Take a trip out of the centre of London to find a quiet breathing space in the Urban Jungle.

Never having visited West London before I was surprised by how green it was.

A short tube ride from the centre brought me and my partner to Gunnersbury and the Chiswick High Road.

Nestled next to suburban houses and a car dealership stands the modern looking Chiswick Moran Hotel – so far so average I thought.

But stepping through the doors I realised my first impression couldn’t have been more wrong.

The spacious entrance hall is flanked on both sides.

One by a chic wood panelled bar, one wall of which is devoted to the large silver globe which gives the cocktail bar its name.

On the other side is the retro-chic Napa restaurant, which had a fab ’70s feel.

You can imagine achingly trendy mod types with beehive hairdos hanging out there.

The feel of the hotel is altogether luxurious retro and designed for comfort with both substance and style in abundance.

Staff were genuinely friendly and helpful and knowledgeable about the area.

Our room overlooked the car park, but it is to the designer’s credit that by the clever placing of the window, when you lay on the bed you only saw acres and acres of sky.

You would never guess you were in the middle of London.

And it was quiet, beautifully quiet and peaceful. The room had the same quirky retro feel with patterned green tiles and square lamps.

The first night we took advantage of the Napa Restaurant’s set menu opting for delights including crayfish and pomegranate salad, filet of salmon with warm Nicoise salad and gingerbread, cranberry and orange cheesecake.

The staff very kindly helped us pick from the extensive wine list and were able to suggest a great Pinot Grigio to compliment the menu.

Make no mistake about it, the food was magnificent. The portions were good and hearty but the presentation was immaculate. Obviously the team takes great pride in what they do.

The menu changes daily and seasonally and all the meat is sourced locally and from local butchers.

The wines are chosen to compliment the menus by the team.

After dinner we tried the cocktail bar which was obviously popular with the locals on a Friday night and features DJs – other nights feature acoustic music with a more relaxed feel.

There was a party feel in the bar and we were happy to join in. We sampled an old cocktail favourite the rusty nail and the Snuggle – a mixture of Martell cognac, apple and lime.

Both of which were delicious and beautifully presented.

Although the hotel is ideally suited for business or pleasure in London, it has another key charm – just fifteen minutes walk down the road is Kew Royal Botanic Gardens.

Having never been to the incredible green lung I was amazed by the use of space and the distinctly different spaces and feels the gardens managed to create.

If you can ignore the planes flying over every few minutes to land at Heathrow, you could be in the middle of the countryside.

I would encourage anyone to go, we spent a happy day lost in the different exhibits.

You can even walk around the inside of a couple of the hot houses and be on eye level with the biggest palms.

Among the highlights was the IncrEdibles- a voyage through all the surprising edible plants. Visitors can take a free guided walk to find out more about edible plant species or take a trip on the boating lake in a fruit-themed boat to become part of a giant fruit salad installation.

IncrEdibles is on until September.

If you are looking for a London break with a difference then the Chiswick Moran Hotel has it all, great location, charm, heart and a large helping of ’70s cool.

Factfile

The Chiswick Moran Hotel is located at 626 Chiswick High Road, London.

Rooms start from £90 per room, per night.

For more information visit chiswickmoranhotel.com or call 020 8996 5200.

First class train tickets from Weymouth to London Waterloo cost around £55 return if you book early.

Once there you need to get a ticket on the underground or over ground service to Gunnersbury.

Turn left out of the main exit and the hotel is 400 yards across the road on your right.