London arrives at the top of Europe’s shopping list

It may be overcrowded, wet and playing host to tents full of anti-capitalists, but London has been named as the shopping capital of Europe!

The variety of shops, markets and the addition of Europe’s largest urban shopping centre have vaulted the capital above the more fashionable havens of Paris and Milan to top the list of 33 European retail destinations.

Affordability, transport, convenience, climate and culture were all taken into account in a year-long study by the Economist Intelligence Unit, which rated Madrid and Barcelona joint-second overall, ahead of Paris and Rome. Geneva, Oslo and Belgrade were ranked as the least attractive retail destinations for tourists.

The study also highlights a 30 per cent increase in tax-free spending by tourists in London over the past year, despite the parlous state of the rest of the economy – highlighting the ever increasing importance of discount deals for London has for tourists.

While London’s high prices meant it ranked a lowly 24th out of 33 on affordability — well behind Sofia, Bratislava and Bucharest — it was considered cheaper than Paris, Moscow, Stockholm, Oslo and Geneva. The price of goods in London was less of a problem — it was the expensive hotel rooms, taxis, buses and refreshments that all helped to make its shopping trips dear.

As well as ranking best in the category that measured the range of shops available, London came top in the category for “hotels and transport”. Under “culture and climate”, London’s galleries and heritage sites gave it fifth place, but Paris topped the list.

Customers at the  Westfield Stratford City explained yesterday why they had been drawn to the centre’s 1.9 million sq ft of retail space.

Sarah Jareovich, 25, from Lithuania, who had spent £1,000 on her “retail holiday”, said: “We are here because we heard it’s the biggest in Europe.”

Also shopping in Westfield was Gemma Roig, a regular visitor to London, and her friend Blanca de Gispert “In Spain it’s cheaper but here there are more different kinds of shops and clothes,” Ms Roig said. “[But] Usually we go to Oxford Street because it is closer to the centre.”

Retail tourism is thought to be worth £3 billion a year to London, with tourists spending an average of £646 a transaction.

Boris Johnson, the Mayor of London, welcomed the study, heralding London as a “beacon for shoppers from all corners of the world”.

Celebrate London Fashion Week

Lovers of London from the arts and fashion worlds pay tribute to the capital, mecca for the fashion forward writes Henrietta

Art and design funding is not an issue that politicians consider as much as they talk about maintaining London’s financial and banking eminence and yet design and fashion are a big and growing part of the UK’s economy and we need to maintain our edge in the creative arts — I believe that it contributes profoundly to London’s dynamism.

London Fashion Week is sponsored by the private bank Coutts & Co who offer wealth management to  professionals, bankers and ivestors, entrepreneurs and landowners.

Coutts & Co been strong supporters of arts sponsorship for many years , and in the aftermath of another roaring London fashion Week we thought that rather than showing you the predictable line-up of designers and models showing a round-up of British designer fashion, we’d invite movers and shakers from London’s art, TV, finance and music scene to let you know what they thought. Would they be buying British and what do they love about London? All feel passionately about living in a capital that continues to retain its edge, not just in fashion. That’s why there’ll be an unprecedented number of international press and buyers at London Fashion week. So here’s a celebration of the capital.

What gives London its energy?

It’s mostly due to its genuinely large, immigrant population with very different tastes which have changed the city in the past 20 years. Even though cities such as Paris and New York have big immigrant populations, London retains its edge because there isn’t that same interest in street fashion or that relation between high fashion and what’s happening on the street. It’s why Paris feels very conservative.

In London I think it is possible to be completely yourself and that makes for more creative thinking.

Everywhere you look things are happening. Anything inspires me — from the Columbia Road flower market on a Sunday morning to sitting in La Fromagerie surrounded by all those cheeses. There are many wonderful restaurants opening with young cooks at the helm. I enjoy these smaller restaurants with personalities of their own.

Final in the series of the four featured luxury hotels in London – the Ritz

This year an predicted inrease of transatlantic flights to London is expected to bring high spending US visitors to the capital in search of tradition, history and glamour.  Visitors not staying in the hotel can still have a taste of the high life by taking Tea at the Ritz

The Ritz Hotel London

If there’s one hotel that needs little introduction, it’s The Ritz. One of the most iconic hotel chains in the world, it is indelibly linked with our perception of old-world luxury and glamour.

Most  native Londoners have probably walked past it a thousand times while traipsing towards the bright lights of Piccadilly Circus and Leicester Square. The entrance along the distinctive arcade outside is permanently manned by guards dressed in traditional Beefeater-style attire, adding to the sense of history.

Tea at the Ritz

Inside, whilst the previously mentioned Langham may claim to be the birthplace of afternoon tea, the Ritz has certainly played its part in continuing the tradition. Tea at the Ritz is a popular London activity for both tourists and locals alike – and it won’t break the bank either.

London Hotels

For most of us, top-of-the-range hotels are out of our price range, except perhaps for the most special of occasions. But one of the great things about luxury is that looking is free! Just as many of us enjoy window shopping outside prestigious boutiques, or admiring opulent mansions from behind 20ft gates, there’s also an element of voyeuristic pleasure to be gained from peering into the world of luxury hotels, without actually staying there.

We have already featured The Sanderson and Dorchester and now here is another in the series of the most decadent London hotels.

The Langham London

Opened in 1865, The Langham is one of London’s most historic hotels. Over the years it has played host to royalty, celebrities and foreign dignitaries, giving the Langham hotel a sheen of grand distinction that endures to this day

Of course, the £80 million reconstruction it underwent in 2008 didn’t do any harm either. Added to the aura of eminence is the Landau restaurant which offers top class dining at top class prices, an uber-chic cocktail bar boasting its own rum label routinely shipped over from Cuba, and a delightful tea room where the British tradition of afternoon tea is said to have originated in the mid-19^th century.

The Langham London

Here is the first in a series “Luxury Hotels in London” featuring one of  the most decadent London hotels by guest writer Paul Joseph of Tube Hotels

The Sanderson Hotel, London

Situated moments from Oxford Circus tube station in the heart of London’s West End, The Sanderson prides itself on its fusion of tradition and cutting edge urban style. The former is evidenced in the concrete façade of this Grade II Listed building, while the latter is testimony to the vision of maverick French designer Philippe Starck, whose stamp of genius can be found throughout the hotel.

There is plenty that makes this hotel special, but just some of its stand-out features include a huge Agua Spa boasting 14 treatment rooms, a private open-air courtyard garden with fountains, mosaics and a floating pool, and three separate bars offering cocktails. Commercially inspired, but tastefully done, each of the 150 rooms have pashminas on their beds which can be purchased by guests.

Hanging out with the locals in London

London is a city that everyone has to visit at least once in life. It is loved by Brits and foreigners for its history, monuments, entertainment and culture. It is also home to one of the most important airports in the world, London Heathrow Airport, so finding low cost flights and cheap flights to London will be more than easy.

Arriving in London can be quite daunting at first….deciding where to stay and where to eat or even have a coffee can be difficult decisions for first time visitors. If you need to take time out from the city stress why not visit one of London’s unique coffee shops. Avoid the well-known chains and settle down to a nice cuppa at Kitchen & Pantry (14 Elgin Crescent and 216 Chiswick High Road), and ponder over your next move in London. This is one of the few independently run coffee shops left in the city and it offers great snacks and drinks at reasonable prices.

Kitchen & Pantry attracts all age groups and characters…..from families in need of a cheap but substantial lunch, to students and business men doing some last minute projects on their laptops. Kitchen & Pantry is also used by Londoners which is a sign of a good coffee shop. If it is good enough for the locals, it is even better for tourists.

A day in London will feel like a minute. There is just so much to see and do. Perhaps one of the best ways to visit the city is on the London Eye. Despite being only a decade old, the London Eye has quickly gained fame all over the world. Just imagine staring out over London from the world’s tallest Ferris wheel…..it is the perfect place for a romantic proposal of marriage or the grand ending to a wonderful holiday in London.

If you don’t have a lot of time on your hands to visit every tourist attraction, you can see everything in one go by taking a flight on the London Eye. All you need to do is book your flights and then get cheap tickets online for the London Eye. It is easy…

The London Eye Flight takes around 30 minutes and each glass-enclosed gondola which forms the wheel can hold up to 25 people. From the glass box you will see famous landmarks such as Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament, St. Paul’s Cathedral and Buckingham Palace. For a more exclusive flight you can book a private capsule or romantic Champagne Flight and guided tour.

NB the animation shown here is much faster than the Eye’s actual speed – animated image credit http://www.barnabu.co.uk/london-eye-millennium-wheel-animation/

Car Hire London

Visiting London Theme Parks – Chessington

When you’re planning a trip to London, you might not initially think about hiring a car. After all, the centre of London is packed with attractions such as the London Eye, Madame Tussauds, the Houses of Parliament, Buckingham Palace, and many famous museums and art galleries.

However, if you book a hire car for your trip, you can explore some of the places on the outskirts of the city. If you are taking your family on a London holiday, you can visit several theme parks in the London area, each of which is packed with rides and attractions to keep everyone entertained.

In this article, we’ll be looking at what you can see and do if you visit Chessington World of Adventures as part of your London car hire holiday.

Chessington World of Adventures

Chessington World of Adventures incorporates a theme park, a zoo and a new Sea Life centre, and it’s easy to get there in your car. If you pick up your hire car at Heathrow Airport, it will only take you about half an hour to get to Chessington. You can park your rental car at Chessington World of Adventure free of charge.

The theme park at Chessington is divided into nine areas: Beanoland; Forbidden Kingdom; Land of the Dragons; Market Square; Mexicana; Mystic East; Pirates Cove; Toytown; and Transylvania.

Thrill-seekers will love rides like the “Rattlesnake” rollercoaster and the “Black Buccaneer” pirate ship ride. You can also take a trip on the “Runaway Train”, fly through the air on the “Vampire” coaster or take to the water on “Seastorm”. There are plenty of rides for young children as well and they will love the Toytown area, where they can ride flying elephants on “Flying Jumbos” or drive one of Toadie’s Crazy Cars.

Chessington Zoo opened in 1931 and is now home to more than 400 animals. You can see Sumatran tigers, Persian leopards, Asiatic lions and gorillas on the Trail of the Kings; watch Californian sealions perform at Sealion Bay; enjoy watching the monkeys in the Monkey and Bird Garden; or get up close to spiders, snakes and lizards in the Creepy Caves.

The Sea Life Centre at Chessington opened in 2008. Its 250,000 litre aquarium is home to many different marine creatures, including clownfish, stingrays and sharks.

There are a number of food outlets at Chessington World of Adventures and there are also souvenir shops throughout the park. If you are travelling with young children, you can also take advantage of the park’s new “Kidspotter” service, which allows you to hire a tag which will track your child via GPS and mobile tracking technology, making it simple for you to be reunited with them if they get lost.

The great thing about visiting Chessington World of Adventures as part of a car hire holiday is that you can visit the park when you want to, without having to rely on public transport. It’s easy to hire a car in London, as well.  Easycar the online, low cost car hire specialists offers some great cheap car rental deals and has car rental offices in cities and at major airports throughout the world, including car hire from UK Airports.