London Hotels Insight provides up-to-date, independent advice for your perfect stay in London. We research guest feedback, meet management and identify hotels at the top of their game.

The Real Van Gogh at the Royal Academy.

March 12, 2010
Van Gogh Self Portrait

In the century since his tragic suicide, Vincent Van Gogh has been referred to as a genius and a gifted inspiration to the art world.
Now art lovers have the chance to get a glimpse inside the mind of Post-impressionism’s most talented and troubled exponent, at the first major Van Gogh exhibition in London for over [...]

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The Draycott pulls out all the stops for April.

March 10, 2010
Draycott Hotel London

We’ve featured Chelsea’s Draycott Hotel before, mainly because guests love its cosy, boutique-y feel along with free WiFi; as well as the caring touches served up by its staff, such as complimentary hot cocoa at night.
It’s also well-placed for shopping on the King’s Road and has recently climbed further up the TripAdvisor rankings (currently at [...]

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“Fashion stills” on show at Sofitel St James.

March 8, 2010
Sofitel St James

London Hotels Insight recently attended the opening of a photo exhibition launched by Sofitel St James – alongside its sister hotels around the world – showcasing famous “fashion stills” from the Paris-based Polka Gallery.
The idea is interesting and would add vibrancy to any hotel.  The thinking behind it is not dissimilar to the philosophy of [...]

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Exactly when will the Savoy re-open?

March 5, 2010
Thames Foyer at the Savoy

London Hotels Insight was at the climax of Hotelympia 2010 yesterday, London’s biggest hospitality exhibition.
And we were there particularly to see the presentation by Conrad Smith, the Managing Director of Reardon Smith – the firm of architects which has spent the last few years renovating this iconic Art Deco gem of a hotel.
It turned out [...]

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Happy 50th Carnaby Street!

March 3, 2010
Carnaby Street London

2010 marks the 50th Anniversary of iconic Carnaby Street – epicentre of Britain’s swinging sixties and origin of such fashion icons as the miniskirt, floral shirts and hipster trousers.
For half a century it has been a hub for music, youth culture and most famously, fashion – breeding generations of new designers, to sit [...]

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Top tips for top London districts: Covent Garden.

March 1, 2010
Covent Garden

Having covered off Mayfair, Islington and the South Bank in our mini-tour of some of London’s most interesting districts, we now head for Covent Garden, a much-loved haunt for locals and tourists alike.
As a Londoner, Covent Garden evokes a certain affection and pride that nearby Leicester Square and other hubs can’t really match.
Dominated by a [...]

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Top tips for top London districts: Mayfair.

February 26, 2010
Mayfair London

Renowned for its affluent inhabitants, Mayfair is widely considered to be one of London’s “poshest” areas; a view not dispelled by its high density of private members clubs, expensive restaurants and designer shops.
But there is more to Mayfair than meets the eye.  Allow London Hotels Insight to take you on a mini-tour of some of [...]

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Top tips for top London districts: Islington.

February 25, 2010
Camden Passage Market

We sang the praises of Islington earlier when we looked at some of the area’s superb gastro pubs, as well as its hosting of the annual Wine Show.
But you don’t need to be a drinker to enjoy this area’s many charms.
While it doesn’t have the showpiece attractions of the South Bank or the multicultural charm [...]

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Top tips for top London districts: South Bank.

February 24, 2010
South Bank London

The beauty of London is that it has something for everyone, whether you’re into culture, food, clubbing or even celeb spotting!
In this series of articles, London Hotels Insight brings you the capital’s top districts and some on-trend hotels to make the most of them.
We start in perhaps the most attractions-dense area of London: the South [...]

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Putting the onus on guests to be green.

February 23, 2010
Green hotels in London

It’s becoming more and more trendy to look for “green hotels” and it’s clear that our expectations are getting higher.  But what if the question is flipped round: how green are you as a hotel guest?
Since I love to feature “green hotels” on this blog, I’m sometimes approached by hotels wanting to publicise their own [...]

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Big city showdown: London or Barcelona?

February 22, 2010
Barcelona

This is the latest in our “city showdown” series where we pit the advantages of London against a heavyweight European competitor.
And having declared an honourable draw with Paris, let’s move further south to the capital of art, culture and superb food: Barcelona.
Both London and Barcelona are cosmopolitan European capitals with more than enough to lure [...]

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A perfect day-trip from London to Windsor.

February 19, 2010
Windsor Castle

The appeal of London isn’t just the wonderful attractions of the city itself, but also all the amazing places just a short journey away.  We’ve already sung the merits of Paris and Brighton in this regard.
Windsor, just 21 miles west of the capital, is another exceptional day-trip.
Home to stunning parks, a proper palace and even [...]

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Your 10-step London “luxury hotel crawl”!

February 18, 2010
One Aldwych London

London Hotels Insight is all about inside information to help you enjoy a great stay in London by securing the best hotel for your budget.
But it’s also fun (and cheaper!) to hang out in London’s top hotels even if you’re not actually staying there.  So we’ve crafted our “top 10” list of super London hotel [...]

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Your own hotel “Jeeves”: a perk worth having?

February 17, 2010
The Lanesborough Hotel London

London’s ultra-deluxe market is getting ever more crowded with the long-mooted re-opening of the Art Deco classic the Savoy coming soon.
That’s before we mention the fierce cut-throat competition between the refurbished Langham, celeb-magnets like Claridge’s and the Dorchester (which is better by the way?) as well as modern classics like One Aldwych and designer gem [...]

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London’s secret hidden churches (part two).

February 16, 2010
St Mary Woolnoth Church London

We ended part one of this special double feature on London’s best small churches with a look at Christ Church in Spitalfields, one of the greatest works of baroque architect Nicholas Hawksmoor.
St Mary Woolnoth is another of Hawksmoor’s churches.  This one’s positioned on a narrow corner site next to Bank station.
Here, Hawksmoor creates an effect [...]

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London’s secret hidden churches (part one).

February 15, 2010
St Olave Hart Street Church

London is an intimate city with a secret side that many tourists miss completely.  Many of the capital’s best sights are hidden away in back alleys or down narrow streets where you’d never think to find them.
Some of London’s finest churches are like this, nestled in tiny corners of the city.  Let London Hotels Insight [...]

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