Are you traveling to London in style? There are simple things you can do to increase the luxury on any trip while visiting these London England must-see attractions.
Get attraction passes that allow you to skip the lines. Hire private transportation and book private tours. Bring along a trusted babysitter or hire one so that you can enjoy the nightlife or spend a full day with your spouse or significant other. Choose upscale hotels or rent an apartment that ensures comfort for every member of your group.
You can also create a luxury London vacation by selecting the London England must-see attractions on your itinerary with great care. The following guide will help you elevate your experience by adding some of the most luxurious experiences to your travel plan.
Luxurious London England Must-See Attractions
Aqua Shard Bar and Restaurant
Anyone can go bar hopping in London or even jump onboard an open-top bus with a built-in bar. What most visitors cannot afford to do is drink the night away at the Aqua Shard Bar in the luxurious glass skyscraper known as the Shard. The same goes for dining in the restaurant, which takes reservations at least three months in advance.
When visiting the bar, you can expect to pay no less than £80 for a bottle of champagne, wine, or other adult beverage. The prices can go into the thousands per bottle if you want to drink at the Dom Pérignon level. The menu features gourmet dishes based on lamb, beef, seafood, and some vegetarian options. There’s an a la carte menu plus special menus for brunch and teatime.
If you want a truly outstanding experience that not everyone gets to enjoy, book evening reservations and enjoy spectacular views of the city from the bar. It’s the perfect way to romance someone special while in London but isn’t exclusive to couples.
Belmond British Pullman Train Experience
You can drop by virtually any restaurant or café in London for afternoon tea, but it won’t deliver the relaxation and stunning views that you get with an afternoon tea train ride. Belmond is a luxury travel group that provides train rides throughout the UK, utilizing a restored 1920s train with elaborately decorated carriages. They offer round-trip adventures starting in London at select times.
The Belmond British Pullman train experience is the only way to have tea or sip champagne while whipping through the countryside beyond London. You can venture to Bath and other noteworthy British destinations or just go for a quick ride while enjoying refreshments.
London Eye Private Pods
What’s better than a carnival-style ride 443 feet above the River Thames? How about a ride in a private London Eye pod that includes champagne and other perks as you enjoy spectacular views of the city? That might do it if you’re out to elevate every experience you have in London.
The London Eye is one of the biggest tourist attractions in the city, but you don’t have to stand in line to enjoy the ride like everyone else. Give it the luxury twist by booking a private pod for the true VIP experience. You will have full access to a private pod that holds up to six guests. You must have at least two people, and it’s limited to riders at least 18 years of age. Each ride lasts for 30 minutes, so you’ll have more than enough time to truly enjoy the views without interruptions from other riders.
You can also indulge in the Champagne Experience, which entitles you to a glass of Pommery Brut Royal and a skip to the front of the line when you arrive. You don’t get the full private pod here, but you do get something bubbly to make the trip into the sky more relaxing.
London Spa Retreats
You can’t have a luxury vacation without spending at least a few hours in a high-end spa. In London, the best spas are located inside some of the more upscale hotels. They offer a wide range of services from massages and facials to pedicures, anti-aging treatments, and revitalizing lifts that will help you compensate for vacation exhaustion.
If there’s a beauty trend going around the world, you can count on London’s leading spas to deliver a related service. They all offer serene environments that allow you to fully relax and relieve some stress before going back to your vacation. You can often find fitness centers, swimming pools, hot tubs, steam rooms, and other facilities at the spa as well. Those facilities are perfect if you want to spend an afternoon or full day relaxing.
Some of the leading London spas include the following:
- Akasha – Hotel Café Royal
- Away Spa – W Hotel
- Chuan Body+Soul – The Langham Hotel & Resort
- Lanesborough Club & Spa – The Lanesborough Hotel
- Spa De La Mer – lower level of Harrods exclusively
There are many more spas that we could list, but it’s so easy to find them all over London. Simply inquire about spa services at the luxury hotel of your choice, and you’re likely to find a full-serve spa with a wide range of services offered.
Regent Street
When you’re ready to do some serious shopping in London and want to indulge in top name brands, you can’t beat Regent Street. It’s referred to as the Mile of Style because it packs so many leading designers into one shopping strip. Those boutique shops are surrounded by bars, hotels, restaurants, and live entertainers that appear for special events held throughout the year.
Some of the shops located on Regent Street include:
- Anthropologie
- Barbour
- Hugo Boss
- Burberry
- Calvin Klein
- Coach House
- Goat
- Guess
- Boggi Milano
Those are just some of the fashion shops that you’ll find. The list of stores goes on to include many other fashion leaders plus shops selling technology, home goods, and even fitness and wellness products. There’s a little something for everyone, including Hamleys toy store for the little shoppers.
Restaurant Gordon Ramsay
You’ve watched him on television. Why not experience fine dining Ramsay-style firsthand? While Gordon has his hand in restaurant ventures around the world, some of his finest establishments are right in London. You may need reservations far in advance, but one of the best luxury dining options in the city is Restaurant Gordon Ramsay on Royal Hospital Road.
Simply dining in the restaurant will give you a taste of extreme luxury and some of the most mouthwatering food served in London. If you want to truly pamper yourself, your family, or someone special, get reservations at the Inspiration table. You’ll dine at an exclusive table with direct access to the culinary team making the show happen behind the scenes. That includes learning about the creative process used to create each meal on the menu.
This restaurant holds three Michelin stars and requires a “smart” dress code. That means collared shirts for men with jackets preferred and absolutely no casual attire like gym clothing or tank tops. Women should go dressed nicely from head to toe, so leave the leggings and shorts at home.
London England Must-See Attractions and Experiences
London is a great place to visit if you can afford at least some of these more luxurious experiences and London England must-see attractions. It’s not about the money you spend. What counts is the time that you get to spend with the people you love the most.