Hoxton Hotel, London E1.

Sat in the heart of Hoxton, the uber cool area of E1, the Hoxton Hotel has been open around 3 years. It was my first stay. Public areas are lovely, really cool, nicely designed and a real feeling of spaciousness. At night, it came alive with lots of diners, people having drinks and talking. Checking in, I felt the front desk could have done better, all my attempts at starting a conversation were cut pretty well dead. It felt very cold and matter of fact, one of the basics that so many hotels get wrong. Everyone is dressed very casually, part of the overall "image" of the hotel and that contributes to the look/feel the hotel is trying to create. My room (number 624) was at the end of a corridor and looked out onto the back of an office block where they could see right into the room (I pulled the curtains over most of the time). Overall it was comfortable enough, however I felt it lacked a bit of character. Classic concrete coloured wall, wenge coloured furniture and fittings. Bathroom was modern, with shower (no bath) and Aveda toiletries, my shower leaked which flooded the bathroom floor (I reported it the following morning, so will no doubt be sorted). Plus points are free wireless, free safe and the cute breakfast bag that you hang outside your door for the morning. I hired a meeting room too, which I found to be really good. No noise. Good facilities and plenty of refreshments on hand whenever you want them. Parking is a bit of a challenge, outside the hotel is a red zone, so you'll need to go round the back if dropping off. Tube wise, Old Street is only a short walk away. There are plenty of nice restaurants around the hotel, I booked a table at The Rivington Grill round the corner, which was really nice, no real complaints other than the "non personality" staff, that's London for you. Overall the Hoxton Hotel is a nice hotel, they've thought through conceptually what they stand for, the public areas are lovely and the rooms comfortable. I liked their quirky signs in the room, the bills that said "here's the damage" at the top. If they sort the welcome out, I'd go back.

Official Rating 5*

My Rating 4P

De Vere Grand Harbour Hotel, Southampton

Stayed in an executive room here for a conference, I wouldn't go back. The hotel is tired and the room was hot. On the positive side it was reasonably close for the ships/shops and the bed was comfortable. Breakfast was OK and the food during the conference was of a good standard.

Official Rating 4*

My rating - 3P

Crowne Plaza, Marlow

Hidden where nobody would find it, The Crowne Plaza, Marlow is a hidden gem. Set on the banks of Thames and accessed via an industrial park, it's hard to predict your expectations on the drive to it. A typical business traveller hotel, it's tastefully decorated in a modern/contemporary design throughout the hotel which lifted it above competitor hotels in the area. Public areas are clean and modern. The rooms are very comfortable with the picture inset being a realistic reputation of the style of the rooms (the bathrooms let it down a bit, however on balance it's comfortable). There's a good size desk in the room for work, which I think is a good shout. My usual bugbear of the cost of internet access is repeated here, £14.95 for 24 hours I think is excessive, my Vodafone wireless dongle couldn't get a signal here, so you have to put up or shut up. Drinks and food are a little on the high side, typical of a big chain. A pint will set you back just short of a fiver and dinner was around £25 for two courses, although I will say that the food quality was good for a chain. Service overall was also good. Good welcome on reception, enthusiastic waiters in the bar, attentive in the restaurant. They have a nice gym, pool, mini-spa with outside hot tub, which was a nice bonus after a long day. As a regular traveller down this neck of the woods, I normally stay at The Holiday Inn at High Wycombe. If you can get a comparable rate, I would recommend you stay here instead. Official rating 4*, My rating 4P.

The Shendish Manor Hotel, Hemel Hempstead

If you're heading Hemel Hempstead way and want an alternative hotel to the well know business hotels like Holiday Inn, you could think about this place, The Shendish Manor.

First things first, it's not the easiest of places to find. It's entrance is tucked away from the main road. First time I stayed there, my SatNav couldn't find the place and I spent forever trying to track the place down. However, second time was easier. Also, don't be tricked by the room photos that you see here. Most bookings on the web are actually for the 52 hotel rooms which are in the new wing, they are more contemporary but not nearly as lush or grand. They've had a go at making them "boutique style" but they do fall well short of the standard, nevertheless they are comfortable enough.

The mobile phone network is very poor. Most of the hotel has no signal. Last time I stayed I had one of the few "signal hotspots" right outside my bedroom window and was interrupted by people talking loudly on mobiles all the time. The in-room broadband, although free, isn't particularly good either. So, comms could be a lot better.

The building itself is very pretty and the gardens at the rear are really lovely to sit and have a drink in on a warm summers evening. The main reception has been tastefully decorated and the welcome was warm. The hotel is quiet, not many people in the public areas so it's good if you want to get stuff done. Hemel Hempstead is only a short taxi ride away £5 or £6 and it's worth a ride out for something to eat at one of the restaurants in the Old Village.

In summary, if you want something different than a sanitised chain hotel, give it a try. It cost me £90 on the web (via one of the major room discounters), this included breakfast, so the value isn't bad. A hotel photo gallery can be seen here.

Official Rating: Not rated.

My Rating: 4P - (just). Broadband needs to be better. Rooms are OK but lack a bit of personality. Nevertheless, it's got bags more character than a normal business chain hotel.

Hotel Indigo, London

Decent London hotels, that don't charge the earth are hard to find, this one's a cracker. Hotel Indigo, in Paddington hasn't been open that long and it's a real find.

Bang smack in the centre of London Street, in busy downtown Paddington, you'll find The Indigo. Nestling in amongst a number of bars, restaurants and shops, this is a far more interesting part of London to stay in as a tourist or visitor as there are lots of places to walk out to and the West End is only a short taxi ride away, max £8. My advice is stay here and pay the taxi fare as some of the West End Hotels are way too expensive for what they are.

The rooms are compact, but really comfy, nicely decorated, with all the mod cons and free w-fi, (which is worth fifteen quid on its own, however I do have to comment that the wi-fi and the ethernet was unreliable, regularly dropping out. Rooms don't have baths if you want a good soak after a long day, but they do have walk in showers which are spacious with big shower heads. Room design is contemporary and modern (see picture), with free room safes, plasma TV, i-Pod dock stereo, nice towels and tea/coffee making facilities, Hotel Indigo is great value for money. The room I have stayed in (106) even has a small terrace, which would be nice for a warm day.

The staff have been really welcoming, which is really nice for a London hotel (a smile goes such a long way after a long day) and if this continues, then Hotel Indigo will be seeing me again.

Official Rating - Unknown

My Rating - 4P. Doesn't make 5P, as it's not a 5* hotel, however I would recommend you stay here if visiting London.

Maritim Hotel, Frankfurt

Another one of those "stay here only if you're going to the conference centre next door" hotels. The Maritim Hotel, Frankfurt is aimed at the business market in the financial district of Frankfurt. Lacking atmosphere or distinctness, it stands out for its mediocrity. Rooms are comfortable, yet uninspiring. I'm in a superior room which has cost €255 for the night, not particularly cheap, decor looks like it was last updated around 10 years ago. Internet is €15.00 for 24 hours. The centre is about ten minutes walk up a straight road where you'll find plenty of bars and restaurants. Taxi transfer is around €25 from the airport. Starbucks is around 10 mins walk, on one of the streets opposite the main station.

Official Rating - 4*

My Rating - 3P

Sheraton Hotel, Amsterdam (Schipol Airport)

There are only two reasons why you would stay at The Sheraton at Schipol airport, Amsterdam 1) You have a meeting or conference here 2) You need to do an overnight in Amsterdam due to flight connections.

It's a typical, hygenic, business hotel, which lacks any charisma whatsoever. Internet is €19 for 24 hours (outrageous), rooms are comfortable but not outstanding. The only real plus points are a) You can access the hotel from the airport terminal b) there is a Starbucks close by c) you can get a train from the airport to the Central station in Amsterdam for around €7 return.

If you're coming to The Netherlands to see the City, experience the bars and nightlife, steer clear of this hotel. It's Corporate or transit passengers only.

My Rating - 3P.