This weekend I was reminded just how beautiful and historical London is.
No need to fly to Europe or book a long weekend away.
A hop and a skip and Jack and I found ourselves in one of the most adored hotels in London, that somehow manages to be a wonderful relaxing haven whilst positioning itself in one of the best locations in the city … one hell of a balancing act and I give them a rather shiny 5 stars for it!
I hadn’t seen Jack in 3 weeks having spent much of my time in London rather than Dubai this summer, (although I will be getting back to the beautiful 45 degree heat in just over a week!) and so I wanted to organise something special. The Corinthia Hotel is known for combining heritage with modern luxury and its’ award winning spa was just the cherry on top, so off we went on Saturday for a little staycation!
The Corinthia is a 30 second walk from Embankment tube station, where I also spied the Luna outdoor cinema – one for the bucket list!
We were taken through the decadent lobby, which I later learned serves an award-winning afternoon tea, complete with classic scones and finger sandwiches as well more indulgent treats. Not to mention the tea leaf selection on it’s own was rather impressive.
Our room was spacious with the most sensational view of old London buildings; someone mentioned ex-MI5 but don’t hold me to that!
The best part? That glorious bed.
You can almost always guarantee soft sheets and fluffy pillows for a hotel stay, but this was a cut above the rest. Jack and I could have both starfished and still not felt each others fingers #bedgoals. For the romantics out there, that wasn’t the position we took up but fun knowing we could, all the same! Sheets as soft as a baby’s bottom and a mattress that could have kept us in bed all day.
We decided to take advantage of our prime London location and be tourists in our home city for a change. Being the foodie I am, I still couldn’t believe I’d never visited Borough Market so we took the opportunity to go for a feast of a lunch! 10 minutes on the tube to London Bridge and we arrived.
In hindsight, Saturday may not have been the best time to go but after a touch of truffle sniffing, oyster sampling, focaccia indulging and a glass of this and that – the busy crowds suddenly weren’t so much of an issue ;).
We also managed to find our own little microclimate under a rather welcomed tree, enjoying our well-earned lunch without having to hold up umbrellas!
I had a veggie bean burger (giving up meat for a month to see how I feel … but that’s another blog post) whilst Jack loaded up on an old school favourite, mac’n’cheese, finishing it off with an admittedly tasty-looking pulled pork bun.
Fooded-out, for at least the next few hours, we headed back to the hotel for a dreamy mineral salt bath and face mask. Fully equipped with tv and floating controller, I would be lying if I said I didn’t have a cheeky afternoon snooze.
The tub seemed to follow the same ‘supersize-me’ logic as the bed, no complaints!
Not quite ready to get dressed for dinner, J and I put on our robes and popped down to the renowned ESPA Life at Corinthia to recharge and relax. I’ve been lucky to visit a few stunning spas during my travels but this is the very first in London to that standard I’ve seen. Taking pictures wasn’t allowed in order to give people their privacy, but when the coast was clear – I couldn’t help but snap one or two.
A glass amphitheatre sauna, vitality pool, marble heated loungers, steam room, ice fountain and pool – it has it all.
This one couldn’t wipe the smile off his face, and I don’t blame him!
We finished our first day with dinner in Soho, at the Ham Yard hotel, which you can read about here.
Day 2
There is just something about hotel breakfasts that really excite me. Maybe it’s the fact that options seem to go on forever or the general understanding by everyone involved that it’s completely acceptable to eat over and beyond what one typically would. Either way, I always wake up eager to get downstairs!
The sun was shining and Jack pulled back the curtains to reveal the gorgeous views once more.
He took to the bed, me to the windowsill.
Breakfast is served at the main Northall restaurant, with both buffet and à la carte options. Like everywhere in the hotel, the entrance is grand and beautiful, decked with flower bouquets, whilst still keeping contemporary.
I’m not sure if anyone joins me in this thought, but I always appreciate when there are helpings of fresh berries in the fruit section as opposed to a more standard apple and melon platter.
We took a pew next to the light-flooded windows and ordered a second round of teas.
Wasting no time, food quickly followed.
For J, eggs benedict and cinnamon french toast (although I’d be lying to say he was the one to finish it off, or even that it was a fair 50/50 split for that matter!), and for me, smashed avo on sourdough bread with poached eggs followed by ‘Brain Power’ breakfast of raspberry organic granola parfait. Super.
Whether I was staying at the hotel or not, Northall is somewhere without a doubt I would visit for a delicious start to the day. Every dish is not only beautifully presented, but tastes incredible and the service is nothing but charming and engaging.
With a smile on both our faces, we headed out to support the cycle race going through London, before returning back to the Corinthia for their iconic Sunday champagne brunch which I’ll save for a post in itself. Stay tuned and be sure to subscribe to my newsletter for immediate post updates!
Thanks for joining me in our London weekend and please do comment below with any questions or thoughts!
LLG x
You can have a look at the Corinthia hotel through their website here.
