How come Hazlitt's has just won the Good Hotel Guide's London Hotel of the Year award when I've never heard of it?

That's the beauty of Hazlitt's. You wouldn't even know it was a hotel if you walked past it. And Hazlitt's wants to keep it that way, a home in the heart of London converted from three eighteenth-century houses where you even get your own front-door key. As author Bill Bryson said in Notes from a Small Island, 'Hazlitt's is a nice hotel, but the thing I like about it is that it doesn't act like a hotel.'

Did he stay there then?

Yes, as have a long line of literary figures starting with friends of essayist William Hazlitt, who lived there. Modern authors traditionally leave signed first editions of their books in the sitting-room, where you'll also find Hazlitt's works.

What's it like inside?

Old fashioned with wood panelling and sloping floors. The 23 rooms are decorated with antique furniture and carved beds. No lift.

Sounds lovely but what about creature comforts?

They're all there, from the hairdryer in the chest of drawers to modem points. Breakfast is served in the rooms; there isn't a hotel restaurant. But who needs one when you're in the centre of London?

Any other tips?

If you stay in the Sir James Bateman room, look under the bed. When Hazlitt died in 1830, his landlady put his body there while showing new tenants round.

• Hazlitt's, 6 Frith Street, Soho Square, London (020 7434 1771). Double rooms start at £195 a night to £300 for Baron Willoughby's suite. Breakfast is £8.95.