Explore London Like a Local This Winter

Explore London Like a Local This Winter

While our vibrant capital is full of energy all year round, the first months of the year offer a unique opportunity to do as Londoners do and explore the city among fewer crowds. As Café Royal’s lyrical patron Virginia Woolf put it, ‘The streets of London have their map, but our passions are uncharted. What are you going to meet if you turn this corner?’

The magic of Mayfair

A shopping destination with an intriguing past, Mayfair’s Burlington Arcade is a catwalk of one-of-a-kind boutiques selling vintage watches, sparkling jewels, handmade shoes and perfumes. Commissioned by Lord George Cavendish in 1819 as a safe place for his wife to shop, this historic thoroughfare was the place to go for a stylish bonnet. Today, the Arcade’s Beadles – Britain’s oldest and smallest police force recognisable by their velvet-collared capes and Lock & Co. top hats – ensure shoppers adhere to strict 200-year-old rules. Sir Paul McCartney is one of two people granted permission to whistle here – the other being a former East London schoolboy whose status was awarded upon him getting a good report.

At the other end of Bond Street, discover a piece of musical history. In the early 18th-century, 25 Brook Street was the home of George Frideric Handel, who composed some of the world’s most enduring Baroque music here, including Messiah. Centuries later, rock legend Jimi Hendrix moved into next door’s top-floor flat. Today, the two buildings comprise Mayfair’s quirkiest museum, Handel Hendrix House. Walk through the dining room where Handel gave intimate recitals to friends and neighbours, and the bedroom in which he passed away, a revered figure who would be given a state funeral. Explore the Hendrix Flat, complete with the guitar the musician used to hone his cover of All Along the Watchtower.

An amble through London’s Royal Parks is a quintessential experience loved by locals. Bordering Mayfair, Hyde Park is one of the city’s most beloved green spaces. Its Dragonfly Trail takes you around the picturesque Serpentine Lake with its abundant wildlife, and past the Peter Pan statue and the Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Fountain. Visit Speakers’

Corner, a stage for history’s thought leaders, from Suffragettes to poets and politicians. Still today, people from all walks of life still congregate and engage in thoughtful debate here.

Secrets of St James’s

The oldest of London’s Royal Parks is the period drama-esque St. James’s Park. Bordered by 10 Downing Street, the Houses of Parliament, and the iconic Buckingham Palace, the vast green area dates back to Henry VIII’s 16th-century reign. Royal traditions are preserved here, with the 350-year-old Changing of the Guard ceremoniously enacted before the public every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. Another delightful feature of the park is its inhabitants – six outgoing pelicans named Tiffany, Isla, Gargi, Sun, Moon, and Star. Little ones will love strolling down to say hello during February half-term.

A cherished St James’s institution since 1768 is the Royal Academy of Arts. Until the end of February, the inspiring ‘Michelangelo, Leonardo, Raphael: Florence c. 1504’ explores the creative rivalries and influences between three titans of the Italian Renaissance. This year’s newest exhibition, ‘Brasil! Brasil! The Birth of Modernism is a colourful showcase that will launch at the end of January and run until early spring.

Our world-leading creative capital is always on form during its biannual London Fashion Week, where the intersection of the city’s classic style and punk spirit has thrilled crowds since the event began in 1984. This season’s edition falls between Thursday 20th and Monday 24th February, a date in every style savant’s calendar. Find the contemporary and heritage brands celebrated on the catwalk lining St James’s and nearby Regent Street.

Soho stories

Winter is a wonderful time to catch a show. There’s a certain nostalgia in entering the cosy warmth of a theatre, and as the beating heart of the West End, Soho has some of the world’s best. Each season brings new delights to the stage, with this winter welcoming Matthew Bourne’s Oliver! to London for the first time in 15 years at the beautiful Gielgud Theatre. Ask the concierge team at Hotel Café Royal to find you the best seats in the house.

Soho Photography Quarter is a vibrant outdoor space currently showing ‘Siân Davey: The Garden’. The free exhibition depicts the photographer’s own garden of wildflowers as a space of biodiversity and inclusivity, rooted in love and acceptance. Inside, The Photographer’s Gallery tells the confronting story of 1970s and 80s life under organised crime in Palermo with ‘Letizia Battaglia: Life, Love and Death in Sicily’.

As January draws to a close and London prepares to welcome the Year of the Snake, the West End comes alive with Lunar New Year celebrations. The colourful parade features traditional dance, martial art displays, and Europe’s largest gathering of Chinese lions and dragons. On Soho’s edge, Chinatown is a culinary playground for foodies and families, who’ll also enjoy the art and craft workshops in nearby Leicester Square. From here – with fickle weather being one of the city’s endearing charms – it’s not far to James Smith & Sons, the world’s oldest umbrella shop from which you can take home a piece of London eccentricity.

Embrace London’s quieter season with a quintessential stay at Hotel Café Royal. Our Set Winter Offer includes generous savings and the opportunity to stay longer for less.