Hotel Xanadu Hotel

26-42 Bond St, London

Xanadu isn’t the ‘stately pleasure dome’ described in Coleridge’s poem. Smart more than luxurious, it’s in a converted office block in Ealing Broadway and offers a bolthole for weary travellers who can’t or won’t trek into central London. Rooms, designed by owner Jalal Al-Yawer, are spruce and stylish, relying on muted colours and subtle lighting for effect. They have endearing, unexpected touches: a photograph of a Remington typewriter above a bed, a bookshelf housing a collection of 19th-century essays from The spectator, or a set of vintage cases decorating a suite.With touches of East Asia blended into the fixtures and fittings, there is a ‘one world’ feel throughout. The Koobla bar and restaurant, which is essentially an all-day fusion brasserie, echoes the theme, with mini terracotta soldiers lining one wall and art deco lamps hanging from the ceiling at eye-catching angles. The menu is influenced by Marco Polo’s travels along the Silk Road, uniting east and west with dishes such as Xiang Jiang rack of lamb, spiced with cumin, garlic andkaempferia galanga. Tasting platters on offer are just right for easy eating. You pick any three from a dozen dishes to make up a portion (which costs £10.50): for instance, a stuffed crab claw with chilli mayo, duck spring roll and a ‘north-west Chinese lamb skewer’. MR. Doubles from £150. hotelxanadu.com