London Information
When looking for a London Hotel it’s important to know what you are going to do and see to make sure you’re in the right part of the city. umi Hotel London is centrally located for all the major tourist attractions.
The Capital of England has built itself up to become one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world. People come from all over the globe to experience the vast amount of attractions on offer in this truly multicultural city. London is home to some of the best restaurants and famous hotels such as the Ritz and the Dorchester so you will certainly be well rested and well fed on your visit! This is a good thing as you’ll need all your energy to take in the vast choice shops, museums and shows that are on offer. Evening entertainment is vast with a wide variety of musicals, plays, cinemas and nightclubs to choose from you can be sure you’ll never be bored.
When visiting London it is worth trying to see a show in the famous west end. London has many spectacular theatres that add to the magic and charm of the well produced musicals and plays that are on offer. Some of the more popular shows do get booked up quite far in advance, so if you’d like to see something specific then book your tickets when you book your trip. However if you’re flexible on what you like to see then your hotel concierge will be able to advise you on how to obtain last minute tickets. One of the best shows to go and see is ‘The Lion King’, a truly spectacular show based on the Disney animated film. The stage show has won many awards and features some amazing special effects and magnificent costumes. ‘The Phantom of the Opera’ is a grand musical created by Andrew Lloyd Webber and tells the tale of the Phantom that haunts the Paris opera, all to make his protégé Christine become the lead actress of the opera. ‘Monty Pythons Spamalot’ The legend of King Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table is once again retold by Spamalot (played by Eric Idle). This popular show is modified from the script of the riotous comedy, Monty Python and the Holy Grail. ‘We will rock you’ from the remaining members of the famed rock group, Queen, and Ben Elton bring you this pulsating musical live on stage in London! ‘Mamma Mia’ which is now a famous motion picture is also a heart warming musical and definetly worth a look. Other poular shows also include ‘Wicked: the untold story of the witches of Oz’, ‘Billy Elliot’, ‘Chicago’, ‘Jersey Boys’ and ‘Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat’.
London is an excellent place to indulge in a bit of retail therapy and there are a few places that should not be overlooked. One is Fortnum and Mason – one of the oldest and most famous stores in picadilly, this fine food emporium was opened by Messrs Fortnum and Mason in 1705. It is still a purveyor of food and wine to the Royal Family. Hamelys on Regents street lives up to its reputation of the finest tpoy shop in the world and boasts an astonishing array of more than 40000 toys and games over seven floors. Harrods is probably Britains most famous department store for luxury goods – you can buy anything here from a loaf of bread to a grand piano! Harvey Nichols offers designer clothes, furnishings and food of outstanding quality with a younger and more fashionable feel than Harrods. Liberty has been open since 1875 and has captured the hearts of shoppers around the world with it’s famous ‘liberty prints’. Heals, Selfridges, Marks and Spencers and Top Shop are all worth visiting when in the Oxford street area and when you get peckish head to Carluccios in Neal Street for wonderful Italian delacies from the famous TV chef.
With London being home to people from all over the world results in some amazing gastronomic experiences. You can eat virtually any type of food you want. Some of the more popular places include Le Gavroche which has been setting standards for 40 years, Locanda Locatelli from the chef Giorgio Locatelli who is one of the very few chefs who can take the ingredients and dishes of his mother country (Italy) and draw on his training in France and England to transform them into something new, without losing the essence of the original. Benares where Atul Kochar rules the kitchen, comes at the top of the list for fine indian food—a must considering curry is the country’s national dish! Hakkasan (dim sum), Sushi-Hiro, The Fat Duck (Heston Blumenthals famous molecular gastronomy), The Three Fishes (rural brasserie), Le Champignon Suvage, Gordon Ramsay at 68 Hospital Road and Chez Bruce are all well worth visiting if you have time.
When considering hotels in Mayfair London and elsewhere, there is much to see and do in London. So much so that one of the best things to do is take a sight-seeing bus tour. This will help you get a feel for the city and enable you to soak up the atmosphere. It is also well worth seeking out help and advice from your hotel concierge who will be able to assist you in making restaurant reservations and ticket bookings.
