IT'S all about location, location, location in the hotel business and it's hard to think of anywhere that can beat The Gore for city charm.

The boutique hotel was our base for a family weekend in London and we found it the perfect place to introduce our toddler to the many delights of The Big Smoke.

Nestled right behind the Royal Albert Hall in Queen's Gate, this stunning historic hotel is just a stone's throw away from Hyde Park in one direction and the museums of South Kensington in the other.

Of course, there's more to a hotel than its situation and this one gets the thumbs up all round. The staff were superb, the food fantastic and the decor a dream.

We arrived at lunchtime with a sleeping child and were showed to our room by a tiptoeing member of staff who understood our daughter's need to nap before her big adventure.

A temporary bed was made up for her in our spacious suite adorned with a lovely gift from Hamley's of a London teddy bear complete with Buckingham Palace Guard uniform and a bearskin hat.

After getting acquainted with London Bear, it was straight back out to the Natural History Museum for the afternoon. Being so close means you can pop in for the last few hours of the day and avoid the queues. Despite the famous Diplodocus being out on tour, there's plenty to occupy the nature lover, particularly on the Dinosaur trail. The Museum's dinosaurs are world famous and we were thrilled to meet the brilliant roaring Tyrannosaurus rex, see the skull of a Triceratops and wander among fossils. The acclaimed Wildlife Photographer of the Year exhibition is another must see.

It was back to the hotel for an early dinner after an enjoyable few hours of learning and fun and we were treated to a fantastic meal of duck liver parfait followed by crispy pork belly for the adults and macaroni cheese for the little one.

The hotel's restaurant 190 Queen's Gate features an impressive menu created by Michelin star chef Daniel Galmiche, showcasing his authentic French cuisine with a British twist and locally sourced ingredients.

The food was heavenly, washed down beautifully with a bottle of chilled New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc. An incredible cheese board for two was served in our room a little later.

After a fantastic night's sleep in our surprisingly quiet suite, it was back to the bistro for a hearty breakfast of a delicious full English and lots of fruit, yoghurt, cereal, ham, bread and cheese from the superb buffet.

The Science Museum, with its space and robot exhibitions, was our first port of call after breakfast. The Garden was a particular hit with our inquisitive nearly three year old who adored exploring the four main areas – construction, water, light and sound. While playing, young visitors can find out about floating and sinking, shadows and reflections, and much more.

We whiled away a good hour in the Harrods food hall and toy department before taking to the water, boating on The Serpentine lake in Hyde Park, just a short walk from the hotel.

Weary after a fantastic day's sightseeing, we enjoyed a bedroom picnic with some great choices from the hotel's room service menu that evening.

Our final morning was spent enjoying a leisurely breakfast with the Sunday papers and walking back to Waterloo via two Royal Parks and Buckingham Palace to see London Bear's Guard friends in action.

The Gore, with its delightful library perfect for a spot of afternoon tea, couldn't have been more British.

The hotel's 50 unique bedrooms are among the most enchanting in London, finished with hand-picked pieces, period pictures and ornate feature beds, whilst also providing full Wi-Fi access and flat-screen televisions.

Our location allowed us to have a stress free nose around the many highlights of that area of London with our luxurious bed and board just minutes away.

The perfect spot for a chic capital city break.

LORELEI REDDIN

The Gore – Starhotels Collezione is a member of Preferred Hotels and Resorts’ Lifestyle Collection. Rooms available from £160 per night based on two sharing. The rates are inclusive of Wi-Fi and VAT. For bookings please email reservations.thegore@starhotels.com