London calling: The new den of Zen in the West End

Where: 30 Marylebone Lane, London, England

How much: From $600 per night

London has seen a glut of glamorous hotel openings in 2024, but the likes of the Peninsula and Raffles, with their $2000-a-night entry-level rooms, are beyond most travellers' budgets. Though certainly not inexpensive, the BoTree brings style at more affordable rates.

Taking its name from the bodhi tree, beneath which the Buddha is said to have gained enlightenment, this is the first offering by Place III Hotels, a company founded by Rishi Sachdev, a former derivatives trader turned hotel developer driven by an ethos of "conscious luxury". Expect upcycled artworks, vegan leather headboards and eucalyptus-fabric bedding that's sustainably sourced.

Rising just off Oxford Street, one of London's busiest thoroughfares, the BoTree is brilliantly placed to take in the department stores, swanky boutiques, pubs, theatres, restaurants, galleries, parks and general, life-affirming buzz of the West End.

You're around the corner, too, from the high street of Marylebone, a London "village" peppered with cafes, florists and bookstores.

The vibe at the BoTree is polite, but relaxed and friendly. After passing the glass-and-bronze lattice entrance, you'll be offered a glass of bubbly by staff ready to check you in via digital tablets.

As you wait for your keycard, sip and browse the lobby's wall of ceramics and papier-mache vases crafted by London artisans. Listen to how quiet things are compared to outside. The hotel is well soundproofed, with triple-glazed windows shutting out the construction and traffic noise. You should sleep well here.

There are 199 rooms, from 20-square-metre "superiors" with king-sized beds and curved sofas by bay windows to a slew of increasingly plush and pricey suites, some named after districts on the hotel's doorstep (think: Soho, Mayfair, Marylebone).

'm in a Lane Suite, which spans 34 square metres and has a separate lounge with a wall TV, breakfast bar, artsy books about fashion and flowers, complimentary soft drinks, teas and coffees - with bone china cups by Jasper Conran. All rooms have Nespresso machines, robes made with recycled polymers, showers with underfloor heating and zesty vegan gels and shampoos by London perfumer Jo Malone. There's a dedicated host (butler) for each floor if you need anything else.

Read more on Explore:

The BoTree's liveliest spots are its streetside bar, which has groovy colour-changing ceiling panels, and LAVO, the two-storey British flagship of an Italian-flavoured restaurant that started in Hollywood (where the Kardashians are among its regulars). Wining and dining here beside an olive tree, I enjoy wine from Piedmont with a grilled octopus starter, then Mediterranean sea bass with fennel, parsley, Sorrento lemon vinaigrette and black truffle fries with pecorino.

There's currently no gym - one is planned for later this year. You can easily get your steps in thanks to central London's endless array of walking possibilities, while joggers should branch out to Hyde Park or Regent's Park, both just over a click from the hotel.

Before you hop into the lobby lift, look closely at the tree trunk sculpture. It's made up of about 8000 discarded paper coffee cups.

Explore more: thebotree.com

The writer was a guest of the BoTree.