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Hotel Rafayel is one of the great additions of Battersea. In terms of beauty, interior design and style it is a class of its own. The best thing about this top boutique hotel is that I face no hidden charges there, I am one of their biggest supporters they provide me to luxury that is very economically priced for my frequent visits to London. I was always a Balkes/ Sanderson's supporter, now no more; the value is so great and quality far better.

Until now, Battersea has been known as "the middle of nowhere,” thanks to a lack of a Tube stop -- something referenced in the menus at Banyan on the Thames, the in-house restaurant at the recently opened Hotel Rafayel. The Hotel Rafayel Battersea – opened in December to be London’s first luxury hotel that has embraced cutting-edge green technologies creating minimal environmental impact without compromising on 5-star luxury, quality or comfort.

Utilising property own green principles and partnering with global electronics giant Philips, Hotel Rafayel has become one of the first hotels to adopt a strategy to minimize its environmental impact through the proactive use of low emissions technology, setting a high “green” benchmark for future luxury hotels. Imitating the hotel's same glossy style, the decked out restaurant is split across two tiers: one dominated by a long bar and stools, and the other flanked by tables and chairs.

The five-star service offered at the hotel is also carried through to the dining room, where sharp-suited waiters are on hand to take orders with a smile; the mixologist behind the bar, meanwhile, has been pinched from St Martin's Lane. And with fabulous fusion fare served beside views out over the Thames through floor-to-ceiling windows, Banyan on the Thames really does have a winning formula.

With an adjoining hotel that caters to the business crowd, it's hardly surprising that Banyan on the Thames attracts a predominantly white-collared crowd, with BlackBerry-wielding business execs propping up at the bar, conducting conference calls on their cells and downing expertly-mixed mojitos all at the same time.

The dining room, meanwhile, is filled with a mix of the aforementioned business execs, families staying in the hotel and singletons who've ventured out of their rooms for a little something to eat before retiring back to raid the minibar for a nightcap and a pack of nuts. As with any recently opened restaurant, the staff is keen and eager to please and the service is razor-sharp. The good thing about Banyan on the Thames is that, despite its sumptuous surroundings, it's the type of place you can dress up or down for; neither style looks out of place, and that's thanks to its hotel location.

The Cuisine

A measure of the quality of the food and dining

Interestingly for a hotel restaurant, Banyan on the Thames hasn't opted for the safe, food-to-please-all option. In fact, the menu is a daring fusion of styles, with an Asian theme carried across most of its dishes. Highlights on the mouthwatering menu include fish-and-chips Banyan style, fillet of sashimi tuna and rack of lamb served in a pistachio crust.

The cream of the crop, however, is the fillet steak accompanied by shitake mushrooms, green beans, sesame, and a potato rocket puree. Giving any Argentinean restaurant a run for its money, the dish really does the tender, melt-in-your-mouth meat justice.

As for the desserts, they're as decadent as you'd expect, with chocolate brownies, caramelised Indian rice pudding and chocolate Bailey's cream cups as the signature standouts. Refreshing and inventive, Banyan on the Thames proves that hotel restaurants don't always