Sat in Le Pont de la Tour on a Friday night, I was suddenly drifting to a memory of dining at the River Cafe in New York. From the classic sophisticated decor, to the classic style of service and polished menu, this place reminds lots of the revered Manhattan spot. We’d settled into a window seat looking out on to the Thames, with the place embalmed in the warm glow of candle light. Topping off the convivial atmosphere was the gentle chatter of happy diners and jazz music tootling away. 'We could be a Woody Allen movie,' I thought. From start to finish, the service was on point, with th...
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If you're looking for place to impress a date or mark a celebration, than Oblix at The Shard comes top of the list. The 32nd floor eatery boasts unparalleled views of London, a mouth-watering menu and there are two areas which offer a completely different vibe. In Oblix West the dining area is sophisticated with an open kitchen to entertain, while over in the East section, the style's slightly more informal with a long bar and live music to keep you merry into the night. I zoomed up to Oblix on a Wednesday night and the place had a great buzz with expectant diners streaming into...
Read more →I have a list of my favourite places to stay in London which I regularly share with friends coming to town. And now the Kimpton Fitzroy has edged its way towards the top. This 334-room hotel offers everything you could want; style, sophistication and great service. Its central location is another major plus and it's right by Russell Square tube station, with major attractions such as the British Museum and Covent Garden on the doorstep. Even from the outside, this place impresses with an elegant 19th century facade. The building was built in 1898 and designed by Charles Fitzroy Doll - w...
Read more →If you’ve got the travel bug, you might want to temporarily satisfy that itch with a trip to Mr Fogg’s Society of Exploration. The cosy and eccentric bar, located underground just off the Strand, is themed around Phileas Fogg and his journey in the 1873 Jules Verne novel Around The World In 80 Days. Mr Fogg’s Society of Exploration imagines what his secret liar would have looked like, complete with regal leather armchairs, a wood-panelled map room and main bar area stocked with knickknacks, from antique ornaments to travel books and encyclopaedias. Adding to the zaniness, is a replica Orien...
Read more →If you’re looking for a weekend getaway with a difference, you might want to roll on down to Rathfinny within the South Downs National Park in East Sussex. Easily accessible from London by train (arriving at Polegate and a taxi from there) this is one of the UK’s newest vineyards offering a superb sparkling wine (currently stocked in Harvey Nichols, Selfridges and Berry Bros), not to mention a very sippable dry vermouth and gin! The sweeping 600-acre estate is nestled in the heart of the country and on arriving you’re immediately transported to a world of country calm; think a roaring fire, ...
Read more →Department stores generally have an old fashioned dusty connotation but London's Selfridges offers so much more than your bog-standard shopping emporium as one of its newest ventures - courtesy of Richard Caring's Caprice Holdings - proves. On walking into the Brasserie of Light on the first floor you're transported away from the bright lights of the shop floor to an enchanting world of flying bejewelled horses (Damien Hirst's 24-foot jewel-encrusted creation dominates the main dining space) and cool club beats. Think a shiny chocolate box crossed with a fairground carousel ride, with a scat...
Read more →I hadn’t been to The Bloomsbury Hotel for some years but on a recent visit there I couldn’t believe the transformation. The historic 153-room property underwent a multi-million pound refurbishment last year masterminded by interiors pro Martin Brudnizki, who has worked on iconic London venues such as The Ivy and Scott’s. The place now oozes sex appeal, with luxuriously warm interiors enveloping you from the bustling concrete world outside. A few of my friends had mentioned the Coral Room, which is an impressive bar located on the ground floor but I ventured to the hotel on a Monday night to...
Read more →It's somewhere I've walked by numerous times, but now I know what's lurking inside 30 Portman Square it's somewhere I'd definitely recommend as a more luxurious spot to stay in the city. The rather austere-looking building is home to the five-star Hyatt Regency London The Churchill, named and decorated in honour of the former Prime Minister. Not only does the place boast a prime location - around the corner from Marble Arch tube station and Hyde Park - it also serves up top notch service and delicious food, with a Michelin star restaurant on site. The moment you step into the Hyatt Regency,...
Read more →I always find it tricky to find a decent spot to eat around Bond Street, but that problem has now evaporated thanks to the addition of Harry’s Bar on James Street. Stepping into the venue on a Friday night, it proved to be a sophisticated old school oasis and a safe haven from the flurry of tourists and shoppers swarming the streets outside. Jazz music was playing, the lighting was low and I could see that my friend Ralph had ordered me a vodka olive martini with one of the white-suited bar men delicately shaking it into a sippable blend. Before dinner we opted for a drink at the bar. Unli...
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