The Zetter is the brainchild of restaurateurs Michael Benyan and Mark Sainsbury. In the summer of 2001 Michael and Mark bought an old five story warehouse in Clerkenwell known locally as the Zetter building and set about turning it into a destination for those looking for a hotel with style, comfort and personality but without the price tag. Central to their plans was the Zetter restaurant that wraps around the ground floor and looks out onto St John's square through its giant sash windows, the idea being that this would be a building that both locals and visitors alike would come to, whether to meet, eat or simply sleep, a bit like a modern day 'urban inn'. The Zetter opened on the 15th March 2004, with a 90-cover restaurant and bar, two private party rooms and 59 bedrooms.