Towards the end of July, I took my boyfriend Phil to London for his birthday. I thought I’d give a brief overview of what we got up to but I’ll be writing separate posts about certain parts of the trip so keep an eye out for them soon!
Day 1
We travelled by train, which took around three hours. It’s a direct journey so there’s no messing about with changes. I prefer travelling via first class because it’s quieter, more comfortable and has plenty of complimentary snacks to keep you going. An endless supply of tea is always appreciated.
When we arrived, we checked into Hilton London Bankside. I won’t say too much about it because a detailed post will be coming soon but it’s an amazing hotel in a perfect location – near the Tate Modern, Borough Market, The Shard and St Paul’s Cathedral.
After checking in, we had lunch at Byron in Waterloo. Again, I’ll be writing a separate post on our visit so I won’t explain in great detail but we were absolutely stuffed afterwards! Fortunately, it was a ten minute walk away from a hotel so we didn’t suffer too much.
Then, we chilled out in the hotel for a bit before getting ready to spend the evening in Chelsea. We went to Barts, a late-night, speakeasy cocktail bar set in the 1920s prohibition era. It’s a real hidden gem! The cocktails were outstanding, I’ve never had anything like them before!
Phil chose the Dangerous Secret which was Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Honey liqueur, Courvoisier Exclusif cognac, maple syrup and apple juice served in a hip flask. I chose the Chinese Lantern which was Hibiscus-infused Tanqueray Malacca gin, apple juice, fresh lime and gomme syrup. And yes, it was served in a lantern! We also had Itzamna’s Prize and Smoke Screen which were delicious. It’s quite dark in there so my photos don’t do it justice but hopefully, you can see how cool the bar was.
Day 2
The second day was Phil’s birthday so it was a busy one! We had breakfast at the hotel before going to Duck and Waffle for a champagne brunch. It was worth going for the view alone but the food was gorgeous! We also had cocktails at the bar, which was lovely. I’ve got some nice photos of our time here so again, stay tuned for a separate post.
Next, we set off for the London Eye. Phil’s never been on it before so I thought it would be a cute thing for us to do together, especially as the weather was so nice. 29 degrees to be exact!
After that, we went to the Carnaby Street Food Festival and shopping on Oxford Street before wining and dining at OXBO Bankside. Can you tell this was quite a foodie trip?!
Day 3
Since Phil’s birthday was hectic, I wanted the third day to be a bit more relaxed. Not too relaxed though, we still did loads!
After a hearty breakfast, we visited The Shard, the Tate Modern and Shakespeare’s Globe. The Shard is an incredible building and of course, the view was wonderful. I would love to stay at the hotel one day, it looks insane!
Whenever Phil and I visit a city, we always make time for a museum or art gallery. And as the Tate was five minutes away from our hotel, it would have been rude not to go! We had a fantastic lunch at Albion, which was across the road from the Tate. I’d highly recommend it!
For the evening, I planned a trip to Electric Cinema in Notting Hill. Phil is a big film-goer so I knew he would enjoy. All I can say is what an experience! We both loved it and can’t wait to do it again next time we’re in London. Huge leather armchairs, cashmere blankets, foot rests and a great bar, what’s not to love?!
Day 4
As we would be going home, I didn’t plan much for the last day. After a leisurely breakfast, we had a nice walk along the Thames and stopped by the Good Ship Benefit for a drink, which was definitely not Phil’s choice. Luckily, he was willing to go to keep me happy! Ah if sitting in a pink, make-up themed boat for your girlfriend isn’t love, I don’t know what is!
So despite the post being quite long, it’s actually a brief overview of what we got up to. Stay tuned for more in-depth posts coming soon!
