The Malmaison group of hotels has established throughout Britain a collection of centres of excellence where nothing but the best will do. As a concept alone this is exciting, but the reality is brilliant, so that at last there is a hotel group where uniformity of standards is of the same high calibre. Malmaison Reading follows the well-established Malmaison trend in establishing their hotels in buildings of interesting styles and location, and the erstwhile Great Western Rail Hotel has been transformed into a stunning boutique hotel offering a luxurious refuge. Inside, there's a dark, stylish interior, innovative design, unusual artwork and lots of hints to remind you of the building's history. 

The bedrooms are all that one would expect from a hotel that has genuine regard for its guests and is concerned with every aspect of their wellbeing. There are five stylish rail themed suites, while artwork inspired by the Great Western Railway can be seen on the walls. At the brasserie, the mood definitely veers towards comfort and elegance where the exposed walls and ceilings lend a rustic appeal and the beautiful glass wine cellar adds immensely to the style quotient.

Amidst elegant surroundings, with spotless gleaming glassware and shining cutlery, an essentially brasserie menu is offered, where lovers of seafood will be delighted to note that their particular needs are well heeded, starting with a delightful moules marinières.

Head Chef Andrew Holmes and his team bring to the table typical brasserie dishes such as treacle cured salmon and soft boiled quail egg served with toasted rye bread that have always been popular choices, and can be taken here as a starter or a main course. Monkfish with chorizo and butter beans rarely fails to please, and the same holds true for the pot roast chicken and sage dumplings.

An inspired choice amongst the main courses is the baked hazelnut and parmesan crusted cod with cockles and mussels while the beef bourguignon is another enticing option. Which leads us neatly to the - wait for it - Mal burger, a 250 gram burger made from ground beef tucked into a floured bap to join bacon and gruyere, served with homemade relish and some fries.

Over the years the number of outriders surrounding a good honest steak on the plate has grown to unacceptable dimensions. At Malmaison the thought and care is centred on the dry-aged bone rump and that's it - except for the chips. If you want all the rest go for the side dishes, but steak and chips on its own takes some beating. Vegetarians are well looked after - the pumpkin and gorgonzola filled gnocchi sounded appealing.

Heading the desserts is the sticky toffee pudding with butterscotch sauce, a triumph of timing and co-ordination, supported by other choices amongst which expect to find a chocolate pithivier with clotted cream. Their homemade ice creams and sorbets are dreamy while the renowned cheese trolley has a selection of British and French farmhouse cheeses served with an assortment of breads, biscuits and chutney.

A wine list that draws from all the major wine-growing areas is a symphony of its kind, clearly compiled by an enthusiast who knows his wines well enough not to disappear into a world of hyperbole when describing them.

Their Website is a wealth of information that will, I predict, only serve to increase your resolve to make Malmaison your next stop in Reading. It is worth noting that you can also make reservations Online on their Website.