Oliver Smith enjoys the views and culinary expertise at The Zetter, in the trendy Clerkenwell area of London.

The location
Occupying the former headquarters of Zetters football pools, a 19th-century, five-storey building close to Farringdon Tube station and the trendy bars and clubs of Clerkenwell. One of London's unsung attractions, the church of St Bartholomew the Great, is within easy walking distance.

We like
The character and green credentials. From the subterranean borehole 500ft below the hotel, which cools the fridges and supplies guests with complimentary spring water, to the epic atrium that provides natural light and ventilation to every floor, and the bicycles for hire in reception, everything is done with sustainability in mind. The hotel's distinct and quirky personality is always evident. Wonderful touches include funky chairs, blankets and hot-water bottles, bedside literature by Tom Hodgkinson on the art of being idle, and the luminous pink guard dog night-light that watched over our room as we slept.

Not so keen
Since opening in 2004, room rates have swollen with the hotel's reputation. The Zetter is fun, with a wonderful location, but £180 for a cosy double feels a little steep.

The rooms
Each displays a crisp, "vintage-modern" style, with eye-catching designer furniture, suggestive pink lighting, orchids, white walls and retro Tivoli radios.

If budget allows, opt for the top floor, where rooms boast suntrap patios commanding views of the City. All feature iPod docks, wireless internet access and excellent coffee-making facilities.

The food and drink
Chef Bruno Loubet, who cut his teeth under Raymond Blanc at Le Manoir aux Quat'Saisons and earned a Michelin star at the Four Seasons in Mayfair, has perfected a brand of simple and sensational bistro cooking. Highlights were a "revised" Lyonnaise salad made with succulent breaded pig's trotters, a heavenly beef daube provençale, and a cassoulet of salmon belly, salt cod, broad beans and scallop-and-brown-shrimp sausages. Expect to pay £40 a head, including wine and service.

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Source: The Zetter