans flew straight out of the vast Edwardian Windows.

It is a retreat in its own right, and enticing enough to envelop you whole.

We began with cocktails, at the long Parisian styled zinc bar with copper desk lights stretching the length of the Holburn Dining room, a famous London restaurant in its own right. Pillared with table lamps and red leather banquettes, it is also very Parisian. of course, a new one for me, the Tom Collins which came with whisked egg white on top and freeze dried raspberries, became an instant favourite.

We were then led into the little red leather booths that characterise the eaterie. The food was as inventive and fun, but not faddy: fish, risotto, steaks, the waiters infectious, We moved to Scarfes Bar, a wood-panelled room and caught up properly, one of the last to leave.

Scampering upstairs where our de luxe room awaited we slept like kings in the soft light beds and luxury bedding, awaking to views over London

Breakfast was another highlight. We faced the hilarious choice of a detox juice or champagne and settled on both before selecting from the wonderful and universal offerings available.

Framed against the high ceilings big windows, innovative lightings, grand furnishings and contemporary couches, we never wanted to leave, feeling perfectly at home by then.

The Rosewood is head and shoulders above everywhere else in town and somewhere I would revisit at the drop of a hat but beware, because once you've been to The Rosewood it rather spoils you for anywhere else.

About Rosewood London?

Rosewood London, centrally located in the heart of London on High Holborn and housed in the original headquarters of the Pearl Assurance Company, showcases a sensitive renovation of the 1914 Edwardian, Grade II-listed building. Combining English heritage with contemporary sophistication, the retained Belle Époque architectural features include the original carriageway entrance to the grand courtyard and a spectacular Pavonazzo marble staircase which rises over seven storeys. The hotel has the feel of a stylish London residence and houses 262 guestrooms and 44 suites including the Grand Manor House Wing, an exclusive six-bedroom suite with its very own postcode. Tony Chi and Associates created the interiors of the public areas including 12 event spaces and the Mirror Room, serving elegant, innovative cuisine and afternoon tea. The Martin Brudnizki-designed Holborn Dining Room offers British classics with a twist whilst Scarfes Bar serves creative cocktails and curries alongside live jazz, cabaret and musical comedy.

Address: 252 High Holborn, London WC1V 7EN

Phone: 020 7781 8888

Email: London@rosewoodhotels.com