Choosing your spot to set as home base doesn’t have to be overwhelming—London is home to plenty of chic properties. Perhaps the most iconic hotel in London, Claridge’s is an absolute classic—packed full of old-school grandeur and timeless charm. Even if you can’t swing a stay, it’s worth stepping into the lobby just to soak up the fabulousness of it all (and maybe spot the odd celeb or two). The Ned is another stay that simply transports—the kind of place you could spend an entire weekend without setting foot outside, floating from the dreamy subterranean spa to martinis at Library Bar, followed by a slap-up meal at Lutyens Grill. Plus, the rooftop pool is a knockout.
If you’re after one of the slickest addresses in the city, the Rosewood is pure class, and the location couldn’t be more perfect for London first-timers. My biggest tip? Don’t skip Scarfes Bar—it’s one of the best drinking spots around. If buzzy is a priority, the Martin Brudzinski-designed Broadwick Soho is still a relative newcomer to the London scene, but it’s already embedded itself as a fave with locals and visitors alike, and for good reason. Find me at Flute, the disco-chic rooftop bar, snapping pics of the interiors with one hand and a cocktail in the other. Spending the night at the NoMad London, which is housed in a former magistrates’ court in the middle of Covent Garden, is a sure-fire way to leave feeling more cultured than when you arrived, plus the newly revamped restaurant—Twenty8 NoMad—is worth a visit alone. Don’t leave without booking a treatment with expert facialist Katie England; I promise it’ll be one of the best you’ve ever experienced. For something with constant energy, every night feels like a Friday night at The Standard, right in the middle of London’s regenerated King’s Cross. Don’t let the Brutalist exterior fool you—inside is a retro-futuristic playground with one heck of a restaurant (Decimo) on the 10th floor.
Day 1: Mayfair
Breakfast spot: Classics at Mount Street Restaurant
One of London’s largest green spaces, Hyde Park is perfect for a stroll in any season but particularly in the autumn when the leaves begin to change, and the whole park becomes a jewel box of browns, reds, and golds.
Hop in a cab for 10 mins (or take a leisurely 30 min walk through Soho) to get to Ronnie’s Scott’s—a legendary jazz club hosting world-class live music every night since 1959. Book tickets in advance, order a Manhattan, and prepare to feel like you’ve stumbled onto a film set.
I could never get tired of a morning spent in this beautiful space (think: industrial, white-washed, exposed brick interiors). For a weekend brunch, I’m ordering the pork Benedict, mustard, and brown butter hollandaise and—depending on whether I’ve been out the night before—a very good Bloody Mary.
