London travel: An insider’s guide to the best of all things British
Firmdale's Knightsbridge Hotel
Where to stay
England is having a moment. Not only is the Queen celebrating her Diamond Jubilee, but the country is also playing host to the 2012 Games. Catch the buzz in one of the world's most exciting cities.
Checking in
You can’t go wrong with any of the small
boutique hotels in the Firmdale group.
All are charming, colourful and chic — pick
according to which location you prefer. Rooms from $240.
What a clever idea: the Grazing Goat is
a gourmet pub with eight quietly stylish
bedrooms, close to Marble Arch. The look
is English country house with open fires,
bleached wooden tables, sage-green walls
dotted with vintage prints and polished
antlers. The bedrooms are lovely — fresh
and comfortable, with iPod docking stations
and thoughtful touches such as organic
Earl Grey tea and soft throws — and you are
perfectly situated to pop into the new shoe
hall at Selfridges. 6 New Quebec St., W1. Doubles from $314.
Alternatively, of all the old-school,
big-player hotels in London, pick the
Connaught. It’s unfaultable, especially
after a huge renovation: sublime rooms,
impeccable service (a silver flask of hot chocolate is left by your bed at night)
and a brilliant location — central, but
hear-a-pin-drop quiet. Carlos Place, W1. Rooms from $949.
And for an absurdly good, cheaper option,
Dean Street Townhouse bills itself as a
39-room “bed and brasserie.” It is utterly
stylish and well executed, with superb
food to boot. 69-71 Dean St., W1. Rooms from $225.
Where to eat
Best brunch
For something low-key and local, Chelsea Bun has been going strong for years, and
many an aching head has been nursed to
recovery with one of its fluffy omelettes.
Rock chicks like Sienna Miller come here
to sip coffee and read the papers. Limerston
Street, SW10.
The Notting
Hill equivalent is Tom’s Deli, owned by
designer Sir Terence Conran’s son and
bursting with gourmet treats, tea in a
mug and proper English fry-ups. 226
Westbourne Grove, W11.
For a rather grander, smarter affair,
hotfoot it to the Wolseley, a beautiful,
stately café-restaurant where you’ll
find everything from eggs Benedict and
steak tartare to hearty bowls of porridge.
Think power breakfast, utterly glamorous
and gorgeous. 160 Piccadilly, W1,
+44 207-499-6996.
Dining out
On cool, damp nights (English summers
are wildly unpredictable) head to one of
a new wave of superb British gastropubs.
The Pig’s Ear is atmospheric with a
wood-panelled dining room and open
fire. Try a very English deep-fried hot
Scotch egg with mustard as a starter.
35 Old Church St., Chelsea, SW3,
+44 207-352-2908.
Only Londoners know about Andrew
Edmunds, an eccentric Soho nook
with wooden tables, candles and
spot-on bistro-style cooking. Relaxed
and romantic. 46 Lexington St., W1, +44
207-437-5708.
Or pump up the glamour
and head to Scott’s, where contemporary
chandeliers glisten, for the best fish in
town. 20 Mount St., W1, +44 207-495-7309.
Serious foodies
shouldn’t miss iconic Italian at the RiverCafé —it’s a bit of a sidestep, but you’ll soon
see why this restaurant is a destination in
its own right. Thames Wharf, Rainville
Road, W6, +44 207-386-4200.
If you are eating pre- or post-theatre,
Bocca di Lupo is where it’s at: delectable
Italian tapas in the heart of Soho. 12 Archer
St., W1, +44 207-734-2223.
For a hipster scene, check out La Bodega Negra, the latest trendy Mexican to hit
the capital — it stays open until 1 a.m.
9 Old Compton St., W1.
Fun lunch
You can’t really beat lunch at the bar
at Le Caprice, one of London’s iconic
restaurants. The whole place is buzzing,
and legendary dishes include the duck salad
and epic fish cakes. Come for a serious treat
that’s nowhere near as expensive as you
think (sitting at the bar makes for a more
informal affair). Arlington Street, SW1.
Equally fun is La Petite Maison, where divine little dishes turn up
as soon as they are ready and form a long
parade of French-Mediterranean treats:
onion tart with anchovies or French beans
with foie gras, for example. 54 Brook’s Mews,
W1.
For a hip Notting Hill
experience, the Electric Brasserie is always
a hit, and if it looks like a rainy afternoon
you can head straight to the flicks (the
Electric Cinema) and carry on munching
— the cinema has double leather seats,
and you can order alcoholic drinks and
hot nibbles. 191 Portobello Rd., W11,
+44 207-908-9696.
And if the sun appears and you want
to eat outside, E & O has sidewalk tables
and some of the best Asian fusion food
and people spotting in town. Order
chili-salt squid and look out for regulars
like Jade Jagger and Stella McCartney.
14 Blenheim Cres., W11, + 44 207-229-5454.
5 O'clocktails
Londoners are more likely to be drinking
tea at five o’clock than cocktails. Afternoon
tea is, of course, a very British ritual. Book
months ahead if you want to enjoy it
at the Ritz, with a harp or piano playing
and all the ceremony of a bygone era — it’s
a great present for someone. 150 Piccadilly,
W1, +44 207-493-8181.
For a younger, less formal affair, the
Berkeley does a fashionista’s version with
mini cakes and fancies styled after
designers. Wilton Place, +44 207-235-6000.
About an hour later,
most Brits will have swapped their brew
for ‘bevvies’ at the pub, almost as traditional.
For a quintessential English pub,
head to The Cow. It does the best Guinness
in London (along with a peerless pint of
prawns). 89 Westbourne Park Rd., W2.
Or start your evening
somewhere a bit more chi-chi: Mark’s Bar
at Hix is a serious scene. Think supermodel
Natalia Vodianova and cool aristocrats like
Kate Moss’ ex, Viscount Daniel Macmillan.
66-70 Brewer St., W1.
What to do
Exploring
History buffs, get your socks knocked off
by the British Museum — from the Egyptian-mummy room to the Rosetta Stone,
it’s all here. Great Russell Street, WC1.
Although it is much
less well known, don’t miss the remarkable
Sir John Soane’s Museum — the home of
an 18th-century collector par excellence.
13 Lincoln’s Inn Fields, WC2.
Or visit Leighton House Museum, the
magnificent home of the Victorian artist
Lord Frederic Leighton. 12 Holland Park
Rd., W14.
Equally riveting
is exploring the various neighbourhoods
of London, with their own distinct
atmospheres. From Chelsea to Notting
Hill, Hoxton to Brixton, each area
reveals its own charms.
Just for kids
The Natural History Museum is utterly
magical — full of deadly dinosaurs and
incredible displays, which include stuffed
dodos and a gigantic blue whale. Cromwell
Road, SW7.
Just next door, the
Science Museum is equally gripping and
educational. It offers an IMAX cinema with
3-D movies about the natural world and
journeys into space. Exhibition Road, SW7.
If you’re at the
museums in the South Kensington area,
Carluccio’s is great for a kids’ lunch, and
the Hummingbird Bakery has gorgeous
cupcakes.)
Of course, the London Zoo
in Regent’s Park is as much fun for adults
as it is for little ones.
If you want
to enjoy the sun, London’s numerous parks
all offer green spaces for picnics and
games — hire a pedal boat and cruise
around the Serpentine in Hyde Park. And
children of all ages will enjoy the open-top bus tours, which give an overview of the
city’s landmarks, as
well as the London Eye, with its glass pods
and spectacular views.
Hit the shops
Beyond ultra-smart Bond Street and
Savile Row (the epicentre for gentlemen’s
outfitters), London’s department stores
are hard to beat and each has its own
unique character. Head to Liberty for
eccentric English fashion, Regent Street,
W1; Fortnum & Mason for
its famous food hampers, 181 Piccadilly,
W1; Selfridges
on Oxford Street for everything hip and
cool along with an amazing food hall (far
more fun than Harrods’), 400 Oxford
St., W1; and Harvey Nichols for all the latest fashion labels,
109-125 Knightsbridge.
Great British designers, all with
their own flagships, include Paul Smith,
Vivienne Westwood, Stella McCartney,
Alexander McQueen, Alice Temperley
and Anya Hindmarch. Or opt for well-edited
chic boutiques such as Matches or Browns (who
discovered Galliano ).
If all this sounds a little too serious, the
British ‘high street,’ full of popular chain
stores, is rocking. Even Vogue fashion
editors shop at Topshop
and Cos, a Marni-esque brand at
affordable prices. Other
stalwarts, perfect for mother-daughter
shopping days, include Kate Middleton’s
favourites, Reiss, Whistles and Brora.
For gifts, Cath Kidston remains the
reigning queen of vintage kitchenwares
and sweet floral prints
and Miller Harris’ bijou shops pack a
scented punch with gorgeous fragrances
and lotions crafted by perfumer Lyn
Harris.
Anyone with
children should factor the famous multi-storey
toy store Hamleys into their stay.
188-196 Regent Street, W1.
If you want to experience a true London
market, Portobello Road is famous for
its Saturday antiques and Borough Market is every
foodie’s dream.
Olympic info
If you’re travelling to London this summer, the Olympics will have an impact. Here’s all you need to know: The Games (July 27–Aug. 12) will be held in a variety of different venues, most of which have been divided into three zones — The Olympic Zone, The River Zone and The Central Zone — with events such as the sailing and equestrian taking place outside of London. However, the new 500-acre Olympic Park is where the majority of athletic events will take place and this is based in Stratford, East London.
Getting there
It will undoubtedly be a bit of a mission, but to make life easier the main mode of transport available is the overground railway. The trains run to three stations outside of the Olympic Park: Stratford and Stratford International
stations on the east side and West Ham station
to the south. If the underground is more your style, then take the Jubilee or Central Line to Stratford, or the District and Hammersmith & City lines to West Ham. There will be London bus services running to various locations surrounding the Park and a coach service has also been set up. For those arriving by car, there will be park-and-ride sites available near a number of venues. Spaces are limited so book early.
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