When staying in Park Grand Hotels, there is a bit of a guaranteed formula to success.
The success is set in stone as soon as you book your spot, whether it is a book now pay later hotels London package, or an upfront payment. From there, you have Indian afternoon tea at Park Grand Kensington on the cards, as well as easy access to all of Central London from your prime spots near underground tube lines.
Easy access around London means you can really enjoy all the events happening during November this year – and trust us, just because the summer is over doesn’t mean there isn’t a bountiful list of things to do.
Theatre
London’s West End is a sure thing on everyone’s to-do list when visiting the city. This is the case all year round, however, November has several shows that will make you eternally grateful for the timing of your Park Grand hotel booking.
Death of a Salesman had a sell-out run at the Young Vic Theatre, so it will be starting near the end of October and flourishing throughout November at the Piccadilly Theatre. Starring Wendell Pierce and Sharon D. Clarke, it promises a ten-week run of pure brilliance.
Waitress, which has been the success of the Adelphi Theatre in Covent Garden since March 2019, finishes in January 2020, meaning November is one of the best times to watch it before it starts winding down.
Mary Poppins starts at the end of October in the Prince Edward Theatre and runs throughout the month of November in all its new-on-the-block splendour. The cast is impressive, the musical as popular as ever since the recent release of Disney’s new remake, and it promises to be an experience for the record book – and one for the bucket list of everyone you tell about it.
Bonfire Night
Bonfire Night, or Guy Fawkes Night, falls every year on 5 November in the UK and London is an expert of celebrating it. The event commemorates the foiled Gunpowder Plot, where conspirators – namely Guy Fawkes – unsuccessfully tried to blow up parliament and assassinate the protestant King James. Since then, the British have celebrated in a truly dramatic fashion with explosive firework displays throughout the country.
Alexander Palace Fireworks Festival, which falls on the 1st and 2nd this year to align with the weekend, is London’s biggest firework festival. Looking at the Catherine Wheels and Smoke Bombs erupt over London’s City Skyline, amidst live music, street food stalls, family picnics and merriment is a world-class way of celebrating the event. The festival also screens cult classic films in association with the Luna Cinema to add to the festivities further, not to mention Bavarian beer festivities, ice skating facilities and an enormous bonfire.
If you want to go all-out with a trio of displays, that is very possible considering that on the 3rd, Victoria Park hosts another incredible fireworks display. Showcasing East London’s favourite park and Tower Hamlets’ best display, this year’s display is themed to celebrate the 50th anniversary since the Apollo 11 moon landing. Provided the weather plays its part, you should be able to see the remarkable fireworks go off to the clear-skied view of a half-visible moon. The best part? It is one of London’s only un-ticketed, free fireworks events!
If you are a bit of a traditionalist when it comes to these sorts of things (and it’s not a school night for you), and you feel the event should only be celebrated on the 5th, then don’t worry – the option is there! This year, you can catch fireworks displays at Wimbledon Park or Battersea Park.
Diwali
Diwali, the festival of lights celebrated by Hindus, Jains, Sikhs and some Buddhists in the Northern Hemisphere, is a religious celebration due to take place around 27 October this year.
Diwali in Trafalgar Square will take place on 3 November and is a famously fun, enriching, lively event. It is run by the Mayor of London and free for all to attend. It encourages people from all over to participate and engage in this colourful, cultural experience, drawing in around 35,000 attendees annually. The aim of the event is not only for those who celebrate Diwali, but to grow London’s awareness of the festival.
The day is filled with performances from talented acts and dancers, and the street food market in the square is to-die-for. Indian delights fill the market stalls and there is something for everyone to enjoy and try, with a combination of well-loved dishes as well as new and exciting dishes to sample.
Why not make a day of it and pop into the Park Grand Kensington for an Indian afternoon tea beforehand?
Christmas
One of London’s best Christmas-time activities, other than the numerous festive markets and fairy-lighted trees that pop up in quirky, unexpected spots across the city, is the ice rink at the National History Museum. It opens 19 October and runs throughout November and December (excluding Christmas Day). If The National History Museum wasn’t already one of the best places to be in London, this ice rink, set to the backdrop of the iconic Waterhouse building, transforms it into one of the best family-friendly places to be during the brisk Autumnal days.
From 21 November, Winter Wonderland, a Christmas-time London sensation, takes place in Hyde Park, transforming the acres of the park into a yuletide paradise. It is open every day from 10am to 10pm and between the fairground rides, mulled wine and roasted nuts, you won’t want to be anywhere except London at this time of year, every year, for the rest of time! Perfect for children, families, teens, couples, individuals…
it is perfect for everyone, basically. It is only a stone’s throw from Park Grand London Kensington, too, so you will really feel a part of the magic unfolding.
November is ultimately a great time to be visiting London. The leaves are turning colour after a bright and warm Summer, the fireplaces are starting the crackle, the mulled wine is on the hob and the spirit of the festive season is buzzing through the city like electrical currents.
