AN INSPECTOR CALLS

He pays his way... and tells it like it is

AMANO is a trendy and well- known brand in Germany, with no fewer than seven hotels in Berlin alone, which may explain why several of the guests during my stay in London are Germanspeaking, all of them polite as we chit-chat while waiting for the lifts.

‘Sophisticated urban living in a central location at a fair price’ is how the group’s first UK outpost bills itself. You can argue about price, but the central location boast is spot-on, with Covent Garden market only 100 yards away, Drury Lane just around the corner.

I’m paying £380 for one of the ‘Goldy Rooms’ — so named because there’s a gold-coloured, free-standing tub in the corner of the bathroom.

It offers a splash of colour in an otherwise dark and moody confection, with grey walls and headboard on the bed — but not quite as dark and moody as the corridors here, in what used to be a 1980s office building.

One of Hotel Amano’s big talking points is the rooftop bar on the seventh floor, with terrific views over the West End, the London Eye and the Shard.

Book a ‘Goldy’ room and you’re offered a free cocktail or equivalent in this delightful space, which is open to the elements but still feels intimate, with a row of colourful banquettes and another of high stools and small, round tables.

Staff are all on their best behaviour. At one point, I have a problem with the TV and, within minutes, Joshua appears from reception to fix it.

Currently, there’s no restaurant but an Israeli chef is about to be appointed and the dining room — opening in the autumn — will be on the ground floor.

For now, Continental breakfasts are served in the basement, which doubles as a super-modern bar.

Even though Amano has been open for only three weeks, there is already a confidence about the place.

It has a distinctly international vibe and, evidently, a loyal following.

A welcome addition to the capital’s hotel scene.

Hotel Amano Drury House 34-43 Russell Street London WC2B 5HA 020 3739 8900 amanogroup.de/en Doubles from £246 B&B ★★★✩✩