By Millie Earle-Wright
Published: Dec 22, 2023More by Millie
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We Make London Shine
A stay in the energising metropolis of London often bookends our bespoke wilderness journeys throughout the UK and Ireland. An unmissable destination for travellers, the capital city is an international melting pot of culture, history and iconic landmarks. As well as our unrivalled knowledge of the wild, natural beauty of Scotland, England, Wales, and Ireland, we have a strong network of luxury hotels, exquisite restaurants and insider experiences found in the Big Smoke. This treasure trove of London’s best can be creatively sewn together to provide your clients with a perfectly balanced, carefully curated, incredible city escape. Whether they wish to thread their way through vintage markets, visit the bohemian, energetic streets of Soho, or discover the twisting tunnels and hidden history of the underground, we possess the expertise to ensure London is an unforgettable slice of a brilliant Wilderness trip.
Discover:
Where to Eat
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Nobu – Portman Square
Serving award-winning Japanese-Peruvian cuisine against a backdrop of cosmopolitan cool – Nobu needs no introduction. Nestled among stucco-fronted buildings and Portman Square’s tall, leafy trees, this distinguished restaurant is part of a wider dining empire, helmed by world-renowned Chef Nobu Matsuhisa. With a relaxed yet refined ambience and delicious signature dishes such as delicately sliced yellowtail sashimi adorned with jalapeno slices, and crispy pork belly with apple wasabi salsa, the Nobu’s culinary prestige (just like its menu) isn’t overdone.
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The Petersham – Covent Garden
Among the labyrinthine side streets of Covent Garden, in the delightfully named Floral Court, you’ll find The Petersham. At Petersham Nurseries’s West End outpost, the light-flooded restaurant is the perfect place to relax as city life chatters, clatters, and natters on around you. Specialising in seasonal British food with a touch of Italian flare, The Petersham’s menu focuses on a slow food ethos. Their meat comes from an organic farm in Devon. Their fish is line-caught off the beautiful Cornish coast. Serving lunch, dinner, and afternoon tea, tuck into wild boar ragu, and saffron, osso buco and marrow risotto. To finish, moreish toffee-rich date pudding awaits.
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Rules – Maiden Lane
The self-proclaimed oldest restaurant in London, Rules was established in 1798. Found on Maiden Lane, it is famed as one of England’s ‘great game restaurants’. Over the years, it has been frequented by artists, lawyers, journalists, and actors, including literary talents such as Charles Dickens, John Galsworthy and H G Wells. With walls papered with history, starch tablecloths and a plush, royal-red interior, Rules (which also has its own estate) remains true to its roots, serving traditional British food and specialising in classic game. A slow-cooked shoulder of lamb, or roast crown of mallard with beetroot and pickled blackberries, comes before well-loved sweets such as bread and butter pudding or steamed golden sponge, oozing with syrup. Make sure to arrive with an appetite and keep an eye out for the restaurant’s mascot, a 1935 Rolls-Royce called Bubbles.
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Charlie’s at Browns – Mayfair
Charlie’s is an elegant blend of comforting tradition and contemporary excellence. The restaurant can be found in the romantically lit, welcoming warmth of the iconic Brown’s Hotel in Mayfair. Begin your evening in Donovan Bar, a gilded cocktail hotspot favoured by the well-heeled clientele of one of London’s most fashionable neighbourhoods. After a drink, sink into the sophistication of Charlie’s. Overseen by Adam Byatt, an accomplished Michelin-starred chef, the restaurant delivers well-loved classic cuisine with an unfaltering modern twist. Choose pumpkin, sage, and brown butter ravioli to start. Follow with wild hare, mafaldine pasta, and Jerusalem artichokes. Chat with the sommelier and melt deliciously away as your spoon cracks through a blood orange, dark sugar, and velvet custard tart. Full of glossy wood panelling, bespoke wallpaper and gleaming silver trollies – this is Brown’s, as always, at its best.
Where to Stay
A Junior Suite at Corinthia London
Raffles London – Whitehall
Following a six-year meticulous renovation, the magnificent Old War Office – a stunning Edwardian Baroque building with an incredible history – is now home to the UK’s first Raffles Hotel. This cherished architectural landmark, a place where Winston Churchill once walked the halls, has been transformed. An unbeatable location, the Houses of Parliament and Westminster Abbey are only a short walk away and the colourful pulse of the nightlife in Soho and the theatres in West End irresistibly close. Sophisticated, with a soft, revitalising smell of bergamot, rich vetiver, cedarwood and red sequoia (courtesy of a signature fragrance developed by the perfumer Azzi Glasser), there is no better place to return to after a busy day exploring the city.
Corinthia – Whitehall
A heartbeat from the dark water of the Thames, Trafalgar Square, and the dynamic South Bank, Corinthia Hotel is the epitome of five-star opulence. It’s not boutique, quirky or discreet; rather, it wears luxury with unblushing pride – evident in the swinging chandeliers, top-hatted doormen and exquisite afternoon teas. With one of the city’s finest and award-winning spas (flowing across four floors and including all the usual suspects with the addition of nutritionists, acupuncturists, physiotherapists, and massage therapists) you could lose a day in the city without even stepping out of the lobby. With each room either overlooking the river or the courtyard, gleaming marble bathrooms and impeccable service, the Corinthia is a lovely choice, every time.
A Belgravia Suite at The Goring
The Goring – Belgravia
Found in Belgravia – one of the most exclusive and beautiful areas in central London, The Goring is well known as the hotel where Kate Middleton slept the night before her royal wedding to Prince William in the spring of 2011. Only a few minutes from Buckingham Palace, the Goring is graceful, opulent and impeccably English, possessing a regal sprinkling of old-world charm. It is the last family-owned luxury hotel in the city, and therefore unsurprising that it champions intimate, personalised service, where clients are greeted with genuine warmth. The Goring is the only hotel in the world to hold its own Royal Warrant, and with the likes of Knightsbridge, Mayfair and Sloane Street on its doorstep, it’s a wonderful and fashionable place to stay.
Credit: Charlotte Street Hotel, Firmdale Hotels. Simon Brown Photography.
Charlotte Street Hotel – Fitzrovia
Taking inspiration from the infamous Bloomsbury Group (a circle of artists, writers and intellectuals in the first half of the 20th century originating in the home of Virginia Woolf and her sister Vanessa Bell), Charlotte Street Hotel is an artsy enclave just north of Soho. Stepping off the cobbled streets of Fitzrovia, the hotel seamlessly fuses enchanting, playful design with elegant, historical charm – creating spaces in which you feel both delighted and relaxed. Whimsical wallpaper and original artwork command the interior, making a walk from your room to the bar to the restaurant, a joy. Elevated even more so by the warm welcome and exceptional service, it’s a lovely retreat after an adventurous day in London.
What To Do
Behind the Wheel in London Town
London – where every corner, cobblestone, and cloister is imbued with history. Explore the greatest city in the world in one of the most iconic cars ever created. Step out of the madding crowd and into the cosy comfort of a restored Mini-Cooper driven by a quintessentially English guide.
Private Viewing of the Crown Jewels
Behind some of the thickest vault doors in the country are powerful symbols of the British Monarchy – the Crown Jewels. With a history as captivating as the jewels themselves, learn the stories and secrets of this remarkable working collection from a specialised jewel house team.
A Bespoke Bicycle Tour
Enjoy an entirely bespoke, pedal-powered tour through the quiet side streets and winding lanes of London. Whether it’s an early-morning bakery stop or a late-night ghost ride, enjoy discovering the city on two wheels. A high-class, personalised experience, hop on a handcrafted English bike and relax with your expert guide.
Credit: VisitBritain/Sam Barker/Mark Jones/James Cochran
Glittering Graffiti and Secret Street Art
Experience London’s vibrant, multicultural street art community on an original, off-the-beaten-track tour led by street artists and local experts. From traditional graffiti in Shoreditch to huge street art murals, discover world-renowned works of art.
Credit: John Holdship
Manicotti & Macaroons at London’s Famous Market
Embark on a bespoke food tour of London’s oldest and most renowned food markets. Guided by an experienced chef and author, weave your way through this tantalising warren. Here, every taste has a story to tell, and new talent caramelises, bakes, and fries.
Credit: Browns Hotel, @LATEEF
Afternoon Tea with a Princess
Sip afternoon tea with a vivacious Princess, enjoying a tour of her beautiful 13th century home. Steeped in seven generations of history, this is a building full of secrets and romance where every portrait, tapestry and ceramic tells a fascinating story.
Perfectly Paired With...
London offers a symphony of culinary excellence, iconic landmarks, and luxury accommodation. Yet you do not have to travel far to also discover life at a slower pace. Head west to the idyllic Cotswolds or south to sun-kissed Cornwall. Let the vibrant rhythm of the city give way to the tranquillity of the countryside.
Cornwall
Cornwall is a place of wild, sea-soaked beauty. With over 675 km/420 miles of coastline and many areas designated as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty, the region lends itself to being explored by foot, bicycle, or sail. While the county is defined and shaped by the sea, it also encompasses a diverse landscape of old forest, heathery heath, and sweeping pastures of arable land. From the wind-swept headland, you can spot Atlantic seals snoozing on the beaches and bottlenose dolphins playing in the surf. As well as wildlife, the region is rich with myth, legend and folklore. From King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table to Jack the Giant Killer and the Mermaid of Zennor, some of Britain’s best-loved tales find their roots in Cornish soil. The region offers a captivating insight into times gone by and the events that shaped them. An hour-and-a-half flight from London, and only 5 hours by car or train – Cornwall is the perfect, contrasting compliment to a city break.
New Forest & South Downs
The New Forest and the South Downs are two distinctly beautiful national parks. Both are a short drive south of London and only an hour or two apart.
The former, the New Forest, has Britain’s largest area of lowland heath. The heaths are primarily heathers, which bloom in the hot weeks of August. A protected landscape, it is home to smooth snakes and sand lizards, as well as Dartford warblers and stonechats. The national park also encompasses ancient woodlands and fertile grasslands, known as lawns, which provide excellent grazing for the free-roaming cattle, ponies and pigs that wander freely under the ancient rights of common pasture.
A short drive east will take you into the glorious green folds of the South Downs – a region of chalk white hills, pebbly beaches, and spectacular coastline. Traversing the landscape on foot means becoming acquainted with wide open skies, panoramic views, and sun-clipped shores. With pretty villages home to traditional pubs, delicious restaurants, and cosy cafes, it’s a brilliant place to walk, eat, drink, and relax.
The Cotswolds
Only two hours west of London’s glittering streets is the beautiful region of the Cotswolds. The region is cherished for its burnished, honey-hued villages, flower-rich grasslands, and deep incised valleys. England’s largest Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, the Cotswolds is quintessentially English in both scenery and charm. The land’s topography tells of a vibrant past, peppered with ancient ruins and tumbling castles. Each limestone village is full of classic Cotswold architecture, and the fire roaring in the village pub is an invitation to sit down and enjoy a locally brewed beer and a cheese board of Stinking Bishop and Double Gloucester. Outside the window, a view so deliciously English, spreads out towards the horizon – all skylarks and lapwings, with sheep grazing behind drystone walls and blossom blowing across flower-flecked lanes. Offering a refreshing change of pace, time spent in the Cotswolds means time spent among rolling green hills and in traditional country pubs. It’s a special place where you might as well stop and smell the roses because soft-faced brown cows are blocking the road, anyway.
