I realize there is a slight bias in my promoting of London as a fantastic year-round destination. Truly, it is only in recent years, when I have taken a full week out of my schedule to fully explore the city, that I have realized how little I knew and loved the city when I actually lived here. England, pretty much like everywhere in the world, has its issues, but overwhelmingly it is all of the following:
Iconic, Cosmopolitan, Historic, Buzzing, Elegant, Cultural, Green, Architectural, Gastronomic and Timeless
This past week Kendall and Sara on the team joined me in London for a full-on schedule of hotels and exploring. Check out our highlights below!
1. Changing of the Guard
Takes place 3 or 4 days a week so you need to check the schedule.
Top tips for location to view:
1. Get to the Buckingham Palace gates around an hour early at 10am
2. Head to Horseguards Parade, just off of Whitehall at about 10:45am. Here a subsection of the Guard form up to engage in their own mini change over. If you time it right you can enjoy a front row view like us!
Next tip: head to the Churchill War Rooms which are just around the corner.
2. Great Scotland Yard
This 5-star boutique hotel is part of Hyatt's Unbound Collection and is one of our go-tos both for ourselves and our clients. It has a perfect central location, and is usually great value in the luxury market. On top of that it has wonderful history which it celebrates beautifully in the rooms and hotel art...
Jack the Ripper’s crimes were investigated here; Charles Dickens joined officers on their nightly rounds; Arthur Conan Doyle used the venue as a key destination in his detective tales, to name but a few of the stories.
3. Battersea Power Station
A fairly new destination on our London list is Battersea Power Station which in its current iteration opened in October 2022. In all my years living in London, this giant building was just an empty, derelict shell. Today it has been transformed thanks to a near $2 billion investment, into a giant upper-scale shopping center, with numerous dining and entertainment outlets to boot, plus a hotel and apartments. There's even a London viewing platform at the top of one of the giant chimney's and they built a new Underground Station just for it!
4. The Sunday Roast
Myself and the team realized that we had not partaken in a so, so traditional Sunday Roast lunch in London, despite visiting the last few years. Afternoon tea, well yes of course, but this year it was the turn of Roast Beef and Yorkshire Pud.
As you can see it was rather epic, and it also catered wonderfully to Kendall's gluten intolerance as we chose Niche, a gluten-free restaurant.
Sidenote for our clients here, London is perfectly possible for anyone with food allergies or intolerances. We always ask if you have any dietary restrictions and take them very seriously.
5. The Langham
Our final London hotel stay was at the beautiful The Langham a couple of miles north west of Trafalgar Square, our previous base. Sumptuous is the word I want to use here, with faultless décor and comforts. If you book an Executive Room here it comes with access to the best Club Lounge I have ever experienced anywhere, with free flowing drinks, including champagne until 9pm. Breakfast here was also perfect with a full menu available.
Don't forget, at all the hotels mentioned, we are able to include valuable extra amenities for you at no extra cost.
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Hi, I'm John, and I'm told I have a cool accent. I absolutely love travel and I am proud to have built a team as passionate about exploring the world as myself. It took me a very long time to align my career with my undeniable passion for exploring, but now I and the team are here for you. Your personal travel tailors - award reservation and luxury custom itinerary experts. We provide a bespoke service, imagining and creating itineraries for independent minded families and groups.