Hotel 2: Conrad St James
Our base for the second group of two nights was the elegant Conrad London St James, across the street from St James’s Park underground station. We’ve managed to be based here several times over the years, both in the hotel’s current form and when it was previously the InterContinental Westminster. It really is a treat to stay here if the deal is right, both for the high standards of the hotel itself and on account of its fabulous location. We had Executive Lounge access and complimentary breakfast, thanks to Bruce’s status in the Hilton Honors programme.
St James’s Park – Trafalgar Square – Seven Dials
On our first day at the new hotel, we dropped our bags off in the morning and set off on a Central London walk, taking in St James’s Park, Whitehall, Trafalgar Square, Charing Cross Road, Chinatown, Soho (with a ‘Bloody Mary’ stop!) and Seven Dials. Lunch was at Bongbong’s Manila Kanteen in Seven Dials Market.
Mile End – Victoria Park – Stratford – King’s Cross/St Pancras
Our last full day in the UK capital featured a visit to the East End. We walked – for the first time, I believe -through Mile End Park, continuing into Victoria Park and via the towpath of the Hertford Union Canal to the more familiar territory of Stratford. After a well earned refreshment, we returned to Central London on the final section of HS1, the UK’s first high-speed rail line. There was then time for a look around the regenerated and extraordinarily busy King’s Cross/St Pancras area, which was once horribly run down.
Daylight is fading
Here are a few (mostly riverside) photos from later on Saturday evening:
A final fling at LHR
As Bruce was flying to Newquay at the end of this London visit, he was able to ‘guest’ me into the First Lounge in Heathrow Terminal 5. It turned out that British Airways was having a little culinary celebration to mark the European Football Championship. I never expected to be ordering a Scotch Pie complete with Saltire!
