Buckingham Palace, London, UK by Roger Wollstadt

Looking for a place to stay, then look no further than the Dorchester collection of hotels which occupies the most prestigious acre and a half of real estate in the world. Its eclectic mix of contemporary style and 1930’s glamour along with its beautiful location overlooking the beautiful expanse of Hyde Park enables an ultimately luxurious label. Its award winning spaciously designed suites, restaurants and bars provide the perfect environment for those who wish to indulge and the recently transformed spa makes it a desirable destination for any visitor.

Strategically located in London’s exclusive Mayfair, The Dorchester is also within easy access of the city’s most famously elite shopping areas. New and Old Bold Street possess some of the most elegant shops in London with designer names such as Gucci and Armarni. A short walk away, the West End theatre and the Royal Opera House provide some classical entertainment for those fascinated by the creative arts. Interested in more rural aspects to experience, then the largest royal park boasts fine landscapes and a range of leisure activities to enjoy from tennis and horse riding, to boating on the Serpentine.

London’s most popular attractions such as Big Ben, Buckingham Palace, the London Eye and Trafalgar square are also close by although the excellent underground service allows easy access to most places within the city. By night, Mayfair and the surrounding area holds host to a prestigious array of fashionable bars where celebrities and even young royals are commonly known to hang out.  Funky Buddha, the Met Bar, Punch Bowl, and Mahiki are just a few of the trendiest hot spots, with VIP sections and top DJ’s. With beautifully designed interiors and sleek designs much like those in the Dorchester hotel, you can be assured to feel the upmost in extravagance and have the perfect excuse for a glass of bubbly or two!

This article was written by Alexandra, an experienced blogger and enthusiastic traveller on behalf of MF Airport Parking who offer an excellent Heathrow Airport Parking service at affordable prices.

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Richmond Park

Richmond Park is the largest Royal Park in London and spans almost 2,500 acres. It is approximately 30 minutes from central London and resembles English countryside pictures from the fabled story of Robin Hood. There are many gates for entry to the park, and the Richmond Gate is the best entry. This park features panoramic vistas of the capital, including St. Paul’s Cathedral and King Henry VIII’s Mound.

Photo licensed under the Creative Commons, created by Vince O’Sullivan

There are many paths throughout the park, and visitors can trek around the ponds and through Deer Park. One of the best areas to visit in the park is the Isabella Plantation. It is a visual wonder of magnolias, camellias, azaleas and rhododendrons. The Isabella Plantation is part of the Richmond Park Site of Special Scientific Interest and is great for birdwatchers. Redstarts, Whitethroats and Green Sandpipers are often spotted.

Richmond Park is also a great venue for sports. An area of the grassland that is north of Roehampton Gate is equipped for rugby and accommodates four adult pitches. Visitors can also rent horses from the local stables to go horseback riding through the park. For golfers, the park has two 18-hole golf courses with a clubroom and pro shop.

Hampstead Heath Park

Inspiring the writings of C.S. Lewis, the Hampstead Heath Park has long grasslands to picnic in, woods to stroll in and ponds to swim in. The park is perfectly juxtaposed and provides scenic views of the Canary Wharf Tower, the London Eye and St. Paul’s Cathedral. In addition to swimming in the ponds, the park is set up for a number of fun activities.

There are tennis courts, golf practice nets, croquet lawns, the Butterfly House and a zoo. The free zoo has exhibits of exotic mammals and birds, including kookaburras, ring-tailed coatis and ring-tailed lemurs. The Butterfly House has enclosed spaces for close-up views of stunning tropical species and areas where visitors can study the life cycle of these beautiful insects.

Photo licensed under the Creative Commons, created by Cristian Bortes

St. James’s Park

St. James’s Park is a lush retreat from the city and is bordered by Buckingham Palace, St. James’s Palace and Kensington Palace. In addition to scenic views of the palaces, the graceful arc of the London Eye can be admired from the Blue Bridge. Rolling lawns stretch around the sparkling lake, which is home to many pelicans, geese and ducks.

During the warmer months, visitors can take in a concert, relax in the deck chairs, dine in the terrace at the park’s restaurant or alfresco with a picnic. There are also many ceremonial parades and national events that take place at the adjoining avenue of The Mall, which can be viewed from the park.

Photo licensed under the Creative Commons, created by - Simon -

This post was provided by the lovely people at hostelbookers.com. If you’re heading to London to enjoy its beautiful parks and sites book a hostel in London with HostelBookers.com

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Photo licensed under the Creative Commons, created by Edwin Lee

The centre of Richmond, situated on the bank of the river Thames, offers specialized boutiques, nice pubs at the water, rich galleries and museums with interesting collections. Richmond Theatre frequently hosts sneak previews in the West End.

The area boasts many beautiful buildings and gardens. The most famous is the palace of Henry VIII – Hampton Court, which is the oldest Tudor palace in England. There are also The Royal Botanic Kew Gardens, that are one of the world’s leading botanic gardens. They stretch on 121 hectares and are home to more than 40,000 plant species. You can also visit the Palladian villa located on the banks of the Thames called Marble Hill House. It was built in the years 1724-29 by King George II for his mistress Henrietta Howard and now it is open to the public. It is worth to visit also Twickenham Stadium and Museum, the home of the English team – the winner of Rugby World Cup.

Photo licensed under the Creative Commons, created by Herry Lawford

If you prefer nature, then visit Richmond Park which is the largest royal park in London. The park is surrounded by high walls with several gates. There are also trails for horse riding and cycling.

Very interesting building is Ham House with the garden which is considered to be a unique in Europe as the most complete survival of 17th century fashion and power. If you come to Richmond, do not forget to visit also Museum of Richmond, The Royal Star & Garter Homes and Syon House. Richmond is best reached by river by boat service, which operates during the summer from Westminster Pier.

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