The Z Hotel, Holborn, London

You're well-placed for exploring Covent Garden, Oxford Street, Tottenham Court Road and the Strand. Tranquil Lincoln's Inn Fields is nearby, while The British Museum is a ten-minute walk north, and Somerset House is the same distance south.

The hotel is situated in a narrow building on busy Kingsway - just a short walk from Holborn tube.

By car: 4 hours from Manchester and less than 3 hours from Bristol. Paid parking available nearby.

By train: Holborn tube station is a 2-minute walk away. London Euston is a 10-minute taxi ride. Book trains to London.

The ground floor reception and café is in keeping with the neoclassical façade - with high vaulted ceilings, original flourishes of plasterwork and a stained-glass atrium. This contrasts with the trendy and contemporary touches, inclduding LED lighting, banquette seating and G-plan-style chairs.

Staff are friendly and happy to go out of their way to satisfy a request. Although facilities are limited, the hotel is happy to keep your luggage if you arrive early (or want to wander the nearby streets after checking out).

• Bar
• Café
• Family-friendly
• Free Wi-Fi

The inside rooms are the cheapest and don't have a window, while the king Z rooms are big enough to walk around the bed. There is an emphasis on making the most of a small space - especially in the ensuites, where the toilet is incredibly close to the sink and shower, but it is all manageable.

Room types: Z Inside Room, Z Room, Z Family Room

Key amenities: ensuite bathroom with toiletries, hairdryer, tea and coffee-making facilities, TV, free Wi-Fi

The Z café serves simple breakfasts of either a bacon roll, croissant with butter and jam, egg and sun-dried tomato roll or berry and granola yoghurt pot. However, there's unlimited tea and coffee and a QR code to access newspapers. The all-day dining menu involves simple dishes.

Z Café: relaxed dining room and late-night bar. Dishes include sandwiches, salads and pizzas. Breakfast served until 11am. All-day menu, open daily.