Ditch the washing up…it’s London Restaurant Week!

If, like me, the thought of a sink full of dirty dishes sends shivers down your spin why not treat yourself to a meal out on the town. If you can feel your wallet having a panic attack, never fear, with London Restaurant Week (which actually gives offers for 2 weeks!) you can get a 2 course lunch for £15 or a 3 course dinner for £25 at more than 100 London restaurants.

London Restaurant Week is now in it’s 5th year and is bigger than ever. You can book the deals from today until 3rd April for bookings 21st March to 3rd April. There is a choice for everyone from quaint little lunch spots to Michelin Star dining!

Now, I’m no expert gastronomer but for what it’s worth here are my recommendations from the hotels on offer…

Brasserie Roux (located inside the Sofitel St James hotel) – overseen by culinary wizard Albert Roux (did anyone see his recent TV show…brilliant) it’s food is French inspired but still maintains a British flavour. This sounds slightly odd but the nicest thing I had from the Brasserie was the Quiche…an odd choice from an award winning restaurant but sometimes simplicity is best!

Asia De Cuba (located inside St Martins Lane hotel) – an inspired blend of Asian and Cuban flavours, it’s a favourite haunt for trendy London folk and celebrities alike. You must must must try the black cod and if you have room for a pud, try the banana split – the biggest banana split I have ever seen! I wondered if you’ll be inspired to copy the lighting in your own home…bare light bulbs hang low over each table.

You’ll notice when browsing through that a lot of the restaurants on offer are inside one of our fabulous London hotels, so if you really fancy treating yourself why not book a night in a hotel as well (so much nicer when you can just stagger upstairs to bed rather than facing the tube!). If you are looking for a money saving hotel to go with your great restaurant deal why not check out our Top Secret Hotels.

The Sofitel London St James

We like to be informative here at The London Hotel Experts and that information doesn’t just extend to the wonderful hotels in this great city of ours! As I’m sure you wise people know, hotels can have some fantastic spa facilities and I am happy to announce that one of our very own has been voted the best hotel spa in the UK at the Condà Nast Traveller Readers’ Spa Awards 2011!! Drum Roll please….. the winner was….  The So SPA by Sofitel at the Sofitel London St James!

Opened in July 2009 and situated over three floors with original Grade II listed features, high ceilings and natural daylight, the Sofitel spa was specifically liked by the readers for its ambience and design.

It specialises in French uplifting and rejuvenating treatments and uses products from Cinq Mondes, Carita and Mama Mio.

So SPA by Sofitel was also named as number 22 in the World’s Top 25 spas, in a list which was topped by SPA at La Mamounia in Marrakech, Morocco.

Top Ten Hotel Spas in the UK
1. So SPA by Sofitel, Sofitel London St James, London
2. The Spa at Mandarin Oriental, London, Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park, London
3. The Dorchester Spa, The Dorchester, London
4. The Spa by ESPA, Gleneagles Hotel, Perthshire
5. The Spa, Four Seasons Hotel Hampshire
6. Utopia Spa, Alexander House Hotel, West Sussex
7. Sequoia, The Grove, Hertfordshire
8. C.Side, Cowley Manor, Cheltenham
9. The Spa, Chewton Glen, Hampshire
10. The Bath House, The Royal Crescent Hotel, Bath

So go on… treat yourself and your partner to a wonderful hotel stay and a even more wonderfulller (is that a word) spa session!

Go team Sofitel London St James!

The Royal Parks Half Marathon is coming soon – October 10th, and so we are delighted to report that one of hotel faves – le magnifique Sofitel London St James has committed to raise £15,000 for Plan UK, Accor’s nominated charity.

Six colleagues from various departments and of different fitness levels have risen to the challenge. You might just recognize a few of them:

Stephanie Segoura – Director of Sales
Andre Rocha – HR
Viktoras Luko – Sales
Lukas Vaverka – Reservations
Robert Asare – Accounts
Joao Da Costa – Marketing

Donate if you can as much or as little as you wish. AND Should you decide to donate £21 you will be given the opportunity to win a one hour treatment of your choice at So SPA by Sofitel.

The more £21s you donate the more chances you will have to not only support a great cause but to win this moment of great relaxation.

For more details on this great cause please click here.

To see how much money they’ve have raised so far, please click here.

We sincerely wish the Sofitel London St James runners the best of luck, have a great time guys.

the london festival of architecture begins

There is no limit to the greatness of London.

Blog post end!

Ok, I could finish there, the first sentence is bold enough to remain on its tod guvnor. London of old is fascination infinitum (check me out this morning!), modern London is a moving wonder of colliding fashions & movement (the elephants the elephants, we love love love the elephants), and future London, well – I have the seen the future, and let me tell you, the future is bright, the future is London.

I commute into Euston each sunny morning. Am not sure why (these specific photo keeps appearing) but just recently in several different publications from the last few months or so, I’ve caught glimpse of the old entrance to Euston station – giant monolithic pillars of grandeur formerly adorned the front of the Euston hub, they were cruelly dismantled (in 1961) in the name of modernity. The photo is there again this morning in the Metro, credited with the mention of ‘London festival of architecture’ which begins this weekend.

Now

Look here

I love a festival as much as the next London gentleman, architecture I cannot help but bore my visiting friends & colleagues to death with (poor Saskia Van Der Pol from Amsterdam this week – we couldn’t go two footsteps without me mentioning that – look there, that building used to be the tallest building in London until 1927), and so – an Architecture festival – IN LONON? My jeepers and jinkeries, this you cannot miss, even better – it is being held at none other than le magnifique Sofitel London St James, in itself one of London’s most beautiful buildings (grade 2 listed) and a hotel that holds a special place in the hearts of the london hotel experts.

So, so so so so so, until July 4^th the Sofitel has a photography exhibition giving insight into the beauty that is London of yesteryear entitled Lost London 1870-1945, and not only that…..

This weekend (yes, now now now) to begin the festival, throughout the weekend over 15 high profile events and exhibitions will provide the pubic with a unique insight into the early origins of John Nash’s vision as well as exploring contemporary, and future plans, for the area as a major pedestrian destination. The Sofitel St James stands on the path laid down by Nash and will welcome top names from the world of architecture and design in a series of activities taking place within the hotel. For example…….

Urban Design Critique: 19 June – 10am – 12.30pm

A number of high profile architects and urban thinkers are to take part in an ‘Urban Design Critique’ which looks at how to enhance the neglected piece of central London’s public realm at Waterloo Place in St James. Many feel the landmark has become underused and unloved in recent years and the critique aims to explore ways on how to reform the southern end of Regent Street into a destination to visit.

And if that does not whet your whistle ladies & gentlemen….

Painting the Ramblas: Will Alsop 19 June – 2pm

A rare opportunity to see British architect Will Alsop painting on the window of the Sofitel St James hotel. The public will get a chance to view Will in action from the street in Waterloo Place as he paints an acrylic see through canvas. The finished painting will remain at the Sofitel St James hotel until the end of the festival and auctioned afterwards with proceeds going to ‘The Stephen Lawrence Trust’ and ‘Plan-UK’.

London – enough said!

Have a great one whatever you do in the big smoke.