Rebecca Mitchell, general manager of Hotel Babylon, interviews the hotel's ambitious head receptionist, Charlie Edwards, and outsider Anna Thornton-Wilton for the job of deputy manager. As he is already on the spot, Charlie has the chance to prove himself by extracting as much money as possible from a world-famous rock band. Meanwhile, Rebecca seems to be avoiding going home at night.In the end, Charlie gets the job, and Anna is the new head receptionist.

A jingle writer called Machin checks in to the hotel. During his last stay, he tried to kill himself, so tension is high and Rebecca gives Charlie the job of keeping Mr Machin alive.The hotel's concierge, Tony, makes a disastrous mistake when he mistakes a woman guest for a prostitute.Meanwhile, the staff help a former employee celebrate her golden wedding in style.

Natasha, the student daughter of a Russian billionaire, wants to get married in a hurry, so that she can stay in the UK. Charlie and Tony find her a man and set it all up for her - though they don't dare to tell Rebecca what is going on. And what will Natasha's tycoon father make of it all when he arrives - will he foot the hotel's inflated bill for the reception?

Anna sets her cap at a rich American business man. How far will she go to get his attention? Meanwhile, Charlie is upset when Jackie tells him she is dating someone else. But he is soon being given the glad eye by Alice, an attractive hotel guest.

Immigration officers visit the hotel, which depends on migrant labour. This puts Jackie in a difficult position, as her own visa is months overdue, and Charlie hints that she should marry him.Meanwhile, Rebecca's marriage is back on the rails, Gino is pretending to be gay, and Charlie helps a guest to cover up her affair at the hotel.

Rebecca leaves Charlie in charge on the night shift, while she takes off on a holiday break with her husband. Then Anna thinks a hotel guest has killed his wife in their room. She becomes increasingly alarmed as she investigates, influenced by Tony's tale of horror at another hotel.

Three thousand pounds in cash is stolen from hotel guest Lady Patton, and although she is so rich that she hardly turns a hair, Rebecca is determined to find the thief and sack anyone responsible. But who did steal the missing money? Tension is high, with everyone under suspicion.

The hotel is inspected, and the report makes terrible reading, leaving Rebecca's future as manager in doubt. Her troubles increase when Adrian McBride, European director of the company which owns the hotel, arrives unexpectedly. But Rebecca is amazed to be offered a promotion.Meanwhile, Charlie is kept busy looking after Mr Wiltshire, an armed robber who is a key witness in a criminal trial and is staying in the hotel with a police protection team - he has to give evidence against some London gangsters, so his life is in danger. And at the end, Charlie gets caught up in a dramatic gun fight.