AS the Kandinsky in Cheltenham closes its doors for a year-long refit, fans of the eclectic hotel don't have to worry about missing their favourite haunt too much.

Alias Hotels, which owns it, has another equally intriguing and welcoming hotel in the south west, just a few more junctions down the M5 in Exeter.

Over the past year, the city has undergone a major revitalisation, with a new shopping district – Princesshay – boasting shiny new clothes stores such as Reiss and furniture and gift emporium Orange Tree which has been named the Best Independent Retailer in the south west.

There are plenty of places to eat and sip a cocktail too including the glass-covered Exeshed which is decorated with reflective scenes of Exeter cathedral.

If historic old Exeter is more your thing, head to The Quay where you can browse antiques and reclaimed furniture and enjoy a pint at The Prospect Inn which used to be part of a ferryman's cottage.

Just a short walk from the city centre Alias Hotel Barcelona has been open for seven years and is housed in an imposing listed building which used to be the West of England Eye Infirmary.

Formerly austere doctors' consulting rooms, wards and even the operating theatre have been given a radical make-over to be turned into luxury accommodation, kitted out with unique wooden furniture from Indonesia and Seventies throwbacks such as bulbous yellow headboards.

It's probably best not to think too much about exactly what went on in here 100 years ago when you lie back to relax on your king size bed and chomp on a handmade cookie.

The communal areas have plenty of quirky references to the building's history with the original 70s lift still in place, long enough for a bed to be wheeled into, and sculptures resembling rubber gloves sticking up along the staircase.

Thankfully though for hospital-phobes, the medical allusions make up only a small part of the hotel's vibrant interior.

As the name suggests, a lot of its decoration has Spanish influences with handrails and balustrades inspired by Catalan architect Josep Maria Jujol and the bedroom doors by Antoni Gaudi's Casa Mila.

The walls of the bedrooms have paintings of dancing Spanish ladies and the hotel's restaurant, Cafe Paradiso, is also a Mediterranean hub of activity.

Much like its sister hotel in Cheltenham, the restaurant serves wood-fired pizzas which are cooked in a roaring oven in front of you and seasonal fish and meat dishes.

The menu in Exeter was oozing with West Country flavours such as an endive salad with Devon blue cheese, whole wood-fired Devon trout with spinach and artichokes and homemade ice creams.

This part of the building is new and has been opened up with glass so you can look out on to the hotel's walled garden.

We ordered a bowl of olives and ciabatta to start, followed with a delicious hot bowl of locally-sourced courgette and mint soup with cucumber yoghurt for my partner, while I had the house salad with organic leaves, grilled vegetables and orzo, which was delicious.

Sitting not far away from the pizza oven, my partner couldn't resist a classic Margherita while I went for a grilled vegetable and Taleggio tart with nettle sauce and pink fir potatoes.

The setting is very informal and the desserts were fantastically presented, especially the warm chocolate fondant, white chocolate and vodka sorbet.

We couldn't go to bed without checking out the hotel's cocktail bar, Kino, which has retro film posters on the walls and brightly-coloured sofas which have evidently seen plenty of action at the weekends.

After polishing off a berry caipirovska, a caipirinha but made with vodka, limes, sugar and mixed berries instead of cachaca, and my partner a bottle of Exmoor Gold in our hip surroundings, we pondered what a long way Exeter has come.

The pasties may still have pride of place, but the city can hold its own with the designer brigade too.