Visiting London: Things To Do In Mayfair

Mayfair is one of the better-known neighbourhoods in London; largely thanks to its commanding position as the most expensive property on the Monopoly board. Despite this, the area is relatively barren of landmarks and well-known London destinations; but there is more going on in this affluent district than many people think.

Bond Street, Mayfair, London by Dickbauch

Eating, drinking – and sleeping it all off

Mayfair offers a wide selection of quality restaurants, bars and cafes to suit any visitor on any budget, but it would be a sin to not jump straight to Mayfair’s most famous export: luxury. The district is not short of Michelin-starred restaurants; Le Gavroche, Nobu and Maze being three of the best examples. There are other incredible eateries too; steak-lovers are advised to make haste to either Goodman or the JW Steakhouse, whilst those in search of the view should head to Galvin at Windows, at the top of the Park Lane Hilton. There are plenty of cheaper bites to eat around Mayfair; Fino’s near Marble Arch and Allans near Grosvenor Square are two local hideaways.

There are plenty of places to water it all down as well. Mayfair plays host to some of the most famous bars in town such as the infamous Mahiki and the award-winning Connaught Bar. There are plenty of pubs as well – some of which date back hundreds of years. The Punch Bowl and the Audley on Mount Street are a couple of local favourites and are routinely packed with after-work drinkers.

Mayfair is perhaps best-known for its hotels; it has a concentrated collection of grand and exclusive properties to choose from. Many Mayfair hotels have been around for generations such as Claridges and The Connaught, however the usual suspects are on the scene too; Marriott operates three properties in the neighbourhood; with rivals Starwood, Hilton and Intercontinental on the scene as well.

Out and about

One of the principle past times in Mayfair surely has to be shopping – especially for those with a taste for the finer things in life. Nowadays, new and trendy names in fashion and quality goods such as Carolina Herrara and Marc Jacobs rub shoulders with established British names such as Purdey and Alfred Dunhill. It is a stark contrast to the principle shopping centres of Oxford and Regent Street – yet these are only a few minutes’ walk away from Mayfair. Those yearning to seek out the Victorian way of life may wish to amble along Burlington Arcade, near Piccadilly.

For a more relaxed take on Mayfair, there are nearby Hyde Park and St. James’s Park, as well as Grosvenor and Berkeley Square. There is even a local library for the bookworms.

Although the main reason people were drawn to Mayfair in the first place – the ‘May Fair’ – has long gone, there is still plenty to attract those in search of a more relaxed, traditional and opulent take on London life. And with its proximity to Underground stations and many more well-known landmarks, there is really no reason not to visit.

The article was written by Samantha Jordan in association with Rhodium. The mid-thirties property blogger from London, UK loves the Mayfair lifestyle, the fantastic choice of bars and restaurants and of course the glorious shopping opportunities.

Tags: allans, audley, bond street, claridges, connaught, eateries, grosvenor square, haste, hideaways, hundreds of years, marble arch, mayfair london, michelin starred restaurants, monopoly board, neighbourhoods, nobu, punch bowl, quality restaurants, steak lovers, usual suspects

Category: Cities, Cities