Family Holidays in Central London

Staying with a family in central London can be a wonderful experience. Seeing the famous landmarks in the UK capital through young eyes can be exciting and rewarding. As a luxury Mayfair hotel specialising in London family holidays, we would be delighted to share with you some of our best suggestions for enjoying your London vacation this winter.

The Royal Parks

We never take for granted that our Mayfair hotel overlooks the beautiful Green Park. The smallest of the Royal Parks, it was a popular place for ballooning attempts and duelling in the 18^th and 19^th centuries. Today it is a great place for children to run and expend some energy. Crossing the Mall into St James’s Park, you can see the Pelicans, which were originally introduced as a gift from the Russian Ambassador. The Royal Parks website provides more information, along with a pdf to download and use on your visit. Staying this close to the park means you can quickly cross Piccadilly and return to our luxury bathrooms to clean muddy knees before heading back out into the capital.

Buckingham Palace

We are just 9 minutes’ walk from Buckingham Palace. An official residence and administrative headquarters of the UK monarch, there’s plenty for children to see and do. The changing of the guard is world famous and usually happens on alternate days through the winter months. To help our shorter, younger guests to get a closer look without the crowds, head over to Wellington Barracks, at the Buckingham Palace end of Birdcage Walk, for about 10:45. Here the New Guard is inspected and the band play while they are awaiting for their Regimental Colours.

Lights and Shops

Take a short walk along Piccadilly and you’ll arrive at Piccadilly Circus. From a simple start with an illuminated Perrier sign in 1908, the north western corner between Shaftesbury Avenue and Glasshouse Street has become famous for its bright illuminated boards, reminiscent of Times Square in New York. Head along Regent Street for big name shops and find a treat for the children towards the end at Hamleys. According to the Guinness Book of Records, this is the oldest and largest toyshop in the world. Rather than heading back, continue to the top of Regent Street where you will find Oxford Circus station. Use the Victoria Line (light blue) to return to Green Park Station.

Photo By Diliff, CC BY-SA 3.0