Spring | Travel
London luxury on a budget is the topic of this post, as I share accommodations, sights and tips.
London luxury on a budget may sound like an impossible dream, but it doesn’t have to be! The more that I travel within this city the more enchanted I become. It’s a place of posh, of history and beautiful buildings. A walking destination filled with parks and beautiful flowers and let’s not forget the royalty factor. My husband and I dream about spending more time here when he eventually retires down the line. It’s just that special. Let’s get started on what you can see and expect from my perspective on LONDON!
Travel tips
- When traveling overseas we try and travel at times that are not as crowded if at all possible. Early May and early October seem to be optimal times, as the weather is usually pleasant. Since schools in the U.S. are in session most destinations, hotels and museums are less congested and pricing can be better. We also save our airline points to fly business class and when heading overseas you can recline fully and sleep, easing jet lag.
- In THIS POST I gave packing tips and it’s much easier to get away with only a carry-on when it’s not coat and sweater weather.
- If making your own arrangements do so well in advance and check Trip Advisor for reviews.
- London has an amazing rail system called the Tube. We have taken it all around and it’s so easy and also has a direct line to Heathrow Airport. On this trip we walked, used Uber and a couple of the iconic black taxis.
Our Favorite Area and Hotel
I do lots of research when we travel and it’s a running joke in our household that I plan/he pays! Since we’ve been to London several times before (see a previous post HERE), we’ve gotten to know the areas that we prefer. London is such a cool town and there are plenty of choices, but we are smitten with the Kensington and Chelsea boroughs. You can download an official map of the area HERE.There is also a lot of information including the best London apps HERE. It’s so great to not have to carry around maps and use your iPhone to navigate cities!
The Kensington Hotel
We were pretty much wowed with this hotel from the moment we walked down Queens Gate! It’s old world with modern charm and above is a sitting area just outside the front doors. We prefer to stay in boutique hotels when possible and the Kensington has just 150 rooms. It sits in the middle of an area with great museums, lots of shopping and dining and is self contained with it’s own restaurant and beautiful bar.
True London luxury on a budget and above is the main parlor where you can sit and be served. Below is the exquisitely outfitted bar and I’m obsessed with the coffered ceiling and chandeliers!
Afternoon Tea
In the restaurant they do an afternoon tea with a twist of Beauty and The Beast. The afternoon tea sold out a couple of months in advance so we weren’t able to go. We fortunately came in towards the end and I snapped this place setting. Drinks for all drinkers at this place!
The view from our room was lovely and in the interest of not filling up this post with too many photos I’ll let you go to the Kensington Hotel site to see more. The prices were so reasonable for London luxury on a budget, with our room at around $300 a night.
Flea Market
We were fortunate to be in London on the weekend and headed over to the Portobello Road Flea Market via an Uber. I brought a small tote and could have filled it a thousand times over with antique silver, but held back. I found the prices to be very reasonable and the vibe was exciting!
A short fun video of scenes from London below
Gardens
The gardens in London are spectacular in the spring! The town was abuzz for the Royal wedding and the Chelsea Flower Show and the weather was cooperating for full blooming of flowers. Kensington Gardens is a must see if you are planning a London visit.
I mentioned posh and the Brits know how to do this like no one else.
Shopping
Since we’ve been to London as I mentioned previously, we didn’t do any of the usual sightseeing and focused on walking and living the local life. The shopping is so unique in London and I love the Chelsea area for the boutiques. Below is a wall panel in a chic new shop that focused on wallpaper, paint and floral panels. I knew that I should have brought a bigger suitcase!
I took lots of pictures but in the interest of your valuable time I’m sharing enough for you to get a glimpse. If you have any questions please reach out in the comments…I’d love to hear from you and please share and pin this for later!
