Where to stay, eat and shop in central London.

1. SUNDAY MAILSEVENDAYSAPRIL 16, 2017 15
ROOMAt the Jumeirah Lowndes Hotel
Travel
info
KATIEWOOD
SwingintoLondon
Londonhasbeenattractingtouristsforcenturiesbutthere’salways
moredelightstobefoundfortravellers.Fromtheeleganceof traditional
hotelstoquirkyshoppingstreets,there’ssomethingforeveryone
It doesn’t matter how
many times you visit
London, there’s always
more to discover and
enjoy.
I recently checked out some of the
absolute legends of London to enjoy
what makes this city one of the most
exciting destinations in the world.
Mayfair oozes class, history and
tradition so I gave myself a treat and
based myself there in two
contrasting hotels.
Located in the chic Belgravia
district, the Jumeirah Lowndes
Hotel gives you all you need plus
access to the neighbouring Peak
Health Club at sister property
Jumeirah Carlton Tower.
After a couple of days, I took
myself off to one of my favourite
hotels in the whole world – the
legendary Connaught in Mayfair
Village, just a step away from the
city’s most prestigious shopping
locations and stores .
It’s brilliantly British at The
Connaught: all polished wood
panelling, antiques, crisp white
linen and wonderfully polite staff
offering personalised five-star
service.
Choose between beautifully
appointed traditional or
contemporary rooms, as the hotel
has both.
Whichever you choose, it will be
furnished and equipped to the
ultimate. This truly is luxury London
at its best.
Breakfast is a delight, and you can
can also enjoy the cuisine of the
hotel’s new restaurant, opened this
spring and overseen by
internationally renowned French
chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten.
The Connaught’s Winter Nights
special (available until May 7 ) is
ideal for a shopping break as it offers
a privileges card giving discounts at
some of the world’s most legendary
stores. Tel 020 7107 8945/www.
the-connaught.co.uk
If large department stores aren’t
your thing and you want
individually owned, quirky shops
there’s one district to head for that’s
head and shoulders above others,
and that’s Seven Dials, in the
Covent Garden area (www.
sevendials.co.uk).
With more than 150 shops, 50
cafes, restaurants and bars, it’s a
vibrant part of town encompassing
the very best of London.
Check out stores like Kit & Ace
(wonderful, innovative technical
wear); the delights of Neal’s Yard
Remedies (fabulous organic health &
beauty products), and Bailey Nelson
(beautiful bargain prescription
glasses and sunglasses).
Get a great hair cut at Sassoon
Salon (ask for Safaa), have a tasty
lunch at Cure & Cut – a new deli with
home-smoked fish and meat, great
salads and sandwiches. And don’t
miss Native (www.eatnative.co.uk)
– a restaurant with game and rare
breed meat.
Talli Joe on Shaftesbury Avenue
serve small Indian dishes and
cocktails at their absolute
best. Prices from £3 a dish!
(www.tallijoe.com).
And the great thing is all of these
are within five minutes walk of each
other. I can’t recommend it enough.
With so many amazing places to
eat in London it’s almost as much
about the location as the food.
For a super-traditional afternoon
tea head for St James’ Court at 54
Buckingham Gate. Their Royal
Afternoon Tea features scones made
from the recipe The Queen sent US
President Eisenhower in a
handwritten letter in 1960. Their
filling feast is £27.50 a head. See
www.taj51buckinghamgate.co.uk
For a magnificent dinner, the Inter
Continental London at Park Lane is
hard to beat. Their Theo Randall’s
has been voted the ‘finest Italian in
London’, and I would concur.
The food is absolutely first class,
from the antipasti through pasta,
meat and fish to desserts and cheese.
Wine pairing adds to the experience.
The Tasting Menu is five courses for
£70 and worth every penny. Book at
reservations@theorandall.com
0207 318 8747.
For a cheaper option, try The
Metro Restaurant & Bar, just behind
Harrod’s. This hidden basement
restaurant has a menu of favourites
such as steak and chips, crab
linguine and three courses for
£22.50 – a snip. See www.
thelevinhotel.co.uk/dining/
The best location in London is
arguably Galvin at Windows, The
Hilton, Hyde Park Corner. Offering
breathtaking views over London
from the 28th floor, it has fabulous
food and excellent service. Visit
www.galvinatwindows.com/
london-restaurants.
London remains the jewel in the
tourist crown.
”It’s one of the world’s
most exciting places”
LUXURY
The bar at the
best of British
Connaught
VIBRANT Seven Dials shopping district
■Caledonian
Sleeper Seats
start at £35.00,
berths from
£75.00
See www.
sleeper.scot /
tel 0330 060
0500
■ For more info
see www.
visitlondon.
com
HIGHLIFE The spectacular view from Galvin
at Windows. Below, the fabulous food