For more information and to book please visit www.mrandmrssmith.com or let us arrange your whole trip, by calling +44 (0)20 8987 4312 or from the USA dial 1 866 610 3867.
From the revived East End to the swish haunts of Notting Hill, London accessorises its heritage beauty with couldn’t-give-a-damn street cred. This feisty lady is effortlessly cool: glorious parks and historic squares, monuments galore, museums piled with colonial swag, galleries where art soothes or surprises, and stages attracting theatre’s hottest talent. A multi-ethnic English eccentric, the British capital lets you eat and shop your way around the globe, sending you home sated and satisfied. The Routemaster buses, King’s Road punks and Carnaby Street swingers may be long gone, but this shoppers’ Valhalla has reinvented itself as a modern metropolis. And, while architectural icons the Gherkin, the London Eye and Wembley Stadium provide a skyline for the new renaissance, the build-up to the 2012 Olympics provides an endlessly fascinating topic for the city’s enthusiastic cabbies…
At Hyde Park’s Speakers’ Corner (www.speakerscorner.net) you are guaranteed the right to free speech. Drag your soapbox along on a Sunday afternoon and get whatever’s perplexing you off your chest. You’ll be in good company: Karl Marx, William Morris and George Orwell have all spouted their views here over the decades. Be prepared for vigorous heckling, though.
…taking traditional high tea. Go high luxe at Claridge’s (+44 (0)20 7629 8888); high art at the Wallace Collection restaurant (+44 (0)20 7563 9500); or high fashion at the Berkeley (+44 (0)20 7235 6000) – its ‘Prêt-à-portea’ cakes are modelled on must-have Anya Hindmarch and Marc Jacobs designs, and modishly served on Paul Smith china. Alternatively, queuing up with cabbies, clubbers and hungry locals for oven-fresh bagels from Brick Lane Beigel Bake (+44 (0)20 7729 0616). These holey little pleasures are served up 24 hours a day by East End girls with attitude.
Our round-up of the hippest hideaways and romantic boutique hotels in London
Country‑house charm meets London sophistication at this central boutique hotel right on Piccadilly Circus. Kit Kemp's quirky interiors and an eye-popping indoor pool turn Haymarket Hotel into a lavish and relaxing retreat after days spent exploring the city's plentiful diversions.
The Baglioni Hotel is housed in a Georgian building which, although respectable and impeccable, doesn’t allude to the over-the-top grandeur that awaits inside. Children are made welcome, too.
Pure modern decadence. Each room at Anouska Hempel's South Ken boutique hotel, Blakes, has its own style, but are inspired by far-flung lands: Russia, India, Turkey…
Stylish London hotel The Gore perfectly blends the feel of an art-lover's grand private home with the relaxed bonhomie of a rather decadent members’ club.
Situated in beautiful townhouse, just off London’s Old Brompton Road, the Kensington Hotel is a relaxing spot in which to escape the bustle of SW7’s museum land. It ticks all the right fashion-magazine boxes and it’s incredibly spacious – even the smallest rooms feel positively suite-like.
Standing tall in Park Lane, the blue-windowed Metropolitan London hotel doesn’t just attract big names – it’s already full of them: Nobu, Como Shambhala, the sultry burgundy Met Bar…
The Pelham plays 21st-century Edwardian fashionista to its sister property the Gore's contemporary Victorian dandy, injecting new life into Kit Kemp's dashing original decor.
Droplet chandeliers, mushroom hues, bespoke artworks – Bingham, a riverside southwest London boutique hotel and restaurant is a stylish glint in Richmond's eye.
From the creaky stairs up to a wonky landing at the top, its tilt the result of 300 years of slowly shifting woodwork, Hazlitt’s offers comfort with an air of quirky elegance.
Neither the name nor the photos can adequately prepare you for Rough Luxe; it's a genuine one-of-a-kind, with cracked and peeling paint and paper sharing wall-space with visually arresting art.
The Victorian grandeur and refined style of The Rockwell boutique hotel stands out among the townhouses of hotel-packed Earls' Court.
The Zetter hotel is all about cutting-edge design, with the clever modern contrasts you’d expect from an establishment embodying London’s eastside renaissance.
A bastion of Victorian glamour with a stylish modern sheen, Brown’s Hotel has been a byword for boutique brilliance for nearly two centuries.
Taking the Bloomsbury Set for its inspiration, this central London boutique hotel brings together fine art and a fresh colour palette to create the perfect city luxury stay.
The wonderful thing about Covent Garden Hotel is that while it caters for the well-heeled, it also works hard at a genuinely laid-back, home-from-home atmosphere.
A medley of luxuriant colour, statement furniture and unusual art greets guests stepping into the lobby of Knightsbridge Hotel, Kit Kemp’s characteristically whimsical take on the townhouse boutique bed and breakfast.
No.5 Maddox Street’s suites offer an alternative luxury hotel experience in one of London’s most prestigious neighbourhoods. The one-, two-, and three-bed hi-tech studios are a surprisingly peaceful retreat near buzzing Soho.
The bright, feminine rooms at this well-groomed Kensington hideaway are as refreshing and tasty as a cup of Earl Grey on a spring morning. A wonderful location makes this London boutique hotel a great base for shopping weekends or culture trips.
Created from two five-storey, red-brick Chelsea townhouses, family-owned boutique hotel San Domenico House is a little piece of Italy in West London. It’s warm, welcoming and extremely inviting.
One of the original London boutique hotels, the Sanderson is one of the finest examples of Ian Schrager and Philippe Starck’s fun, fashion-influenced take on design.
Soho Hotel is an establishment where the watering hole and eatery have independent allure; local media folk swap editing suites and photo studios for drinks at the bar.
Tucked away in a quiet cul de sac beside Green Park, the red and white brick façade of St James’s Hotel hides the grown-up gents-club glamour within.
More is more at Miller's Residence. an antique-packed guesthouse on Westbourne Grove in the heart of London's Notting Hill.
High Road House, the West London outpost of Nick Jones' oh-so-cool Soho House members' club combines relaxed hangout and city retreat with buzzy bar and brilliant brasserie, all decked out in über-designer Ilse Crawford's trademark comfy but modern colour-accented interiors schemes.
Planes, trains, automobiles, or maybe even helicopter – we tell you the best way to go.
Late March Oxford and Cambridge Boat Race from Putney to Mortlake (www.theboatrace.org). Mid April The London Marathon: a 26‑mile race for athletes, fundraisers and mentalists in diving suits (www.london‑marathon.co.uk). Late May Chelsea Flower Show brings marvellous blooms to SW3 (www.rhs.org.uk/chelsea). Late June The Wimbledon Championships sends the capital tennis mad for a fortnight (www.wimbledon.org). July–September The BBC Proms concerts (www.bbc.co.uk/proms). August Bank Holiday weekend Notting Hill Carnival, a float‑filled, bass‑thumping weekend of musical mayhem. September Open House Weekend sees 600 buildings, old and new, open to the public, free of charge (www.londonopenhouse.org). Mid October–early November London Film Festival (www.lff.org.uk). 5 November On Guy Fawkes’ Night, there are fireworks displays in parks all over town; book an eighth-floor table at the Oxo Tower (+44 (0)20 7803 3888) for a premium view of the Lord Mayor’s fireworks on the river. London Jazz Festival – nice (www.serious.org.uk).
Caffeine addicts will get a shot of the good stuff at this artisan café. The perma-queue snaking outside the door speaks volumes, and if you like your brew, look out for the Borough Market outpost.
27 Monmouth Street, London, WC2H 9EU
Not a café as such but a must-visit for chocoholics and those needing a sweet treat. If Willly Wonka had ever been given the Dolce & Gabbana treatment, his confectionery would resemble Artisan du Chocolat’s seductive sugar-hits. Their new Notting Hill chocolateria has a dazzling array of mood-enhancing nibbles; try the salted caramels, flower-flavoured chocolate or the sexily packaged Wild and Tropical bars; a veritable choc-tail of tastes. Alternatively, sip a Cacao Martini as you share a plate of chocolate tapas. Leave your dentist friends at home.
81 Westbourne Grove, London, W2 4UL
If browsing before brunch is your bag, this Hansel and Gretel house on the first floor of interiors and homeware store Heal's serves up a great line in crumpets, eggy soldiers and dolly-daydream fairy cakes.
First Floor, Heal's, 196 Tottenham Court Road, London W1T 7LQ
The French fancies are works of art and there are more than 150 types of tea with which to wash them down at this slick Chinese teahouse, handily located between Carnaby Street and Soho. The dim sum are pretty extraordinary, too (if a little pricey compared to Chinatown's offerings).
15–17 Broadwick Street, London W1F 0DL
Trust us, we've done our research, and this place makes some of the best coffee in London. Pop into the busy NZ-run café for a cup of some superior coffee (they source their beans and brews from cult coffee roaster Monmouth Coffee Company) to break up a shopping spree on Carnaby Street, or before you hit the bars in Soho.
17 Berwick Street, Soho, London W1F 0PT
Head for this relaxed rooftop café atop the fantastic Alfies Antique Market in Marylebone for a hangover-busting full English breakfast or alfresco afternoon tea – or both, with a little shopping in between.
Alfies Antique Market, 13–25 Church Street, London NW8 8DT
When you’ve had enough of the Ancient Greeks or the Imperial Romans, get your strength back and plan your afternoon city campaign with a coffee and a cake – you can admire/abhor Sir Norman Foster’s controversial Great Court extension at the same time.
British Museum, Great Russell Street, London WC1B 3DG
Rock on down for the best fish ’n’ chips in town; your underwater/underground-produce combo is served with piles of buttered white bread for DIY butty building.
47 Endell Street, London WC2H 9AJ
Nibble freshly made sandwiches and wolf buttermilk scones as you watch the swans and the pelicans do their thing in the oldest Royal Park in London.
St James’s Park, London SW1A 2BJ
Art and tarts abound in this second-floor café in Tate Modern. The views over the river are impressive and it’s a convivial place to slurp a smoothie or indulge in a knickerbocker glory. There’s also the Espresso Bar on the fourth floor and a restaurant on the seventh.
Tate Modern, Bankside, London SE1 9TG
This Soho institution has been frothing cappuccinos for night owls and early birds for more than 50 years. Sit at one of the tables outside and watch the world go by.
22 Frith Street, London W1D 4RF
This elegant trattatoria is good enough to die for (or in, if you can't resist the lure of ordering a lifetime's worth of small treats and meats). The fried soft shell crab, grilled squid and trofie with green beans and pesto are all worth putting pounds on for.
12 Archer Street, London, W1D 7BB
Cecconi's claims to be the only restaurant in London that serves up Italian tapas (cichetti). Quite frankly, after nibbling the divine anchovy crostini, breaded baby mozzarella and cheese polenta with puccini, we're in no mood to quibble over their assertion. This stylish eatery is open until 1am throughout the week (12pm on Sundays), and makes a stylish kebab-and-coke alternative after a night on the tiles.
5a Burlington Garden's, London, W1S 3EP
All a-gleam from a recent revamp, Scott's is the discerning seafood-fan's choice, serving up a variety of fishy delicacies, including mixed oysters with wild boar sausage, prawns with chilli and garlic butter and haddock with poached egg and mustard. By no means a one-trick pony, Scott's also has some fine meat dishes and desserts.
20 Mount Street, London, W1K 2HE
London certainly isn’t short of restaurants serving upmarket versions of traditional British cuisine, but not all are as atmospheric and affordable as Great Queen Street. Its pub-like dining room – all wooden tables and dark-red walls – is the ideal space in which to enjoy sturdy classics such as steak pie, hare and foie gras pasty, and cuttlefish with butter beans. Delicious.
32 Great Queen Street, London WC2B 5AA
This place on St Martins Court is renowned for its fantastic fish and seafood, with classic plateaux de fruits de mer, lobster, and potted shrimp, all served up in this glamorously old-fashioned but more youthful version of the Ivy.
28–32 St Martin's Court, London WC2 4AL
If you're in the mood for modern-day American, this curved wooden dining room in Mayfair is a great brasserie setting for: breakfast (buttermilk pancakes with maple syrup; ham muffins), weekend brunch (eggs over easy with home fries and bacon), lunch (macaroni & cheese; soft-shell crab), or dinner (rack of lamb, rib eye steak and so on). Have a nice day!
33 Dover Street, London W1S 4NF
This fashionable all-day brasserie next to the Electric Cinema on the Portobello Road has great grill food and cocktails in buzzy surroundings. Book a table for before/after a Saturday night at the movies (see www.electriccinema.co.uk for listings); the cinema has plush leather seats, footstools and – perfect for Mr & Mrs Smiths – two-seater sofas at the back…
191 Portobello Road, London W11 2ED
The multi-Michelin-starred maestro made his long-awaited London debut here: there’s a choice of casual dining on the ground floor, or a grander approach upstairs. The truffle mash is to die for.
13–15 West Street, London WC2H 9NQ
Make a trip to this Shoreditch eatery for the eccentric interiors and classic French cuisine.
1 Club Row, London E1 6JX
This trendsetter from the team behind the Wolseley works a modern Mediterranean theme (the Puglian olives are the juiciest in London).
Rex House, 4-12 Regent Street, London SW1Y 4PE
Part snazzy bar, part restaurant serving contemporary, tapas-esque Indian cuisine, Mint Leaf occupies what used to be a bank (hence the dramatic dimensions inside), but is now a City-slick shrine to cocktail wizardry and culinary fireworks.
Angel Court, London, EC2R 7HB
If you feel like some flavours from India, this London institution is the oldest Indian eatery in the capital, but it couldn’t feel more contemporary after its very modern makeover. The entrance is on Swallow Street.
Victory House, 99 Regent Street, London W1B 4RS
Fantastic for a traditional British experience, with just the right sprinkling of pomp. Slurp oysters or enjoy fishy classics at the marble-topped champagne bar on the ground floor (with pianists tickling the ivories from Wednesday to Saturday evenings); or head upstairs to the more formal Grill restaurant. Irish wonder-chef Richard Corrigan draws on his childhood in County Meath to inform fantastically to-the-point food (www.bentleys.org).
11–15 Swallow Street, London W1B 4DG
This place isn't your common or garden modern take on a posh curry house – it's where you take your tastebuds for a night out they'll each remember. For the full whirlwind-spice-tour, order a thali followed by one of their lick-your-lips-delicious Anglo-Asian desserts.
236 King Street, London W6 ORF
Brush shoulders with showbiz legends gossiping over classic British dishes, among oak panelling and stained glass.
1–5 West Street, London WC2H 9NQ
This is a longtime London favourite: an elegant stop for great French food turned out by chef Marco Pierre White's top-notch kitchen brigade.
56 Curzon Street, London W1J 8PA
In a former car showroom on Piccadilly, this handsome and well-respected restaurant serves superb European brasserie food all day long.
160 Piccadilly, London W1J 9EB
We adore the Modern Asian food at Hakkasan: it has to be the sexiest Chinese restaurant ever designed, and it was the first ever to be awarded a Michelin star. Its basement entrance belies a glamorous interior, complete with a Christian Liaigre-designed bar and staff uniforms created by Hussein Chalayan. Don't expect it to be cheap, though…
8 Hanway Place, London W1T 1HD
Butter-soft steaks and superb service make this East End steakhouse a must-visit for anyone who likes their meat rare and their drinks plentiful.
157 Commercial Street, London E1 6BJ
A few years ago, the thought of the King’s Cross area being the sort of place you’d go out to eat would have been laughable, but the new Eurostar terminal at St Pancras has changed all that. Discerning diners (who aren’t necessarily en route to Paris) are now heading to this dark and atmospheric gastropub for quality British dishes – crab on toast, rabbit and hare terrine, and fresh fishcakes the size of hubcaps – in a cool, inn-like setting.
24 York Way, London N1 9AA
The legendary jazz club may be a lot less smoke-fugged and dog-eared since its recent makeover, but it is still the official home of the down and dirty late-night supper-club jamming session. Take in a live act while you dine – booking essential.
47 Frith Street, London W1D 4HT
This lively, unpretentious Shoreditch venue offers live acts, world music, cutting-edge DJs, a friendly bar and tapas at its in-club street food café (brilliant when you feel peckish mid-boogie). Check www.cargo-london.com for events listings.
83 Rivington Street, Kingsland Viaduct, London EC2A 3AY
This louche and lively Mayfair venue – an exclusive members' club, kitchen and bar open Tuesdays to Sundays – serves Pacific Rim for dinner, then transforms into a club where Europe's party folk flash their cash.
48–49 St James's Street, London SW1A 1JT
You want to see some burlesque? Shimmy on down to this ‘supper club’ for the retro-swanky cabaret and live acts.
215 Piccadilly, London W1J 9HN
Pop into this stylishly designed Shoreditch bar for cocktails and a bite to eat. Booking advisable.
1 Whitby Street, London E1 6JU
If you fancy cutting-edge cocktails with eastern flair, head to this stylish bar in London’s Noho on Charlotte Street, tucked away under Roka restaurant.
37 Charlotte Street, London W1T 1RR
So eccentric is this kitschly camp West End lounge bar that even the cocktails come in goldfish bowls.
6 Little Portland Street, London W1W 7JE
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