The French character of the hotel so apparent from the outside is respected by the interior design and indeed by the operation, with its emphasis on the restaurant as the most important public space. Whilst some of the bedrooms are domestic in feel , there are some visually strong solutions which show real style. Quality is high within the limitations of the materials available, and the work is being carefully supervised by a man with an eye for detail, and whose team of housekeepers will be responsible for making the designs last. Some of these rooms have not been refurbished for over eight years and yet look in good condition, a testament to the difference high quality housekeeping can make.

The national feel to the building is as unique as a German gasthaus or an Italian albergo. Maybe in our lurch away from the minimalist interiors of the past few years, and the rejection of the use of so much 10B15 basically cream or beige interiors designers will look to their traditions for solutions. Use of colour and pattern does not need to just come from regurgitation of the recent stylistic past but can also be based in more eternal values expressed through traditions and national style with the added bonus of reinforcing the sense of place.