FOR A TREAT
IT’S all too easy to stay in your comfort zone when you go to a city the size of London. Daunted by the huge scale of the big smoke, over the years I’ve settled on a familiar routine I’ve rarely deviated from. Budget hotel right opposite the train station I’ve arrived at? Check.
Shopping on Oxford Street? Check. A ride on the London Eye? Check.
This time I was in town with my sister to see a show and enjoy some sightseeing. We fancied something a bit different from our usual bolthole, which led us to our stay at the Holiday Inn Regent’s Park.
Smack-bang between Fitzrovia and Marylebone and a short walk from Euston Station, it’s a modern seven-floor hotel tucked away on quiet Carburton Street.
We were only a couple of minutes’ walk from the busy A501, but once you’re inside, it’s an oasis of calm with bright, modern furnishings. The location offers easy access to central London’s major attractions while still feeling a million miles away from the busy tourist traps.
For me, part of the fun of being in London (natives will no doubt beg to differ) is going sightseeing using the Tube, and we were just a two-minute walk from Great Portland, with Regent’s Park and Warren Street a few minutes further away. We wanted to fit in some exploring before our night at the theatre, and being so close to the Underground made it easy.
London was bathed in early summer sunshine and we started with a stroll through nearby leafy Regent’s Park, taking in its tree-lined pathways and elegant flower beds. With more time to spare, we agreed we would have taken a stroll up to Primrose Hill to check out the incredible view of London’s skyline.
The Holiday Inn Regent’s Park offers smart event facilities and families will
love the attractions a stone’s throw away. Madame Tussauds and London Zoo – with 700 species of animal – are both close by. Sherlock Holmes fans, like us, can also check out the museum dedicated to Arthur Conan Doyle’s legendary detective.
It was another easy walk to the bustle of Oxford Street, satisfying my need for retail therapy. We reached the West End – and the bar and restaurant scene of Soho – in 15 minutes.
Later, sinking into our comfortable beds after a long, hot day on foot, we particularly appreciated the choice of pillow types and the air conditioning in our spacious twin room. Executive rooms also have treats such as sparkling water, chocolate and luxury toiletries.
Just minutes away from the hotel there’s a range of chain restaurants and independent eateries, but back at the Holiday Inn the Grill Room Restaurant is the place to eat. It offers an a la carte menu with a wide selection of British classics with a twist. Carnivores will particularly relish the mouth-watering West Country steaks, dry-aged for at least 21 days.
For us though, the highlight was the breakfast buffet, which more than set us up for the day ahead. It’s a veritable feast of morning staples including fresh fruit, croissants and a full English breakfast.
Big kids that we are, the biggest excitement for us was the pancake machine. You might scoff, but when you usually start your day with a soggy bowl of cereal, there’s much fun to be had in pushing a button and watching two perfectly formed, piping hot flat cakes appear.
For cleanliness, comfort and attention to detail the Holiday Inn at Regent’s Park is hard to beat.
I won’t tell you how many times we went back to that pancake machine...
LORNA HUGHES
was a guest of Holiday Inn Regent’s Park. A room costs from £187 a night based on two sharing arriving on Saturday, July 20. Children aged 17 and under stay for free when sharing their parents’ room. For further information, special offers and rates visit holidayinn.com