Telegraph Travel
Saturday, February 5, 2005


Hotel Watch

The location
The Queensberry stands at the top end of the city, and is ideally situated for exploring its unrivalled profusion of Georgian architecture. The Assembly Rooms are three minutes' walk away, the Circus four minutes and the Pump Room 10. Other attractions, so numerous there was not time to explore them all in two days, include the Abbey, the Roman Baths and a house devoted to the city's most famous resident, Jane Austen. Exhausting numbers of clothes-and shoe-shops warm a 21st-century lady's heart. The quietly civilised atmosphere epitomises all those values that the late, un-lamented Cool Britannia was supposed to sweep away.

The draw
Designed in 1771 by the architect John Wood, the Queensberry is made up of four elegant terraced houses named after the 3rd Marquess of Queensberry, who lived in one. If Miss Austen called today, she would find the layout much as she would expect.

The drawbacks
If you do not like walking or prefer the flat, this is not an ideal location. Apart from the steep decline of the street outside, the interior of the Queensberry contains a maze of corridors and stairs, though one can cheat by using the lift.

The rooms
More like elegant chambers, as an 18th-century gentleman would understand them - a comfortable bed with canopy, and a large bathroom with cool décor and modern plumbing that includes a bath spacious enough to accommodate both a well-upholstered gentleman and his lady.

The food
The Olive Tree restaurant has an excellent menu and wine-list, with particularly delicious soup prepared by head chef Jason Horn. It was encouraging to see locals among the many diners.

The other guests
The inevitable exhausted businessman, but mostly young and middle-aged couples taking a quiet break.

The service
Quiet, competent, friendly staff who pop out of small rooms and really do enjoy compliments. The owner, Laurence Beere, a former food manager of the Savoy, fizzles with enthusiasm about his first hotel.