One mighty long bar

I am reliably informed that the recent arrival of the City Inn hotel in Westminster marked the opening of the country's biggest new hotel in more than three decades. The City Inn is slap-bang in the middle of London's enclave of government, which means, presumably, that only the mandarins of Westminster will have been privy to its progress.

I can now reveal that a new lounge bar came with the hotel and occupies 4,500 square feet of the mezzanine floor. It has a 10-metre long bar, a small army of smartly-dressed staff buzzing round the tables, ruby red squashy sofas and a few rows of more formal, pine-effect furniture. It looks new.

I haven't been able to judge the vibe properly yet, despite three separate visits. Hotel bars hoping to attract a wider audience tend, for obvious reasons, to be dependent on their residents in the short term. And my experiences have been hit-and-miss, with a really good vibe one night and as dull as ditchwater on others.

Still, I expect the place livens up whenever there's celebrations to be had for the Labour Party, round the corner in Millbank Tower, or the Conservative Party, round the other corner in Smith Square. The Liberal Democrats' offices are within leaflet-chucking distance, over in Cowley Street.

If the heavy local political presence is acting as a deterrent to would-be punters, this is a shame because the drinks are really very good. A long list of Scotch whiskies is sectioned on the menu by region and background and tasting notes should help remove some of the mystique when choosing.

The cocktail list is long and demonstrates some creativity, although there is a surprising lean towards Absolut vodka as a base spirit in the vodka drinks. Absolut is not what I'd consider to be premium quality vodka. Again, the drinks descriptions are well written and some restraint (for a hotel bar) has been shown in the pricing, with drinks averaging £7.50.

Despite having some really natty drinks, a Gin Genie (Plymouth Gin with fresh mint and lemon and topped with Plymouth Damson and Sloe Gins) promised much and delivered short. This should have been a long, refreshing summer drink, but was served in a short whiskey glass. Two sips and it was gone. Bellinis, a favourite with many at this time of year, are served with champagne rather than prosecco.

Of the more pleasant surprises, I was delighted to find a draught ale on tap, and Deuchar's IPA, from Edinburgh's Caledonian brewery, is one of the best IPAs on the market today. It costs £3.80 per pint and, although I'm not complaining, it does seem mildly incongruous to be knocking back pints of ale in such smart surroundings.

On the food front they offer the predictable snacks of merguez and chorizo sausages, salmon and ginger won tons and plates of Italian antipasti (all £7 each). More substantial dishes, such as wild mushroom risotto or a char-grilled beefburger, are also available at £8.50 each.

I will go back the next time I'm in Westminster and have matters of state to attend to, because the Millbank Lounge is trying to get things right. It's worth supporting them for this aspect alone.