London Now

What’s New and Next

By Carolyn O’Neil

London continues to top the charts as one of the most popular world destinations for travelers who seek iconic landmarks, rich history, and a vibrant city of diverse cultures and cuisines.

Whether it’s touring the Tower of London to gaze upon the glitter of the Crown Jewels, paying homage to the shopping meccas of Harrods and Liberty of London, taking in a spectacular stage performance in the West End theatre district or savoring sandwiches and scones at a lavish afternoon tea service (pinkies out!), London delivers for visitors with a myriad of interests and enthusiasms.

Top sights such as Big Ben and Westminster Abbey may be must-see stops for first visits to London, but there’s always something new for everyone, even in the most classic corners of history.

For instance, the collection of historic royal palaces is introducing fresh new exhibitions. Kensington Palace presents Dress Codes, a couture-clad history lesson with fashions worn by royals through the centuries, from Queen Victoria to Elizabeth II and Diana, the Princess of Wales. Hampton Court Palace invites kids of all ages to hop into literary history on “The Peter Rabbit Adventure” this summer.

If walking the halls of Buckingham Palace is on your royal wish list, note that it’s open for public tours from July to September.

New Beauty at The Beaumont Mayfair

TheBeaumont.com

Often, the best advice on where to go and what to see is as close as your hotel’s front desk. Only so much can be found in a guidebook, so the concierge team at The Beaumont Mayfair introduces guests to areas of the city they may not normally visit, guides them to unique experiences, and secures hard-to-get reservations at popular restaurants and shows.

Their best advice? Add a day in London to simply get lost and find hidden gems around every corner. The five-star hotel is a gem as well, a jewel box of art and architecture. Located in Central London’s posh Mayfair neighborhood, The Beaumont’s interiors—from the Magritte Bar to The Gatsby Room—are inspired by the glamour of the 1920s with an art deco modernist style designed by the late French architect Thierry Guy Despont.

A grand reopening followed a multimillion-dollar renovation during its tenth anniversary. Under the leadership of CEO Stuart Procter, the hotel continues to reveal new polish and improvements. Over 101 elegantly appointed rooms and suites are each tailored with a unique set of original prints, books, and paintings. Some rooms boast cashmere wall coverings!

Overlooking Brown Hart Gardens, the hotel’s exterior includes a two-story high semi-abstract sculpture of a crouching figure by contemporary artist Antony Gormley. The dark interior of the huge sculpture is the bedroom of ROOM, one of the hotel’s decadent suites.

Perhaps the finest view for anyone who visits The Beaumont is the parade of classic dishes on the menu at The Colony Grill. Tableside service of Dover Sole, Beef Wellington, and selections from the artisan British cheese trolley delight guests with an old-world flourish of skill and grace. For dessert, there’s a traditional sticky toffee pudding served with a thirty-year-old tawny port.

What’s next for The Beaumont? Transforming the Brown Hart Gardens space and opening Rosi, another addition to London fine dining.

More London Luxury

Raffles London at The OWO

Raffles.com/london

One of the most celebrated openings in recent years is Raffles Hotels & Resorts’ first London location in the Old War Office building known today as The OWO. The building complex was once home to legends such as Sir Winston Churchill (you can visit his former office and even snap a photo at his desk) and was frequented by Ian Fleming, author of the James Bond series of spy thrillers. It is long associated with espionage, as the British government’s M15 and M16 had operations there during the twentieth century.

Now, you can write your own London story while staying at Raffles London at the OWO in meticulously transformed rooms and suites. Perhaps kick off your adventure at the 007 Spy Bar?

Even if you’re just walking by, peer through the sidewalk-level kitchen windows to wave to the brigade of chefs prepping for the hotel’s nine restaurants. They’ll wave back!

COMO Shambhala Metropolitan London

ComoShambhala.com

Ah, the spa! A new urban spa oasis welcomes Londoners and travelers who need to rest, relax, and rejuvenate from all the big city excitement—not to mention the thousands of extra steps you’ll get in exploring this walkable city. Located near Park Lane, the COMO Metropolitan London hotel now offers one of the first COMO Shambhala wellness center city locations. Shambhala means ‘peace’ in Sanskrit, and guests will find calm through a wide range of spa treatments complemented by COMO Shambhala Kitchen, featuring a nutrition-conscious menu of foods and drinks.

Waldorf Astoria, Admiralty Arch

Set to open its doors in 2026, the first Waldorf Astoria hotel in London will arrive at Admiralty Arch, only steps from The Mall that leads to Buckingham Palace. Already written into the menu, two renowned chefs, with seven Michelin stars between them, Clare Smyth and Daniel Boulud, will oversee the hotel’s signature restaurants. Waldorf Astoria London Admiralty Arch, set within a historic building being restored to its former glory, will be yet another hotel jewel in the crown of the British capital.

New Dining Darlings

The Arlington

Arlington.london

One of Mick Jagger’s and the late Princess Diana’s favorite places to dine was Le Caprice restaurant near St. James Palace on Arlington Street. Led by famed London restauranteur Jeremy King since the 1980s, Le Caprice has now been renamed, reimagined, and reopened as The Arlington. This stylish restaurant with black and white portraits of celebrities by David Bailey creates a fashionably lively scene with a pianist every evening and a menu of past favorites and innovative tastes for today. Where’s the loo? Take a left at the photo of Michael Caine.

The Park

TheParkRestaurant.com

Also, King’s sister restaurant, The Park, was recently launched and is located opposite Kensington Gardens. Hello! Is that Cobb salad, lobster roll, and spaghetti cacio e pepe on the menu? With origins in American cuisine of the 1970s and a blend of Italian fare, The Park aims to please with seasonal fresh produce and a slice of key lime pie.

The Georgian at Harrods

Harrods.com

Did someone say pie? Opened in 1911, The Georgian was the largest restaurant in London. Twinkling brightly again under a canopy of twenty-five chandeliers, The Georgian has added a flourish of tableside theater to glamorous presentations of afternoon tea and, in the evenings, features the pastry masterpieces of chef Calum Franklin, the acclaimed “pie king.” This is the spot for savory main dish pies such as chicken with tarragon and lobster with lemongrass. Again, the classics reign supreme in modern London town.

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