Exploring London in Style: The Private Traveller’s Weekend Diary

Published by The Private Traveller
Bespoke Travel & Fora Travel Advisor – Five-Star Hotels, Ocean Cruises, Trains & Wellness Escapes

I write a lot about London, staying in an array of its wide selection of luxury five star hotels, and I love to try out different experiences, sightseeing opportunities, or new shops, restaurants, and bars. Like us, whether you’re visiting London as a short weekend stop, or as a part of a longer UK or European vacation, I have a wealth of information that I can share with you, and there is already a lot of content on my website which you can find here.

I’ll try to keep this updated, and also for anyone booking a London hotel with me, I will send them my most recent London booklet with lots of choices of things to do - here is a quick intro.

Sections in The Best of London by The Private Traveller

• London Museums

  • Covers the best-known cultural institutions (V&A, British Museum, Natural History, Science Museum, Imperial War Museum, etc.).

  • Each entry includes: description, highlights, opening hours, booking advice, and suggested visit duration.

  • Mixes “classic” options (South Kensington) with newer experiences like the V&A East Storehouse.

• Art Galleries

  • From the National Gallery and Tate Modern to smaller gems like the Wallace Collection and Courtauld Gallery.

  • Balanced overview of both traditional masters and cutting-edge contemporary spaces.

  • Practical info is included (free vs ticketed entry, recommended visit length).

• Historic & Landmark Sites

  • Royal palaces, towers, bridges, and cathedrals (Buckingham Palace, Tower of London, St Paul’s, Westminster Abbey).

  • Adds secondary icons like The Shard, Royal Albert Hall, and Greenwich.

• Gardens

  • Both sprawling UNESCO sites like Kew and smaller gems like Chelsea Physic Garden or Kyoto Garden at Holland Park.

  • Includes central Royal Parks and hidden conservatories such as the Barbican Conservatory.

• See London Differently

  • Unique perspectives on the city: dining bus tours, river cruises, the London Eye, Lift 109 at Battersea, cable car rides, and rooftop gardens.

  • Adds experiences beyond the “standard” sightseeing list.

• Iconic London Theatres

  • Combines West End classics (Phantom, Les Mis, Lion King, Hamilton) with cultural institutions like the Royal Opera House and National Theatre.

  • Highlights immersive and special experiences like Shakespeare’s Globe and ABBA Voyage.

• Spa & Wellness

  • Luxury spa highlights (AIRE Ancient Baths, ESPA Life Corinthia, Akasha, Damu Spa at The Mandrake).

  • Describes unique rituals, design features, and insider recommendations.

• Restaurants

  • Curated mix of London dining: Michelin-level (Murano, Mere, Restaurant 1890), institutions (Rules, The Wolseley, Savoy Grill), and stylish modern spots (Yeni, Franco’s).

  • Shows balance between fine dining and more relaxed but iconic options.

• Afternoon Tea

  • Classic teas at The Ritz, Claridge’s, and The Savoy alongside modern or alternative twists (The Londoner’s Champagne Afternoon Tea, The Wolseley “value” option).

  • Each entry notes highlights, why to go, and how long to allow.

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Things to Do in London

Culture, Shopping, Dining & Experiences in the Capital

For this most recent visit, you can find my itinerary here, which details the things we had planned to do.

After checking in at the hotel, and our suite already ready by noon (one of the VIP perks often available to clients), we popped out for some lunch and shopping, before I headed off to Damu Spa, at The Mandrake Hotel, literally just a block away from The Sanderson. The hotel is in such a perfect location just off Oxford Street in Fitzrovia, with so many shopping, dining, theatre, spa and things to do options right on the doorstep.

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Damu Spa London

Although there are numerous rejuvenating treatments available—ranging from immersive rituals like The Mud Caves, The Origin Pool, and the serene Tranquillity Space, to transformative facial and body therapies powered by MZ SKIN (Dr. Maryam Zamani’s Glow-restoring three-step line), holistic massages, and advanced skin technology procedures such as BBL Heroic, Moxi, and Dermapen microneedling—on this visit I chose to experience The Origin Pool. This multisensory treatment combines zero-gravity floatation, sound therapy, chromotherapy, and vibration healing in warm Epsom salt water for deep physical, mental, and cellular recalibration.

I’ve shared my full review of my afternoon at DAMU Spa here, so do look out for that post if The Origin Pool sounds like the kind of holistic treatment you’d like to try for yourself.

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Evita at The London Palladium

Although the run has now finished, we were there on the very last night, and it was such an experience. We had actually visited outside the theatre the evening before, on our way back from dinner at Yeni, to see the famous balcony scene. Much like Sunset Boulevard with Nicole Scherzinger (produced by the same team, Jamie Lloyd Company), where part of the performance spills out beyond the theatre itself (we saw that at The Savoy Theatre), Evita had Rachel Zegler appear on the Palladium balcony as Eva Perón, as if addressing her supporters in Argentina. This worked brilliantly. We thought it was busy on the Friday evening, but seeing it again from inside the theatre during the finale made us realise just how much more packed it was. Experiencing this element from “both sides” was unforgettable. Adding to the excitement, we noticed Julian Clary just a few rows in front of us—and Andrew Lloyd Webber himself was also in the audience.

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V&A Museum East Storehouse, Stratford

The following morning, after a leisurely breakfast at The Sanderson, we headed east to Stratford for a pre-planned visit to the new V&A East Storehouse. This striking cultural hub offers a behind-the-scenes look at over 250,000 objects from the museum’s collection, set within a vast, light-filled warehouse that blends exhibition, archive, and creative space all in one.

Such a different take on what a museum can be, the V&A East Storehouse feels more like stepping into the living archives of design than a traditional gallery. Instead of the ornate grandeur of the original V&A in South Kensington, with its marble halls and curated displays, here you wander through vast industrial spaces where more than 250,000 objects are stored, studied, and shared in plain sight. It’s part exhibition, part behind-the-scenes tour — a refreshingly open, modern approach that complements the historic richness of the main V&A across London.

It was so easy to get there -  a quick walk to Tottenham Court Station for the Elizabeth Line to Stratford, immediately adjacent to the Westfield Stratford City Shopping Mall. We had a walk around there before heading back to the station again for the Mildmay Overground for just the one stop to Hackney Wick, and then from there a leisurely 10 minute walk to the V&A.

There was a good café on the ground floor of the VA (as well as toilets etc. and lockers where you had to store all bags), but there was also another café just opposite in another building. We then went up to the second floor, to The Study Centre, to check in, having ordered some Edinburgh Weavers fabrics by Keith Vaughan. Any orders have to be done I think at least two weeks in advance of your visit, so they can be removed from storage as necessary.

When you arrive for your Order an Object appointment at the V&A East Storehouse, head to the Study Centre for check-in. You’ll be asked to wash your hands, may receive protective gloves, and then a member of the Collections Access team will guide you to your object-handling space. Be prepared for a thoughtful introduction into how to safely engage with the items you’ve chosen.
After we had viewed our selected objects, we were free to explore the rest of this extraordinary collection. We encountered an eclectic mix—from Mughal architectural fragments and vintage Vivienne Westwood jackets to sections of Robin Hood Gardens, along with faithful recreations of historic interiors like the Frank Lloyd Wright Kaufmann Office and the ornate 15th-century Torrijos ceiling suspended overhead. These immersive moments—walking through design history in living form—made the experience feel unlike any conventional museum visit.

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Le Grand Bus

Having done an afternoon tour years ago aboard a vintage Routemaster with Brigit’s Bakery, I was curious to try Le Grand Bus—a far more refined alternative. Unlike the familiar charm of the old open-top bus, Le Grand offers a plush, boutique-hotel-on-wheels experience. We indulged in the Best of London tour, stepping onto a red-carpet welcome and settling into sumptuously upholstered seating with panoramic windows, gourmet à-la-carte menus curated by Robuchon, and a multilingual audio guide elevating every stop—from Buckingham Palace and Westminster Abbey to Trafalgar Square. (Le Grand also offers a Tower of London itinerary, which journeys from Piccadilly past St Paul’s, across Tower Bridge, and into the City for a heritage-rich perspective of London’s historic heart.)

I would recommend this 110% as it’s such a wonderful way to experience London, and for me (despite having visited dozens of times, and already having seen all of these sights more than once) it was really good seeing how each area was connected to one another. Our normal means of getting around in London tends to be The Tube, so while good for transport, you lose being above ground to see what areas connect with other areas. The seating and table were so well organised with safety holders for drinks and champagne glasses, and it really felt quite indulgent being served champagne on a sofa in such a great environment.

My only negative comments were that I might have expected more comfortable and better-quality headphones (something like Bose or Bang & Olufsen), and the cost of food was expensive for what was literally a bite-sized afternoon tea. On the plus side, having the on-board WC (albeit ultra-compact) felt more like being in a hotel than on a coach or bus.

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Where to Stay in London

London’s hotel scene is as diverse as the city itself — from iconic grande dames like The Ritz, Claridge’s, The Langham, and The Landmark to contemporary lifestyle retreats such as The Emory and the glamorous Hotel Café Royal. Whether you prefer the discreet elegance of Mayfair, the creative energy of Soho, or the heritage charm of Marylebone, there’s a perfect base for every style of traveller.

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Why Book with The Private Traveller

When you book through me, in partnership with Fora Travel, you’ll enjoy exclusive VIP perks at many of London’s leading hotels: complimentary breakfast, room upgrades on availability, early check-in and late check-out, plus $100 dining or spa credits. I’ll also provide my curated Best of London guide — packed with insider tips on museums, restaurants, spas, and experiences — so your stay feels seamless and tailored from start to finish.

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