Amba gets the green light

The city has many famous hotels among its number, yet one I stayed over at recently had somewhat dipped beneath my radar. I am glad to say my dish has been well and truly re-aligned.

Amba Hotel, situated in the heart of the city close to Charing Cross Station, is housed within a fabulous Grade II listed building. Just moments from Trafalgar Square, it combines 150 years of British architectural heritage, attentive service and latest technology to help you feel a cosy mix of being at home, indulged and special.

Everything has been designed with the visitor in mind, helping the team to deliver a personalised service, be that for business or leisure. The unlimited and speedy Wi-Fi is a real plus for business – and great for the children too.

Contemporary design in the spacious rooms, walk-in rainfall showers, fluffy towels and 24-hour room service all add to the experience at no extra charge. A handpicked team know the difference good service makes, and how much the little touches matter, making an amazing location even greater. We were forever being offered water in the reception area and the promptness that an umbrella was offered to us as we made our way outside was refreshing. Staying in a studio suite, we were not to be disappointed.

What makes The Terrace extra special is the fabulous views it provides of The Strand below – something which has made this location a favourite with many for more than 150 years.

Amba Hotel Charing Cross formerly operated as a Guoman Hotel and reopened in October 2014 following an extensive refurbishment. And what a transformation. From its sweeping spiral staircase to its high ceilings and ornate plasterwork, this is a hotel that makes a bold and stylish statement. Just six months after the four-star hotel reopened, Amba climbed more than 50 place to rank fourth out of 1,064 London hotels on customer-ratings website TripAdvisor. At that point in time, with 239 rooms, Amba Hotel Charing Cross had more than double the number of rooms of any other hotel in the top 10, proving it can deliver the same personalised service offered by the boutique hotels that dominate the same chart.

So, you've picked the perfect place to stay, but what does London have to offer that you might not have seen on another occasion? Visit in January and see some of the city's landmarks cast in a new light. Running from January 14-17, Lumiere London is produced by Artichoke and supported by the Mayor of London. See your favourite landmarks transformed over four evenings by a host of international artists as the city is illuminated in a unique way.

The outdoor light festival is free to attend and a must-see.

With space travel hitting the headlines, thanks in no small part to British astronaut Tim Peake, there has never been a better time to visit London's Science Museum and its Cosmonauts exhibition. Russia's relationship with space is fascinating. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the country absorbed a mix of cosmist philosophy, science fiction and science, all exploring a future in space. A surge of imaginative thinking followed and enthusiastic activity that in time led to the launch of Sputnik – the world's first artificial satellite – and a programme of ever ambitious Soviet space missions.

The Science Museum is hosting space travel of a very different kind too – Star Wars: The Force Awakens is being shown in 2D on its huge IMax screen.

Over at The Museum of London, for the first time ever, never-before-seen objects are on public display from the Metropolitan Police's own Crime Museum. Since its establishment by serving officers in the mid-1870s the Crime Museum has previously only been open to police professionals and invited guests. Now, using original evidence from this extraordinary collection, real-life case files have been unlocked for this major exhibition. Notorious crimes, from those of Dr Crippen to the Krays, the Great Train Robbery to the Millennium Dome diamond heist are all covered.

But, whatever you uncover during your travels to London, a stay at Amba Hotel Charing Cross is sure to have you relaxing in style before making your way home.

Travel Facts

Visit www.amba-hotel.com/hotels/united_kingdom/london for availability and special offers. The Terrace is open to residents and non residents. See the website for more details.

For further details on the January 14-17 light festival, visit www.visitlondon.com/lumiere

See www.sciencemuseum.org.uk to discover more about the Cosmonauts Exhibition

Crime enthusiasts should take a look at The Crime Museum Uncovered at www.museumoflondon.org.uk