London in Luxury | A Travel Guide to Afternoon Tea, Buckingham Palace & Beyond

Discover London through the personal lens of travel influencer and lifestyle writer Lahoma Scarlette, whose work has appeared in leading publications including AFAR and Time Out.

I have always admired the pomp and circumstance of England, particularly London.  As one of the world’s most visited cities, London’s history, landmarks, and culture is what brings visitors and makes them return. My last visit across the pond occurred in the early aughts, a lifetime ago, so to say the opportunity to return filled me with excitement was an understatement.  This go-round entailed going in style, and 5-star style at that with my stay at the St. James’s Hotel and Club Mayfair.

The hotel was originally a gentleman’s club, né, The St. James’s Club, from 1857 to the 1970s that boasted Sir Winston Churchill, Ian Fleming, aristocrats, and the who’s who of high society as members. After a bit of a lapse the Victorian townhome was transformed into the St. James’s Hotel and Club and reopened in 2008, with elegance and timelessness at the forefront of the design which boats a nod to the past along with a contemporary flair.

You see the elegance upon entering the property as a doorman (porter) graciously greets guests. It was a nice welcome after the long flight from the States.  Having afternoon tea in London is a must and was the first activity of the three-day itinerary.   St. James’s “The Masterpiece Afternoon Tea” presentation was not to be outdone, with a three-tiered stand of specialty sandwiches (including the Montgomery cheddar with green tomato chutney), cakes (including the Sunflowers-Vincent Van Gogh, Pistachio, raspberry, and lemon choux) freshly baked scones, along with the exclusive blends of tea created for the property, it’s a delightful tradition to partake in, and is not just for hotel guests, afternoon tea is offered to the public with reservations.

Often location plays a factor when choosing accommodations and St. James’s earns high marks in that regard. Once afternoon tea was finished it was off to walk and take in the sights and sounds of London.  A quick walk up the quiet cul-de-sac street the property is located on brings you to loads of people busily walking, the cars, double-decker buses, the energy is electric and energizing.  From Piccadilly, Soho, to the famous Saville Row there is much to do in the West End.

Taking London’s tube (subway system) is a great way to get around the city and with the Green Park Station (underground station) located five minutes on foot from the hotel it’s an easy choice.  I remembered Oxford Street during my last visit and wanted to return, after getting off at the Oxford Circus stop, again your met with the energy of the people; it’s fast-paced, and as one of Europe’s busiest shopping streets with over 300 retailers and dining options there’s great variety in how to spend your dollars or British pounds. Expect the unexpected on Oxford Street, we witnessed a peaceful demonstration that included thousands and shut down one side of the street.

Not seeing the Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace would be a shame, so we ventured out early the next morning to watch the ceremony. To no surprise there were crowds of people already lined up to get a view.  Changing the Guard regularly takes place every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, at 10:30 am with the ceremony lasting about 45 minutes. Unknowingly we arrived at the side of Wellington Barracks (a military barracks) which is adjacent to Buckingham Palace and were able to watch the Foot Guards Band (a full military band) play before the actual ceremony. This free event brings visitors from around the world, arriving early is your key to good views and witnessing a centuries-old tradition in modern times. I had an “aha” moment when I realized that Buckingham Palace was a few minutes away on foot and on the other side of The Green Park. For many, including myself, Buckingham Palace seems larger than life so to realize it is on the other side of a park is a bit humorous.

From Buckingham Palace it was on to another iconic landmark, The London Eye. Luckily it wasn’t a busy day, but we still went ahead and purchased Fast Track Tickets to board the glass capsule first. Once on, you get to see 360-degree panoramic views of London and its landmarks including Big Ben, the Houses of Parliament, and more.  It’s a quiet 30-minute ride, which was surprising as I expected to hear an announcer point out landmarks, but alas, quiet is good, as it makes you marvel at the sights.

After a day of sightseeing, it was nice to return to the St. James’s for dinner at Francatelli, the hotel’s fine dining restaurant which also serves breakfast, lunch and other menu offerings, and is led by renowned Executive Chef William Drabble.  The homemade potato gnocchi, with wild mushrooms, wilted baby spinach and truffle cream was superb.

Alas, London at night awaited, so it was back to taking in the city with a quick walk to Chinatown and Piccadilly Circus.  London’s Chinatown is consistently ranked as one of the best Chinatowns in the world for good reasons.  It’s bustling with people, there are bakeries, shops, and over 150 Asian restaurants, and with its red lanterns that line the car-free district and provide a sense of place, it’s a distinctive and memorable visit.

Piccadilly Circus is reminiscent of Times Square with billboards and bright lights, and again the people. In fact, being back in London reminded me of how similar it is to New York with its energy and sights and sounds. If you’re looking to experience another side of London, hop on the tube and visit Brixton.  For those unaware Brixton is the birthplace of rock god David Bowie, along with wife (now widow) of the late rock god Ozzy Osbourne, Sharon Osbourne.  It’s also home to the well-known Electric Avenue, which was the inspiration for the famous song “Electric Avenue” by Eddie Grant.  Think of Brixton as a multicultural enclave for creatives, including street art, a diverse food scene, and cool bohemians.

A full English breakfast would be the perfect sendoff for my return to the States, note St. James’s only serves the highest quality of ingredients, including their eggs, which are Cackleberry Farm Eggs, which have a sunset-orange yolk.  I must say they were the best tasting eggs I have had to date. The staff called a black taxi for the departure to Heathrow Airport (tip: the black taxis can drive in the bus lane and get you to the airport faster) which was a great English ending to my London calling.   What could be more appropriate to my sendoff than a farewell ride in something so classic and synonymous with London.