TRAVEL // A weekend in London #1

Monday 26 February 2018


Hello there!
Aren't long weekends just the best? I mean seriously THE BEST. Better than the fact that Krispy Kreme now do doughnut holes (which are just American Timbits and only come in one flavour so are not the same). I booked last Friday off and got the train down to London with bae for our anniversary. We originally wanted to go abroad but somehow 2018 has been going so quickly it was as if we blinked and then OH WOW our anniversary is in 2 weeks.

So, we booked a beautiful hotel with good transport links and hopped on a train (because yay the environment) and wandered around the capital spending money like we had it. Unfortunately, I'm just a PhD student and he acts part time so we have decided to not leave the house for the next month. It was totally worth it though.




I booked us a two night stay in Leman Locke, an aparthotel seconds away from Aldgate and Aldgate East stations. It is the perfect place to stay if you are in London for an extended period of time because you have everything you need to get yourself through. From a kitchen stocked with utensils and washer/dryer to a beautiful baby pink sofa with extra large TV that allows you to stream from your phone - you will not want to leave! We ended up not leaving until gone 11am because we were just too darn comfy living the life of luxury.


The bathroom was bigger than my kitchen in my flat and came with some adorable salted caramel scented luxuries if you forgot your toiletries. They smelt amazing but they didn't condition my hair too well - I was glad to get back to my super hydrating conditioner. You also get a Locke box in the kitchen full of T2 tea and coffee (with some milk in the fridge) so you don't need to amble to your closest Tesco first thing if you need that caffeine. Mind you, the local Tesco Express really isn't far.

We turned up early afternoon and were lucky enough to check in right away with a couple of vouchers for cocktails in hand (yay for anniversary treats!). Our room was on the 9th floor which gave us a nice view over the city. I bet the view is even better on a higher floor and would love to get a sky room if I have the opportunity to stay again. After a quick sit down on the sofa I didn't want to leave, we headed towards West London to the land of the theatre (e.g. Covent Garden and Shaftesbury Avenue).


Covent Garden is one of my favourite places in London. I love a market and high end shopping so you really get the best of both worlds here. It may be quieter during the week but the weekend vibe is much better in my opinion. There are more performers to enjoy and it's the kind of place that just feels better when it is busier. We stopped at a nearby Byron Burger for a late lunch because hangry Rachael is not a happy Rachael and were pleasently surprised. I'm a GBK girl through and through but I will not turn my nose up at a burger, fries and drink for £10 - especially in London!


After getting fed and watered we did some more wandering, taking the obligatory photo on the flowery benches and by the wall of luuuurve. I almost got a mug in Sass and Belle but the adult in me decided to be good and save that money for something better - like a cocktail or brunch.

It was cold, and neither of us really had enough layers to keep us warm so I sought out the doughnut place taking Instagram by storm. Yes, I mean Doughnut Time. We walked through Chinatown on a mission to get me a Notorious P.I.G. and it did not disappoint. It was massive, pink, sweet and covered in Percy Pigs. We took cover in the Theatre Cafe because yep - it was seriously freezing and they sold hot drinks.


I had never heard of the Theatre Cafe but it is 100% worth a visit if you are a fan of musicals. The walls are adorned with signed posters and old props. They play musical soundtracks non-stop and the toilet has a backstage mirror so bright I felt like I was a leading lady and not a girl being judged for spending 5 minutes in a public toilet. We also took advantage of their ticket booth and got last minute tickets to Phantom of the Opera for £33. The staff were lovely, really helpful and knew their stuff when it came to the shows currently in the West End.

After we warmed our hands up with a hot drink, we took the tube over to Southbank to wander around Tate Modern. On Friday and Saturday nights they are open till 10pm and serve drinks with surprisingly reasonable prices. It was a really chilled atmosphere (excluding the lifts) and made me realise I need to visit more often. We only really wandered around floor 4 where we found some Andy Warhol, Picasso and magnets that made me feel funny. The exhibit full of lights is definitely worth a visit for sure.


Oh, and don't forget to visit the viewing platform on level 10! I didn't even realise it existed and after a lot of waiting for a lift we made it up. The view over the city at night was beautiful but it was so cold and windy we made it back to the bar in no time. That wind was vicious!


After a drink, we wandered back to the hotel and jumped straight into the super warm, cosy bed. We managed to do over 17,000 steps and spent more than 2 hours on a train so some rest was definitely needed. At least we could go to bed happy that it was a day well spent.

Have you been anywhere I've mentioned so far? What's your favourite place to visit in London. Let me know?

Rachael

1 comment :

  1. Sounds like you guys had a wonderful anniversary in London! You stayed in such a sweet little apartment, I love the pink decor and that cosy looking pink sofa! You packed lots into the trip, and your Byron meal looks insaneeeeee - the courgette fries there are amazing, I'd definitely recommend trying those next time!

    hannatalks

    ReplyDelete

Thank you so much for commenting! I appreciate every single one of them and will get back to them as soon as I can :)