The Marriott Hotel at Portsmouth has recently been further enlivened by the refurbishment of its restaurant and lounge with a modern, contemporary and stylish twist, Solent Chic. The new Sealevel restaurant and lounge has been transformed into a series of comfortable spaces where the travellers of today can mingle and eat, drink, work, meet and enjoy some private relaxation. The AA have recognised the quality of its cuisine with the award of its first rosette.

Portsmouth, with its strong maritime associations and still one of the premier Royal Naval ports of Britain, has a salty chirpiness about it that brings people from all over the world. Amongst its attractions are Henry VIII's warship, the Mary Rose, The Naval Dockyard with Nelson's flagship, HMS Victory, the oldest commissioned ship in the Royal Navy, amongst many others.

Accommodation at the hotel is of the same high standard that one expects to find from Marriott the world over with newly renovated and spacious air-conditioned rooms with a king or two queen beds making them specially suitable for families. Bedding is luxury in style and content and rooms are fitted with wireless high speed internet throughout the hotel, large desk and chair, voice mail, and mini-bar. Expect to find Cable TV, 24 hours news and pay per view movies, hair dryer, iron/board, laptop safe and trouser press. 24 hour service is available.

As with any hotel decent food and drink is high on everybody's list, both for guests and those who provide and proximity to the sea tends to sharpen the appetite and cultivate a menu that is strong on seafood and fish. Clam chowder with smoked pancetta or London cured smoked salmon strike the right note and the sealevel fish pie with smoked haddock and salmon cooked in a cream sauce topped with mashed potato, celery, carrots, leeks, peas and cheddar cheese should most certainly not be missed.

Executive Head Chef Jaap Schep works from a sophisticated à la carte menu with new dishes galore supported by some of the classics such as poached salmon fillet with baby leeks, poached duck egg, Hollandaise sauce and a good sturdy 10z sirloin steak with sea salt and served with watercress, grilled tomato, butter and fries. Apple crumble and cinnamon custard and bakewell tart with warm, clotted cream takes some beating and so does the inspired cheese board which corners some of the best cheeses to be had in the UK.

A spacious wine list certainly keeps pace with the menu, giving plenty of choice, reasonable prices and some twenty or so by the glass, making sensible and enjoyable drinking perfectly possible.

With the daytime popularity as it is, there are very good reasons for offering a fast and attractive lounge menu where eating and drinking can be enjoyed but not allowed to dominate. As might be expected there is more than a whiff of brasserie comfort with dishes that are familiar and filling such as beer battered cod fillet, potato, leek and cheddar dheese pie with plum tomato and red onion salad, and from the grill, 8oz rump steak with butter, roasted tomato, field mushrooms and fries.

Champagne tea is served from 2 till 5 pm which in some ways rather typifies the character of the Portsmouth Marriott, which never forgets that it's a four star hotel but does not hesitate to enjoy itself in the process. The result is a cheerful, relaxed atmosphere, willing staff and a recommendation rate that is a credit not only to this hotel but Marriott Hotels worldwide as well.

Their Website is full of useful information, shorn of boastful claims and likely to answer all your queries with ease.