JC Stays: The Arch hotel, London

Under the hand-painted wallpaper, our bed had duck down duvets to sink into and drink in the mix of Georgian architecture and contemporary artwork. The little luxury touches extended to the bathroom, from anti-steam mirrors to Malin + Goetz toiletries, not to mention the flatscreen TV above the bath.

With a colouring and activity pack to distract my daughter, I amused myself reading the ceiling of the

champagne bar, adorned with quotes from the great and good, including Napoleon’s own words of wisdom – “In victory, you deserve champagne; in defeat you need it.”

Handily, it also distracted her away from the ‘press to refresh’ button in the Martini Library, available just in case you need someone to top up your glass there, between admiring the travel-themed décor.

And the menu in Hunter 486 - named after the 1950s dialing code for Marylebone - is as good for adults as children; the Best of British-inspired menu includes Halibut with salsify and orange and chervil butter, along with Caramelised shallot and goat’s cheese tart cooked in the stone oven, while funky chandeliers apparently constructed from dozens of wine glasses hang suspended over leather booths.

The Jewish-owned hotel can also arrange kosher meals, as well as helping with lifts and electronic keys on Shabbat, plus information on timings of services at the Western Marble Arch and West London synagogues, both within walking distance.

As any parent knows, there's more to being family-friendly than a bear and a toy box to raid in reception. But here children are not merely tolerated, the welcoming attitude that I discovered at check-in was true of all the staff, right through to our very patient waiter. And that’s certainly worth celebrating. Napoleon, I’m sure, would have approved.