travelswithalice

July 18, 2022

In and Around London

Monday, 27 June.

After two and a half months in Italy, it’s time to move on. We’re now doing England.

This is the London roof line viewed from our hotel room. I’m waiting for Peter Pan to fly out of a window or maybe Mary Poppins to float down with her umbrella.

London still enchants. Most of the time.

Unfortunately, after a few days, the incredible lack of professionalism in the hospitality area begins to grate.

The Waldorf Hilton needs to shape up to protect the Waldorf Astoria franchise.

Harp music and coronets on the table can hardly justify their Jubilee Afternoon Tea’s £49 price tag. There’s nothing special about the tea and the service is atrocious.

Why we’re kept waiting for our bill while the restaurant manager chats with staff right in front of us is beyond me.

When we check out the next day, we find that the charge for the tea has been taken out of our hotel bill.

Friday, 1 July.

We’re headed for Dorset to revisit Stuart’s childhood seaside holidays.

That’s Dad’s plane on one of many nostalgic posters on the Bournemouth pier.

Mussels and fish & chips in Sandbanks.

There’s not much else for us to do here, so we soon bid good night and goodbye to our seaside interlude.

Monday, 4.

We’re racking up miles on the Great Western Railway, now headed for the city of Bath.

The Royal Crescent Hotel showcases things the English do very well: gardens, tiny bedrooms, and afternoon teas.

Breakfasts too, of course. Preferably served with a garden view.

Tuesday, 5.

English Gothic: magnificent fan-vaulted ceiling in Bath Cathedral.

Georgian is the English take on Neoclassical and Palladian. All done in the lovely caramel-coloured Bath stone.

And can there be anything more English than pubs and Cornish pasties?

Wednesday, 6.

On our last day in Bath, a perfect composite multinational meal. French lunch at Chez Dominique, Portuguese pastel de nata from Nata & Co for dessert, and Argentinian coffee at Cortado. All just off Pulteney Bridge.

Friday, 8.

Back in London. Beautiful weather, fabulous views from the Hilton Metropole.

Monday, 11.

With Marilou and Eddie at the Barbican for Anything Goes.

Friday, 15.

Lovely easy Friday on the canal. At Merchant Square in Paddington, just across from our hotel. No sign of a heatwave here.

Sunday, 17.

We've moved right across to the East End, City of London.

This magnificent Victorian red-brick building opened in 1884 as the Great Eastern Hotel. It’s listed Grade II on the National Heritage List.

Once through the doors of what is now Hyatt’s Andaz London, the Victorian era morphs into the 21st century.

I’m thoroughly intrigued by the hotel’s creative aesthetic. The decor barrels through traditionally conservative Victorian motifs, setting everything down squarely in the present. They’ve painted Palladian columns and Georgian architraves aggressive shades of green and red.

Our guest room goes deeper into Alice’s “through the looking-glass” adventure with artwork unlike any I’ve seen in hotel rooms before. This is vibrant street art, 3D murals crawling up to the ceiling. Marvellous!

posted by Alice Dimalanta Jones # July 18, 2022

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