6 of the Best London Hotels for a Short Stay in 2016

When it comes to choosing top notch hotels in London, Mr Sunshine and I have a little experience under our belts. As busy expats that love nothing more than a quick trip home at least twice a year, we've flown in and out of Heathrow on numerous occasions since we moved to Qatar. In order to break up journey times to and from friends and family and to help us to relax before and after a long-haul flight, these trips to England are almost always accompanied by a short stay in a luxury hotel at either end of our visit.

Accumulating all of our knowledge and experience, I've put together a handy summary of my top 6 hotel picks for short stays in England's capital in 2016.

1. The Kensington

No hotel represents traditional English hospitality more perfectly than The Kensington Hotel. Part of the luxury boutique hotel chain, 'The Doyle Group' which includes The Bloomsbury and The Marylebone, the hotel is situated just a few steps from South Kensington station, and it oozes historic charm and a deliciously homely feel.

The hotel's restaurant, Town House, along with the Town House Bar is actually a series of interconnected drawing rooms, with large bay windows and ancient fireplaces. A very special space from which to enjoy afternoon tea.

Address:

109-113 Queensgate, South Kensington
SW7 5LR

2. The Montcalm at the Brewery

An old favourite of Mr Sunshine's and mine, we have stayed at this converted brewery on countless occasions. We love it for it's interesting features and cosy bedrooms, as well as the big discounts that you can often find on a room if you're booking out of season.

An extra selling point is the excellent gastro-pub, The Jugged Hare which is situated just downstairs - very handy when you have just stepped off a flight and you're craving a roast dinner with all the trimmings, and a glass of prosecco or two.

For a full review, head here.

Address:

52 Chiswell Street,
EC1Y 4SA

3. Cheval Phoenix House at Sloane Square

These apartments and suites were the location of Mr Sunshine's and my most recent stay in London just after Christmas, and we had a brilliant time! We were kindly upgraded to a loft suite which comprises of two floors, with a generous bedroom and bathroom at ground level, and stairs that lead up to a mezzanine level and a spacious living room and kitchenette.

What really made our stay were a few small but generous touches that helped us to settle in quickly, such as a welcome pack comprising of bread, jam, tea bags, crisps, biscuits and muesli (and a Christmas cracker!) - something we really appreciated given that we have become accustomed to hotel living and room service! We also enjoyed the fact that we were a two minute walk from Sloane Square and The Kings Road, arguably our favourite place for shopping and dining in the whole of London.

Address:

1 Wilbraham Place, Chelsea
SW1X 9AE

4. The Ampersand

I would really struggle to find a single fault with The Ampersand. It has everything that I look for in a hotel: beautiful architecture and modern, bright and clean interiors; quirky decor and friendly staff; great location and beautiful food.

It's one of those hotels that I would return to 'just for a coffee', which I think is a very good sign. Its pretty corridors have won over my heart, and with it my life-long custom and loyalty.

For a full review, head here.

Address:

10 Harrington Road, South Kensington,
SW7 3ER

5. The Conrad

Conrad Hotels and Resorts are a luxury hotel brand that are owned by the Hilton Group, with properties spread across 5 continents in some of the world's most sought-after locations. The Conrad London St James is no exception. It sits on the doorstep of Westminster, Big Ben and Buckingham Palace, just a stone's throw from the Royal Parks in one direction, and the meandering Thames in the other.

If luxury is what you're after, then this hotel really delivers, particularly if you're lucky enough to be able to afford an executive floor room, and access to the Executive Lounge. If not, then the Blue Boar Restaurant and Emmeline's Lounge are very special spaces in which to dine, serving regional British produce and an excellent selection of wines.

Address:

22-28 Broadway, Westminster,
London

6. The Mondrian

Although this list is in no particular order, I think I might have inadvertently saved the best for last. The Mondrian is housed in the quirky converted Sea Containers building on the Southbank, and it will always hold a special place in my heart. It was in the bathroom of our hotel room here that I took the pregnancy test that told me that I was 3 weeks pregnant with our little girl right at the end of our honeymoon last year. Because I was shattered from the early stages of pregnancy, we mainly enjoyed this hotel for its enormous fluffy beds, and the view of the beautiful sunsets that spread out across London's rooftops from our window.

 
However, I think you will enjoy it for it's proximity to the eclectic and cosmopolitan vibe of the Southbank, the 1920s glamour of the building which is punctuated by unusual art and installations, and the plethora of excellent (and award winning) eating and drinking options that will take you from sumptuous breakfasts through to late night parties on the roof of the hotel.

Address:

20 Upper Ground, Southbank,
SE1 9PD

Which hotels have I missed? Where would you choose for a short stay in London in 2016?

Pregnancy Update: My Second Trimester

Can you believe that tomorrow marks the end of my second trimester and the beginning of the third and final leg of my pregnancy? Nope, me neither! The past six months have gone by in a blur, and it has been difficult to keep up!

Here's my latest bumpdate for those of you that have been following along with my progress to date. I am getting to the point where I don't just feel like my body looks different, but I also feel pretty cumbersome as I try to get around the place these days!

I wasn't quite prepared for how different the second trimester would feel to the first. When my sickness eventually tailed off around week 16 and my appetite and energy returned a few weeks later, I actually felt fitter and healthier than I was before the pregnancy began!

Despite this, I have recently been diagnosed with mild hypothyroidism, which basically means that my thyroid gland isn't producing enough hormone to sustain both me and the baby, and I'm having to take hormone supplements to make up for it. I have suffered with this issue in the past, but it seemed to correct itself at the beginning of my pregnancy, before slowly declining again - something which I'm told is all too common. Nevertheless, I'm still feeling fit and healthy and with consistent monitoring between now and the end of the pregnancy, everything should be fine.

With a matter of weeks left to go until our little girl joins us, there is so much we still have left to do. Therefore, in the spirit of new year, I thought I would share some of my pregnancy-related new years' resolutions with you, with everything I am aiming to achieve over the final semester.

1. Attend some classes. Qatar doesn't have an equivalent to the NCT, which provides antenatal classes as standard for all expectant mothers that are interested in gaining more information and support. Therefore, we had to do a little bit of research to seek out our own. In January and February we're booked onto two courses: one at our maternity clinic, which will teach us the basics of everything from labour to feeding and baby care, and one at Yama Yoga Studios, which will impart some techniques for natural childbirth.

2. Learn the basics of hypnobirth. After speaking to Mr Sunshine's sister Lisa about her positive birth experience (which involved absolutely no interventions at all!) over the Christmas break, I was inspired and I am keen to learn more about how I can use positive affirmations and calming music to achieve a comfortable and natural birth. This might sound a little bit hippy to a lot of you, but I am keen to try anything that will reduce the pain and result in an easier and happier experience for us all! Lisa's kindly leant me a book on the subject and burned some CDs for me, and I'll keep you updated on how I get on.

3. Finish furnishing the nursery. We have all the basics now including a cot, bassinet, daybed and hopefully a nappy changing unit as of this evening, but in order to make the room perfect I am busy scouting out soft furnishings and pictures to complete the look and feel. I've really enjoyed this little project so far and can't wait to share it with you all in due course! Here is a tiny sneak peek to whet your appetite until then.

For anybody worried about our use of bedding in this picture, these are just a couple of blankets I've bought - we won't actually be using them in this way!

4. Buy all of our final bits and bobs. From scratch mittens to baby nail clippers, gripe water to nappies, I want to make sure that we have everything bought and stashed away ready for the baby's arrival. No mum wants to head down to the city to stock up on provisions 4 days after giving birth on 2 hours sleep.

5. Read, read and read some more. I've been gifted some truly excellent baby-related reading material over the Christmas period, which I have been absorbing at a rate of knots. I would like to get to March knowing that even though I will feel as clueless as every other first time mum when our baby joins us, at least I have prepared as much as I can for the basics!! Mr Sunshine also has a book targeted at dads, and has been receiving updates on all of my reading too - something which is really important to both of us so that we feel like we're in this together. Some book reviews to follow once we have read them all.

So there's quite a lot to accomplish in a short space of time, but it's really important to me that I get organised. Only when I've completed all of the above and finished all of the necessary life admin that comes along with giving birth outside of your home country will I feel like I am truly ready for this to happen!

For any of you Doha-based mums-to-be that are interested in the classes I've mentioned above, please do drop me a comment below or get in contact with me via my Facebook page and I'll provide you with all the details. Also, for those of you that have already given birth, check out my friend Hannah's post-natal yoga classes which start on 10th January. Hannah's a qualified teacher and yogi, and a lovely lady to boot, and these classes are going to popular so book yourself in quick!

Happy new year to all you yummy mummies across the world. I hope that 2016 brings lots of happiness to you and your little ones.

FYS x

2015: My Year in Review

2015 was, without a shadow of a doubt, the best year of my life to date. I celebrated some huge milestones, grew personally and emotionally, as well as in my career and made some monumental life changes that will shape my life for forever more. Looking back, I can't believe that I managed to cram so much into 12 short months. To be able to enjoy so many wonderful moments in such a short space of time is frankly incredible, and I want to thank everybody that has been involved in helping to make 2015 the most memorable year yet!

My Top Highlights

*Marrying the love of my life on a beautiful July afternoon in Hathersage, and celebrating with our family and friends at Chatsworth House.

*Embarking on the trip of a lifetime across Italy for our honeymoon, as well as several shorter holidays, including a surprise visit to Oman for Mr Sunshine's birthday

*Finding out that we were expecting our first child while in London at the end of our honeymoon

*Seeing our baby wiggling around on a scan for the first time, and later discovering that we are going to be having a little girl

*Receiving lots of visitors from the UK and building some new, lifelong friendships in Qatar

*Moving into a new, larger apartment and beginning to furnish our daughter's nursery

*Feeling happier and more fulfilled in my career than I ever have before. Managing to get several articles published in local and regional press, and visiting Jordan to help open a football pitch and launch a football for development programme

*Enjoying several trips home to England, and realising that despite life changing, my closest friends and family are always going to be around.

2015 in Numbers

2: The number of hen parties my friends organised for me (one in Qatar and one in London)
130: The number of friends and family that came to celebrate our wedding with us
1: The number of publications that featured our wedding. There was a beautiful article on our wedding on Style And The Bride
27: The number of weeks I was pregnant for in 2015
90: The (approximate) number of times I was sick in my first trimester!
5: The number of countries I visited this year, for work and for pleasure
5: The number of times Mr Sunshine and I flew into Heathrow Airport
5: The number of important age milestones that were reached in my family this year. My half sister Bethany turned 18; Mr Sunshine, his twin James and I turned 30 and my mum turned 60 in close succession
3: The number of my close friends that got engaged
2: The number of times I was asked to be a bridesmaid
3: The number of my close friends that got married
4: The number of my close friends that announced that they are pregnant 
3: The number of my close friends that had babies
744:  The number of Instagram photos I posted @polbag
27,320: The number of Instagram likes I received
134: The number of blog posts I wrote
197: The number of different countries that visited my blog this year.

Blog Achievements

Now is the time that I look back at the blogging resolutions that I set myself at the beginning of the year to see whether I managed to meet any of them! Despite the inevitable decrease in the quantity of posts I've been able to write since I became pregnant and work ramped up a gear or two, I feel pretty happy with how Follow Your Sunshine has evolved.

-I gave my blog layout a complete overhaul and underwent a redesign, with a little help from the wonderful Envye, which is run by one of my favourite bloggers and Instagrammers, Dana Fox of The Wonderforest.
- I attended a bloggers' photography workshop, and made an attempt to improve the quality and consistency of the photos I post.
- I became a lot more organised with my blogging schedule, as well as organising my life around the events that I attended and things that I wanted to promote. This involved opening myself up to lots of exciting opportunities such as restaurant visits and hotel stays, but also learning how to say no to certain opportunities when they arose because they didn't fit with my brand or because I simply didn't have the time to do the project justice!
- I reached some new follower milestones on the blog as well as across my social media channels, which are small but significant to me. My blog viewing stats went through the roof around our wedding and the announcement of my pregnancy. It seems that while you lovely lot like to read about food and travel, you absolutely love those personal posts (which is great for me, because they are my favourite posts to write)!

My 10 most popular posts of 2015:

1. Our Wedding Day: This One's For You
2. Pregnancy Update: My First Trimester
3. Pregnancy Update: Week 13
4. So, I Have Some Exciting News...
5. 6 Things That Change When You Live Abroad
6. Our Wedding: The Ceremony
7. Top 6 Fine Dining Restaurants in Doha: #4 Antica Pesa and Toro Toro
8. Our Wedding: 25 Things I've Been Thinking About
9. Our Wedding: The Reception
10. Top 6 Fine Dining Restaurants in Doha: #6 La Mer

What This Year Taught Me

- Finding out that you are going to have a child really is as wonderful as everybody says it is. Your whole life will change in an instant.

- Your friends and family make the world go round. Don't take a single one of them for granted.

- Sometimes it's not where you are, but where you're going that matters.

- Hope and faith can get you anywhere. Sometimes holding on to the fact that your fate is in the hands of something or someone bigger than you can really help.

- Soulmates exist.

What's next?

Our little girl is due on the 28th March 2016. Until that point, I will be wrapping up and handing over some important things at work before I go on maternity leave, finishing off our nursery and pursuing a few exciting blogging opportunities before I get too large to move!

As great as 2015 was, I know that 2016 is going to be even more life changing for us, and I can not explain just how excited I am about us becoming a family of three. I feel like I have been destined to become a mummy for my entire life, and I can't believe that it's finally about to happen!

Not long after our little one is born, we will be heading back to the UK for two important weddings: first Rich's brother James and Inger Johanne in June, and then in July, one of my best friends Romana is marrying Arthur, where I will be joint maid of honour. At this point, Mr Sunshine and I have decided to stay in England for a while and I hope that we will get the opportunity to catch up with our nearest and dearest properly, and to introduce everybody to our new arrival.

From there on out, I think it will be a rather quiet year for the Sunshines...well, if you count sleepless nights and endless nappy changes as quiet!! We are both using up all of our leave time for when the baby's born, so no quick hops over to the UAE or Christmassing in the UK for us this year. And luxury holidays will definitely be out of the question!

Nevertheless, I've never started a year with such excited anticipation for what is to come, and despite being desperate for March to come, I'm going to make a conscious effort to enjoy every last moment of my pregnancy up to that point.

I hope you'll join me on the blog as I continue my journey!

Thanks again for all of the support, I couldn't do this without you. Wishing you all the best for a very happy end to 2015, and a great new year to come,

FYS x

A Festive Stay at the Doubletree by Hilton

No matter what was achieved in 2015, every one of us has something to celebrate. A new home, advances in jobs, steps taken in relationships, or simply just getting through the year and looking forward to better times ahead...we all deserve to treat ourselves, and this is the time of year to do it.

Rich and I were feeling that way when we checked into the brand new Doubletree by Hilton in Doha Old Town for the weekend. We were coming to the end of the most action packed and life changing year of our lives, and it was time for us to wind down and celebrate. 

If treats are what you're after then you'll be more than content with the friendly faces that welcome you at the reception desk and the warm-from-the-oven cookie which is offered on your arrival. 

But the best gift of all comes when you enter your room. A spacious yet cosy space looks out across the Corniche over the stunning skyline of West Bay. 

Sweet treats, soft furnishings and plush bathrooms add an extra level of comfort. 

And the large, comfortable beds adorned with squishy pillows that allow you to siiiiink in slowly are just too good to resist. 

You probably won't be surprised to learn that this scene lasted all of five minutes after our arrival, for a huge leap into the depths of the covers was just too much to resist. Mr Sunshine and I were absolutely shattered: I was getting over the flu, was getting bigger by the day and had a busy week of preparing for a work trip to Jordan ahead of me. Mr S had just worked a six day week with a couple of extremely late nights and was pretty much a dead man walking.

A 'Sweet Dreams' experience was just what the doctor ordered.

To add to the feeling of bliss, the staff had organised a specially-tailored massage for me. In my room. Yes, I didn't even have to walk the ten paces to the spa which was just down the corridor from our room on the top floor. Things don't come more festively-decadent than this!

My masseuse Kristine was an absolute star. Having been pregnant not so long ago herself, she knew exactly what was needed to help me to relax and unwind, and the spots to target on my back and neck which were suffering the most.

One hour and one head, back and foot massage later, propped up on pillows on the glorious bed, I could have gone to sleep right there and then. But our stomachs were gurgling. 

Open restaurant is a terrible place to go if like me you like all food and you're terrible at making decisions. The concept is simple: anything goes, and a fusion of cuisines and flavours await you on the extensive menu. 

We, as always opted for a little bit of everything, which we couldn't even come close to finishing. But this is what you're supposed to do at Christmas after all. 

The food was well presented but it wasn't ground breaking. Actually, it wasn't remarkable in the slightest. The ambience of the restaurant wasn't upmarket or 'five star' either. However, the staff were absolutely wonderful, the food was served promptly, and if you are looking for a quick bite to eat in a relaxed and friendly environment, then I think you would really like this place.

Finally, it was up to the roof for a cheeky nightcap (mocktail) before retiring to our blissful bed for some Sweet Dreaming. 

Pure Sky Lounge is a beautiful space, and the view is truly breathtaking. A real hidden gem for any of you wishing to drink and chat the night away while listening to laid back music. Even on the last day of the week before the new work week began it was heaving. 

I can honestly say that I was fast asleep as soon as my head hit the pillow. Our Sweet Dreams experience had begun...or had it?!

You really couldn't make the next bit up. At sometime in the night, I guess around 2.30am, we were rudely awoken by the teeth-clenching sound of clanging bells. At first I thought I was dreaming, but it soon became apparent that it was the fire alarm. And it wasn't stopping. We hurriedly got dressed, and walked (waddled) down the 13 flights of stairs to the ground floor lobby, only to be told that everyone was being sent back up to bed. Someone had just been smoking in their room. I don't entirely blame the hotel for this, but when the alarm blared again at 6am, after I had only just managed to get back to sleep half an hour before, I might have cursed it a little under my breath.

My own alarm awake me with a start at 7am. Bleary eyed from the disrupted night, I eventually tore myself from that gorgeous bed. I was late for work, had no time for breakfast and was in a rush to check out, but being handed another warm cookie to munch on in the taxi brought a smile to my weary face once more.

Mr Sunshine's view:

Would definitely recommend this hotel due to its location, views of the stunning Doha skyline and friendly service. I think that a hotel should really be judged first and foremost on how well you have slept and it was with a large slice of irony that we were invited to try out the hotel's 'blissful' mattress only to be woken up twice in the night by fire alarms! The hotel staff were of course entirely blameless and offered a sincere apology in the morning, as well as another warm cookie which I wolfed down on the spot. A quick stop to their breakfast bar and a few cappuccinos later, I felt ready to take on the day, albeit a little bleary-eyed and lacking in conversation! Oh well...as Oscar Wilde once said, "only boring people are brilliant at breakfast".

We were guests of the Doubletree by Hilton this time, but as always all views are my own

Pregnancy Update: Weeks 21-23

Bumpdate

It's been a while since my last bumpdate because I've been battling with a horrible bout of Doha flu and the effort it has taken to turn my laptop on to write a heartfelt post was just too much for me. More on that in a minute! Because I haven't shown you my progress for a while, I think you might notice quite a bit of a change this week! My tummy definitely became rounder, and my tummy button is definitely almost out now. Do you think I look like a proper pregnant lady yet?!

We went for another scan last Thursday, and the doctor said that our 'little' girl now weighs 500 grams (just over a pound!) and is a foot long. And she's growing by the day!

Symptoms

In the last week, mainly flu. Headaches, sore throat, hacking cough, running nose, temperature. You name it I've had it. Flu is always nasty, but flu when pregnant is the worst. I was really worried that the little one was going to be affected by it, but a check-up at the doctor and a quick scan put my mind at rest.

On a much nicer note, the little kicks I've been feeling have continued to get stronger and more regular, and I feel like I fall in love a little more every time I feel them. A new thing I've noticed over the past few weeks is how much she seems to love Adele. If I turn Hello up to full volume, she does a funny little boogie in my tummy, with feet kicking and arms flailing. She's obviously inherited her dad's dance moves!!

What I've been eating

I have experienced a huge increase in my appetite over the past few weeks, which has been satisfied by lots of lovely meals out.

There's nothing better than chatting food with food bloggers #foodbloggersqtrmeet #Aceite #meliadoha #meliahotel #doha #qatar #DohaBlogger #dohabloggers #qatarbloggers #foodblog #foodblogger #foodbloggers #fdbloggers #food #foodie #instafood #foodstagram #followyoursunshine

A photo posted by Follow Your Sunshine (@polbag) on Nov 24, 2015 at 10:08am PST

First P.F. Chang's experience. I'm a huge fan of the dynamite shrimp 🙌🏼 it blew me away! (boom) #pfchangs #villagio #doha #qatar #dohafoodies #foodblog #foodblogger #foodbloggers #fdbloggers #instafood #foodstagram #yum #foodporn #foodie #foodies #shrimp #dynamiteshrimp #followyoursunshine

A photo posted by Follow Your Sunshine (@polbag) on Nov 28, 2015 at 10:06am PST

On the blog today: there's only one place in Doha where you can enjoy all of these sumptuous sweets in one weekend... www.followyoursunshine.me #ontheblog #newpost #newblogpost #lbloggers #foodbloggers #foodblog #foodporn #foodie #yum #desserts #restaurant #luxury #luxuryhotel #luxurytravel #luxuryblog #luxurytravelblog #cake #scones #churros #afternoontea #marsamalaz #kempinski #doha #qatar #followyoursunshine

A photo posted by Follow Your Sunshine (@polbag) on Dec 4, 2015 at 9:28am PST

How I've been feeling

Very mixed emotions over the past few weeks. We moved into a new flat with a second bedroom and we have started to decorate the nursery. I can't tell you how excited I've been picking out furniture and soft furnishings for our little girl's future bedroom! It's turning into a lovely space, and I can't wait to share in with you in due course. I have also booked myself and Rich in to a positive birth class in early January which teaches you all the skills required for a calm and natural birth. I have been reading a lot about this recently and have made the decision that as far as I'm able I'd like to avoid any interventions. Let's see how long this lasts once I actually go into labour! Rich and I have also started investigating important things like which hospital I'm going to give birth in and which consultant will deliver our baby - positive and exciting decisions which are starting to make giving birth feel all too real!

The other side of the past few weeks has been less than cheerful. Illness always puts a dampener on any good mood, and I've struggled with horrible fatigue. This has been made even more difficult by an incredibly busy time at work. Last night we had a big event in Qatar and now I'm currently sitting in an airport in Amman, Jordan waiting to board a flight to Aqaba for another event tomorrow and while I'm super excited about it I'm also desperate for a break. Bring on the Christmas hols!!

What I've been wearing

Slouchy t-shirts a size or two larger than my usual size have become my new best friend.

Such a gorgeous afternoon for a walk in Katara, a stop to take some blog photos and a visit to the Dhow boat festival. #katara #kataraculturalvillage #doha #qatar #festival #amphitheatre #ootd #saturday #weekend #happy #pregnant #babybump #followyoursunshine

A photo posted by Follow Your Sunshine (@polbag) on Nov 21, 2015 at 4:43am PST

This gorgeous embellished t-shirt is from Ted Baker.

Products I've been using

I've finally found a face wash which is delicate enough for me to feel comfortable using while pregnant, yet strong enough to remove my make-up at the end of the day. Hoorah! This Body Shop staple is a real winner, pregnancy or no pregnancy and my face has never felt so soft since using it!

I have also continued to use my stetch mark cream and mother's balm on a daily basis, and so far no stretch marks. Touch wood this continues.

Baby bits

I don't want to give too much away because I will be doing a full nursery tour post shortly, but my friend Donna gave us a gorgeous bassinet with rocker which was used by her little one Lachie. It makes me go a little gooey every time I look at it. There will be more on this and the rest of the nursery in early Jan!

Link of the week

There are heaps and heaps of links that I discovered on my sick bed over the past week, so I'll be trickling these over to you as time goes on.

For now, here is by far the best maternity wear store I have found to date: https://www.isabellaoliver.com/uk

Thank you Isabella Oliver. Yes ladies, you can look good pregnant!!

Final words

If there is one thing that I've learnt since being pregnant, it's that all the smallest hardships are worth it. A million times over. Even a severe bout of Doha flu.

5 Things To Do In London At Christmas

Out here in the desert, Mr Sunshine and I have been busy recreating all of the Christmas-mood enhancing traditions that help you to survive the festive season in Qatar.

However, we haven't put our heart and soul into it in the same way that we did last year, because for a few weeks now we have had leave booked in to head home for the holidays. In two weeks today, we will be up in the skies and en route to our favourite place in the world to celebrate the Christmas season: London!

To help myself get into the festive spirit, I've put together a checklist of things we must do while we're in the English capital in order to get the best out of Christmas.

1. Visit the West End and Mayfair

Show me anywhere on earth that feels more Christmassy than this area of London and I will eat my (Santa) hat! Beautifully decorated shops and streets, twinkling lights and even fake snow falling on Oxford Street make the Christmas shopping experience in the West End and Mayfair a rather special one.

2. Have afternoon tea

Sure, this London tradition can be done at any time of year, but many hotels put on an extra special Christmas afternoon tea for December, with special Christmassy treats accompanying the usual sandwiches and scones and live choirs and piano music playing festive tunes in the background while you eat. The perfect way to catch up with family while indulging in the way you should indulge at Christmas.

My favourite Christmas afternoon teas this year are the new Ventian dining room, Celeste at the Lanesborough.

And of course, The Ritz.

3. Go ice skating

London has a plethora of ice skating options that open up to the public every year around the end of November.

I partricularly love the rinks that are bordered by beautiful old buildings and decorated with pretty lights. Somerset House is a must, but book well in advance because places fill up very quickly. But my personal favourite is the rink outside the stunning Natural History Museum.

4. Go to a Christmas market or fair

There are many well-known markets that pop up around this time of year, such as the South Bank Christmas Market and the More London Christmas Market. However, it's worth checking out some of the smaller, less mainstream offerings in the capital, including the Monocle Christmas Market in Marylebone and the Fair Christmas Fayre in Regent Hall, Oxford Street.

However, there is one Christmas fair in particular that's on everyone's minds at this time of year and that is Hyde Park's Winter Wonderland. If you're looking for ice skating, shopping, eating, drinking, games, prizes and entertainment all in one spot, this is the fair for you. Don't forget to book your ticket online in advance!

5.  Wrap up warm and have a wander

Finally, one day don't make a plan. Pop on your scarf and hat, take a train somewhere central and simply walk around, soaking up the unique Christmas atmosphere of the capital.

Just don't forget to stop for a warming eggnog latte to keep you going.

I am posting this as part of the monthly travel link-up. To join in, simply head over to Kelly's, Rebecca's, Emma's, or guest host Ayla's blog at Mrs Ayla's Adventures to link up your post on a festive season theme before the 7th December.