The Zetter Townhouse Marylebone

A very British-feeling, boutiquey hotel, with a pub-like ground floor atmosphere. Ranjit (bartender) is the star of the show, and upstairs the rooms are extremely clean, well appointed, and have fantastic linens. Hopefully they'll bring crisps back for the bar program!

The traditional decor and cosy feel made this a lovely place to stay. It’s also close to so many things in London. Breakfast could be better, but with all the cute cafes and bakeries nearby, that wasn’t a big issue.

I used to enjoy afternoon tea here. It’s an eccentric place in a good way, and the food was good. But this latest experience has put me off booking again. I was told by the manager that the 24-hour cancellation rule has no exceptions. Even if you’re in hospital or trains are cancelled, they’ll still charge £60. I wouldn’t plan to change a booking at the last minute, but sometimes things happen. Before booking, be aware they won’t make any allowance if you need to change your afternoon tea plans. Other places in the area may let you change a booking at short notice when something unexpected comes up.

The pub itself is lovely, and the other two staff members were friendly and attentive. But when I stopped in for a drink with a friend on the evening of 17 December, the bartender on duty came across as rude and unwelcoming, which brought down the experience.