With Buckingham Palace next door, we went for an impossibly elegant stay at Hotel 41

A peaceful hideaway in the midst of London’s busiest district seems hard to find, but it could be the reason Hotel 41 was voted Number 1 on Tripadvisor last year. Fancy a personal butler, 24-hour room service and, well, anything you can dream of? Look no further.

All this luxury begins the moment you step in the Edwardian building, where you’re greeted with a glass of champagne (always a good sign) and two extremely attentive staff – the hotel promises a two-to-one ratio of staff to guests at all times, which is really absurdly decadent when you give it a moment’s thought. In the suites themselves, luxurious and oh-so-British styling is the order of the day, with marble bathrooms complimenting the deep mahogany furnishings and chic black and white interiors. It’s all a little bit old-English manor but with a contemporary edge that stop things becoming too pastiche. The prerequisite round-the-clock room service, iPod Dock, and Smart TVs are, of course, all present and correct.

A five star hotel must have a five star restaurant, right? Of course, but in all honesty, the unexpected part was the snug champagne bar which accompanies it: a glorious escape from the bustling city outside. The mood is calm, the lights are warm and low – an intimate setting in which the efficient staff seem delighted to help you with the (almost) overwhelming choice of drinks. After one, two or three drinks I made my way to the restaurant adjacent to the hotel where they serve up international cuisine with a strong South African accent. Firstly, the drinks menu is second to none – over 110 types of wines and experienced mixologists preparing one of the 60 cocktails on offer. The food itself comes straight from the pages of Hotel 41 president and founder Bea Tollman’s cookbook A Life in Food. This said, we were expecting a treat, and weren’t disappointed when a succulent Springbok Fillet (just don’t say it tastes like chicken) was served up with a good firm bottle of Missonvale Chardonnay.

The epitome of luxury hospitality, this peaceful escape is only a stone’s throw from some of the capital’s most sought after tourist destinations. Although I felt no need to leave the considerable comfort of my suite (they even have a pillow menu should you get peckish for a midnight snack).

Prices of rooms in Hotel 41 begin at £400 per night.