Location Bang in the centre of Westminster, a short walk to Victoria Station with its direct train to Gatwick Airport. Canary Wharf and the City are 20 minutes away by tube. Entry is via a hidden courtyard faced by the three elegant Victorian townhouses that comprise the hotel. If the area’s too quiet in the evening, Soho is 10 minutes away by cab.

Style Outside is quintessentially English: red-brick buildings, originally used as accommodation for aristocrats visiting Buckingham Palace, restored to their former glory. The modernised interiors are all dark wood, clean lines and bold accents, though the tiny lift and carpeted stairs look a little tired. The biggest nod to 51’s parent Taj Hotels is The Quilon, a Michelin-starred south Indian restaurant. Service is smiley but not especially speedy or competent. The spa offers treatments for both sexes, there is a small aerobics studio and a well-equipped fitness centre. Breakfast is in the snug library, where complimentary drinks and nibbles are served during evening happy hour.

Guestrooms All 86 fully serviced mini-apartments (the largest, with boardroom, is 167m²) have well-equipped kitchens, dining areas, living rooms and bedrooms with en suites. The combination of carpet and wooden floors exudes warmth and the variety of furnishings a homely feel. Indeed, 51’s intention is to provide a home from home, assuming your home has large, flat-screen TVs everywhere, including over the Molton Brown toiletries-festooned bathtub. In-room dining is available; cooks can be arranged and a butler will help with shopping.

Can I work here? Desks are in the living area and, while not vast, they take a laptop, phone and lamp withease. For extended stays, spare bedrooms can be converted to an office, with a dedicated fax line and scanner, and mobile phone or laptop rental arranged. The £9.99-a-day (for short-term stays) internet connection rankles, as does the convoluted login process. There is a tiny business centre, with three desks, two phones and a PC, but this tends to be used by Hotmail-checking leisure travellers. A Cisco TelePresence room seats eight people who can link up with colleagues internationally, from £320 per hour. Meeting rooms with seating for up to 150 people can be booked on site or at the Crowne Plaza next door, which is also part of Taj Hotels.