Check into the jet set's new comfort zone

Farnborough residents must have got quite a shock when the sleekly designed Aviator hotel, built in the shape of an airplane propeller, "landed" last July on the edge of TAG Farnborough Airport, on the site of the RAF officers' mess (incidentally, where TE Lawrence — otherwise Lawrence of Arabia — was posted for a photography course).

Owner Ken McCulloch, the man behind Malmaison, the Columbus and Dakota hotels, has left nothing to chance: the primarily business airport — also where the world-famous air show is held — is the base for many aviation, aerospace and defence companies and it is these corporatelevel clients that the four-star Aviator hotel attracts (the only competition is the Holiday Inn down the road ...).

Luring them in must be easy with such a cleverly designed building. Like the Columbus in Monaco, the lobby is above the ground floor, reached via a stunning stairwell which circles upwards and skywards towards the fourth floor.

Veering off from the lobby there are areas cleverly disguised as cosy lounge areas (one with music, one without) for informal meetings as well as seven meeting rooms below, where Nokia and IBM have built and bonded in the chic surroundings of leather, velvet, twinkling tea lights and cute mini cupcakes (yes, in a business centre).

The gym is down here, too, with floor-to-ceiling windows giving views of the private jets taking off on the runway and (hopefully) inspirational framed black-and-white photographs of sporting legends such as Muhammad Ali.

Our Sky Studio was glamorous, with Bose systems, soft Missoni throws, beautiful green and silk framed prints you would like to have at home, with a smart bathroom with television, large wet-room shower and Ren toiletries.

There are black-and-white photos of early aircraft to keep the aeronautical theme going but this is where the design of Amanda Rosa comes to the fore — until my arrival I could easily have imagined an airport hotel with this theme to be as tacky and soulless as hotels in Las Vegas or, closer to home, Blackpool.

Dinner in the Brasserie did not disappoint. It was also affordable, with wine by the glass from £3.95, and simple but delicious food by chef Allan Pickett: my cold-water prawn salad (£4.95) was the freshest prawn cocktail I had ever eaten, with no vinegary tang of cheap Rose Marie but a smooth tasting, delicate sauce.

My partner's half a dozen native oysters (£7.50) were beautifully presented with rye bread, onion sauce and tabasco: I finally got the point of these weird crustaceans.

Sweet-and-sour organic salmon was perfectly cooked on a bed of Chinese cabbage. Puddings are more lardy, less sophisticated but all the more yummy for being so — cold banana and toffee cheesecake was a sticky, guilty pleasure, the Black Forest trifle rich and good looking.