The hotel: The Radisson SAS Hotel London Stansted Airport is two-minute’s walk through a covered walkway to the train station and the airport terminal.
The check-in: Stylish open-foyer with three check-in desks looking across to the famous wine tower. Efficient service but my room card didn’t work first time round.
The Room: My urban-style Business Class room was decorated with warm reds and felt very snug. Floor-to-ceiling windows gave lots of light and a great view of the runway, without the noise. There was an adequate shower/bath, storage cupboards and fold-down ironing board, plus a TV, tea and coffee-making facilities, desk, coffee table and armchair.
The restaurants: There's the New York Bar and Grill, Italian joint Filini and tapas bar TaPaell’Ya, which was closed due to a low-season demand. The Angels Wine Tower Bar is the star of the show – a thirteen-metre tower holding 4,000 bottles of wine rises up into the atrium, with the ‘angels’ (harnessed, acrobatic girls) spinning around the rack in eye-watering positions retrieving bottles.
The Business: There are 26 adaptable meetings and conference rooms, including the Essex Suite which can be separated into three rooms. Meeting rooms all have natural light as well as videoconferencing facilities, a hearing loop and free wireless internet – as in all hotel rooms. A conference coordinator is on-hand.
The Facilties: Fully equipped PACE gym, plus a spinning room, studio and pool. 'You Spa' has treatments such as hot stone massages and eyebrow threading. Other hotel services include Express and late checkout, express three-hour laundry and a decent grab and go breakfast.
The Verdict: You can’t beat this for the convenience of its location. Being an airport hotel it feels a bit transient, but unique features like the Angels make it memorable.
The Details: Room rates from £99 room-only or £111 B&B. www.radissonblu.co.uk Laura Gelder
