Tis Me Michelle

The other major city on this last trip was London. I had been to London once before, as part of a group trip I did with EF. As mentioned there, I had some good eats, but most of the city was closed. If we are being honest, this trip was all about the eats too, but I checked a few museums and activities. I took the detour to London because I had a friend who had a baby shower, and it was super nice to catch up with them. Most of my time on this leg of the trip was solo time though.

The Hotel

I wanted to make sure I stayed in an area where I felt safe. I did look quite a bit, cause the areas I looked at were on the pricey side. So this hotel was definitely a splurge, but I highly recommend it. The Guardsman is a boutique hotel right next to Buckingham Palace and even more important right next to the underground station and a bus stop. It was super easy to get around the city, even though the city is rather spread out. My room was super nice and comfy, not too big, but perfect for me as a solo traveler. I chose whatever the smallest room option was, and I was told I got upgraded to the ‘deluxe’ version when I checked in. I think either of those would be good for a solo traveler or couple. The room was super high-tech. The TV screen was in the wall and all the lights were operated by touch features. My favorite part was the heated floors in the bathroom. This was definitely one of the bougier hotels I’ve ever stayed at.

The decor was super nice in the lobby and I fell in love with the stairs that took you down to the bar/restaurant. I ended up getting a drink and a salad but didn’t really go all out. They provided a welcome drink and were open to making it whatever I wanted. I wish I had gotten the cocktail as a part of that, but I just went with wine since they didn’t provide a menu and I was put on the spot. Can’t really go wrong with a glass of wine though. I did enjoy the cocktail, and each drink comes with some light snacks (nuts and chips). It was definitely hotel pricing though. I had gone to do their pre-set dinner on my last night, but then I felt like there were so many options in London for dinner I still wanted to try. So I opted for a Caesar salad, which was very good, and then got some other stuff for dinner elsewhere.

The Activities

Again I went for 1-2 main activities each day and then wandered or chilled (or really kept eating) the rest of the time. So here are the takeaways:

Definitely Do:

Cursed Child: I believe you could do this in NYC too. I’d like to think the quality is just as good there as in London, and it’s totally worth it. I will warn you that it is a full-day event if you do both parts, which is what I did. It’s two just over two-hour runs with about a two-hour break in between. It worked out great because I had a couple bars I wanted to try out right next door. Whether you are a Harry Potter fan or not, I found this to be a fun watch. I wasn’t a huge fan of adult Harry Potter, but it’s how he is meant to be in this story. I’ll say I enjoy Harry Potter, but I’m not a full own stan. I’ve read a couple books, I’ve seen most of the movies, and I very much enjoyed it and am glad I did it on this trip! My tickets weren’t super expensive either, which I really appreciated.

Victoria and Albert Museum: I went to this museum on a whim because I had scheduled a visit to the Natural History Museum and it’s right next door. This museum is free and you don’t need to reserve an entry time. It’s a large collection of different kinds of art. There was a lot to see, a beautiful building itself, and wasn’t super busy. I love a really good art museum, and this one is done really well. I appreciate that its draw is not one super famous painting from a well-known artist, but truly just a collection of great art. And we love a free option!

If You Have Time:

Natural History Museum: This was another free museum, but you do need to book a time slot in advance. I feel like I had heard really good things about this one and I needed some plans for this leg of the trip so I went for it. There was a lot to see, but I won’t lie, it wasn’t really for me. There were a bunch of school trips I saw there, and I could totally see going here on a field trip. It has a mixture of science and history. I really went to see Sophie the Dinosaur, one of the most complete recreations of a dinosaur. The museum was filled with fossils, but more so a lot of recreations. If it’s up your alley, I’d give it a go, but I kind of wish I went to a different museum.

Afternoon Tea: Listen, I go to afternoon tea here at home with my friends from time to time as it is. I just felt like I should when in London. I opted to go to The Parlour at The Zetter Townhouse. I’ll provide a full review of that soon. The reason I have it on the ‘if you have time’ section is because I get that it’s not up everyone’s alley. When I researched a location, the cheapest option I found was around ~50 euros, so it’s also not cheap by any means. If you have time like me to grab your Kindle, relax, and enjoy your time, or if you have a few friends to enjoy it with, I think it’s so worth it. I’m sure each afternoon tea offers something unique to the location, which is why I posted it as Afternoon Tea in general. There are plenty of spots serving high tea in London. I guess I’ll say I really enjoyed my afternoon tea but wasn’t blown away by any means.

Skip:

Taste Film: This was actually a TikTok find. I was super excited about it because it was two things I love rolled into one, food & movies. Basically, the premise is you get served a set list menu throughout your classic movie of choice. I chose ‘Bridget Jones Diary’. This was another pricier one, and I totally get why, but I wish I spent that elsewhere. You get a server, a three-course meal with 2 boozy drinks and dessert, so you are getting a decent amount. However, the quality just wasn’t as good as I’d like it to be. There were a few items I only took a bite or sip out of.

I obviously went solo, and honestly, I didn’t feel weird about that. I think if you live locally and make it an event with your friends it could be so much fun. I would have much rather put that money towards another experience, but let’s be real, really another dining experience.

The Food & Drink

Plenty of posts to come on this. As with my hotel, the area I stayed in was pretty bougie. Most of the places I tried really seared a hole in my wallet, but you know… YOLO.

Overall

London is totally the bougier, bigger NYC. And we all know I love NYC. I’m so glad I got to go back and experience it when it was full of life. I would totally go back in a few years. My unofficial goal, if I’m so lucky is to go back to Paris every 5 years, I’d like to add London to that rotation.

There is so much to see, do, and eat! Each day I was there I realized I was running out of time, and had so many places saved on my ‘to-do’ list. I wouldn’t say it’s overly unique, but definitely no shortage of options. I would totally recommend London to anyone who loves NYC or big busy cities with a lot to do.