Mr & Mrs Smith

Driving down Harrogate's King’s Road, heading towards the location of these luxury serviced apartments, it’s not immediately obvious where these sleek city-style studios might be among the trad B&Bs and guesthouses. A newcomer to Harrogate, thankfully the behemoth that is the international centre is not an easy landmark to miss in this 17th-century spa town; then my cab driver spots the bright lights of Brio, the restaurant that neighbours the aparthotel’s reception.

Within seconds I’m checked in and being led up to my cheap-chic pad for the night. It’s instantly obvious that the creators of these apartments have lavished a lot of attention on creating high-spec, added-extra accommodation for people who are no stranger to five-star hotels. Or perhaps that’s the Mr & Mrs Smith albums emanating from the iGroove that has me seduced. No, this is somewhere with form as well as function. The design is utterly contemporary with all the amenities you might need from stylish self-catering. Egyptian cotton-clad pocket-sprung mattresses, audio-visual thrills from plasma TV to iPod dock, as well as bathrobes and slippers and a fabulous Ren-stocked bathroom. What's not to love? I’m immediately earmarking these apartments for girly weekends away. City break on the continent? Pah. Harrogate’s got all you could need. Galleries and gardens to stroll through, cafés and bistros to refuel at – and, more enticingly, I can spy some inexpensive bottles of wine in the kitchenette at the ready. Let the good times roll.

While the views from the Lawrance may not be the most inspiring that this grade-II packed city has to offer (the aforementioned conference centre out the front, terraced houses at the back), it is soon clear that my luxury hotel-style studio couldn’t be better appointed. Guests can stumble out of the front door and be minutes from shops, restaurants and every imaginable city-break desire. And hop in the car and you’re a short drive from some of the country’s finest rural landscapes, the Dales themselves.

As I have a morning free before catching the train back to London, I play predictable tourist and amble down to Bettys tea room for an obligatory elevenses treat. Sated by a Yorkshire rarebit and sack full of souvenirs (and a slightly throbbing conscience at having splashed out £15 on a box of biscuits), I resist the urge to detour via the Espa spa at Hotel du Vin and instead succumb to the draw of Harrogate’s compact boutique-packed centre. At home, I’d have the hassle of jostling for parking space then tackling the crowds on the pavement. Here I’m treated to a leisurely retail dose of clothes, antique and homewares in the Montpelier quarter of this postcard-perfect cobblestoned hub. Even though I’m in town for work – for the hard task of reviewing these luxe-for-less lodgings – it’s still been pretty romantic. I’ve fallen head over heels with Harrogate.

Reviewed by Juliet Kinsman