London is bursting with activities for adults and children. Whether you come during the school holidays or for a long weekend, there are more than enough activities and sights for the little ones that are also fun for adults. To experience all this as much as we can, we stay in the Ampersand Hotel. Not only the quiet elegance and interesting mix of refined guests, but also the location in beautiful South Kensington makes this beautiful boutique hotel completely worthwhile. Within walking distance are several large museums and Hyde Park for a nice stroll. Next to the hotel is South Kensington station, from which you can quickly reach various places in London. South Kensington is a pleasant neighborhood where many French expats live and is noticeable by the number of French-oriented establishments such as a French bookshop and the many French patisseries.
Our comfortable suite interconnects with a Deluxe room which works perfectly for families. It reflects The Ampersand’s British sense of whimsy, with quirky geometry wallpapers and colourful plump velvet cushions. We have ‘Mary Poppins’ views across London’s skyline from the floor-to-ceiling windows and balcony among the eaves. Space is plenty: there is a bedroom with an amazingly comfortable king-size bed, a separate sitting room, a freestanding bath and walk-in shower, or a bath/shower combination. Bathrooms in the suites even have built-in TVs above the bath! So we have absolutely no problem at all to get our girls to take a bath. If you feel like cocooning for an evening, there is even a kitchenette with a microwave oven to fix up a quick meal. We also love the extra touches with the toiletries and the complimentary refreshments in the fridge are excellent.
Our London retreat these days
Being so close to Hyde Park that is our first stop on. We have been in London before and this park is still one of our favorite things-to-do as it has surprisingly many activities and a beautiful playground. The park is one of the capital's eight Royal Parks. It is home to several famous landmarks including the Serpentine Lake, the Rose Garden and the Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Fountain. Kensington Palace is also remarkably close by. For more than three centuries, this palace has been the official residence of members of the British Royal Family. The park also offers various recreational activities such as Frisbee, cycling, open water swimming and horse riding and there are ample pleasant walking trails. Cycling is allowed on all roads and specially designated cycle tracks. This includes rollerblading, skateboarding, etc. Hyde Park has a fleet of rowing and pedal boats. It even has tennis courts, a well-maintained 6-rink lawn bowling green and a 9-hole putting green. Our kids love all of this and what about the experience of finding numerous squirrels around you.
Putting together a workable itinerary for our trip is quite a challenge as for starters there are over 300 museums and galleries in London, many of which are free to visit. Some of London's most popular include the British Museum, Tate Modern, the Natural History Museum and the Science Museum. Another option for a great outing is the London Zoo; very compact and centrally located. Animals from all over the world live there. Special is the beautiful lion enclosure that is the residence for a special Asiatic lion family. Or meet the Alpacas Ben & Jerry at the petting zoo in Vauxhall. You can also sit for a snack and a drink in the cozy picnic garden. The gardens of the Hornimans museum are beautifully situated in Forest. This is where all the furry, woolly, and winged friends live that everyone knows. Go on a treasure hunt for the special flowers and plants in the garden. Put a funny mask on your head or play a strange musical instrument in the Ethnology department in the museum.
Of course, we also visit The Tower of London. Throughout history, this special building has had many residents: prisoners and their guards, royal families, and their servants. Even wild animals used to be locked up here. There are special family walks through this mysterious castle every day. And do not forget to look at the real jeweled crown of the British Queen Elisabeth. If you are in the area, be sure to visit the HMS Belfast. This 9-deck naval vessel is located between the monumental Tower Bridge and London Bridge and is the only cruiser to return unscathed from the Second World War. With the exciting scavenger hunt you will search for clous that will unravel the secret of the ship.
For the real Harry Potters fans, a visit to the Warner Bross Studio cannot be missed. Look behind the scenes of this magical set from the famous Harry Potter films. Walk around the Hogwarts Great Hall or board the Hogwart Express. Visit Dumbledore's office and experience what it is like to fly on a broom.
The hotel is also particularly close to an array of stylish shops, such as the Harrods with a huge toy department, Harvey Nichols department stores, the flagship stores for high-end fashion and designer labels like Jimmy Choo and Manolo Blahnik, as well as many international antiques dealers. Christmas in Knightsbridge is especially exciting, when both stores put on impressive window displays and festive lighting.
The Drawing room
Back in the hotel the Drawing room Part English drawing room, part ‘salon de thé’, this is the place to enjoy pretty pastries, exceptional teas, and freshly pressed coffees in South Kensington. The Science Afternoon tea is a must for adults and teenagers. It is completely unique to The Ampersand and won the Best Themed Afternoon Tea award at the Afternoon Tea Awards. And not surprisingly it is gaining huge popularity in London now. The inspiration came from the Science Museum. Here, they experiment with sounds and visuals, making each experience interactive. The culinary team at the hotel wanted to do the same with their high tea offering. Expect a mix of exciting and curious dishes, from jams served in petri dishes, to chocolate spacemen and dinosaur biscuits. .When art and taste meet everything can only be perfect. Everything that comes to our table is extremely well presented and delicious.
For the little ones and maybe more fussy eaters there is the Kids’ Sci-Fi Tea; a mix of exciting and curious dishes, from jellies served in petri dishes, to chocolate spacemen and dinosaur biscuits. Food is served on a rocket-shaped stand, with dry ice shooting out the bottom. Our girls left their table feeling one step closer to the stars, and as full as a T-rex after a dinner of Triceratops. The Kids’ Sci-Fi Tea can also be booked as part of a Kids’ Science Birthday Party, which includes room hire, food and drink, and hands-on interactive science entertainment. Alongside their Afternoon Teas, The Drawing Room also serves all-day light bites. The overall setting is both intimate and buzzing, with sunshine pouring in through the large Victorian windows
As indeed our girls almost explode after eating so much delicious food they are not up for diner and choose to spend some time in the Games Room. A playful and quirky dedicated space with Kingfisher blue bookshelves full of curiosities, games, and books. If you ask politely the staff even may bring in a full-size ping pong table to let off some steam.
How about this?
While the girls amuse themselves, we enjoy an evening meal at Apero, the hotels’ intimate, laidback restaurant. The space is softly lit, with cool white metro tiles and exposed brick walls. The menu is inspired by the Mediterranean’s best ingredients and the region’s most enduring flavours. Apero is popular with both locals and hotel guests, who gather from breakfast to late evening. We have a shared plate which is deliciously simple and modern. If you travel with a larger family group, we suggest booking the Chef’s Table. It is the best seat in the house, located just outside the kitchen to give you front row seats to the magic happening inside. This large table, seating up to 10 people is tucked away from the rest of the restaurant in a semi-private space, but still has all the conviviality and buzz of a lively London restaurant. You can interact with our chefs, ask directly for recommendations, and enjoy the undivided attention of the waiting staff.
The Apero
WOW
# What a lovely hotel. Not only the warm welcome but certainly the beautiful rooms with delicious bath products, a newspaper, tasty coffee and a free minibar in the rooms.
# The treats, slippers and robes left in the room for the kids were a genuinely nice touch and made them feel welcome.
# The location is perfect: with our five-year-old we were able to walk to the museums and for our daily meals we are spoiled for choice in South Kensington with a great variety of local restaurants around. Visit the Family Zone in the Tate Modern, get spooked with the dinosaurs at the Natural History Museum or enjoy an oh-so-British Afternoon Tea.
