Sometimes it’s difficult to find a hotel in the capital which is luxurious, has a rich history, beautifully decorated and with the friendliest of staff.

However, you can stop looking. For The Andaz in Liverpool Street has all of the above and much, much more.

Just a stone’s throw from Liverpool Street tube and train station, The Andaz balances heritage with innovation. From the Victorian exterior to smiling staff armed with iPads ready to meet your every need on arrival, it blends the two worlds perfectly.

The hotel is part of the Hyatt group, but is also deeply rooted in the buzzing East London community; reflected in the décor as well as the proximity to Spitalfields Market and Brick Lane.

The beautiful lobby and open spaces around the hotel are intended as creative gathering spaces, with the lack of a traditional front desk designed to remove that stressful barrier for guests.

There is a delightful Andaz Lounge on the ground floor which offers complimentary drinks and snacks throughout the day, as well as five different restaurants and bars to choose from depending on what takes your fancy.

The flawless recently refurbished décor is a reflection of the City and the quirky East London environment, and it works wonderfully.

Our room was spacious, with a beautifully attired bathroom and a mini bar – with plenty of freebies to sample – including a plate of delicious madeleines.

Equipped with a large television, iPod dock, desk, kettle and coffee maker there is nothing left out. And if there is, you can just order from the ‘Peace of Mind’ menu and it will be delivered with a smile.

The bathroom was one of the best features, with a large standalone shower, mirrored wall and every kind of complimentary toiletry you could desire.

Once we’d checked out our room, we managed to persuade ourselves to leave and explore our surroundings.

Just a 20 minute walk away is the Tower of London and riverside, and after a spot of lunch here, we headed to the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park at Stratford to try out some Santander bikes.

I’m not the most technically minded but these (previously known as Boris Bikes) are so easy to operate. And on a busy, sunny day in London, what a wonderful way to spend an afternoon. Thankfully West Ham weren’t playing at home this Saturday, and although the parks were packed with families enjoying all the attractions, there was plenty of room for us cyclists.

The bikes are such a fantastic way to explore the city. From circling the parks to beating the traffic (if you’re confident enough to use the cycle paths), I would hire one again in an instant.

You don’t need to the fittest person in the world or even a proficient cyclist. They’re easy to use, comfortable to ride and simple to adjust for size and height.

After a busy evening (dinner, show, drinks) and a refreshing night’s sleep, we headed down to the 1901 Restaurant for our breakfast. The Grade II listed ballroom is a stunning setting for a scrumptious breakfast.

From a breakfast buffet which included fresh fruit, super juices and smoothies, granola, nuts, seeds, cold meats and fish, cheeses, full English breakfast and a variety of breads, there was so much to choose from. And if you had trouble deciding from this, there is also an a la carte menu featuring avocado on toast, coconut polenta porridge, egg white omelette, pancakes and French toast.

You could gorge all day and still not have tried everything on the buffet table.

The Andaz is one of the most delightful hotels I have ever experienced. The welcome, comfort, style of the hotel and rooms will see me recommend this hotel again and again. And it is so easy to get to from Waterloo, with the tube station a minute from the foyer.

What more could you want?

Factbox

TfL’s Santander Cycle Scheme

• The Santander Cycles scheme achieved another record-breaking year in 2017, with more than 10.4m journeys made

• There are over 770 docking stations, covering 100 square kilometres of London

• Since the scheme launched, more than 68 million hires have been made

• The free Santander Cycles app sends a release code straight to your phone

Trainline:

You can save, on average, 43% by booking in advance with Trainline versus the cheapest non-advance fares. Features such as Price Prediction and live travel updates allow you to stay one step ahead at every stage of the journey. For more information download the Trainline app or visit Trainline.com