A High-Rollers Guide to a London Staycation

The Monarch Theatre at Park Row impresses with floor-to-ceiling screens and immersive themed decor | © Park Row London

Editorial Manager21 December 2021

View

We’re all aware now that travel plans can change at short notice. Big trips to exotic long-haul locations are obviously great, but there’s also something to be said for splashing the cash closer to home. Most Londoners tend to escape urban life when they want to relax, but here’s how to have a luxury break in your own city, where the only person left stressing will be your bank manager.

Lavish doesn’t necessarily mean expensive, so the places to stay and things to do that we’ve picked out here are more about feeling like a million bucks than spending them. Here’s Culture Trip’s high-rolling guide to London.

The Luxury London Stay

Courtyard area at 8 at The Londoner rooftop bar, with living walls and monochrome gridded sofa seating around the edge of the space, scatter cushions on the floor and an incredible sculptural fire pit in the centre.

We’re not short of historic hotels in London, and the modern ones in the centre of town aren’t too shabby either, but this new addition in the heart of the city is a fantastic combination of old and new. The Londoner in Leicester Square is a premium offering both in terms of location and amenities. There are several restaurants and bars that will keep you entertained throughout your stay – some of them also open to locals who aren’t spending the night here, so you can meet up with friends. The views of the city, particularly from the rooftop bar – 8 at the Londoner – are incredible, and there’s also a large swimming pool and a soothing wellness area to fully unwind in. Book a stay here and you’ll feel like you’re living the high life like never before.

Fresh Fine Dining

Supper club, Contemporary

White dimpled dish at Six by Nico, holding a croquette, a pea shoot, and three sauces that are white, yellow and green.

Quirky dining ventures run the risk of feeling too gimmicky or too short-term. We love a good pop-up, but what can you do when that first run is over? With two London locations, Six by Nico is a fascinating concept that does what the best pop-ups can do, with the option of trying something different every time you visit. With a rotating menu, the six-course experience is the perfect way to do a posh foodie treat without feeling like you’re being short changed. Themes have included New York dining and Tuscan cooking. Keep an eye out for the next instalment, which will also be available at various sites around the country.

Best Drinks in Town

Bar, British

Outdoor terrace at the Churchill Bar & Terrace, with hanging plants, blue and grey seating, a marble wall with photographs of Churchill, and a seated metal statue of the man himself.

If it was good enough for Churchill, then it’s good enough for us! The Churchill Bar & Terrace is one luxury cocktail bar that every Londoner wants to visit, if they haven’t done so already. The award-winning mixologists have come up with a wide variety of cocktails, including themed selections from the world of experiential travel. If the regular highlights don’t grab you – and they really should to be honest – then there are also guest residencies from some of the best bars in the world to look out for. In the summer, the terrace is the place to be seen, and inside the decor is a deliberate nod to Sir Winston Churchill, whose favourite tipple can be ordered from the bar.

Experiential Comic-Book Cuisine

Restaurant with Rooms, Contemporary

A cloche filled with dry ice is suspended above a fly agaric mushroom sitting in a bed of moss, whilst a stuffed crow with raised wings looks on.

We’ve visited Park Row, a DC superhero-inspired restaurant and bar, before, but have never managed to get behind the secret door that leads to the Monarch Theatre section. Now that we have been to this sacred spot we can’t reveal too much anyway! What we can tell you, is that if you’re a fan of the Batman comic books – particularly the famed Rogues Gallery of villains – then you’re in for an incredible night of delicious fun. The full wining and dining experience isn’t cheap, but then the food and drink on offer is out of this world. With more than a touch of theatre, the minute you step into this production you’ll feel like putting on a cape – and loosening your utility belt.

Buy a House in Mayfair With Life-Size Monopoly

Building

Four young adult players at Monopoly Lifesized, crouching on a giant version of the game's board and rolling a large pink dice.

If you really want to show off, there’s now an easy way to buy a house in Mayfair. London’s most sought-after address is beyond most people’s means, but keen game players will know it as one of the premium spots on a Monopoly board. Taking that experience to the next logical level, a life-size version of the popular pastime has just opened up in London, and you can take on other teams to claim the honour of becoming a certified Monopoly champion. The modified game is essentially a series of challenges and escape rooms with a familiar twist. Most importantly there is a time limit, so games won’t go on for days and there’s no chance of an annoyed cousin tipping over the board when they land on your hotel-laden property. Monopoly Lifesized features four different game types and a couple of themed restaurants.

Give us feedback