City breaks are an excellent way to take in some of the sights and contemporary culture that Britain has to offer, and renting an apartment in a city offers a real home-from-home experience that allows you to explore at your own pace, and return to a private dwelling to relax in.
Why not book a surprise romantic break and spend a couple of nights in London? With such a diverse and cosmopolitan scene, there is something for everyone. You could follow the traditional route and see the sights; take a ride on the London Eye and witness breathtaking panoramic views of the capital city at night and explore delights such as the London Dungeons.
Or, if the touristy route isn’t for you, why not take in a concert at one of the many venues the city offers, or do some research before you leave and find a smaller gig where you might be lucky enough to spot an up-and-coming band?
Moreover, you can get West End tickets and enjoy their popular shows.
London has the finest restaurants in Britain, so if you’re looking to be extravagant, book a table somewhere prestigious, or sample one of the many renowned Indian restaurants in and around Brick Lane, some of which allow you to take your wine to drink, making the meal very inexpensive.
If shopping is your thing during city breaks, then London won’t disappoint. You’ll find all of your favourite high street shops and more in the new Westfield Shopping Centre near Shepherd’s bush. Head to the vintage shops of Brick Lane and the surrounding area if you are on the lookout for that unique item, or head to one of the many markets to pick up items from up-and-coming makers, as well as glorious food and drink.
London has a lively bar and pub scene. There are around 5,000 pubs and bars in London. The capital city of London has everything from traditional British public houses to modern retro pubs. Quite a lot of London hotels have pubs in them. You don’t have to leave your hotel to enjoy a fine drink. The pubs in these hotels offer a mean drink. If you have money in your pocket, then you can enjoy the best of what’s on offer. London has a great selection of spas, and therefore there are plenty of places to unwind and relax after a busy day, month or week.
Amida Spa in Hampton, for example, is one of the best spas in London, having been awarded Professional Beauty’s prestigious “UK Day Spa of the Year” award. The complex provides a superb retreat, which provides the perfect location to relax, unwind and begin the journey toward total well-being. On offer is a wide range of therapies and spa rituals, which include a range of holistic treatments; anti-ageing treatments; make-up consultation; male grooming; personal trainer, and even full lifestyle assessments. The Amida Spa also caters to the more active amongst us, with aerobic and aqua classes, yoga, tai chi, Pilates, swimming, and racquet sports lessons, which are guaranteed to get the heart pumping and blood flowing.
If you want to do a bit of star-spotting whilst you’re spa-hopping, then the K Spa in Kensington is the place to be and be seen. A favorite haunt of movers and shakers in the music and media industries, the spa (and the hotel that it is part of) has been deemed one of the hippest and most happening hangouts in London.
If Bali or Thailand is a little far to go for the weekend, then the K Spa is the next best thing, and of course, you don’t have to sit on a plane for 12 hours to get there! The spa offers aromatherapy; several forms of the massage; hot stone treatments and even dry flotation – a weightless “passive immersion” technique. There is also a gym packed full of state-of-the-art equipment, including treadmills; step machines; cross trainers; ‘concept 11 rowers’; plus a large selection of free weights and resistance equipment.
For those who want the entire workout – regular fitness classes are on offer so that guests can try their hand at spinning, body combat, and Muai-Thai boxing. And if you feel like winding down after all that exercise, then the wet spa area, complete with Jacuzzi, sauna, and steam rooms should do the trick.
If city breaks for you always involve sampling clubs, London has some fantastic club nights to offer. SEONE is a huge club venue that has top DJs playing often; Ministry of Sound is also a favorite for clubbers, and Matter is a relatively new club based within the O2 Arena. Be sure to check listings in advance so that you don’t turn up to a night based around the music you aren’t into, and for big club nights with renowned DJs, book tickets online first as they can sell out very quickly on the doors.
City breaks are great any time of the year, and London is no exception to this rule. Although fantastic in the summer months, when you can take a ride on a boat down the Thames or picnic in one of the many parks, there is so much to do in the winter too, especially when the Christmas markets are on, that you don’t need to rely on sunny weather to have a great city break in London!
