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Post by ~summer~ on Jan 24, 2024 22:05:18 GMT
Hi Peas -
Traveling to London with my sister for late 50th birthday celebration in March.
We will have just 4 nights and will do 1 day trip to the Cotswolds.
Staying in Mayfair at the London Marriott Hotel Grosvenor Square (thank you peas for rec!)
Looking for neighborhoods to explore, parks, fun restaurants (fancy or casual), unique or fun places to grab a drink, etc.
(Most of the big attractions I figure we will have covered)
Several friends have already recommended Covent Garden including Coal Hole and Seven Dials for food.
Thank you!!
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Post by gar on Jan 24, 2024 22:28:52 GMT
Have a search for a restaurant called London in the Sky if you have a head for heights. And no I haven’t been, nor will I ever 😁
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Post by flanz on Jan 24, 2024 23:25:23 GMT
No recs, but that sounds lovely!
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Post by papersilly on Jan 24, 2024 23:31:40 GMT
We will have just 4 nights and will do 1 day trip to the Cotswolds. Staying in Mayfair at the London Marriott Hotel Grosvenor Square (thank you peas for rec!) we spent almost 2 weeks at this hotel and it was fantastic! so perfectly located to everything. safe, clean and excellent hotel service. we walked everywhere. bond street. trafalgar square. chinatown. big ben/parliament. natural museum. national gallery. thank goodness the weather was very cooperative the entire time we were there. we also took the train out to the Canterbury Cathedral and a bus tour to Stonehenge. my sister and i also took the train out to the studios where they filmed Harry Potter (DH decided to stay in london). i wish we had time to do the Cotswolds but we chose Stonehenge instead that day. next time.... |
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Post by playingcinderella on Jan 25, 2024 0:55:29 GMT
One of our very favorite meals in London this summer was at Baba Ghanouj Kensington. DS has always said he didn't like hummus but changed his mind here.
We did afternoon tea in Canterbury not London but I'm glad I got over the sticker shock and made it happen.
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Post by malibou on Jan 25, 2024 1:56:37 GMT
Sky Garden in the walkie talkie bldg - tickets are free a week in advance, or you can reserve a bar reservation for a cocktail, or even dinner in one of the 3 restaurants and have access to the Sky Garden. I recommend going while it is still light out and staying thru sunset into darkness. You won't regret the views from up there. Two things nearby are The Monument to the Great Fire, which you can climb the 100+ steps to the top of, and the smallest statue in London - I'll leave you to discover it. Madison - it is on the top (6th, I think) floor of a shopping center right near St Paul's Cathedral. On your way up to the rooftop bar on the elevator, you have a full glass elevator with the most gorgeous view of St Paul's Cathedral. Definitely a dusk into night thing. We did the Queen's Walk along the southbank, it ends at St Paul's Cathedral. Columbia Road Flower Market - if you are there on a Sunday 8am - 2pm. Its truly a delight. A pleasant walk from Old Street station will get you there in about 20 min. There are other stations that are also about a 20 min walk. Bethnal Green is one and maybe Liverpool Street. You can also take the overground to Hoxton and have a 7 min walk. If you are looking for an outstanding fish dinner, I cannot recommend strongly enough Fish Central! I love fish, all fish, I've lived near the ocean for most of my life, BEST FISH DINNER EVER. Closest underground is Old Street. Covent Garden is a fancier market, and has a bunch of high end stores and nice restaurants. Old Spitalfields has all kinds of vendors and a lot of food carts with loads of yummy food choices. Borough Market is a classic, but I strongly recommend you avoid Saturday. It's just crazy packed. If you do go to the market, it's worth standing in line inside for the paella and outside, by the seating bleachers, for the pork sandwiches. Chez Abir Restaurant is a Lebanese restaurant that is outstanding, and we've eaten a lot of Lebanese food in London. It is on the far west side of Kensington/Earl Court area. Can't remember nearest underground, but it is a 10 min walk from it. Somerset House has an incredibly amazing collection of art, in a former estate, that is magnificently set up so that you see each piece with informative descriptions of the art and the house. Nearest underground is Holborn. John Soane's Museum is a treat! The guy was an architect that gives us that very broad arch you will see in the bridges crossing the Thames as well as at the top of the red telephone boxes. His house is full of curiosities, I mean every surface full, but the guy had money, so it's massively cool stuff. If you go, ask the docents you come across for their favourite thing in the house. They are very knowledgeable. If you go out Portobello Road way, stop in at Biscuiteers. They have the cutest biscuits ever! A biscuit for my Peaps! Hope this helps!
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Post by 950nancy on Jan 25, 2024 2:06:07 GMT
We went for my 40th. I love castles and other architecture, so I did all of the castles that I could. We also did a day trip to Stonehenge. I also loved the updated Globe.
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Post by JoP on Jan 25, 2024 9:04:51 GMT
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Post by Bridget in MD on Jan 25, 2024 12:40:10 GMT
My friend is going around the same time, her husband and son are attending a football match in Liverpool. She is going into London, then up to Stonehenge/Bath, and then to Liverpool.
Just keep in mind Easter Sunday is 3/31. She said prices were higher and hotels were already filling up due to the holiday.
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Post by ~summer~ on Jan 25, 2024 17:27:49 GMT
papersilly - yes thank you I think it was you who originally gave me the hotel recommendation- location sounds perfect! Thank you for walking suggestions.
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Post by ~summer~ on Jan 25, 2024 18:46:05 GMT
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Post by kamper on Jan 28, 2024 14:28:53 GMT
I second the Sky Garden. We had a very good lunch at Darwin Brasserie. If you have restaurant reservations you don't have to stand in as long a line. I didn't care for Borough Market, even on a weekday it was just way too crowded. We also ate at Madera at the Treehouse and really enjoyed that. One thing to point out is that London is cashless as far as I can tell. We were there 5 night and didn't change any money. We basically just used our phones to pay for everything. I learned a lot from Love and London on YouTube. I actually ended up buying one of her itineraries. Wear good walking shoes and have fun! |
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Post by ~summer~ on Jan 29, 2024 15:28:07 GMT
Thank you kamper. I will look today at making reservations at the sky garden. This trip is also kind of a big deal bc for quite a few years my sister and I didn’t have the best relationship- just typical sister things like hurt feelings and miscommunication. But starting a few years ago we’ve been mending it and doing fun trips together, but usually with our kids or others - I think this is the first trip just she and I. This is a cute picture from my recent trip down to see her - we definitely get along better now haha  |
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Post by malibou on Jan 29, 2024 16:50:08 GMT
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Post by malibou on Jan 29, 2024 17:03:59 GMT
Ah, yes, kamper is right, we exchanged a couple of hundred dollars, and spent the month struggling to get rid of it. We ate at the Darwin Brasserie in Sky Garden. The food was great! Our table location, we are still talking about it. We had a corner table up against windows with a view I will never forget! One more thing, everywhere you order food, they will ask about food allergies or there are signs prominently posted suggesting you do so. |
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Post by ~summer~ on Jan 29, 2024 17:22:25 GMT
Ah, yes, kamper is right, we exchanged a couple of hundred dollars, and spent the month struggling to get rid of it. We ate at the Darwin Brasserie in Sky Garden. The food was great! Our table location, we are still talking about it. We had a corner table up against windows with a view I will never forget! One more thing, everywhere you order food, they will ask about food allergies or there are signs prominently posted suggesting you do so. thank you! When I was in Spain last year I only used credit card, no cash. Mi will check out that restaurant- and neither of us has any allergies- we eat everything haha. I’m on the right! |
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Post by malibou on Jan 29, 2024 19:29:45 GMT
~summer~, you're adorable, the epitome of summer with your blond hair, gorgeous tan, and white shorts! Holy cats do you two look alike.
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Post by stargazer on Jan 29, 2024 21:30:16 GMT
Food gimmick:
Pick and Cheese inside the Seven Dials Market it’s like Yo Sushi but with cheese.
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