Living the Luxury Life in London *

Close your eyes and think of the world’s most revered, celebrated and adored cities and you will find yourself imagining the sky-scraping city of New York and the culture rich metropolis of London. Out of the two, though, it is London that oozes more in the way of luxury. The shops, the restaurants, the spas and the hotels – whatever your standards are, London has a way of surpassing them and surpassing them with style. The only major hiccup in the road is that little thing called choice.

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Of course, the very word “luxury” means the state of great comfort and elegance, which we translate to mean the very best of the best. So, no matter what it is you want to do, we have pulled together the ultimate guide to living the luxury life in London.

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The Shopping

Whether you have the means to spend big or an imagination so wild that browsing will be more than enough, London is a paradise for luxury shopping. The top of the list, though, has to be reserved for the world-famous Bond Street. It has it all from designer names to jewellery, fine art to antiques and names that include Burberry, Chanel, Louis Vuitton, Jimmy Choo, Tiffany and more. The other must-explore hotspots are of course Fortnum & Mason and Harrods, which is as close as you can ever get to feeling like a kid in a sweet shop again.

The Hotel

Where you call a base is less about what is on offer and more about where you are located, although the Eccleston Square Hotel in Belgravia offers you both. Often celebrated for being Europe’s most cutting-edge luxury hideaway, this hotel hides behind the doors of a 19th Century Grade II listed building that is sure to take your breath away. However, your other options can hardly be classed as shabby. There is the Radisson Blu, The May Fair Hotel, 35 Park Lane, The Ritz and, of course, the delectable Dorchester. Basically, you are guaranteed more than just a good night’s sleep.

The Restaurant

It would be impossible for us to pick just one because, well, good food and fine wine is good food and fine wine. If we absolutely had to choose somewhere, though, then we would book a table at Dinner by Heston Blumenthal three nights in a row just because that menu demands you go back again and again and again. If you can’t get a table here though, and the chances of that are horribly high, then Alain Ducasse at The Dorchester, the Angler, Club Gascon or Alyn Williams at The Westbury are all going to see your taste buds leap for joy.

The Spa

No luxury trip is concluded without you being able to relax and indulge yourself in a premier spa. The good news is, London offers a plethora of pampering sessions that will blow your mind. Another slice of good news is that you don’t even need to fork out for a hotel room to enjoy most of these options. The top of our list is May Fair spa, while the other great options are The Spa at Mandarin Oriental, The Berkeley Health Club and Spa and The Chelsea Club.