I have just returned, very happy, from the Hilton. I have often returned, happy, from a Hilton, but this has always been - and will always be - THE Hilton. The London Hilton on Park Lane has, always been "The Hilton" and this 28-storey icon is a London landmark that I have wanted to stay in for nigh on 30 years. This weekend, the dream came true. Nor was the bubble burst.

I booked on-line through the Hilton website and was offered a rate of just under UKP 128, plus taxes. The room-only room rate of UKP 150 (about $300) was something of a snip and it would have been rude not to accept it; it was about half of what you'd normally expect to fork out for a room in this hotel, which holds some quite extraordinary accolades, including "Best Business Hotel in Europe 2005" and "Daily Telegraph Best British Hotel 2002".

Arrival

Check-in

But soft! We headed to the one of the four lifts and got Josh to drive. He hit the right button and, in next to no time, we found ourselves 11 floors up. Our room, 1113, was conveniently located a few steps away.

London hotels are noted, probably, for two things; high prices and small rooms. Here, I thought that the price was good for what we got. The room, also, was by no means cramped. In fact, at 22 square metres, it was actually quite spacious. the King-sized bed was huge and proved to be extraordinarily comfortable. The comfy chair was very comfortable. The television was large and had a good selection of channels. There was a personalised welcome card from the manager with two bottles of mineral water and chocolates. The decor was beige in a Hilton kind of way, but the room was very clean and well-maintained. The marble bathroom was well-equipped and comfortable, although I couldn't help wondering why - if this had been refurbished - they had kept the bidet. Or bottom-washer, as Josh insisted on calling it. The Molton Brown toiletries were lovely.

Yet, as I looked out through the window, commanding an excellent view over Hyde Park and extending as far as the unfinished Wembley football stadium, I was a very happy chappy. This was, indeed, luxury at a fair price. The hotel boasts the best views in London, and from every room, and I cannot imagine that this is a shallow promise in any way.

Refreshments

It would be wrong of me not to comment on the bars, and there are four of them. Mindful of the fact that I'd be reviewing this hotel, I made a valiant effort to consolidate my research in this respect with you, the reader, in mind.

Amanda and Josh returned to the room, whilst I continued my research in earnest. The next bar is Zeta's, a trendy nightclub-style cocktail bar with a large menu of exciting looking cocktails. Not for the first time, I was surprised that my cocktail of choice (Harvey Wallbanger) was not listed. When I explained to the waitress how to make one, she quickly returned with a very good rendition of the drink. The barman, I could tell, knew exactly what it was. Concluding with a fantastic B52, I left just as the place was starting to liven up. Strangely enough, the doors from the hotel lobby are locked at 9pm, so you have to go out into the street, and back in through the main entrance. A little odd, but I did so, via a pub down the street; my wallet had started to complain, and I quite fancied a beer. I could have had one at the Park Brasserie if I had known.

All in all, this was a superb stay in an iconic, if expensive, hotel that I have always wanted to visit. It is luxurious and surprisingly friendly; I didn't feel it was at all stuffy, and it affords great views over the capital. If it did fall down, it was an occasional lack of attention to detail. On checking in, I asked if our room would be big enough for a rollaway bed for Josh. It was, I was told, but no bed appeared until a subsequent direct request much later - and then they provided a baby's cot. The complimentary newspaper was not delivered, although they were available near the lifts. I was a little surprised, too, when the gentleman in front of me in the queue for the concierge had to wait whilst the concierge had to consult a guide book in order to "Recommend a nearby restaurant that serves modern British cuisine". I'd have thought that it would have been part of his armoury. At the end of the day, however, these are very minor criticisms indeed. Overall, we had a great time and I would not hesitate to return.