She stands with eye-catching elegance, her feet straddling two imposing city streets and her winsome face pointing confidently towards The Strand.

Her complexion is flawless and draws much attention from passing pedestrians who have much to admire in this over-enamoured part of London.

For this is the Corinthia Hotel. A magnificent grand dame whose formidable features have been seducing guests since the Victorian era.

She’s worthy of every one of the ever-ready superlatives eagerly used to describe such a five-star hotel in the heart of London.

And her striking personality is just as enthralling.

So often such high-class hotels are stuffy and under-whelming once you’ve crossed the threshold.

Not so with the Corinthia which, until 2006, is rumoured to have held government records of UFO sightings.

There’s no secret to the lure of this luxury hotel though, it’s obvious at every turn.

There’s a vibrant Lobby Lounge, two world-class restaurants, the lively Bassoon bar, charming courtyard complete with open fireplaces and, to my mind, the best spa I’ve ever experienced. But more about that later.

With 294 rooms including 36 suites and seven penthouses offering exceptional views across some of London’s most famous landmarks to distract, you’d be forgiven for worrying high standards and service might stop at reception.

But it’s simply not the case at Corinthia. Its uncompromising quality of finish and attention to detail - the hotel boasts the largest room sizes in London - doesn’t stop with the fabulous furnishings.

Attentive staff are on hand for every whim - and nowhere was this more aptly demonstrated than in the magnificent Northall restaurant.

An entertaining - and educational - one-to-one with the delightful sommelier Christian Sivert elevated the evening to even more than contented gorging on gastronomical perfection. It was an experience in itself and I came away all the richer - if not tipsier - in my knowledge about wine pairing.

I was left drinking in the wonderfully serene atmosphere of ESPA Life the following morning - fittingly described as a sanctuary dedicated to relaxation, health and fitness.

Spread over four fabulous floors, this hedonistic herb-infused haven cannot fail to leave you feeling fully relaxed, revitalised and re-energised.

Fifteen tranquil treatment pods offer an extensive range of therapies with the wonderfully aromatic ESPA range. There’s even rush-hour beauty for those not fortunate enough to afford the time to indulge in these sensuous surroundings which also include a subterranean swimming pool, vitality pool, glass amphitheatre sauna, steam room, heated marble loungers, sleep pods and relaxation room.

Alfred Pisani founded the Corinthia enterprise around 50 years ago with a fine dining restaurant in his home country, Malta.

His intention was to transform the mundane into the magical. Not only has Mr Pisani nailed the brief here, he has exceeded it.

Such visionary approach has certainly paid off in this part of South West London.

The Corinthia is one hell of a stunner and you’d be foolish not to succumb to her charms.

Factfile:

Corinthia Hotel London

Hotel class: 5 stars

1 Whitehall Place, London SW1A 2BD

Tel: 020 7930 8181

Email: reservations.london@corinthia.com

General inquries: london@corinthia.comGeneral inquries: london@corinthia.com

Visit: www.corinthia.com/hotels/london

Rates: Rooms from £395 and £3,000 for Penthouses (prices inclusive of VAT).