Aerial shot at of Shard at dusk
Credit : petewebb . com / London and Partners
HOT HOTELS
For the ultimate elegant London living experience , there ’ s nothing quite like checking into the award-winning and newly renovated fivestar Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park , located in Knightsbridge just steps from the park and a few blocks from Buckingham Palace . Always chic and beautiful , the hotel ’ s new facelift created by interior designer Joyce Wang is full of soothing tones of gray with pops of color and Asian motifs ; book a room with a view and you might not want to ever leave . Another world-class choice is the also-award-winning five-star mansion known as the Milestone Hotel in Kensington , where every room and suite has a different old-world look ( it was built in 1689 ) and the amenities are legendary , including personal butlers and free cell phone rentals . Expect to pay over £ 500 (~$ 675 USD ) per night at these spectacular hotels .
For a less pricey choice , the New Road Hotel has just opened in Whitechapel , with a very modern take on travel living . The boutique hotel built on the site of an old textile factory is for visitors who don ’ t plan to spend much time in their room , with small-to-medium-sized lodgings designed to make use of every inch of allotted space . At prices starting well under £ 200 (~$ 270 USD ) for rooms that include an ensuite bath , 49 ” TV , large beds and original factory windows , this cool-vibe East End spot is an easy walk to galleries , markets and even the Tower of London . Over in Paddington , The Pilgrm ( with no “ i ”) is another new mod hotel , offering everything from tiny bunk-bed rooms to small , medium and large living spaces . No butlers here , you even check in online , and rooms begin at around £ 100 (~$ 135 USD ) per night .
JUST FOR FUN
If you ’ re willing to believe , there ’ s plenty of fictional fun to be had in London , starting — naturally ! — with a visit to 221B Baker Street , where the legendary detective Sherlock Holmes once lived . Well , not really lived , but it is where author Arthur Conan Doyle said he lived back in 1887 when he invented the master sleuth . It ’ s a real building nowadays , which houses a museum devoted to that genius of deduction and a terrific place for fans to explore .
J . K . Rowling invented Harry Potter in London , too , which means lovers of the boy wizard can head over to Warner Bros . Studios London to tour the places there where the eight movies based on her novels were created . Or get even more adventurous and head out to see some of the actual London spots where Harry , Hermione and Ron had many of their magical experiences , by taking one of the numerous Potter-themed guided walking tours offered in town .
Potter lovers can also head to the West End Theatre District , where Rowling and collaborators John Tiffany and Jack Thorne teamed up to create “ Harry Potter and the Cursed Child ,” a two-part play . Be sure to book tickets for both parts ; each run nearly three hours , so plan on two nights at the theater or a marathon day of both ( presented on Wednesday , Saturday and Sunday ).
FLYWASHINGTON . COM 34 SPRING 2018