Before you jet out the doors of your Park Grand London hotel, ready to soak up everything the capital has to offer, read this to ensure you have a sense of what we consider to be the eight most unmissable London experiences.
Kensington Gardens
Nearest tube station: Queensway, Lancaster Gate or High Street Kensington
Guests of a Hyde Park hotel do not need to be told that a visit to Hyde Park is worthwhile or that it is easily accessible from the hotel – it is all in the name. However, with a park spanning 142 hectares, there are parts you might miss if you are not looking out for them. Kensington Gardens is one of those parts. Though some might claim that Kensington Gardens are a part of Hyde Park, which was originally the case when the parks were built, Kensington Gardens is considered to be a separate public park and this shows in the look and feel. There is also something rather iconic about the fact that you are technically moseying through Prince William and the Duchess of Cambridge Kate Middleton’s back garden, as their London residence is Kensington Palace, along with their royal offspring!
Madame Tussauds
Nearest tube station: Baker Street
A short ride on the Bakerloo line from Paddington Underground Station to Baker Street will land you on the doorstep of one of London’s most beloved tourist attractions, Madame Tussauds. While guests of Hyde Park hotels might get lucky and spot the Beckham family while they are staying in their Holland Park residence, guests of Madame Tussauds can take matters into their own hands and ensure a meeting and also a photo opportunity… Granted, the celebrities and historical figures here are made of wax. This museum was first opened in 1835, meaning there are about 187 years worth of “people” there to “meet”.
Harrods
Nearest tube station: Knightsbridge
Shopaholics have not shopped until they have shopped at Harrods, a department store on Brompton Road in Knightsbridge. Harrods is not just one of the biggest and most well-known department stores in Europe, but it also sits on a five-acre plot containing 330 departments and covers 1.1 million square feet of retail space. At Harrods, you will find British brands such as Alexander McQueen, Pringle, Burberry, Vivienne Westwood, Paul Smith and more, as well as international brands such as Alexandre Turpault, Louis Vuitton, Prada, Giorgio Armani… just to name a few.
Chinatown
Nearest tube station: Piccadilly Circus, Leicester Square, Tottenham Court Road, Oxford Street and Covent Garden
Chinatown is incredibly accessible, given that it is surrounded by and is in equal distance to five tube stations. This means that even a guest at a London Heathrow hotel could get there via the Piccadilly Line without even needing to change trains! The first site to see when arriving in Chinatown is the Chinatown Gate. Chinatown as an area has been around since the 1970s, and the gate was completed in 2016 and is one of the largest Chinese gates in the country. While the gate is impressive in its own right, what it marks the entry to is the real showstopper: a bustling district of restaurants and shops. You do not need to book a restaurant – just walk along the lantern-lined street and see what piques your interest (and taste buds) the most. However, if you can’t help but plan ahead, the Four Seasons does a sensational Peking duck signature dish.
Bayswater Road Sunday Art Exhibition
Nearest tube station: Lancaster Gate
Bayswater Road Sunday Art Exhibition is an often underrated street-shopping hub, but is in every way an equal to the likes of Portobello Road Market or Brick Lane Market. For the last 60 years, Bayswater Road has been a main West London thoroughfare from Monday to Saturday and a full-blown open-air art exhibition on Sundays. As a result of Covid-19, the exhibition is only between the Lancaster Gate entrance to Kensington Gardens and the Marlborough Gate entrance, which is no problem for guests staying in hotels near Lancaster Gate tube station. Hopefully, the section which runs from Lancaster Gate to Queensway will return when the “new normal” kicks in.
The British Museum
Nearest tube station: Tottenham Court Road
A London, or rather a British landmark of historical significance is the British Museum, which is a particularly conveniently located destination for hotels near Lancaster Gate due to its proximity to a central line station. This museum is home to two million years of human history, art and culture and its dedication to the public is evident in its free entry. According to records, its permanent collection containing eight million works is one of the biggest and most extensive collections in existence. A trip to London is incomplete without delving into the heart of human culture, from ancient history to the modern day.
St Paul’s Cathedral
Nearest tube station: St Paul’s
Park Grand Paddington Court guests can never claim they are “too far” from the action, because even a visit to somewhere like St Paul’s Cathedral does not require a change when riding from Lancaster Gate to St Paul’s Station on the Central Line. St Paul’s Cathedral is required to be visible by law when it comes to city planning – that is when you know it is worth seeing. But while a view of it from a rooftop bar is always fun, a proper tour around this Grade I listed building is mandatory for those trying to fully immerse themselves in everything London has to offer.
West End Theater
Nearest tube station: Piccadilly Circus, Leicester Square, Tottenham Court Road, Oxford Street and Covent Garden
The West End is considered to be the pinnacle of commercial theater in the English-speaking world, and has been exuding artistic energy since the first West End theater was opened in 1663. Nowadays, there are 38 theaters, meaning on any given evening, you have at least 38 shows to choose from. You can choose between musicals, such as The Six and Dear Evan Hansen, or plays, such as The Mousetrap and Life of Pie.
