Mentioned by Elite Traveler
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"This historic London retailer was established on Regent Street in 1875, dealing mainly in rare oddities imported from Japan, and also purveying an in-house line of floral and graphic fabrics. Don't be fooled by the shop's antiquated exterior, as today brands like Nike and Dr. Martens are lining up to collaborate with the storied retailer, which has stepped up to compete with other respected retailers in London and across the UK by bringing in collections from Givenchy, Margiela, Tom Ford, and others."
"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."
"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."
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"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."
"The first Aman spa to open outside of one of the brand's luxury resorts. The Connaught, Carlos Place, Mayfair, London, W1K 2AL. Tube: Bond Street Station"
"Plain on the outside, plain on the inside – only you're talking about two very different kinds of plain here. While the Metropolitan's exterior is anonymous to the point of charmlessness, the interiors are, particularly for this part of London, a pleasant surprise. Icy-calm, uncluttered and understated, though with some arresting and endearing touches – vivid block-coloured carpets, splendid orchids, big sofas arranged alongside big windows the better to enjoy the big views over the park outside."
"BEST SPA IN LONDON FOR: PERTINENT, INTUITIVE TREATMENTS WITH A TOP-OF-THEIR-GAME ROSTER OF THERAPISTS. Small but perfectly formed, the spa here often gets overlooked for bigger players, but this is one of London’s best-kept secrets. Not only is the space completely sleek and serene – no plinky-plonky music or trickling fountains – but the treatments pack an enormous punch."
"Situated just a few doors down from North Wembley train and tube stations, Ayur Hair & Beauty specialise in women's hair and beauty treatments. From inside this friendly independent salon, you'll find a selection of beauty essentials alongside all the hair staples from brands such as Keune, L'Oreal, CND Shellac and OPI. Menu highlights include the popular keratin-infused Brazilian blow dry, detailed highlights finished with tailored cuts and an impressive selection of manicures and pedicures finished with a choice of classic or longer lasting gel lacquers."
"The Farmer’s Boy is a family run tastefully refurbished bay-windowed pub with a passion for Live Music. We have an extensive range of Craft Beers, both on tap and in cans, with probably the best selection of cans in town."
"Hoppily is a craft beer club & bottle shop, bringing you the very best of tasty, independent & UK-brewed beers."
"A floating super yacht hotel offering a new experience for business or leisure in the world's premier city. Located in London Docklands at the Royal Victoria Dock the 108m hull yacht incorporates 132 luxury bedrooms, 4 suites, along with an elegant reception area, bar, cafe and a gourmet restaurant. The Sunborn London is an experience to fall in love with."
"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"
"170 million items and 330 miles of shelf space make this not only one of the best museums in London, but also one of the biggest. It also hosts regular, curated exhibitions based around its rare collections; including displays of the original manuscripts of Charles Dickens, Virginia Wolf, Jack Kerouac, Lewis Carroll and varying instalments of maps, sacred texts, newspaper and sound archives. Details: 96 Euston Road, NW1 2DB | Free entry, exhibitions from £14 | Find out more and book–"
"Consisting of low-slung red-brick terraces and fronted by a large plaza featuring an oversized statue of Sir Isaac Newton, Colin St John Wilson’s British Library building is an architectural wonder. Completed in 1997, it's home to some of the greatest treasures of the written word, including the Codex Sinaiticus (the first complete text of the New Testament), Leonardo da Vinci's notebooks and a copy of the Magna Carta (1215)."
"This excellent branch of the Victoria & Albert Museum displays one of the best collections of childhood-related objects in the world. Kids are fascinated by the immense number of dolls, dolls’ houses through the ages, vintage board games, construction toys (Lego, Meccano), battery-powered robots and favourite toys from the 20th century, decade by decade. Action figures, teddy bears, puppets, magic lanterns and MicroMachines are among the highlights here."
"Funnily enough, the Museum of Childhood is actually first and foremost geared towards adults who want to relive their own childhoods, but don’t worry – they’ve planned ahead and know that many adults will be bringing their own children. For toddlers, there are interactive exhibits featuring toys and games at the Museum of Childhood, as well as drop-in activities including crafting and storytelling to get your toddler involved in some educational play."
"Located in a beautiful redbrick building in Bethnal Green, this museum is the largest of its kind in the world. It’s not just for kids, though – it provides a delightful, nostalgic trip back to more innocent times, with a fascinating collection of toys and games from yesteryear. The current temporary exhibition is dedicated to board games and it’s an absolute treat."
"If you prefer contemporary art to classical works, head to the Tate Modern on the south bank of the River Thames instead, another of London’s top free galleries. The Tate Modern is Britain’s national gallery of international modern art, housing a huge collection of contemporary artworks from 1900 to the present day, with artists including Picasso, DalÍ and Warhol. You can also pop into the public restaurant and bar on floors 9 and 10 of Tate which has some of the most fantastic free views over the Londonskyline."
"4,700,000 visitors went to Tate Modern in 2015, an enormous gallery on the edge of the River Thames in a converted power station. The awe-inspiring Turbine Hall (which has hosted works by Anish Kapoor, Rachel Whiteread and Ai Weiwei) leads to mutiple floor of contemporary art, with eight areas divided into different themes. As well as the art, there are events and screenings, a fantastic bookshop, and a restaurant and cafe, the latter with a fabulous balcony view over the city."
"Tate Modern is one of the world’s most prominent museums for modern art. It’s situated across the Thames from St. Paul’s Cathedral, inside a converted power station. Aside from a 360 degree viewpoint, it offers great architectural design inside."