Mercure and ibis London Earls Court Hotel review: Stylish stay with unbelievable restaurant

I visit London regularly because of work but rarely seem to get the chance to do fun things with the family there. So for once, we made a proper plan, took up an invite to a newly refurbished hotel and seized the opportunity of a weekend on the tourist trail.

Mercure and ibis London Earls Court Hotel is in a great location but the exterior is certainly nothing to write home about. That changes as soon as you step through the revolving doors. There is a fresh, uplifting and modern feel to it which makes it stand out from the competition which all feel very samey, as if they were decorated on a conveyor belt. The reception area is bright, airy and the staff are very welcoming. I knew straight away that we were in for a good stay.

A lot of effort has clearly gone into choosing the right decor and that classy feel stretches from all the public spaces into every bedroom. Our double room was a good size, extremely clean and comfortable. The best bit was the huge shower, made even better by a good selection of complimentary toiletries. All the Mercure rooms feature a ‘Layers of Time’ theme inspired by Doctor Who Tardis, which stands in front of nearby Earl's Court station.

The name of this West London is a bit confusing at first. In a new venture, it has 226 Ibis rooms and 282 Mercure rooms, The aim is to merge two of Accor’s biggest brands to offer quality but also always have a lower priced option. The good customer service extends to everyone and I think it will prove a huge success.

I never expect hotel food to be very good so I was blown away by the quality and care in the restaurant - this is the gem in the hotel’s crown.

Barnaby’s was designed with Paris Society. Central to the theme is the character of Barnaby, who returns to London to enjoy his 60s at home after spending many years adventuring abroad and discovering the world. Barnaby embraces both the British pride and the international curiosity so true to his home city, which is reflected in both the restaurant and bar menus. It is cute story and the restaurant looks wonderful.

We got off on the right foot with a glass of wine made just up the road. London isn't the first place I think of in terms of making wine but I was impressed that such a large hotel chain cares about sourcing local produce. Both the Lon Cru Pinot Noir and Lon Crus Bacchuse are delicious, quite a compliment to London wines from a northerner!

Our waiter took great pride in talking us through the menu, answering our many questions about the new hotel concept and giving recommendations. He made us feel relaxed and certainly steered us in the right direction for a delicious dinner.

We started with seared scallops with cauliflower puree, peas, asparagus, samphire and bacon crumble. Divine. I would also recommend any pie lovers to sample Barnaby's chorizo roll served with caramelised onions and Malbec honey dipping glaze. The portion was so large it could easily have made a main course.

Barnaby’s signature dish is Spiced Fish Pie. It is delightfully fish shaped, very generously sized and pleasingly the delicious filling goes right down the end of every fin. The fish is spicy but not overbearing and it is quite unique. Definitely worth trying. The rib-eye steak was also a winner, complimented with Sicilian caponata, triple cooked chips and peppercorn sauce.

We had no room for sweets but somehow managed to share a couple - just because they were ridiculously good. My favourite was the warm poached pear with vanilla mascarpone and caramel, ideal if you only fancy something light.

The lavender cake with raspberry glaze and chocolate stick also needs a mention. It was light yet moist, perfectly sweet and looked absolutely stunning.

The hotel is in Fulham and Chelsea, a great base for exploring. The closest attractions include Kew Gardens, the Natural History Museum and Harrods. It is also not far from Wimbledon, Twickenham, Chelsea’s Stamford Bridge, and Fulham’s Craven Cottage.

So we 'did' London. Open top bus, river cruise, Big Ben, Buckingham Palace, the museums and the shops ... all squeezed into a couple of delightful days.

It wouldn't have been anywhere near as fun if we hadn't been able to rush around to the point of exhaustion knowing that we had a luxurious bed just waiting to catch us and we didn't have to hunt around for a restaurant. This is a hotel that deserves to be treated as more than a place to lay your head.