This dispatch is part of From the Window Seat, a series of immersive, long-form personal trip reflections, in-depth destination pieces, and sharp hospitality evaluations grounded in firsthand reporting and personal experience.
Ed. note: Flights were provided by United Airlines, and select accommodations and experiences were hosted, as noted below where appropriate. All opinions and recommendations are my own.
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Earlier this year, someone asked me, “Where have you not yet been that I’d be surprised to learn?” I realized immediately what my most egregious answer was: a city that feels almost impossible not to pass through at some point in your life, yet one I’d somehow managed to miss out on for all 34 years of mine. London—can you believe it? Luckily, soon after realizing how ridiculous that was, I finally got my chance to go.
Over the course of my weeklong stay, I checked into four hotels, ate everywhere from Michelin-starred restaurants to centuries-old sandwich counters, bounced between more neighborhoods than I could count, and discovered that one of my favorite ways to spend an afternoon costs little more than the price of a scone.
London is obviously not a city you can completely master in just a week. But I covered enough ground to know two things for sure: I should have gone much sooner, and I’ll definitely be going back.
Below, you’ll find my heavily curated, first-timer’s guide to everything that made the wait so worth it.
Read on for:
My honest breakdown of four distinct stays, including the five-star spot to skip, and the Mayfair suite that ruined all other hotel rooms for me
The £5 afternoon that became one of my favorite London memories
How one of my best meals of the year happened at 35,000 feet
Where to find archival designer vintage, the London brand obsessed with the perfect button-down, a wild women-only swimming pond, and a salon that will save your hair from British humidity
So…I owe United a retraction. Earlier this year, I wrote that the food in Polaris was inedible. Today, I’m happy to report that things have massively turned around because on my flight to London, I found myself doing something I’ve never done before: scraping my plate clean at 35,000 feet.
I flew United Polaris between Newark and London, an ideal route for experiencing the airline’s recently launched Chefs Table collaboration. The program taps renowned chefs from around the world to create destination-specific Polaris menus inspired by United hub cities, and I got to try two: New York-based Chef Fariyal Abdullahi’s menu from Newark to London, and London-based Chef Tomos Parry’s on the way home.
Both meals were incredible, but Abdullahi’s was the standout: chilled tomato soup with jumbo lump crab; a baby gem and endive salad with berbere-spiced pepitas, dried cranberries, Pecorino Romano and creamy anchovy vinaigrette; and Ethiopian-coffee glazed short ribs with purple mashed potatoes, Thumbelina carrots and charred scallions. Reheated mid-Atlantic beef is usually a recipe for rubber disaster, but these short ribs were shockingly tender and juicy.
Considering how brutal airplane food constraints usually are (dulled taste buds, strict allergen rules, mass galley reheating, just to name a few), pulling this off borders on a miracle. When I later told Abdullahi how much I loved her meal, we joked that developing recipes for an airplane must feel like cooking with one hand tied behind your back. Luckily, you'd never know it from the plate.
Where I stayed
Nobu Hotel London Portman Square: I booked this stay through Amex Fine Hotels + Resorts so I could use one of my twice-yearly $300 hotel statement credits. I appreciated the Marylebone location and I found the bed incredibly comfortable, but unfortunately that’s where my praise ends. My Cosy King room felt almost capsule-like (a bit suffocating at this price point), and overall, the experience didn’t quite earn its five stars for me. Soundproofing was poor; the doors slammed shut despite their soft-close mechanisms (which, coupled with the lack of soundproofing meant near-incessant noise); one of two elevators was out of service; and the worst offense, in my book: I struggled out the door with two suitcases while several attendants stood nearby without offering to help. One thing worth knowing: Nobu adds a discretionary 5% accommodation service charge to your folio; I asked to have mine removed, saving roughly £50.
One Aldwych (hosted): Staying here, you’re within walking distance of the West End, Soho, the Thames and more restaurants, shops and things to do than you could possibly fit into one trip, making it a great home base for first-timers exploring the city. I stayed in the 764-square-foot Somerset Suite, one of the hotel’s four Signature Suites, which boasts a gorgeous circular sitting room, a massive dressing room, and plenty of space to actually settle in. The little luxuries were particularly well considered: automatic shades, great accent lighting, a heated towel rack in the bathroom, and excellent water pressure. Of the four hotels I tried, this is probably where I’d send a friend planning their first trip to London.
Four Seasons Hotel London at Park Lane (hosted): When I was shown to my newly renovated Deluxe Suite (all astounding 1,200 square feet of it!) I decided there was only one appropriate way to spend my one-night stay in the largest hotel room I’ve ever had: a staycation. Yeah, maybe it’s a bit unorthodox for a tourist, but after a whirlwind four days in London, I was more than happy to relax in a suite that legitimately felt more like having an apartment in Mayfair. I spent a long afternoon at the spa before eventually making my way downstairs for dinner at Bar Antoine. This is a spot worth the splurge with a partner, a friend, or even just to treat yourself.
The Hari (hosted): The Hari, located in Belgravia, is tucked inside a much quieter, more residential pocket of London where you can walk out the door and spend the day bouncing between little cafés and shops such that, eventually, you’ll get that little voice inside your head that asks in a whisper, “should I move here?” By the end of my trip, I’d deemed it my favorite London neighborhood. My King Deluxe room was definitely on the smaller side (the category ranges from 250 to 290 square feet), but it was comfortable enough for the time I spent in the hotel. What stood out most, though, was how personal the stay felt: my welcome amenity included cookies printed with my actual face and newsletter logo, which is THE most delightful welcome amenity I’ve ever received. Stay here less for a sprawling room and more because you want a stylish boutique hotel that gives you an excuse to live out a Londoner fantasy in Belgravia for a few days.
On my list to stay next time
St. Clement: I got a taste of this newly opened hotel when I toured it during my trip, but it was enough to put an overnight stay at the very top of my list. It’s situated right along the Thames next to creative hub 180 The Strand, with warm, residential interiors and, coming soon: a 25-meter pool overlooking the river.
At Sloane: A 30-room Chelsea hotel with gorgeous interiors, Parisian sensibility, and food and beverage from Jean-Louis Costes. What more could I ask for?
Six Senses London: Six Senses’ first UK hotel is essentially an urban wellness retreat near Notting Hill, complete with a 20-meter pool, cold plunges and an enormous spa.
Park Hyatt London River Thames: The location was a little removed for me for my first visit, but its huge windows, contemporary art collection, and dedicated wellness floor make me curious enough to venture south of the Thames for next time.
The Connaught: If I’m going to stay at one of London’s most famous hotels, I want it to be this one, thanks to the mix of old-school British grandeur and genuinely cool additions like the Connaught Bar, Red Room, and Aman Spa.
