Luxury London weekend: An elegant city break for the discerning gay traveller

In London, location is everything — especially when you’re there for a weekend break. As fun as the tube looks, nobody wants to spend all weekend commuting from one side of the city to another to tick off their to-do list. Instead, stay in the area that interests you most. For a weekend of seriously chic shopping, stay at The Langham on Regent Street. For a sophisticated stay in Mayfair with the option of getting gritty in Soho (the city’s coolest gaybourhood), opt for Hotel Cafe Royal. For a weekend of divine dinners and outrageously good evening entertainment, head to One Aldwych, Covent Garden.

There’s a famous phrase by Italian novelist Silvio Negro that reads “Rome? A lifetime is not enough”. Well, the same is true for London. You could spend a lifetime here without being able to experience even half of what it has to offer. Actually, you could spend a lifetime solely admiring The British Museum’s impossibly vast yet extraordinarily compelling collection of objects. With a world-class assemblage of other museums and galleries like the Tate Modern, V&A, and National Gallery to visit too, though, we wouldn’t recommend it. Not to mention the lengthy list of illustrious landmarks like Tower Bridge, Buckingham Palace, and Big Ben.

While some come to London to see its world-famous sights, others come to immerse in its local lifestyle. Rather than rushing from one attraction to another, sometimes it is more satisfying to simply treat yourself to a fun and relaxing weekend in the city. After all, there is so much more to London than its landmarks. So, instead of getting in line to see the Tower of London, why not get in line for a new film screening, treat yourself to a spot of shopping, or wile your weekend away at the hottest new spa? If you’re looking for alternative luxury experiences like these, read on to see what Mr Hudson recommends.

London may not be as glamorous as Hollywood but its film industry is just as sizzling. From its red carpet premieres in Leicester Square to its cult film screenings in Prince Charles Cinema, the city offers a cinematic experience to suit every taste. In more recent years, the city’s love of boutique cinema’s has exploded. It’s no longer about popcorn on a crusty fold-down seat in a mass-market cinema; it’s about a glass of wine on a plush red velvet arm chair in a boutique cinema. That’s right, London’s cinema experience has gone luxury. Even Selfridges, London’s chicest department store, has its own cinema. And trust us, it’s worth a visit.

As the shopping capital of the world, there’s no excuse not to treat yourself to a little spending spree while you’re in the city. Between Harrods, Selfridges, Liberty, and Harvey Nichols, designer shopping has never been easier. These department stores live and breathe luxury and provide personalised shopping experiences that will make even Vivienne from Pretty Woman jealous. While the likes of Harrods and Liberty are two of London’s most treasured historic institutions, Selfridges brings shopping to a whole new era with its contemporary urban shopping experience.

But why limit yourself to these department stores when the iconic Oxford Street, Bond Street, and Regent Street, or niche favourites like King’s Road, Carnaby, and Covent Garden are just around the corner. In fact, pretty much anywhere you go in London, you can go from scrubbing down in the shower to scrubbing up in the shops in precisely 0.2 seconds. And we haven’t even mentioned the markets yet. Now, the word market might conjure up unwanted thoughts of smelly fish and (frankly offensive) rip-off designer bags, but London’s stalls are in a league of their own. From the upmarket street food stalls at Spitalfields Market to the refined arts and crafts of Greenwich Market, browsing stalls has never been more boujie.

The Langham: Chuan Body+Soul

Chuan Body+Soul provides a total wellness journey from their state of the art gym to a 16-meter swimming pool, sauna, and steam rooms. Not to mention their array of treatments where you can be pampered with everything from relaxing scrubs and wraps to specialist facials and body treatments.

Hotel Cafe Royal: Akasha Spa

This superb subterranean haven boats a 16-meter pool, hammam, meditation and yoga centre, and a modern gym with personal trainers on hand. Its biggest vice, however, its its hydrotherapy facilities. Check out its Vichy shower for cleansing hydrotherapy rituals as well as London’s first Watsu pool for tailored hydro-treatments and guided meditation.

One Aldwych: The Health Club

One Aldwych in Covent Garden also has an awesome underground spa complex complete with a pool (featuring underwater music), steam room, sauna, and state-of-the-art gym. What we most love about this hotel spa, however, is its signature spa treatments like the City Stress Buster Plus to the restorative and relaxing Diamond Rose Experience.

Just minutes away from Covent Garden, the Aire Ancient Baths London experience allows you to unwind in temples dedicated to mind and body relaxation in a historic candlelit building. Take your body on a healing journey through various baths of differing temperatures and heat treatments, before or after having a full relaxing body massage complete with a glass of Cava and a few cheeky Belgian chocolates. For something really special, check out their private couple’s wine bath experience.

When in London, why not indulge in a lavish long lunch like a Londoner does with a classic afternoon tea. Think salmon, cucumber, and cress finger sandwiches, scones with jam and cream, and of course, your choice of tea… or fizz if you’re feeling more frivolous! If you’ve ever watched Cherish Finden on Crème de la Crème Bake Off, then you’ll appreciate the artistry and talent that goes into the creation of the fancy bakes and cakes served at this traditional lunch ritual. Most of the five-star hotels offer their unique take on this very proper English tradition, although you often have to book some time in advance for the really popular ones.

Stop by Artesian, a sophisticated oriental-inspired establishment designed by David Collins in The Langham on Regent Street for an artisanal cocktail or two. Expect delicious drinks amongst glamorous interiors. For a traditional pub experience with a boujie London twist instead, head to the hotel’s refined pub The Wigmore, The simple yet cool pub serves the very best of British drinks and food.

For the ultimate bar adventure step into Mr Fogg’s Society of Exploration, a cocktail specialist speakeasy on The Strand. Not only can you drink marvellous cocktail creations from a Victorian train carriage, you can get them served by the city’s first mechanical mixologist.

Whether you want a resort vacation, wildlife safari, city break, luxury cruise, wellness retreat, honeymoon, once-in-a-lifetime adventure or weekend escape, the trip curation experts at Mr Hudson make travel planning a breeze. Find out how we can handle the finer details of vacationing in style.