Mentioned by CN Traveller
The 30 best hotels in London
"Housed in an eye-catching mock-Tudor building, Liberty of London is a must-visit for many tourists to the city and is most famous for its “Liberty print” fabrics which are also available in the form of clothing, furniture, and accessories. Liberty silk scarves start at around £150 and fabric starts from £22.50 per metre. Liberty has taken part in several designer collaborations with brands including Manolo Blahnik, Barbour, Nike, and Uniqlo."
"London is home to some of the most beautiful shops – whether you’re an interior design nut or just like to look from the outside. Wandering around London, it’s almost impossible not to pass a lovely little storefront or a beautifully decorated boutique. From The Old Curiosity Shop to Alice’s to the interior of The Liberty Store, there is no shortage of inspiration and beauty (Daunt Books is another blogger fave)."
"You could be forgiven for thinking the Liberty department store building is a lot older than it is. At first sight, the timber-framed front looks late medieval, but in fact it’s a Tudor Revival building from the early 20th century. Arthur Liberty previously owned several store sites in and around nearby Regent Street."
"Housed in one of London’s most glamorous hotel, The Dorchester Spa promises an experience as opulent as its surroundings. A warren of light, bright spaces and dramatic-yet-intimate areas, facilities include a fitness centre filled with Technogym equipment, nine treatment rooms, a relaxation room, experience showers, steam room, hair salon and wittily named Spatisserie cafe. Available Monday to Thursday, the signature spa day at The Dorchester is dubbed the Beau-Tea-Ful Spa Experience and, you guessed it, culminates in a classic afternoon tea."
"With Art Deco-inspired interiors, The Dorchester’s spa oozes 1930’s glamour with a modern edge. From manicures to full-body scrubs their treatment list is extensive and all are highly tailored to clients’ needs. Facilities include a mani-pedi suite, relaxation room, and male and female aromatic steam rooms and experience showers."
"Decadent art deco features line The Dorchester's exclusive spa. Dorchester Hotel, Park Lane, Mayfair, London, W1K 1QA. Tube: Hyde Park Corner Station"
"Sopwell House Hotel is a grand affair, with more than 100 rooms, two restaurants, a spa and 12 acres of grounds to its name. Among all of that the best place to relax is in the cocktail lounge, where afternoon tea is served. It’s a long, breezy room that begins with a marble-topped bar and stretches all the way to a library, with little alcoves and giant sash windows along the way."
"The 10,000 square-foot agua spa at Sanderson in London's Fitzrovia is a dazzling all-white space providing pampering, spiritual relief, and tranquillity. With walls of white, flowing curtains, the 14 all-white treatment rooms, chill-out zone and meditation beds creates a cloud-like ambiance with the sound of running water added to the atmosphere. Try the Natura Bisse signature treatment that analyses your skin and creates a programme designed specifically for your skin or the Natura Bisse Diamond Experience offering a multi-sensory cosmetic lift using ingredients that penetrate into the deepest layers of the skin, providing the firmness necessary to stimulate regeneration and reinforces the skin's natural defence system."
"The Tom Dixon-designed Thames-side hotel has transformed this part of the South Bank. The designer’s first complete hotel comes with portholes and a curved copper hull as well as a little bit of disco-ball shimmy in the air. His aesthetic flows down to the subterranean spa, where a huge copper droplet appears to drip through the ceiling from in the relaxation lounge."
"Until 2007, Londoners had no idea what an affordable spa was, until Spa London opened up its first spa-tique in Bethnal Green. Now there are several all over London, but the favourite must be in Swiss Cottage. Signature body treatments, facials and massages are up for grabs from as little as £30 — rare in this part of town."
"Housed in the grandly historic St Pancras Renaissance Hotel, there are few better places to ease the tensions of a long train journey than the St Pancras spa. Inspired by the area’s Victorian architecture, patterned tiling, exotic fauna and stone floors abound throughout, while the treatment menu draws on traditional rituals from around the world, with the new Ko Bi Do Fountain of Youth facial being a must-try. Day passes are available from Monday to Thursday, giving access to the spa’s gym, sauna, steam room and relaxation pool, while spa days start from £140 for the Lunch Escape: a 60-minute treatment, use of the facilities and a two-course lunch at The Hansom."
"Kings Cross St Pancras, North West London Instant Book. A seductive subterranean spa in the heart of London, St Pancras Spa carries the romance of golden age of travel, while the hotel serves the most delectable afternoon tea."
"A blend of treatments from around the world are on offer here. St Pancras Renaissance Hotel, Euston Road, King's Cross, London, NW1 2QP. Tube: King's Cross Station"
"Restaurants Chinese Soho. The original of a Sichuan gang that also includes BaoziInn, Barshu is a refreshing change from Chinatown’s mostly Cantonese restaurants. Come here for prairie tripe, fragrant and hot pig’s trotters, stir-fried chicken gizzards with pickled chilli and other fiery tongue-tinglers – just remember to have plenty of soothing tea on tap."
"Chinatown, like the indomitable village in Asterix, has largely held out against the culinary renaissance that has transformed the capital into the roiling galaxy of restaurants, tasting rooms and trend-infused “concepts” that it is today. To go into Soho, to those identikit MSG joints feels like a throwback to the Dark Ages. Leave it to the tourists, right?"
"You might think Bar Shu – adorned with slatted blinds, latticed woodwork and tasselled lanterns – was a sweet-and-sour honeytrap for Soho tourists; but you'd be missing out on possibly the best Sichuan food in... Top ChoiceBritish in East London"
"329 Harrow Road, Wembley HA9 6BA EnglandChinese, AsianLunch, Dinner, Late NightTakeout, Reservations, Seating, Highchairs Available, Wheelchair Accessible, Serves Alcohol, Full Bar, Free Wifi, Accepts Credit Cards, Table Service[email protected]+44 20 8902 2836http://youngspeking.co.uk/"
"329 Harrow Road, Wembley HA9 6BA, EnglandTakeout, Reservations, Seating, Waitstaff, Highchairs Available, Wheelchair Accessible, Serves Alcohol, Full Bar, Free WifiChinese, Asian, Vegetarian Friendly, Vegan Options, Gluten Free OptionsLunch, Dinner, Late Night+44 20 8902 2836"
"‘Ting’ is derived from the Chinese word for living room, but there can’t be many front rooms that boast the views enjoyed by guests to this restaurant on the 35th-storey of the Shangri-La at the Shard hotel. But whilst the views and the light, chrome-bright, modernist atmosphere are very undomestic, the welcome is genuinely warm: the waiting staff have a skip in their step and an effusively charmant manner. As for the contemporary British menu devised by Jeremy Brown, it is based on simple, seasonal dishes and is ooh-inspiringly pretty and satisfyingly tasty, with intriguing (and successful) wine pairings suggested for each dish."
"At the peak of The Shard, British cooking is elevated by Chinese flavours and French technique|© The Shard. Head up to the 35th floor of The Shard to Ting Restaurant – an elegant European-style restaurant with just a touch of Asian influence. Tucked into the Shangri-La Hotel, Ting – named after the Mandarin word for ‘living room’ – deploys flavours such as Chinese five spice, shiso and soy to robust staples of British cooking like pork belly and suckling pig, making for a meal that’s equal parts smart and satisfying."
"Ting Restaurant is part of the Shangri-La Hotel in The Shard and offers perhaps the most Instagrammable afternoon tea in London. Set on the 35th floor of The Shard it provides phenomenal views over London which are Insta-worthy enough by themselves. However, then add to it the cutest afternoon tea set up and you’ve got everything you need for that perfect, quintessentially London photo!"
"Built on an old railway line, this garden is yet another community endeavour—filled with trees, shrubs, butterfly bushes and raised beds for growing food!. COVID-19 UPDATE: Dalston Eastern Curve Garden is currently closed to the public. For the latest information, head to their website."
"22 Catherine Street | Herts, St. Albans AL3 5BX, EnglandTakeout, Reservations, Seating, Waitstaff, Accepts Mastercard, Accepts Visa, Free Wifi, Highchairs Available, Accepts Credit CardsAmerican, British, Vegetarian Friendly, Gluten Free OptionsLunch, DinnerHK$110 - HK$165+44 1727 833707"
"Expect nothing but deliciousness from this little legendary blue takeaway that’s been going for the last 40 years. There’s no delivery option available and it’s cash-only, but when a business doesn’t have any online presence or accept card payments in this day and age, it’s a sign of good eating. Expect more than generous portions of dry-style sweet-tangy stir-fried Singapore noodles, house special fried rice and black bean dishes, which are the real stars of the show."